Over Pumpkin Try These Pumpkinless Fall Dishes by Angela Guzman l Recipes l Dessert Recipes l Fall Pastries l Easy Dishes

Crock Pot Baked Apples

Ingredients: 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped, 2 tablespoons trans-fat free margarine or butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 6 Gala or Macintosh apples, cored, 1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider and 2 tablespoons orange liquor (optional)

Directions: In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, walnuts, margarine or butter, and cinnamon. / Use a grapefruit spoon that has the sharp edges (or a melon baller or small pairing knife) and core most of the way through, leave about ½ inch apple left at the bottom. / Fill the apples with the filling and place them in the crock-pot. / Pour the apple juice or cider (and the liquor, if using) into the crock-pot, around the apples. / Set the crock-pot on high heat and cook 2½ to 3 hours until the apples are soft and begin to collapse.

Apple Pear Crisp

Ingredients: Topping: 1/4C light brown sugar, 1/4C all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2C old fashioned oats and 6Tbsp cold butter / Filling: 4C apples, 2C pears, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2C light brown sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. / Prepare oatmeal topping. In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, oatmeal, flour and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until only small pieces remain. Set aside. / Peel and slice apples and pears into 1/4-inch slices. Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning while continuing to work. / In a medium bowl, combine remaining flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and vanilla. Add to apples and pears, tossing to coat. / Transfer to an 8x8 square baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until fruit is tender and oatmeal topping is crisp. / Serve with optional vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or caramel sauce.

Georgia Pecan Pie Bars

Ingredients: 3 cups plain flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup margarine and 3/4 teaspoon salt / Filling: 4 eggs, slightly beaten, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 cup Karo syrup, 3 tablespoons melted margarine, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan. Beat flour, sugar, margarine, and salt on medium speed until crumbly. Press firmly in pan. Bake until light golden brown., about 20 minutes. / Prepare filling: Mix all ingredients, except pecans, until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour over baked layer - spread evenly. Bake until filling is set, about 25 minutes. Cool. Cut into squares.

Autumn Spice Whoopie Pies

Ingredients: 1 box spice cake mix, 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, melted, 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip and 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice

Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 / In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, butter and egg. Using the cake mixture, make larger than golf ball sized balls. / Place these onto a cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. / After removing from the oven, use a spatula to press the cookies down into flat rounds. Remove from the oven and allow the cake cookies to finish baking for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. / Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. / While the cookies are cooling, combine the Cool Whip and Pumpkin spice in a medium bowl and chill until ready to use. / Once the cookies are thoroughly cooled, place a large spoonful (at least 2 tbsp) of the Cool Whip filling onto the inside of one cookie. / Place another cookie on top to create a "sandwich".