Apple Cheese Pudding

Side dishes can be a bother. Not for those who get to eat them but for those that have to plan and then execute that plan. Sometimes it’s easy – for example chili loves cornbread, turkey requires dressing, and that burger insists on a side of fries.

I tend to fall back on salads as sides but as the great philosopher Homer Simpson once said, “You don’t win friends with salad.” I’m not sure that I agree with Homer, but I do believe a tasty side dish can save the most boring chicken breast, liven up a weekday pot-roast, or just put a little razzle dazzle on the menu. In a time when fresh local ingredients are the culinary stars, I’m going to break rank and lean back on the friendly ease of some cabinet staples a busy cook can rely on for easy preparation. This delicious apple and cheese dish which my son refers to as Sallie’s apple stuff calls for canned apples and yes – this seems weird – but also Velveeta cheese.

Apples and cheese have always made great partners. I first tasted this marvelous concoction when a friend brought it to a picnic. And when I say taste – I mean barely because it was scooped up by a bunch of women who usually look at anything vaguely resembling a casserole as a threat to their waistlines and sanity.  This apple dish disappeared like ice at the equator. I could not wait to make this for my guys. The recipe is simply the kind of “you don’t need to measure anything” recipe. It starts with canned apples.

Now the original dish I sampled was baked in a 9 x 9 glass pan, but it occurred to me that cute little ramekins would do just the trick and give a little bit more crispy edge to every serving. Either cooking method is fine. Drained apples go first. Then mix butter with the cheese, sugar, and flour and put that on top of the apples.

Bake it or put it in the fridge to bake later. There. Done. You have a delicious side dish that is good hot and equally fabulous at room temperature. This recipe will not be found in the salad section of your recipe collection, but I promise if you give this a try it will be in the section of favorites. FYI – good with turkey leftovers. Enjoy!

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 9×9 dish or 6 small ramekins with cooking spray. (For ease put ramekins in a larger baking dish.)