Recipe: Baked Apples with Date-Nut Filling

This recipe is from a local tv station, it sounds like it would get you in the mood for Fall!

BAKED APPLES WITH DATE-NUT FILLING

1/3 cup packed, dried, sulfite-free raisins
1/3 cup packed, dried, pitted dates
1/3 cup unsalted, unsweetened almond or cashew butter
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 tsp. pure vanilla or maple extract (preferably non-alcoholic)
1 1/4 tsp. apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice
9 small to medium size tart-sweet apples (5 to 6 oz. each): early gold, ginger gold, golden delicious, braeburn, gala, Fuji, pink lady, or Cortland
1/3 cup filtered water
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degress F. Mince dried fruit and combine with remaining filling ingredients. Or, combine filling ingredients in a food processor or Vita-Mix and process until smooth.

Wash apples and core twice to create a wide cavity. Remove apple bits from around seeds, then core, mince, and add to filling.Peel upper 1/3 of each apple to keep skins from splitting during cooking, or remove entire peel.

Fill apples, mounding extra filling on top. Stand apples in a 9-inch square or oblong baking pan. Add water to pan. Tightly cover pan with parchment then aluminum foil, or a tight-fitting lid. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until fork tender but not mushy.

Simmer the pan juices in a saucepan to reduce to 1/4 cup, then spoon over apples. Serve warm or close to room temperature.

Refrigerate leftovers and use within 5 days.

VARIATIONS:

Substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons peeled, finely grated fresh gingerroot or 1/3 teaspoon dried ginger plus 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves for apple pie spice.

Slow Cooker:
Place stuffed apples in a 3 1/2- to 6-quart slow cooker with 1/3 cup water. Cover and cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours, until fork tender. Transfer apples to serving bowls. Cook juices on HIGH to reduce to 1/4 cup. Spoon over apples and serve.