It is the weekend. I want you to go out there and enjoy it. It’s the last weekend before Halloween and, for some reason, that’s sort of a special weekend. Here in Seattle, it’s the last weekend before the darkness settles over the city. That sounds ominous, I know. It’s just that my California blood runs deep and the winter days here are quite short. No matter. Seattle summers are fantastic and the days are long and glorious. I shall not complain.

What are your plans? Run through the leaves? Clean up the garden beds? A trip to the bakery?

We are going to the pumpkin patch where I intend to find the perfect pumpkin and some gourds for the living room. I also intend to wear something autumnal. Fall is a redhead’s season. However, you don’t have to be a ginger kid to stand out at the patch. When everyone else is dressed in overalls and polar fleece, it’s pretty easy to look good.

I will have a special recipe to share next week from our trip. I hope you’ll like it. In the meantime, here’s another good one. This dessert is perfect for fall. I don’t know about you, but I love a bready heartier dessert when the leaves fall and the weather is crisp. I also love pancakes for dessert. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Apple Oven Pancake

4 tblsp. unsalted butter
4 cups diced peeled tart apples
2 tblsp. firmly packed brown sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Juice, strained, of 1/2 of a lemon
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in lower third of the oven.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the apples and saute, turning as needed, just until tender, 5-7 minutes Sprinkle with the brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Place a baking dish 12 inches in diameter or 9 by 13 inches in the oven to heat for 5 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven, add the remaining butter and tilt the dish to coat. Spoon the apples into the dish evenly.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, flour, and salt until just blended. Carefully pour the batter over the warm apples. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using a fine mesh sieve, dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. Serve.

Source: Williams Sonoma