On the first Sunday of October at noon every year, my family shares the time-honored tradition of attending Homecoming and Dinner on the Grounds at Richland Baptist Church, known fondly to the locals as “Old Richland.” Since the 1800s, family and friends have gathered among the Middle Georgia pines of Twiggs County to worship and fellowship.

A landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, Richland Baptist Church was built on October 5, 1811, beginning with four male and eight female members. As part of the Faulk family, one of the pioneer families of this historic sanctuary, this day holds a special place in my heart.

This year, as we gathered to celebrate 215 years of faith, family, and tradition, there were a few extra special moments to note: the elegant fall floral arrangements honored my late Papa Joe, who was a pillar in the community. To top it off, my brother, Joey Faulk, IV, served as pastor delivering a heartfelt message during the service, filling the sanctuary with strength, hope, and inspiration.

Situated down a long gravel road, the large-frame, white wooden church is constructed with a wide front porch and four columns stretching across the front of the building. Complete with two aisles on the inside and three sections of long wooden church pews, the tall windows, dressed with black shutters, reach nearly to the rooftop. The original heart-pine wooden floors creak with rich history, and the chime of a metal church bell—three times—still signals the beginning of service.

Once the service is over, everyone piles out of the church and onto the grounds, forming two lines down either side of a 40-foot cement table filled with every Southern covered dish you could imagine. Heaping baskets of fried chicken, pork tenderloin, barbecue, Brunswick stew, buttermilk biscuits, rich casseroles, congealed salads, and baked mac & cheese fill our plates in true Baptist fashion. And then, of course, there are the desserts—an entire spread unto itself, loaded with pumpkin pie, multi-layer chocolate and caramel cakes, and cool, creamy banana pudding.

This year, my contribution was a homemade Cinnamon-Apple Galette—a rustic open-faced apple pie that held its own right alongside those legendary Southern cakes and pies. By the end of the afternoon, there wasn't a single crumb left behind—which, in my book, is the highest compliment any cook can receive. It was a hot and muggy October day, but like my Uncle Bimbo always says, it was good to see everybody and "be seen!"

I hope you’ll add this easy fall dessert to your family table or take it along to your next church supper. You’ll be glad you did!

Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a private chef, speaker, culinary TV personality, and author. Featured in Forbes, on ABC and Food Network, she is a Georgia Southern alumna and an honors graduate of the Savannah Culinary Institute. Visit RebekahLingenfelser.com, like Some Kinda Good on Facebook or follow @SKGFoodBlog on Instagram and YouTube.

Some Kinda Good Cinnamon-Apple Galette

Prep time: 20 minutes; Bake time: 35–40 minutes; Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 refrigerated store-bought pie crust (or homemade, rolled into a 12-inch circle)
• 3 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon coarse turbinado sugar (for sprinkling)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• Warm apricot jam or honey, for glazing (optional)

Directions

To make the galette, begin by preheating your oven to 375°F and lining a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until the fruit is evenly coated. Next, unroll the pie crust onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and arrange the apple slices in the center, leaving a two-inch border of dough around the edges.

Fold the outer edges of the dough gently up and over the outer ring of apples, overlapping the folds as you work your way around while leaving the center exposed. Dot the top of the apples with the small cubes of butter, then brush the folded pastry edges with the beaten egg and sprinkle them with the coarse turbinado sugar for a golden finish.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust turns a deep golden brown and the apple filling is tender and bubbling. Finally, allow the galette to cool on the pan for 15 minutes, brush the warm apples with optional heated apricot jam or honey for a glossy shine, and serve warm.