September 09, 2009 1 Comment

This week we stocked our General Store with more fruit and it got me to thinking about what fruits are available right now. Apples! If you are lucky enough to have friends or family with an apple tree you are very lucky! Last year I made lots of applesauce when I got some free apples and I still have quite a bit.

Apples will keep well in a cool, dry location for months. They should be well inspected to make sure you are not storing any that are bruised. You know the old saying about one bad apple. If you store a bruised apple it will rot and cause the one next to it to rot and so on and so on.

To help prevent bruising place some paper between the apples or very loosely wrap them. Next carefully place in a cardboard, not plastic box and place in a cool, dry place where they will be protected from freezing. Apples with thicker skins store the best long term.

I thought I would share a few of my favorite apples recipes:

Apple Crisp

6 medium cooking apples

1/3 C flour

1 C oats

½ C brown sugar

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 C melted butter

1/2 C chopped pecans

Peel, core and slice apples thinly. Place in buttered 9×13 pan.

Combine all other ingredients. Crumble over the top of apples.

Bake 350 degrees until apples are soft 30-40 minutes.

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Apple Cake

2 eggs

2 c. sugar

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

2 t. baking soda

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. chopped nuts

4 c. diced apple

Mix all ingredients together. Mixture will be dry.  Bake in 9×13 pan, 45 min at 350

Icing:

1 1/2 C powdered sugar

8 oz. cream cheese

3/4 t. vanilla

Cream all ingredients until smooth.  Spread over cooled cake.

AUTUMN SALAD

1/2 head romaine lettuce

1/2 head red leaf lettuce

2 apples, chopped

1 pear, peeled and chopped

1 large can mandarin oranges

4 oz. dried cranberries

1 ½ cups sliced almonds

5 Tbsp. sugar

Dressing:

1/4 C sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

1/3 C apple cider vinegar

1/4 C canola oil

Combine oil vinegar and sugar in a glass bowl. Microwave until warm and stir to dissolve sugar. Add other ingredients.

Stir and chill.

Salad:

Crystallize almonds by putting 5 Tbsp. sugar in a skillet with almonds and stirring until sugar melts.

Combine and toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing just before serving.

Food storage, recipes

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