Prepare one apple for each person. Use McIntosh or Winesap apples. Wash, core, and peel the skin down about ½ inches from the top. Fill the center with brown sugar and butter. Top with cinnamon. Place the apples in a baking dish with about 1 inch of water. Bake the apples for 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove the apples to a warmed serving dish; pour heated cognac over each apple, ignite and serve flaming.
PIERNIKI (Polish Spice Cookies)
1-1 ½ c. honey
Pinch of black pepper
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. allspice
1 c. sugar
4-5 c. flour
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. cloves
4 eggs
1 tsp. soda dissolved in water
Heat honey until it boils, then allow it to cool until lukewarm. Sift the flour with the spices.
Beat the eggs with the sugar until thick. Add the soda, then the honey and the flour. Mix well. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut cookies in whatever shapes you like. Bake them on buttered sheets in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until just lightly browned.
The pierniki may be decorated with a thin glaze made of confectioners’ sugar, water, almond or vanilla extract and a drop of food coloring.
Baked Butternut Squash
1 Medium Butternut or Acorn Squash
2 Tablespoons (1/4 stick/30 gramd) Butter or Margarine, at Room Temperature
1/2 Cup (120 milliliters) Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (or juice from concentrate)
Dash of Ground Cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Cut the squash in half, and scoop out the seeds, scraping clean. Place the squash in a shallow baking dish. Dot each half with butter or margarine. Drizzle the orange juice and sprinkle the cinnamon over the squash. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes, or until you can easily put a fork in the squash. Slice each half into 3 equal portions and serve warm.
Apple Scones
1 Medium-Sized Apple
2 Cups (280 grams) Flour
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Vegetable Shortening
1/2 Cup (112 grams) Raisins
1/4 Cup (60 milliliters) Apple Juice
Peel, core, and mince the apple. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. With a pastry blender, cut in the shortening. Stir in the apples and raisins. Add the apple juice to stiffen the dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeter) thickness. Cut into triangles or into shapes with cookie cutter. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 minutes or until light brown.
