I don't think I've ever seen a thread about our favorite recipes that we only make at certain times of the year (excluding Christmas of course).  So with apples, squash, etc being "in season" now I thought I would start it off with an old family favorite.

This recipe comes from my great-aunts Helen & Alice.  It's a fresh apple cake.

½ cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

¾ tsp. cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup cold coffee

2 cups chopped apples

1 cup raisins

½ cup chopped nuts

Cream shortening and sugar, add eggs, beat well.  Add flour sifted together with all dry ingredients alternately with coffee, then stir in chopped apples, raisins, and nuts.  Pour batter into either a well greased & floured tube pan or 9x13 loaf pan.  Bake @ 350° for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Hint: Dredge raisins and nuts in a small amount of flour before adding to batter to prevent them from sinking.

Here's a fall fave main dish that Hubby looks forward to.   I like to cook this one in one of my bigger Sunbeam or Dormeyer electric frypans.  

Ham-Squash Skillet

1 pound cooked ham, ground

1 egg

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

1 medium acorn squash, seeded and cut into 5 rings

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons soft butter

Combine first 5 ingredients, form into 5 patties and brown lightly in hot fat in skillet.  Push aside.

Cut squash rings in half, season and add to skillet.  Add 2 tablespoons water.   Combine brown sugar and butter; dot over squash rings.  

Cover and cook until squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.  Uncover and cook 5 minutes, basting often.  Turn patties once during last 5 minutes. 

NOTE:  I like to turn the squash rings after about 10 minutes of cooking to glaze evenly. 

With apples being in season and plentiful I made an apple kuchen.  The recipe comes from my Grandma Viola Wilde & Great-Aunt Ella Wilde.

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 ½ tsps. baking powder

1/8 tsp. salt

8 tbsp. sugar

½ cup shortening (can use butter or margarine)

2 eggs

5 tbsp. evaporated milk or light cream (I use half & half)

Topping:

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.  Cream shortening and sugar.  Add eggs and milk.  Slowly add dry ingredients.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.  Spread dough into a greased 9"x13" pan.  Press apple slices into dough.  Sprinkle topping over fruit.  Bake 45 min. in a preheated 350° oven.  

Variation:  Instead of apples, we also use fresh sliced peaches.  Drizzle with a powdered sugar glaze immediately after removing from the oven.  Don't make the topping above though.