Celebrated with fests, fairs and trick or treating, October is one of the most festive months of the entire year.  It is also a month for celebrating the apple.  Not only are apples candied, carameled and the filling for one of the most popular pies in America, no other fruit is found so frequently in art, literature, and everyday speech as the apple.  

There is no doubt that the apple is beautiful, delicious and tempting.  Remember how Snow White fell into a deep sleep when she succumbed to the poisonous apple offered  her by the wicked witch?  Fortunately, she was kissed and awakened by Prince Charming and lives happily today in Fantasyland charming little girls. 

And we have not even talked about “an apple a day, keeping the doctor away.”  Apples are beneficial for helping to prevent several cancers and Alzheimer’s.  They help manage asthma and diabetes, lower cholesterol and are beneficial in weight loss programs and more. 

Our local Central Markets have been celebrating the apple all week during “Applefest.”  And are there ever some wonderful apple dishes for sampling.  The bakery has an “apple upside down” cake that, pardon me Snow, “is to die for.”  I bought a jar of Blake’s Apple Pie Jam.  Oh my!  It is delicious on a hot biscuit and on a peanut butter sandwich. 

The apple pie jam along with the new crop of Honey Crisp apples is what inspired me to bake a caramel apple crisp. 

The Honey Crisp is the apple of my eye and it is quickly becoming one of the most popular eating apples ever.  They are also a good cooking apple, holding their shape and flavor.  However, they can be pricy. Unless you find them on sale or a really good buy, you may want to select a different apple.  Make sure the apple is a good cooking apple such as Granny Smith.  Do not use Red Delicious.  They are beautiful and sweet, but they do not hold up well to cooking as they loose their shape and become mushy. 

My “go to” Food Network chef, Ina Garten, also suggests McIntosh and Macoun apples for cooking.  McIntosh is plentiful in our area, but Macoun is a native New England apple and I have not seen it here, although I admit that I have not looked. 

Baking an apple crisp is so easy and for those who would rather not work with pastry dough, this is for you as a crisp is sprinkled with a crumbly topping rather than ensconced in a pie shell. 

Make one for dinner tonight or make one for your pastor.  October is also pastor appreciation month. 

Caramel Apple Crisp 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare 9 x11 oval baking dish with non-stick spray. 

2 pounds Honey Crisp Apples (about 4 apples)

3 tablespoons Blake’s Apple Pie Jam (available at Central Market)

 or

3 tablespoons apple jelly, 1 tsp. cinnamon and ½ tsp ground nutmeg

15 Kraft caramels unwrapped and cut in two or three pieces 

Topping

2/3 cup flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup oatmeal (old fashioned rolled oats)

Pinch of kosher salt

¼ pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced 

Peel and slice apples.  Discard the core. 

Toss apples with the jam and arrange in baking dish.

Top with caramels. 

To make topping: 

In electric mixer using the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugars, oatmeal, salt and chilled diced butter.  Start slowly and increase speed gradually.  Result will be a crumbly mixture. 

Scatter topping evenly over apples. Bake for one hour until crisp is hot and bubbly and topping is golden brown. 

Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a truly unforgettable fall dessert. 

Crackers are good with so many foods.  They complement soups, salads and cocktails. Savory homemade crackers are fun, easy and delicious and a perfect addition to a holiday buffet.   Plus they make it look like you did something really special. 

Let’s make crackers with step by step photos. 

There are several great recipes available for homemade crackers. Perhaps the most famous is the “cheese straw.” Like porch sitting, lightening bugs, honeysuckle and iced tea; cheese straws are steeped in southern hospitality. No respectable southern hostess would be without a platter of cheese straws on her party buffet.   

Rice crispy cheddar rounds are another delicious home-made cracker.  My friend Kathy Harris who loves to host parties serves these and people can’t get enough of them. 

Another delectable cheese treat is blue cheese and walnut crackers, a specialty of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. 

