For many folks, fall is the perfect season.

The hottest days marked by summer are over, but the harsher temperatures of winter are still being kept at bay.

Fall, in fact, is a festival of the senses. The rich red, yellow and orange hues of turning leaves, pumpkins and chrysanthemums can be seen everywhere; the pungent smell of wood smoke is a cozy delight.

And let’s not forget the savory tastes of fall. Dishes starring apples, pumpkins and sweet potatoes make their appearance on dinner tables. Layers of warmer clothing give us all permission to overindulge on occasion.

These fall favorite recipes are shared by some of Beaufort County’s accomplished cooks through the pages of the Washington Daily News’ Pamlico Pantry collection of fundraising cookbooks. Enjoy!

 

APPLE TOFFEE DIP

Jill Sparks

Hodges Chapel PH Church, Chocowinity

3/4 cup light brown sugar; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese (use 1/3 fat free); 1 teaspoon vanilla; 3/4 cup toffee bits; sliced apples.

Mix sugars, cream cheese and vanilla together until smooth. Add toffee bits and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with sliced apples.

 

PUMPKIN DIP

Jennifer Harris

The Wilkinson Center, Belhaven

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened; 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed; 3/4 cup canned pumpkin; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 cup orange juice; 2 apples, sliced; 2 pears, sliced.

Blend cream cheese, brown sugar and pumpkin with a mixer until smooth and completely blended. Add syrup and cinnamon and beat until blended. Chill two to four hours. Cut apples and pears into wedges and toss with orange juice to prevent from browning. Drain in colander and serve with dip. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of dip before serving and arrange apple and pear wedges on edge of plate.

 

APPLE BROWNIES

Jackie Mullen

Bath Christian Church

2 cups sugar; 2 whole eggs; 3 cups plain flour; 3 cups apples, chopped and peeled; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 1/4 cups oil; 1 cup chopped nuts, optional.

Mix all together. Pour into oblong pan that has been slightly greased. Cook one hour at 300 degrees. Cut into squares and remove from pan as quickly as possible.

 

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

Bronna Graham

First Presbyterian Church, Washington

4 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes or 2 (17-ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained and mashed; 1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/3 cup milk; 1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted; 2/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1/3 cup all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup margarine or butter (cut in, do not melt); 1/2 to 1 cup finely chopped pecans.

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and melted margarine or butter. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased, 2-quart baking dish.

Topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, margarine or butter and pecans. Sprinkle mixture over the top of casserole.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Makes eight to 10 servings.

 

PUMPKIN PANCAKES WITH CINNAMON BROWN BUTTER

Taylor Carawan and Misty Cutler

The Wilkinson Center, Belhaven

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 eggs; 1 1/3 cups 2-percent milk; 3/4 cup canned pumpkin; 1/2 cup ricotta cheese.

Combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin and cheese. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Drop the batter by 1/4-cup-fulls onto greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until golden. Serve with brown butter syrup.

Syrup: 1/2 cup butter, cubed; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped.

In a small heavy saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for eight to 10 minutes until golden brown, stirring often. Add maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Keep warm and serve over pumpkin pancakes.

 

APPLE-CRANBERRY BREAD

Mae Briggs

Old Ford Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary

1/4 cup butter or margarine; 1 cup sugar; 1 egg, beaten; 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 2 cups sifted flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 cups apples, peeled; 1 cup cranberries; 1/2 cup flaked coconut or chopped nuts.

Cream butter and sugar; add beaten egg and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Better to sift twice. Finely chop the peeled apples and pack firmly in cup. The cranberries can be coarsely chopped or cut. Combine the creamed mixture with the sifted ingredients; add cranberries, apples and coconut or nuts. Mix well. Bake in a greased loaf pan for one hour at 350 degrees. Cool, wrap in foil and store in a cold place.

 

PUMPKIN BREAD

Becky Perkinson

First Presbyterian Church, Washington

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree; 4 eggs; 1 cup vegetable oil; 2/3 cup water; 3 cups white sugar; 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 7-by-3-inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Stir them into the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour into loaf pans and bake for 50 minutes. Makes three small loaves.

 

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

Desserree Markland

Church of God of Prophecy, Washington

2 1/2 cups Bisquick Original baking mix; 1/3 cup margarine or butter, softened; 1 cup mashed, cooked sweet potatoes; 1/2 cup milk.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Stir all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto surface dusted with baking mix. Roll in mix to coat. Shape into ball. Knead three to four times. Roll to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch cutter dipped in flour mix. Place on ungreased baking sheet, edges touching. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Makes 18 to 20 biscuits.

 

APPLE JACKS

Heather Jordan

Washington Pediatrics

1 can of canned biscuits; 1 cup applesauce; powdered sugar; oil for frying.

Roll out each biscuit until flat and add spoonful of applesauce to one side of biscuit. Fold over other side and use a fork to seal the exposed edges. In a skillet, heat oil and fry each biscuit on both sides over low-medium heat. Allow to drain on paper towel-lined platter and sprinkle each with powdered sugar.

PUMPKIN COOKIES

Mary Squibbs

Hodges Chapel PH Church, Chocowinity

Cookie: 1/2 cup shortening; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup pumpkin; 1 cup raisins or nuts; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.

Cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin together. Add raisins or nuts. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Add dry ingredients to batter and mix. Drop by the spoonful on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Frosting: 3 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1/4-cup butter, softened; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 cups powdered sugar.

Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled cookies.

 

GINGERED SWEET POTATOES

Shirley Chandler

Beaufort County Grange No. 1233

2 tablespoons butter or margarine; 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil; 1/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/3 teaspoon pepper; 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into wedges.

In a skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt, ginger and pepper. Add the sweet potato wedges; toss to coat. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Makes two servings.

 

EGGNOG PUMPKIN PIE

Kimberli Jones

Smyrna OFWB Church, Blounts Creek

1 (15-ounce) can solid packed pumpkin; 1 1/4 cups eggnog; 2/3 cup sugar; 3 eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust.

Mix together pumpkin, sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and salt; slowly add eggnog. Mix well and pour into piecrust and bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

CRANBERRY APPLE CASSEROLE

Alice Thompson

Tri-Community Ruritan Club

3 cups apples, peeled and chopped; 2 cups cranberries; 2 tablespoons flour; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup chopped pecans; 1/2 cup flour; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 stick butter.

Combine apples and cranberries. Toss in 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup sugar. Place in greased baking dish. Mix pecans, 1/2-cup flour, brown sugar and butter. Spoon on apple/cranberry mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

 

FRESH APPLE CAKE

Connie Womble

First Free Will Baptist Church, Washington

2 cups sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 1/4 cup oil; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 3 eggs, beaten; 1 cup chopped nuts; 3 cups diced apples.

Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a greased Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until done.

 

OLD-FASHIONED SWEET POTATO PUDDING

Emma Jean Adams

Smyrna OFWB Church, Blounts Creek

4 to 5 medium sweet potatoes; 2 cups sugar; 2 cups milk; 2 eggs, beaten; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/2 teaspoon ginger; 1 stick margarine, melted.

Combine sugar and spices. Add milk and eggs and mix thoroughly. Grate sweet potatoes into milk mixture and stir well. Add melted margarine and stir well. Pour mixture into 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees approximately 1 1/2 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Stir every 15 minutes while baking. Makes four servings.