Traditional Fall Dessert...

For the weekend, I made a popular dessert that takes its name from the flaky pastry used to wrap around it’s filling ~ Strudel ~ a loaned word in English from the German word Strudel, which literally means "whirlpool." I have always looked upon it as a traditional fall dessert; when the apples are ripe and ready to be picked from their branches. I am luckily to have a neighbor with a small apple orchard with some wonderfully sweet Royal Gala baking apples. Strudel is best served the same day it is baked, especially if you plan to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


Apple Strudel

Ingredients:
1¼ cups apple juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ pound Royal Gala apples
~ peel, core & sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup dark seedless raisins
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup chopped pecans
4 sheets phyllo dough
⅓ cup melted butter
3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Vanilla ice cream, for garnish

In a small bowl, create a slurry by combining ¼ cup of the apple juice with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch; mix until smooth and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples with the remaining apple juice, and the raisins, sugar and cinnamon until the apples are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry (it may have settled) and add to the apple mixture, stirring constantly until smooth and lump free. Simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the pecans, cover and chill.

Preheat the over to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay out one phyllo sheet on a clean, flat, lightly floured surface. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of dry bread crumbs. Repeat this procedure with two more layers of phyllo, butter and crumbs. Top with the fourth sheet of phyllo. Spread the apple filling evenly onto phyllo surface, leaving a ½ inch clean edge on all sides. Roll into a log, folding edges at each end beneath the log, and brush with melted butter. Carefully place the strudel on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Bake the strudel for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 2-inch slices and sprinkling with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Serve plain or with ice cream.

Country Chicken Pot Pie

With fall upon us – what is easier for dinner and tastes every bit as good than a hearty chicken pot pie. While the classic chicken pot pie is a wonderful recipe, down here in the Deep South; I like to add a few extra ingredients which will put this pot pie in a league all to its own. I like to serve it with mixed green salad and a glass of White Zinfandel.

Country Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
2 refrigerated pie crusts (15-ounce package), room temperature
½ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons tarragon
6 eight-ounce skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 stick butter
2 cups chicken broth
¾ cup sherry
1 cup heavy cream
1½ cups sliced carrots, blanched
16 small pearl onions, peeled and parboiled
1 cup diced red potatoes, boiled until almost tender, do not peel
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
1 cup quartered artichoke hearts
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

Place crust on working surface. Press out fold lines; pinch to seal cracks. Cut out 6 pastry rounds to fit top of six 2-cup ramekins. Combine flour and 1 tablespoon of tarragon in a shaker bag. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken to flour; toss to coat. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and any remaining flour to skillet; sauté until brown, about 2 minutes. Mix in broth, white wine, sherry, vegetables, onions, artichokes, and 2 tablespoons tarragon; stirring until smooth. Bring to a boil.
Stir in the cream and reduce heat to simmer, cover skillet. Cook for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer filling to ramekins. Top with pastry rounds and bake in a 425 degree F oven for 18 - 20 minutes or until golden.

Serves 6