Baked Apples simple dessert sure to please the family
Dear Laura: Recently we were treated to baked cinnamon apples at an out-of-town restaurant. They were served in a warm sauce and reminded me of a treat my mom used to make. I’d like to make them at home for my family. Can you help me find a recipe? — Rebecca, of Spokane
Dear Rebecca: I found a very simple recipe that won praise from my husband, son and a teenage neighbor. I also found a slightly more elaborate recipe that sounds decadent enough to serve for a holiday meal. Here are both recipes:
Baked Apples
Adapted from www.allrecipes.com
4 tart green apples (such as Granny  Smith), peeled
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons butter, divided
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut and scoop out the core of the apple from the top, leaving a well. Do not cut all the way through. Stuff each apple with about 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 tablespoon butter. Place in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, until sugar begins to caramelize and apples are tender.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 281 calories, 11 grams fat (7 grams saturated, 35 percent fat calories), less than 1 gram protein, 46 grams carbohydrate, 31 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 128 milligrams sodium.
Baked Apples in Butter Brandy Sauce
Adapted from www.allrecipes.com
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and  cored
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup brandy
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place apples in a shallow baking dish. Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg; pack the mixture into the cores of the apple and pile the remaining on the tops, covering them. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top of each apple. Pour the brandy into the dish, drizzling over the apples. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the apples can be sliced with a spoon. Serve in a bowl with ice cream and spoon sauce over the top. The sauce will be slightly runny.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 620 calories, 12 grams fat (7 grams saturated, 17 percent fat calories), less than 1 gram protein, 100 grams carbohydrate, 31 milligrams cholesterol, 3.3 grams dietary fiber, 151 milligrams sodium.
Dear Laura: My mother told me about a recipe she thought came from the newspaper. It was called Beth’s Onion Shortbread. Do you have it? — Steve
Dear Steve: I did not locate a recipe called Beth’s Onion Shortbread. I did, however, find a recipe that has made its way around the Internet. The following Onion Shortbread recipe appears on several recipe Web sites. It passed the test with my family who tasted it recently.
Onion Shortbread
Adapted from www.hungrymonster.com; original source unknown
3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1 egg, beaten
4 tablespoons melted butter or  margarine, divided
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 chopped green onion tops
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sift flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Add cornmeal, egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine and milk. Stir just until blended. Pour 1/3 of the batter into a nonstick (or use cooking spray) loaf pan. Sprinkle some of the herb seasoning over the batter. Pour another third of the batter on top and sprinkle with seasoning. Pour remaining batter on top.
Saute onion slices and green onion tops in remaining butter or margarine until golden brown and, using a slotted spoon, place them on top of the batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
Yield: 12 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 124 calories, 4.8 grams fat (2.6 grams saturated, 34 percent fat calories), 3 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrate, 28 milligrams cholesterol, 1.3 grams dietary fiber, 161 milligrams sodium.