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If you know of an interesting dining spot or just have a recipe you’d like to share, contact Christie Schmidt at clschmidt5@yahoo.com.
Cheri Brinkman knows a thing or two about comfort food. The Lebanon resident has made a career out of sharing some of the areas favorite recipes and the stories behind them in her three “Cincinnati and Soup” books.
“I started collecting nostalgic recipes over the years from Ruth Lyons, Bob Braun, Shillito’s Teamroom, etc. I had a whole box of these old recipes that we were raised on,” Brinkman said. “So I put them all into a book and it sold over 3,000 copies, even with limited marketing.”
Brinkman says that she knows most people are really busy, and so she likes to share recipes that are quick and easy, yet healthy and fresh. “I want people to eat well, but be able to be with their families,” Brinkman said.
Her recently released third cookbook, “Cincinnati and Soup: Festivals and Frolics,” features Cincinnati, Dayton, northern Kentucky and southwest Ohio festivals and fairs and recipes for some of the most popular foods found at them. Festivals highlighted in the book include the Country Applefest in Lebanon, Oktoberfest, Goetta Fest and several Greek festivals.
The recipe she shares below for Easy Apple Dumplings is from the “Cincinnati and Soup: Festivals and Frolics” book. “With apples being plentiful, fresh and inexpensive this season, it’s great to make a longtime festival and fair favorite at home for just pennies a serving,” Brinkman said. “I made this apple dumpling recipe in three and a half minutes.”
Check out some of Brinkman’s other recipes on her Facebook page:
Easy Apple Dumplings
Ingredients:
1/2 C brown sugar (light or dark)
4 tsp. butter
4 apples: peeled and cored
2 Tbsp. raisins
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
1 container: refrigerated pie dough (pre-made dough makes this quicker )
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and core apples.
3. Put a few raisin, brown sugar and dabs of butter in the core holes.
4. Roll the apple in brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
5. Divide pie dough into 4 equal portions and roll out in a large flat circle. (This should be enough to cover the apple.)
6. Bring sides of the dough up around each apple and make a small package with the dough.
7. Roll the apple again in the brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
8. Bake 20-40 minutes. Check often. They are cooked when they are golden brown and the apples are tender.
The size of the apples and the heat of the oven will vary enough to extend the baking time.
9. Cool for 3-5 minutes and serve.
Makes 4 servings
Top the apple dumplings with: caramel sauce/ whipped cream / vanilla ice cream
Source: “Cincinnati and Soup: Festivals and Frolics” by Cheri Brinkman (Mac Guffin Productions, 2013)
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