Autumn is in full swing- Halloween is close approaching with Thanksgiving soon to follow. At this point in the season, you may find yourself with more apples than usual, whether you picked them yourself off the tree or picked them up at the supermarket. Apples by themselves make a wonderful snack, and few can turn their nose up at a fresh apple pie or apple crisp, but sometimes like the leaves on the trees, you need some change. So if at your core you want to branch out, try any of these three apple-tizing recipes! 

Apple-slice Grilled Cheese 

Tired of plain grilled cheese sandwiches? Want to add some culinary oomph to your lunchtime routine? This recipe will give your sandwich an extra kick with its great sweet-and-savory taste sensation! 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook: 4-8 

Total time: 14-18 minutes 

Ingredients: 

Two pieces of sliced bread 

Unsalted butter 

2 slices of American Cheese 

2-4 apple slices, depending on size 

1. Heat a frying pan on medium heat until hot.  

2. As your pan heats, prepare your sandwich- place a slice of cheese on each piece of bread.  

3. On one half of your sandwich place your apple slices, then place the other slice of bread and cheese on top. Be careful to have your apple slices covered.  

4. When your pan is heated, apply a layer of unsalted butter. If it begins to sizzle, place your sandwich in the pan and let it sit for 2-4 minutes on each side depending on your preferred toastiness.  

Tip: Use a spatula to press the sandwich into the pan to encourage melting.   

5. After your sandwich is cooked, use a spatula and remove from pan. Let it cool.  

6. Your end result should be a delightful savory-sweet flavor combination, perfect for a fall-time meal! 

Oven-baked Apple Chips 

Want the sweet taste of apples and cinnamon without the hassle of baking of pie or the carbs? Apple chips are a fun and satisfying way to fill your fall flavor cravings! 

Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Cook time: 90-120 minutes 

Total time: ~ 2 hours 

Ingredients: 

2-3 large apples of choice (author recommendation: McIntosh or Courtland) 

½ cup of white sugar (optional: ¼ white sugar, ¼ brown sugar) 

2-3 tablespoons of cinnamon 

1. Preheat your oven to 225 F.  

2. Mix together ½ cup of sugar with 2-3 tbs of cinnamon in a small bowl until well-mixed. Set aside for now. 

3. Peel the skin off of your apples with a vegetable peeler, discarding the skins.  

4. After your apples are peeled, continue to use your vegetable peeler to peel off paper-thin layers of your apple. Set these aside on a plate.  

Tips: 

• As you peel your apple, turn it occasionally as you reach the core to help maintain consistent slice shapes.  
• Your thin apple slices may oxidize and discolor, but this does not affect the end result.  

5. When finished, line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray them down with cooking spray.  

6. Place your apple slices on the pan as closely together as you can to utilize space. Overlapping pieces do not affect the quality of your apple chips but may make your baking time longer.  

Tip: If your apple slices break apart due to their thinness, that’s okay! Use that to your advantage to fill in any spare nooks on your baking sheet.  

7. Apply a generous sprinkling of your cinnamon-sugar mixture over the apple chips. If you need to overlap your slices, be sure to sprinkle the mixture over your first layer of apple slices before adding more. 

Tip: You can forgo the added sugar and just add cinnamon for a healthier alternative! 

8. Begin baking your apple slices in the oven for 1 ½- 2 hours, periodically checking for crispiness.  

9. When your apple chips begin to harden around the edges, remove from oven. Your chips may be soft initially but then harden as they are left to cool.  

10. After your apple chips have cooled somewhat, remove them from your baking sheet with a spatula. Often they will come off in a thick, brittle layer.  

11.  Place your apple chips in a plastic container to maintain freshness. Add any remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture to the container and shake to break your chips into chip-sized pieces. 

Tip: Be careful not to overshake your chips! Too much shaking can reduce them to crumbs. 

12. Enjoy your apple chips- and the apple-cinnamon aroma that your house will inevitably have after baking them! 

Microwaved Baked Apples:  

If you’re a student on campus, chances are that you don’t have access to your dorm’s stove or oven this semester. Fear not! This surprisingly tasty apple treat will be one more snack that you can add to your microwave recipe collection.  

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Cook time: 4 minutes 

Total time: 9 minutes 

Ingredients: 

1 apple, partially cored 

Cinnamon 

1 sugar packet 

½ a pat of butter 

1. Partially core one apple without peeling the skin. Keep the bottom of the apple in-tact, not coring it all the way. 

2. Once your apple is cored, add a conservative amount of butter (½ a pat is recommended), the contents of 1 sugar packet, and a sprinkling of cinnamon into your now-cored apple. 

3. Place on a plate in the microwave and heat it for 4 minutes. 

4. After it is done cooking, let the baked apple cook. Your apple may lose shape and produce juice after cooking, but this will not affect the taste. 

5. Enjoy your apple- the end result should be soft and sweet, like the inside of an apple pie!

Photo Courtesy of Allison Musitano