Baked Apples

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
4 medium-large baking apples (Rome, Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Gala)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 6mm pieces
1/3 cup apple juice or cider

Mix brown sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside 1/4 cup sugar mix for topping. Add cherries, raisins and almonds and combine to make filling.

Core apples 3/4 of the way down. With a melon baller, scrape out a small cavity (about 1/4 cup). Peel top 1/3 of the apples. Stuff some fi lling in each cavity. Reserve any excess filling.

Place prepared apples in ceramic pot of a Cuisinart® Slow Cooker. Sprinkle remaining sugar and spice mix over tops. Dot each with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Pour apple juice around edges. Cover and cook on Low, using Timer function, for 4 hours. Slow Cooker will automatically switch to Warm until ready to serve.

To serve, place apples on dessert plates. Top with any loose nuts and fruit.
Drizzle with pan juices.*

*Note: You can thicken the cooking juices to make a sauce. Carefully strain liquid
into a Cuisinart® 1.75 litre saucepan set over medium high heat and boil until
reduced and thickened. Pour over apples or serve on the side.

Nutritional information per serving:Calories 351 (17% from fat) - carb. 75g - pro. 2g - fat 7g - sat. fat 2g - chol. 7mg - sod. 16mg - calc. 71mg - fibre 6g