I chose an Ina Garten cracker recipe for a recent wedding shower, one that I had not made before—Parmesan Thyme Crackers.  They were delicious and so easy. 

Parmesan Thyme Crackers 

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1¼ ups all-purpose flour 

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 1 minute. With the mixer on low speed, add the Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper and combine. With the mixer still on low, add the flour and combine until the mixture is in large crumbles, about 1 minute. If the dough is too dry, add 1 teaspoon water.

Dump the dough onto a floured board or waxed paper, press it into a ball, and roll into a 9-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or for up to 4 days.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the log into 3/8-inch-thick rounds with a small, sharp knife and place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes, until very lightly browned. Rotate the pan once during baking. Cool and serve at room temperature.  Store in air-tight or zip lock bag. 

Tips: 

 Make sure the butter is at room temperature.  

Use Parmesan Reggiano.  You can buy it grated at Central Market and 4 ozs. of grated cheese is what you will need to yield a cup. 

Wash thyme and dry on paper towel.  Using herb scissors, snip a stem from the bunch and with your fingers, strip the leaves against the growth.  When you have enough thyme leaves just snip little bunches of the leaves again with your scissors. 

Keep your measuring spoons on hand as you will likely need to add water by the teaspoons to get the dough to the right consistency. This is likely due to the butterfat content in your butter.  Higher fat butters are best for baking. 

Use the wax paper to roll the ball into a long and then wrap with plastic wrap. 

Makes 24 to 30 crackers. 

As fall approaches, these crackers would be great with Cream of Tomato or Potato soup and they will disappear quickly from your party buffet during the fall holidays.  

The Book Trotters met at Times Ten Cellar Monday evening September 12, a week later than usual to accommodate the Labor Day holiday. 

Occasionally the group breaks with tradition and rather than reading a specific book this month the group was asked to select a book that they had previously read that had a significant impact on their life or was even responsible for a life changing attitude. 

Marilyn Hansen, Julie Do, Jane Lampton and Cathleen Payne chose books that they had read in childhood or as young adults such as “Anne of Green Gables,”  “The Hobbit,” “Mrs. Mike” and “My Antonia” because the story and characters took them to a new place, one they had not been to before, making them realize the power of books.  They also mentioned the influence of strong women, the beauty of our land and the world of imagination. 

“I have read several significant books in my life, but I want to go with ‘Lonesome Dove’ by Larry McMurtry as my most significant,” Pam Thomas said. “I spent many enjoyable hours reading, re-reading and reading again the western that became a T.V mini-series. It hit home with me because I had lived west of the Mississippi for only three years when I first read the book and it gave me a sense of the history of the area that still reverberates in my soul. There's not a month that goes by that something I see or do doesn’t bring to my mind the lessons learned from ‘Lonesome Dove.’” 

There are many quotes of wisdom in “Lonesome Dove.”  Pam chose a quote by the character Gus Mccrae as one of her favorites: “The older the violin, the sweeter the music.” 

Many of us may want to remember that quote and have it ready for a Texas “shoot-back” from time to time. 

Ann McCann chose Daniel Silva’s “Black Widow.”  “I think he is really a good writer and a great writer of mysteries,” Ann Said. 

The book is a thriller of international intrigue and a timely read with recent world events. 

Kathy Harris chose “What is the What,” an autobiography of Valentine Achak Deng.  The story mixes fictional and non-fictional elements about the long journey from Southern Sudan to Atlanta, Georgia. 

“It is a page turner.” Kathy said.  “It is also a powerful story, and one that made an impression on me.  Author Dave Eggers brought Valentine’s story to life in a very believable way.” 

I selected “A Place at the Table,’ by Susan Rebecca White, a novel read by the Book Trotters a few years ago.  I loved the story about a young gay man from the south moving to New York City and finding his place among new friends in Manhattan.  I also loved the emphasis on food. Much of the story took place in a Manhattan restaurant where interesting people gathered at the table. 

But sadly, when most needed, Bobby was denied a place at the greatest table of all, the communion table, because he was not a member of the church. I believe that chapter opened my eyes to the practice of open communion, making the book a life-changing experience for me. 

