Good Morning! I hope everyone had a relaxing and fun weekend. I unfortunately had to work all weekend, but I was able to enjoy a trip to Erwin’s Apple Orchard with Nick on Thursday. It was beautiful outside and we picked some apples before treating ourselves to a donut and cider. No, we did not plan to match, but it made for a cute picture!

We came home with over two dozen apples including a huge bag of my favorite, Honeycrisp. We weren’t able to pick the Honeycrisp since they are so popular and were already picked, but we snagged an already bagged bunch from the cider mill before heading home.

Now you ask, what do I do with this many apples? While I do love an apple with peanut butter as a snack, I have recently tried some recipes that incorporate this delicious fruit (with some help from Pinterest of course) that I want to share with you today.  If you don’t have a bunch of apples on hand, here is your excuse to go get some while they are still in  their prime season.

Apple Pie Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 apple
• 1 8 oz can Pillsbury crescent rolls
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Spray baking sheet (or line with parchment paper).
3. Unroll crescent dough and separate the pieces of dough laying them flat on baking sheet.
4. Mix brown sugar and apple pie spice and sprinkle mixture evenly on each dough piece.
5. Sprinkle each piece of dough with pecans.
6. Slice apple and dip each apple slice in butter.
7. Place one apple slice on each dough piece at the thickest side and begin to roll each dough piece where the apple is placed.
8. Brush each crescent roll with remaining butter and sprinkle with apple pie spice.
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crescents are golden brown.
10. Enjoy warm and add vanilla ice cream to get the a la mode effect!

(http://theblondcook.com/2014/11/apple-pie-bites/#_a5y_p=3786077)

Fall-Inspired Salad

Ingredients 

• 1/4 apple
• Spring mix lettuce
• 1/8 onion
• 1 tablespoon feta cheese
• 1 tablespoon craisins
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 1 tablespoon Panera Fuji Apple Vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

1. Chop apple into bite-sized pieces.
2. Cut onion into slices.
3. Place desired amount of lettuce into bowl.
4. Add all other ingredients and top with dressing.
5. Enjoy!

– M –