Ten Layer Salad with Fresh Ginger Dressing

FOR A RECENT LADIES LUNCH, I was asked to bring a salad. People often ask me to bring the salad because they know I will actually make a nice salad, rather than stopping by the grocery store deli for potato salad, or bringing a bag of lettuce, a box of jaw breaker croutons and a bottle of dressing.



















I knew all the ladies attending the luncheon favored THE seven layer salad. You know the one, right? It has been a staple at picnics forever and consists of lettuce (iceberg), boiled eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese, peas, cucumbers, and tomatoes all layered in a pretty glass bowl. The deal breaker with that salad is what goes on top. I have never seen one that did not have a thick layer of mayonnaise to seal in the fresh ingredients below it.

No. I just have to say no, absolutely not, to a thick layer of mayo on my salad.

I designed this salad after a vegetable juice I had bought, a few days earlier, at the health food store and adored. The flavors were just fantastic together. Of course my juice blend did not include quinoa but I wanted this salad to be substantial so I added it here with great result.

Ten Layer Salad
Quinoa
Scallions
Bok Choy
Cucumber
Pineapple
Parsley
Red Bell Pepper
Celery
Crisp apple plus lemon juice to prevent discoloration
Alfalfa Sprouts

Cook quinoa according to package directions and let cool. Wash all vegetables, including the alfalfa sprouts. Slice the bok choy, cucumber, scallions, and celery. Dice fresh pineapple which was previously peeled and cored, and also dice red bell pepper. Remove large stems from a handful or two of fresh parsley. Peel and dice apple, drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and toss to coat.

Layer ingredients in a pretty clear glass bowl in the order given.

I also made marinated cheese (recipe forthcoming in another post) which can be used as an alternate dressing to make the salad even more substantial.

Extra ingredients can be layered in jars and saved in the refrigerator for several days.



















Fresh Ginger Salad Dressing
1/2 cup salad oil
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 T. fresh grated ginger
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Place all ingredients in a jar and shake to blend (or use electric blender)

Place salad layers into a bowl and toss to combine. This really is a terrific combination of flavors.

Apple Amber

GRATED APPLES ARE COOKED briefly before baking in this traditional Irish dessert. Apple Amber (don't you love the name) is a lightly sweetened apple mousse topped with meringue and can be made with or without a crust.

Any apples can be used to make this pie. I used three different varieties--Fuji, Pinata, and Opal because that is what was in my fruit bowl.

Apple Amber
Pastry dough for single pie crust
4 medium apples (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
2 Tbsp. water
Juice of 1 lemon
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar, or to taste, divided

Line pie dish with the pastry dough and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grate the apples on a coarse grater. Put the water in a heavy pot and heat until steaming. Add the apples and cook over medium heat until reduced to a puree, about 15 minutes. The apples do not have to completely disappear into the puree; some texture is fine. Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks slightly. Add the lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar to the apple puree, then add the egg and stir well. Spoon the mixture into the pie shell and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, start beating the egg whites, adding 1/4 cup sugar gradually as you continue beating. Whip until stiff peaks form. When the pie has baked 20 minutes, remove it from the oven and spread the meringue over the top of the pie. Return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until nicely browned.

Serve hot or cold.

Rather than spread the fluffy egg whites on the pie, I piped on little mounds of meringue.

I love the little landscape it created.

Apple Slice Fritters

CAUTION: THE URGE for just one more is overwhelming. These simple apple slices, lightly battered and quickly fried will make you weak in the knees.

Pritchard Parker came home from work to find me still in the act; munching and grinning all the while. I invited him to join me and he too was quickly hooked.

Along with apple fritter making I was also preparing dinner. Once it was ready, however, we barely had an appetite for it. So what? We ate dessert first, and I had leftovers for another meal. We were happy with that.

Apple Slice Fritters

Batter:
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 t. baking powder
2 cups flour

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

5 medium tart apples, cored, peeled, and sliced

Oil for frying (I used peanut oil)

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly. Whisk in buttermilk until blended. Stir in sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add flour and whisk until well blended.

