Pilgrimages to the mountains this fall by my grandparents have yielded this Farmer with apples aplenty. Pies, cakes, and tarts have abounded this season and finally, after much persistence i.e. nagging and
begging on my part, Mimi has made her Apple Butter.
This delicacy has a longstanding place in my memory of warmth and delight, for Mema, Mimi’s mother, would make this and the smell and taste bring back memories of her. She would fill dough with this apple concoction and bake apple turnovers or fry apple fritters. Mimi has perfected the recipe and we use it on breads, biscuits, poundcake, or simply as dessert itself. I take only a spoonful at a time, yet, still, the jar keeps diminishing in volume. I suppose it is the spoonfuls throughout the day that cause the diminishment.
This sauce is that good – you’ll find yourself sampling right off the stove and right out of the fridge… hot or cold, warm or cool, Mimi’s Apple Butter will surely become a favorite. With the holidays fast approaching, jar some apple butter to give to your neighbors, friends, and loved ones, that is, if you can bear to share!
When I think of casseroles, I imagine layers and layers of meats and
vegetables slowly cooking together until fork tender. Baeckeoffe is
that casserole; it beats all other casseroles. Beef, lamb, and pork are
combined with onions, leeks, and carrots, then drowned in wine, and
slowly braised for hours in the oven until just perfect. Baeckeoffe,
which translates to baker's oven, originates from Alsace, France, a
region that has changed hands many times between France and Germany. In
many ways, especially gastronomically, it maintains a German identity.
Here you will find beer, sausages, sauerkraut, and vineyards growing
typical German grapes like Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Many dishes are
specific to this region, Baeckeoffe being one of its most famous
traditional foods.
These Banana Nut Oat muffins are some of the best muffins I've ever made.I got out of the habit of baking when my stove was replaced. I use my bread machine and my 
Now that we’re in the peak of apple picking season, I realized that I never posted a basic apple pie recipe. Some people find making pies a daunting task. There are stories, mostly said in hushed tones, about my mother throwing more than a few pie crusts against the wall.
There is something indulgent about starting the day with a cup of rich dark coffee, (no cream or sugar, thank you), and a big, warm, moist scone that is loaded with dried apricots and a generous amount of big chunks of nuts and maybe, sometimes, still-soft morsels of dark chocolate that melt on the tongue with each bite.