Apples and sweet potatoes are two kinds of produce that are abundant during the fall months. Try out some of these great recipes that make the most of the flavor of the season.

Ingredients

Topping:
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 8 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
• 6 tart apples, peeled and quartered
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 2 tablespoon sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Combine the dry ingredients with butter to make a coarse meal.
2. In a glass deep-dish pie plate or baking dish, combine apples, lemon juice, nuts and the remaining sugar. Sprinkle topping over fruit.
3. Bake at 400° for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and continue baking for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Ingredients

• 4 medium apples
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Oil for the pan
• 4 pork chops
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup apple cider or juice
• 1 tablespoon butter, optional

Directions

1. Peel, core and cube the apples, and sprinkle them with lemon juice and nutmeg.
2. Put large skillet over medium-high heat, and put in enough oil just to keep the pork from sticking. When the skillet is hot, add the chops with a pinch of salt and pepper. After about 6 minutes, turn the chops to brown on the other side. After 5 more minutes, add the apples and cover the pan. (Note that the cooking time will depend on the chops' thickness. Cook until the center is white and juices run clear.)
3. Remove the chops from the pan to a serving platter.
4. Deglaze the pan with the cider or juice, turning up the heat as you stir the juice and apples, and scrape up browned bits. To make a richer sauce, swirl in a tablespoon of butter when removing pan from the heat, before pouring the apples over the pork.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon light butter or margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4"-thick rounds
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together first five ingredients; set aside.
3. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray; arrange sweet potato slices over bottom in layers; sprinkle with pecans and coconut; pour milk mixture evenly over potatoes.
4. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven and give potatoes a stir; return to oven and bake an additional 20 minutes, until potatoes are tender; stir again, and let cool slightly before serving.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup evaporated or regular milk
• 1 1/2 cups peeled finely shredded sweet potato
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl with hand-held electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended.
2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir into the butter mixture alternately with milk, mixing just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in sweet potato and chopped nuts.
3. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until centers spring back when pressed with fingertip.
4. Cool in pan on rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve muffins warm. Makes about 1 dozen sweet potato muffins.