In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

In a heavy skillet, heat 2 cups oil until shimmering (375 degrees). Test oil by dropping in a bit of batter. In batches, coat apple slices in batter and drop into hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Remove to a paper towel lined baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar while still hot.

Serve immediately.

Braised Greens with Apples

One last apple recipe to close out October, this time savory.

I have been testing out some recipes for the much smaller Thanksgiving we are hosting this year. I will be making all our traditional foods in some new ways. Like these greens.

We both loved these! I cooked these greens, which were a combination of Swiss chard, ruby chard, and kale with apples and apple cider vinegar. I served them with cornbread casserole (recipe following) for a simple and satisfying supper.

Braised Greens with Apples
(From The Fresh Honey Cookbook by Laurey Masterton)
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tart apples, unpeeled, cut into chunks
3 pounds mixed braising greens, cut into large pieces, thick stems removed
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until they start to brown, about 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water, the vinegar, honey, and apples, stirring to combine.  Add the greens and stir, folding in the uncooked greens on the top as the ones in the bottom of the pan wilt, until all the greens have been incorporated.

Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of greens. Denser and more mature greens like collards will need to cook longer.

Taste, and add salt and pepper, if desired. Too much will mask the sweetness of the greens. 

Fantastic Apple Bread

 This tasty apple bread was so easy to make. I love simple and delicious recipes for made from scratch foods which are simple to put together, don't involve machinery, and don't make a lot of mess to clean up. This is one of those. 

This moist, sweet and spicy bread is perfect for brunch or for dessert. I served it with quiche and it made a very satisfying light meal. 

The crunchy crust that forms while baking is the best part!

 

 

Fantastic Apple Bread

3 - 4 medium fresh apples, peeled cored and sliced

1/2 cup light vegetable oil

1/4 cup milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 - 1 cup sugar, to taste

2 cups flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, optional

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a standard loaf pan.

 

Combine apple slices, oil, milk, and beaten eggs in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg, if using. Stir again, by hand, until well mixed.

 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes in pan.

 



 

Sour Cream Apple Pie with Streusel Topping

This recipe may look complicated, but it is really as easy as. . .um, pie. Easy as pie, that's it.  I tried to find out who should be credited for it, but no luck. Many claim this pie as their own, including Gourmet Magazine and Martha Stewart. I have seen credit given to the Amish which seems more likely to me.

The sour cream and eggs are unusual for an apple pie, but really they only serve to uplift and glorify the apple slices. The pie doesn't taste overly rich or custardy. It is a very light apple pie--not too heavy or cloyingly sweet. 

If your knife skills need honing, apples are a great way to practice. They are easy to peel with an ordinary vegetable peeler, they slice easily even if you don't have a great or a really sharp knife, they are fun to nibble on while you work, and they don't make you cry. 

Use any apple or a mix of apples for this pie. The fresher your apples, the better your pie will taste. I used my preferred apple--Gala, which is quite sweet so I didn't use much sugar. Taste and add sugar as desired.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Fit your favorite pie crust into a 9-inch deep pie dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Streusel Topping
3 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. flour

Mix together until well combined. Cover and chill until ready to use.

Apple Filling
1 1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup (or more to taste) sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. flour
4 -5 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs and flour until smooth. Add the apples and stir together.

Spoon the filling into the prepared pie crust and crumble the streusel topping evenly over it. Bake for 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours. Cool completely before slicing.

Applesauce - The Easy Way (A re-post from 10-9-2009)

Since I originally posted this, I have been using Gala apples for making applesauce and apple butter. I find that they are perfectly sweet, without adding sweetener of any kind.

If you want to take advantage of the season's bounty and make your own applesauce, do yourself a favor and get a Foley food mill. It is an old timey, inexpensive, uncomplicated, piece of equipment that couldn't be easier to use. Plus you'll feel like Miz Boone using it and it doesn't make noise.

You don't even have to peel or core the apples, nor worry about the seeds. Simply wash the apples well, with a vegetable brush, then cut them into quarters, and drop them into a pot. Add about a quarter inch of water and simmer, about 10 to 15 minutes, until the apples are soft.

