CARAMEL PEAR AND CRANBERRY PUDDING CAKE

*Fall Collection* A quick and easy fall dessert!!  Serves 6-8/ 2  to  2-3/4 hours.

+Cooking-oil spray
2/3 cup good-quality caramel sauce,  warmed
2 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored,  and sliced
3/4 cup cranberries
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
2 TB butter, melted
+Cre'me fraiche

1. Coat the cooking insert of a 5-to 6-qt. slow-cooker* all over with cooking-oil spray. Evenly spread caramel on bottom, then top with an even layer of pears. Sprinkle with cranberries.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar,salt, baking powder, milk, and butter in a medium bowl until mostly smooth with only tiny lumps remaining. Pour over fruit and spread with a spatula to cover evenly.

3. Cover and cook until a toothpick inserted in cake portion comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes on high or 2-1/4 hours on low.

4. Remove basin from slow-cooker and let pudding cake cool 5 minutes. Spoon onto plates, pear side up, and dollop with cre'me frache.

*You can use a 4-quart slow cooker, but may need to increase the cooking time.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

Flageolet beans with rosemary and thyme

*Fall Collection* Serves 4 ) 8 OR 9 AS A SIDE) 2-1/2 to 4-3/4 hours

12 oz. dried flageolet beans
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. finely chopped rosemary leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. slices on a diagonal
About 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

1.Put all ingredients including 2 TB oil but not the sprigs or parsley in a 4-to 6-qt. slow-cooker. Add 5 cups boiling water and stir. Cover and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and beans are very tender, 2-1/4 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 4-1/2 hours on low.

2.Stir in 3 TB parsley. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with more oil. Garnish with Rosemary and thyme sprigs and remaining 1 TB parsley.

NOTE: No need to soak the beans beforehand; they cook up tender straight from the package.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

FALL RECIPES CONTINUE

(photo-google+)

FORTUNE TELLING PUMPKIN

*Halloween Collection*

Make this Halloween game by writing fortunes in milk on strips of paper. Place fortune slips in a cauldron, have guests draw of the seemingly blank pieces of paper. The hostess plays fortune teller by saying magic words and holding strips over flame of a candle-lit jack-o-lantern. Watch the fortunes magically appear!! (The milk is scorched by the flame, making writing visible.) NOTE: Lemon juice works as well.

(Source: Dorothy Dean & kappboom wallpaper photo also)

CHOCO-PEANUTTY GOBLIN COOKIES

*Halloween Collection*

1-1/2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup backed brown sugar
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 TB milk
+Chocolate Cream Filling

Combine flour, brown sugar, soda, and salt in large mixer bowl; cut in butter and peanut butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend in corn syrup and milk. Chill dough about 1 hour. Shape into 12-inch roll; wrap in waxed paper. Chill until firm. Slice into 1/4-inch slices, place half of slices on ungreased cookie sheet. Drop Chocolate Cream Filling by teaspoonfuls in center of each slice; top with remaining cookie slices. Press edges together with fork. Cut goblin face in tops of cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet; complete cooling on rack. YIELD: 2-1/2 dozen.
CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLING: In top of double boiler, melt 1 cup chocolate chips over hot water. Cool 10 minutes. Gradually blend in 1 3-oz package softened cream cheese and 2 TB powdered sugar; beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped nuts.

(Source: Dorothy Dean & kappboom photo also)

Spiced Cider

*Halloween Collection*

1 quart apple cider
+Zest of 1 lemon
1 cup dark rum (optional)
+Thinly sliced apples (for garnish)
+Cinnamon sticks (for garnish)

Pour apple cider into a large saucepan. Add cinnamon sticks and lemon zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Add dark rum. Serve warm in coffee mugs and garnish with an apple slice and a cinnamon stick.

(Source: Jill Novatt of Food Network Kitchens & kappboom wallpaper photo)