Little Apple Cinnamon Puff Pancakes, or Autumn, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways."

Labor Day is tomorrow. Summer is over. No more linen. No more white loafers (sorry John E. Rubb, you can get them out again next spring). No more "Sorry, it's cold cereal for dinner again...you know how I hate to heat up the kitchen."

The evenings are getting cooler. Soon the mornings will be brisk enough to run with a jacket. Two of the four girls are back in school. Number three starts on Wednesday.

And it's time to start baking with apples.

Little Apple Cinnamon Puff Pancakes

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into small pieces (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 T lemon juice
5 T butter, separated
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
5 T granulated sugar, plus more for muffin tin
3 eggs
3/4 cup half and half

This recipe makes 6 individual pancakes, but luckily we doubled it because the cyclist ate 3 of them himself.

Preheat oven to 450.
Melt 3 T of the butter in microwave.
Brush cups of a jumbo muffin tin with 1 T of the melted butter (set other 2 T aside for pancake batter), coat with granulated sugar.
Toss apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
In a 10-inch, non-stick skillet, melt remaining 2 T of butter over medium heat. Add the apples and saute, turning occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until caramelized. Remove pan from stove and let cool about 5 minutes. Divide apples among muffin cups.
Place flour, salt, granulated sugar, melted butter, eggs and half & half in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 3 minutes.
Pour batter over apples. Place tin in oven and lower heat to 400. Bake 15 minutes. The pancakes will puff up in the last 5 minutes of baking.
Remove from oven. Let sit three to four minutes. Loosen sides with knife. Remove from tin (you may need to coax them a bit). Dust with confectioners sugar or dollop with a spoonful of whipped cream and serve.