Place the softened apples into the food mill and turn the handle. Viola, applesauce! Taste, and depending on the apples used, you may want to sweeten it. Because I used half Granny Smith apples, I added some sugar. Also I reheated my applesauce because I was canning it.

Making applesauce this way, utilizing the entire fruit, retains all the pectin and nutrients of the apples. Plus, there is suprisingly little waste.

The applesauce is very smooth and has an almost creamy mouth feel.

Applesauce Muffins - 2 Ways

After my boss received a gift of fresh, locally grown apples, he took them to the break room to share with the staff. I brought home several of these apples with the intention of making muffins to share at work. And of course I had to make enough muffins to include Pritchard Parker.

The first batch I made had golden raisins and pecans, with a drizzle of confectioner's sugar glaze. I thought they were very pretty, but when Pritchard Parker tasted one he said, "That's different".  Now I have to say that Pritchard Parker had gotten home from work very late and was quite tired when he said that. He was not really in a place to offer a fair critique and I didn't pursue it.

Different? Just to be safe, I decided to go with another recipe for the next batch. This time I skipped the raisins and used brown sugar and toasted walnuts with  a sugary crunch for topping.

Both recipes begin by making applesauce.

Applesauce Raisin Muffins
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and spices. In another bowl, stir together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and the applesauce and mix well. Stir the dry mixture into the wet until just combined. Stir in the raisins and nuts.

Spoon into greased muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Let them cool slightly then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, top with a glaze made of 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, and 1-2 Tbsp. milk or cream.  Add an additional sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg.

Applesauce Spice Muffins
(Gourmet Magazine, November 2003)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Topping:
2 Tbsp. Turbinado (or regular granulated) sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until combined well, then add butter, a little at a time, whisking until mixture is creamy. Stir in applesauce, then fold in flour mixture until flour is just moistened. Stir in nuts and divide batter among greased muffin cups.

Stir together the topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of the muffins. Bake at 400 degrees until muffins are puffed and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan and cool completely.



These are the muffins I took to work.



First Lady Michelle Obama's Apple Cobbler

A couple of days ago, Pritchard Parker told me he would like pie.  I had been baking many, many cookies, then a cake, then brownies and he was in the mood for a change of pace.  Of course, I immediately started quizzing him: What kind of pie? A lemon meringue pie? A chocolate cream pie? A coconut pie? A cherry pie? He replied, simply, "A fruit pie."

As I contemplated this request (don't you love it when people you enjoy cooking for actually make a request) and knew fresh fruit is in short supply, here in the middle of winter, I considered frozen fruit. Finally, I decided on apples, which are available all year round.  And who doesn't like apple pie? 

I remembered this post from Lisa's blog,  The Cutting Edge of Ordinary.  I made the pie once before and everyone loved it. Plus it makes an extra large pie, and as alert readers of this blog know, my husband has a huge eating and fuel burning capacity. 

This pie is quite easy to make but it does take some planning ahead and also up to 3 hours of baking time.  Fine with me. Running the oven for 3 hours when it is freezing cold outside works out just fine.

I do hope you will jump over to Lisa's blog, to read her post about this pie, and also to enjoy her gorgeous photographs of it.

First Lady Michelle Obama's Apple Cobbler
8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup flour

Mix these ingredients together and refrigerate overnight so the spice goes all the way through the apples.

3 sheets refrigerated pie crust
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter and flour the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Roll out 1 1/2 pie crusts really thin, as thin as possible. Layer the bottom of the baking dish with the pastry and prick a few holes in it.

Pour the apples with their liquid into the crust. Dot 3/4 of the stick of butter over the apples. Roll out the remaining 1 1/2 pie crusts and cover the apple mixture entirely.  Pinch the edges of the dough around the sides of the dish so the apple mixture is completely covered.

Melt the remaining 1/4 stick of butter and brush over the top of the crust.

Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.  Bake for up to 3 hours until the crust is golden brown and flaky.  Start checking the cobbler after 2 1/2 hours to prevent over browning.