It was an interesting and enjoyable evening.  The group discussed plans for the forth-coming holidays such as book donations and charities they might support. The Book Trotters are looking forward to Alice Hoffman’s “A Marriage of Opposites” as their October book selection.

It was a joyful morning at Central Christian Church as dogs and their owners gathered under the shade of the huge oak trees to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first church-owned and operated off-leash dog park in Dallas— Central Community Dog Park. 

Regulars to the park and their guests enjoyed music, coffee, juice and continental breakfast while the dogs raced about the park sniffing and playing catch, fetch all those things that dogs love to do. 

Long time Central members, Sherrie Narusis and B.J. Austin recalled how the park was conceived ten years ago to fill a need for the neighborhood. Michael Rains led heart-felt singing and read the words to Benji’s theme, “I Feel Love.” 

“The song, ‘I Feel Love’ summates the theme of this morning’s celebration," long time member Tyson Woods said. He went on to share a bit of church trivia— Central member, actor and director, the late Ed De Latte, was actually in the 1974 locally filmed block-buster. 

Tyson acknowledged the joy our pets bring into our lives as well as the peace we gain communing with nature. He thanked those dogs and their humans who have made the dog park such a success within our community. 

Not only was Central’s dog park the first church owned dog park in Dallas, it was honored by the Dallas Observer as the best dog park in Dallas. Park regulars and Central members agree to that. 

Several improvements have been made to the park since it was first opened, like electric fans to help with the breeze and the dog wash station, an Eagle Scout project. But the park’s ambiance has never changed.  It is a place where you can come and sit with your dog, enjoying nature and God’s presence. 

It was a beautiful morning and a joyous ceremony of thanksgiving for each other and for the animals that play such an inportant role in our lives.

Following the service in the dog park and Sunday morning worship in the sanctuary, dog park deacon, Tom Irwin, grilled hot dogs for a Labor Day cook-out. 

Plan to bring your dog and join Central again October 9 at 11 a.m. for the annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.  All are welcome!

Although we are still a few weeks away from the fall solstice, summer is usually considered over with the beginning of the school year and the celebration of Labor Day. The weather may remain on the warm side, but our mind-set turns to autumn.  Besides back to school, football and the approaching holidays, “what’s for dinner” conjures thoughts of soups, stews and casseroles. Casseroles always serve well during the school year because you can make ahead, pop in the oven when you are ready and they require few sides. 

One of my favorites is cabbage rolls.  I didn’t grow up with the dish. Although it is a comfort food, it is not typically associated with southern cooking. Cabbage rolls

have roots in Eastern Europe and Scandinavia and are often served in Jewish households. 

It was in the 1960’s that my mother, Gloria Shouse, clipped a recipe for cabbage rolls from the newspaper.  The dish immediately became a favorite of our family.  Years later, I re-submitted Mother’s recipe to the “Arlington Citizen Journal” on her behalf. Although I chose a different recipe for my demonstration, the recipe that turned my family on to cabbage rolls is attached. 

In spite of getting a bad rap due to its “bouquet” while cooking, cabbage is loved by many and for good reasons. Cabbage has the highest amount of some of the most powerful antioxidants found in cruciferous vegetables. Research has shown these compounds to protect against several types of cancer, including breast, colon, and prostate cancers. They also help lower the LDL or "bad cholesterol" levels in blood, which can build up in arteries and cause heart disease. High in vitamin K, cabbage is a known preventative for Alzheimer’s. Those are a few of the reasons to include cabbage in your diet. Besides cabbage rolls are delicious—often served at special holidays. 

Let’s make cabbage rolls.  

The recipe that I selected to use today is a very simple, basic recipe with only a few ingredients. There are many recipes for cabbage rolls, some include cinnamon and nutmeg for a sweet and sour version. Once you know how to harvest the leaves and fill and fold them, you can experiment with a variety of fillings.

Here’s what you need: