Fall officially begins this week even though the thermometer seems to be set at summer, but soon there will be that crisp, cool feeling in the air that signifies the season.  One of the pluses of the season is the return to baking.  I freely admit that I don’t even use my oven once it gets hot, but the fall traditions of apple pie, stews and fruit crisps will get me back in the routine.

           

“Fall Baking: Southern Harvest Favorites” by Brooke Bell is just the cookbook to get one motivated since it is full of scrumptious heirloom southern recipes.  The flavors of fall such as caramel, sweet potato, cinnamon and pumpkin just lend themselves to baking and this cookbook takes great advantage.  Every recipe is accompanied by detailed instructions and a full-color photograph.

          

From Cranberry-Caramel Pecan Cake to Cider-Glazed Baked Doughnuts to Orange-Cardamom Bread there recipes are incredibly tempting.  There are possibilities for pumpkin and sweet potato from Sweet Potato-Sage Scones to Pumpkin Crumble Tart.  You can make a Cinnamon Roll Cake or White Chocolate Cranberry Toffee, Pear Almond Cake to Maple, Bacon and Bourbon Cupcakes.

           

“Fall Baking” is sure to inspire cooks to try a score of recipes that just might become harvest favorites in your home.

           

For those where time is a factor, then “Delicious Dump Cakes” by Roxanne Wyss and Kathy Moore is just the thing.  All of these cakes can be prepared in less than fifteen minutes and the name “dump cakes” might not be inspiring, but the results are.  There are 50 super simple desserts in this cookbook from Peanut Butter Cup Dump Cake to Black Forest Dump Cake.  There is even a chapter of dump cakes that can be made in a slow cooker including Slow Cooker Apple Spice Dump Cake and Rum-Raisin Dump Cake.  Delicious results fast is something that just can’t be beat.

           

If you weren’t aware that your slow cooker can also produce breads, cakes, tarts, crisps, bars, pies, cupcakes and even pizzas, then you might want to browse through slow cooking guru, Phyllis Good’s latest, “Fix-It and Forget-It Baking with Your Slow Cooker.”  With drool-worthy color photographs, Good offers recipes such as Cherry Cheesecake Bars, Raspberry Custard, and Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce, Magic Coconut Custard Pie, Spicy Sweet Apple Crisp and Crockery Oatmeal Bread.  There are sections on quiches, granolas and pizzas.  You can even make muffins and cupcakes in your slow cooker. 

           

This is a great cookbook that expands the slow cooker repertoire which can be a real help this fall when entertaining, and the oven is full of turkey. 

           

The library has a large collection of cookbooks that should provide a novice and experienced cook with new possibilities for the fall season.