(Un)Stuffed banana pepper macaroni and cheese

Creamy, gooey, cheesy macaroni with kick from the banana peppers is a delicious twist on macaroni and cheese. This recipe is a great dinner for a cold evening.

Pawpaw bread

If you are lucky enough to have pawpaws and have some to spare, this quick bread is a delicious way to use them. We usually only get a few pawpaws during their short season from a local farmers' market, so I don't cook or bake with them very much. But this year we were given a big box so I had the opportunity to try them in a quick bread. 

This quick bread is somewhat similar to a banana bread but with the distinctive tropical notes and aroma from the pawpaw. If you are not familiar with pawpaws, they are a fruit that is native to the eastern U.S. and they are custard-like in texture with flavor somewhat like a cross between a banana and a mango (I sometimes get some pineapple smell). 

They have a beautiful aroma and could be growing in a neighborhood or woods near you. We have three tiny trees in our yard, but they are still several years away from fruiting. 

You can read more about pawpaws here and in this fascinating book. It used to be grown and eaten much more frequently, but it still has its fans and even festivals in the regions where it grows. And rightfully so because this native gem is a delight! 

A word of caution - some people may experience gastrointestinal distress from eating pawpaws, and maybe especially cooked ones. You can read more about that from the USDA.  

Apple cream pie with oatmeal crust

This post is sponsored on behalf of #appleweek. Our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Nairn's and The Spice House have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

 

A mix of tart and sweet apples are wrapped in cream, vanilla, and cinnamon and baked in a crust that tastes like a big oatmeal cookie in this delicious autumn dessert. This pie is closing out my #AppleWeek recipes and it's worth the wait! I hope that you are all loving #AppleWeek as much as I have been. I felt that doing a week of apple recipes just wouldn't be complete for me without a new pie recipe. Pies are kind of a thing with me. I enjoy trying out all different pie filling flavors, but also different types of crusts. I was really nervous about this pie - very unsure if the oatmeal crust would work, but it turned out perfectly! We decided that it tastes like a giant oatmeal cookies and a big bonus is that it's a snap to make - no chilling, or rolling, or using a food processor for this crust! The apple cream filling was kept very simple with a hint of cinnamon and some deep vanilla flavor using Rodelle's gourmet pure vanilla extract and the crust is made with Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal. Apples, oats, and vanilla are a lovely flavor profile. You can't beat the vanilla flavor you get with Rodelle's pure vanilla extract. And, Flahavan's oats are a family favorite - we love eating them for breakfast - they make the creamiest and smoothest oatmeal. They are also terrific for using in recipes like this. This pie will serve about 8 people and it's a perfect dessert for using up apples after apple picking this fall.

Creamy beet and apple salad

Disclosure: This post is sponsored on behalf of #appleweek. Our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Nairn's and The Spice House have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

 

A creamy and tangy dressing coats these crisp, sweet apples and soft, earthy beets for a delicious fall side dish. 

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#AppleWeek is still going strong and I hope you have been enjoying everyone's amazing recipe contributions this week! I know I am! Hopefully you have found at least a couple, if not several, new apple recipes to try out this fall. Today I have a fall side dish that is super easy and also so tasty. I have to say that even my toddlers scarfed down this salad - it's that good. 

I received some spices from The Spice House for #AppleWeek and one that I was especially excited to try was ground caraway. I've used the whole seeds several times, but never a ground version. I have been wanting to make a beet and apple salad ever since I tried one years ago and I thought caraway would be a lovely compliment to the flavors. I was correct - the flavors in this salad all go together so nicely and the contrast between the sweet crispy apples, the soft earthy beets, and the cool and tangy dressing go so well together. 

We had this salad along with come cranberry chicken sausage and potato pierogi for a perfect autumn meal. This recipe will serve about 4 people as a side dish.

Chipotle turkey, apple, & sweet potato chili

Disclosure: This post is sponsored on behalf of #appleweek. Our generous sponsors, Swiss Diamond, Envy Apples, Imperial Sugar, Nordic Ware, Rodelle Vanilla, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Nairn's and The Spice House have provided us with products for recipe creation and a giveaway for our readers. As always, all opinions are my own.

 

A chili packed with sweet potatoes, apples, turkey, black beans, and seasoned with chipotle in adobo, cinnamon, coriander, and more makes for a delicious, hearty, and unique fall meal. 

Posts may contain affiliate links. If you purchase an item from these links, a small percentage goes to support the work of this blog. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I am so excited to share this recipe with you! Apples are a huge part of our fall and my husband and I love visiting our local orchard where they have new apple varieties as well as heritage varieties. We go picking every fall and I'm always creating new apple recipes as well as old favorites. 

I was soooo happy to be able to receive a box of Envy Apples to try for #AppleWeek! These apples were new to me and to my family, so trying them was a big deal for us. Our kids were sampling them with me as soon as we got the box. 

I popped one in my husband's lunch. I gave one to my mom to take home one day, too. The kids and I loved them. My husband texted me saying what a great apple it was. My mom called and asked where she could buy them. They is no question these apples are winners! They are crisp, lightly sweet, and have a delicate apple flavor - plus the skin is so pretty in color and nice in texture. 

We will definitely be adding Envy Apples to our favorites now. They are so good for eating out of hand, but they are also terrific for cooking. I knew I wanted to make at least one savory apple dish this week and had long been thinking of adding apples to a chili. 

This chili far exceeded my expectations and will be a regular in our autumn meal rotation from now on - trust me, it may sound a bit add, but all the flavors blend together for a perfect one-pot meal! 

This recipe will serve about 4-6 people depending on hunger level and any sides. It's great with corn bread or a side of corn chips/tortilla strips for scooping or sprinkling on top.