Delicious desserts for fall

It is SEMO District Fair time, and nothing tastes better than fair food after a long hot summer. The funnel cakes, taffy, pork kabobs and Grace United Methodist Church fish just taste so much better at the fair. With so many choices, it is difficult to choose which ones to eat and which ones to pass up. That is why we usually get several different items and share bites from each item. It is a great time of the year.

Last week we had several recipes for butterscotch or caramel pie in response to a request from a couple of weeks ago. I received this recipe from Glenda Buchanan and it sounds much like the one that the reader was looking for.

Caramel Pie

1 cup sugar

4 cups hot milk

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon butter

4 tablespoons flour

3 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pie shell

Brown 1/2 cup sugar in iron skillet. Add hot milk. Stir and add salt and butter stir. Mix remaining sugar with flour; add into mixture and stir until thick. Beat egg yolks, stir into mixture and add vanilla. Stir and put into a baked pie shell.

Make meringue, bake at 350 degrees until brown.

I also received a couple more recipes from Lois Seabaugh of rural Jackson and will share those in another column.

Another Jackson reader sent in the next couple of recipes and I can't wait to try the blueberry twisties.

Chocolate-Cherry Fantasy Desserts

An easy frozen biscuit becomes the warm, tender topping for a fabulous fruit dessert.

2 cups frozen cherries (from 16-ounce bag)

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 frozen buttermilk biscuits

1 teaspoon milk

1 teaspoon sugar

Vanilla ice cream, if desired

1 tablespoon slivered almonds, if desired

2 tablespoons fudge topping, heated

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 2 (1 1/2-cup) ungreased ovenproof bowls or ramekins on cookie sheet. Spoon 1 cup frozen cherries into each bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon cornstarch to each bowl; toss to coat cherries.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Stir cherries well; place 1 frozen biscuit on top of each bowl of cherries. Brush biscuits with milk; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar. Return to oven; bake 18 to 22 minutes longer, adding almonds to cookie sheet during last 3 minutes of baking time. Bake until tops of biscuits and almonds are golden brown. Cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving. To serve, top with ice cream, fudge topping and toasted almonds. Makes 2 servings.

Blueberry Twisties

1 package active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)

3/4 cup dairy sour cream

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 beaten egg

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

1/2 cup blueberry spreadable fruit

1 recipe powdered sugar glaze (see recipe on Page 11A)

Stir the yeast into warm water to soften. Stir in sour cream, cooking oil, egg, granulated sugar, salt and baking soda. Beat until well combined. With a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the flour as you can. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that's smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes total). Shape dough into a ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface of the dough. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours). Line a large baking sheet with foil. Lightly grease foil. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into a 16-by-12-inch rectangle. Stir lemon peel into the spreadable blueberry fruit. Spread filling over 1/2 of the length of the rectangle. Fold dough over to make a 16-by-6-inch rectangle. Cut the bread dough crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips. Twist one strip 2 or 3 times and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat for remaining strips of dough, leaving 1-1/2 inches between strips on baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven; transfer twisties to a wire rack. Drizzle powdered sugar glaze over warm twisties. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 16.

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

In a mixing bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a drizzling consistency.

I think these blueberry twisties sound wonderful, and I will try them with red raspberry as well.

Lorene Wood of Cape Girardeau brought to me this recipe from the Institute for Cancer Research. Squash is readily available in the fall and with every bite you will get cancer-fighting phytochemicals, fiber and nutrients.

Butternut Squash Pie with Graham cracker Crust

1 cup cooked mashed butternut squash

3/4 cup fat-free milk

2 eggs

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or homemade

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In blender, puree squash, milk, eggs, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt until completely mixed. Pour into graham cracker crust and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the pie is set in center. Makes 8 servings.

Have a wonderful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.