24. Apple Bagel Sandwiches with Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Makes: 8 servings
Prep: 30 mins
Chill: 2 hrs
Grill: 5 mins
Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple jelly
2 teaspoons snipped fresh chives
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 small red and/or green apples
4 bagels or English muffins, split
Pumpkin Cream Cheese (recipe follows)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted
Directions:
For glaze:
In a small saucepan, combine apple jelly, chives, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice and cayenne pepper.
Heat and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Remove from heat; set aside to cool slightly.
For apples:
Core apples and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings.
Toss apple slices with glaze.
Set aside.
For a charcoal grill:
Grill apple slices on the lightly greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 5 to 6 minutes or until tender, turning once. (For gas grill: Preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place apple slices on lightly greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)
Place bagels, cut side down, next to apple slices the last 2 minutes of grilling or until toasted.
To serve:
Spread desired amount of the Pumpkin Cream Cheese on the toasted sides of each bagel.
Sprinkle with pecans or walnuts and top with the apple slices. Makes 8 servings.
HOT Tip:
To tote: Before leaving home, place apples and glaze in a storage container with tight-fitting lid. Or, place apple slices with glaze on the unheated rack of a broiler pan and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly browned and just tender. Apple slices can then be wrapped in foil to tote. Bagel halves can be toasted in a toaster or by placing cut side up on the rack of a broiler pan and broiling 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Place bagel halves in a covered storage container to tote.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese
Makes about 1 1/2 cups spread.
Ingredients:
1 8 - ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
Directions:
In a medium bowl, cream cheese, softened; pumpkin; sugar; and pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon with an electric mixer until smooth.
Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours.