Baked Apple Season is here! Take time to enjoy the flavors of Fall!

The Baked Apple

Back near our home town of Sacramento, California, there is a picturesque area known as Apple Hill. It is located just up Highway 50 in the foothills of Northern California. Apple hill is known as the best place to celebrate the coming of Fall. The drive up to Apple Hill is best taken during the week since weekend trips are often met with hoards of apple loving drivers.

Apple orchards at every turn are punctuated by roadside apple orchards run by generations of farming families. Each one has its own farm store with apples, baked goods and gifts. Apple butter and fresh squeezed apple juice make this trip worth the wait! Try making your own baked apple desserts with a recipe Bill used to make for Mark and Amy as kids. This is easy for the whole family!

Ingredients

4 large unpeeled tart cooking apples (favorites are Rome, Granny Smith or Pink Lady )
2 to 4 tablespoons granulated or packed brown sugar

1/2 cup Quaker Oats

1/4 cup dried blueberries
4 teaspoons butter

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 small cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 375°F.

Core apples to within 1/2 inch of bottom. Cut the top 1/4 inch off the top of the apple and with a spoon or melon baller, scoop out another 1/4 inch of apple to create a small bowl.

Place apples in ungreased glass baking dish.

Mix dry ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Place 1/4 of dry mix into the center of each apple and drop 1 teaspoon butter onto the top of the mixture.

Sprinkle with additional cinnamon. Pour water into baking dish until 1/4 inch deep.

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork.

Spoon some of the melted butter sugar syrup in dish over apples several times during baking.

Finish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnish with a small cinnamon stick .