Fall Harvest Recipes

Natalie Mikles,

It’s true that having kids lets you be a kid again.

Since my kids were babies, I have loved the traditions of fall. I’m as happy as they are when we make our annual trips to the pumpkin patch, the apple orchard and the pecan farm.

We all have a fun time climbing over the pumpkins and choosing the best apples, but I may be the one who has the most fun. That’s because, for me, it doesn’t end at the pumpkin patch. I get to bring it all back home to have some more fun in the kitchen.

I was disappointed to hear that Livesay Orchards in Porter won’t be offering apple picking this year, but we’ll still be making a trip there to buy a bushel of apples. Plus, we wouldn’t miss their great pumpkin patch. It’s a place for old-fashioned fun, with a hay bale maze, wagon rides, an antique corn sheller and pumpkin bowling.

We also love Carmichael’s in Bixby, where my husband and the kids love the petting zoo, and I head straight inside for the pumpkin fudge.

Another tradition my kids enjoy is our annual trip to the Flying G Ranch, just west of Sand Springs, for pecans. I buy enough to get us through snacking and baking for the holidays, which means we buy a lot. At the Flying G, you can choose between cracked or completely shelled pecans. The shelled pecans are perfect for baking, but I also buy some cracked pecans for snacks. My kids are pecan lovers, so I leave them out in a big bowl in the kitchen.

The Flying G has limited hours in October, but is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in November and December. Call 918.245.8854 for hours or visit flying-g-ranch.com for more info.

Here are some of our favorite fall recipes. They’re great to make after a family trip to a local farm or orchard this fall.

Pecan Pancakes

  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 2/3 cups buttermilk

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and butter. Combine the flour, pecans, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the egg mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.

Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top of pancakes. Cook until second side is golden brown.

A friend’s mom gave me this recipe. It’s great for potlucks or parties since it makes about 12 servings. Try it topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Apple Crisp

  • 10 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the sliced apples in a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.

Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

My kids like this recipe from the Once Upon a Chef blog. It combines two favorites: pumpkin and pecans.

Pumpkin Pecan Crunch Muffins

For the Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup demerara or turbinado sugar (raw cane sugar)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Muffins:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two standard muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray.

Begin with the topping: Combine the flour, butter, demerara sugar, chopped pecans and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.

Move on to the muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar at low speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; continue beating at medium speed until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary. Turn the speed down to low and mix in the flour mixture until just combined.

Use an ice cream scoop to transfer batter to muffin pans, filling each muffin tin about ¾ full. Sprinkle topping evenly over batter. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool on rack for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely (use a butter knife to lift them out of pan).

Note: When making muffins, fill any empty muffin tins halfway with water; this ensures that your muffins will bake evenly.

Categories: Features, Food

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