Sweet & Savory Pear and Apple Soup

How many things can you change about a recipe before it is not the same recipe anymore?  It is a question I ponder often. If I walk into my kitchen, pull ingredients I have on hand and create a dish, I consider that "my" recipe. On the other hand, if I see a recipe that I think sounds good, even if I change almost everything about it, but wouldn't have otherwise thought of the concept, I think credit is due to the original recipe.  What are your thoughts on this? 

I saw a recipe for Apple and Pear Soup on allrecipes.  I changed/added so many things about the recipe. The recipe calls for tart apples, but at this time of year, I'm madly in love with our locally grown Gala apples. To my palate, they have the perfect texture with just the right amount of crispness, the perfect juiciness, and the perfect sweetness, so that is what I used.  The original recipe calls for fresh ginger, so I thought onions and garlic would enhance the flavor profile.  Also, in the end, I squeezed in the juice of a lemon to help balance the sweetness of the apples and add brightness to the soup. 

My husband was surprised by this soup.  He had seen the apples and pears, washed and on the cutting board, thought they would be a dessert, but he loved the soup. It is very warming and he said he thought it would be a great thing to eat when you have a cold.

Sweet & Savory Pear and Apple Soup
2 Tbsp. butter
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
3 apples, peeled and chopped
3 pears, peeled and chopped
2 cloved garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. pureed fresh ginger
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp. rubbed sage
1 bay leaf
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions, apples, and pears. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger and stir for a minute longer. Add vegetable broth, sage, and bay leaf. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer for about 20 - 25 minutes until pears, apples, and onions are tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf. 

Puree the soup in a blender until very smooth, not filling more than half full. Pour into a clean pan and reheat. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper Taste to adjust seasonings.  Serve piping hot garnished with chopped fresh parsley. 

Skillet Apple Cake

I saw this cake featured on Photograzing, clicked, and was led to the blog, One Vanilla Bean.  I love cooking and baking with apples at this time of year. We have apple orchards locally so I can get them extra fresh, and at very reasonable prices.  Not to mention that I love making anything in my iron skillets.  Cast iron cookery is part of my heritage and always makes me feel grounded and happy. 

Skillet Apple Cake

Apples:
1 tsp. boiled cider, which can be made by boiling 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar for about 5 minutes
1 1/2 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Cake:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup warm milk
1 egg
6 Tbsp. melted butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar

Preheat oven and generously butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet.

Mix together the apples, boiled cider, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients into a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared skillet.  Arrange the apples over the batter, pouring any extra juices over the apples.  Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar.  Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove skillet from the oven and run a knife around the edges of the pan to keep the cake from sticking as it cools.

Serve with freshly whipped cream.

Autumn Fruit Salad

A few years ago, at this same time of year, I was asked to contribute a salad for my Mother-in-Law's birthday dinner.  I had been apprised of what my Sisters-in-Law were making and considered what kind of salad would complement.

When I found this recipe at All Recipes, I was enchanted by the introduction by the contributor, Kathryn Booher, who said, "I've made this recipe for special dinners all through my 46 married years, and it's always been a hit.  My sister worked for a farm wife during the late '30s and early '40s and she got this recipe from her.  It's especially delicious when the apples are freshly picked, and it adds wonderful color to any table!"  I was sold. 

Autumn Fruit Salad
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
6 cups cubed unpeeled apples
2 cups halved seedless red grapes
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and flour.  Stir in water; bring to a boil.  Cook and stir until mixture thickens.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Cool to room temperature. 

In a large bowl, combine apples, grapes, celery and walnuts.  Add the dressing and toss gently.  Refrigerate until serving. 

Mrs. Booher, thank you for this wonderful recipe.  I've made it a few times and it is very delicious.  The dressing, or sauce, is very unusual, and I just love it!  I just made it again yesterday, for another one of my beautiful Mother-in-Law's birthday dinners.

Savory Baked Apples

Savory Baked Apples

4 sweet, crisp apples, such as Gala

3 - 4 slices bacon

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced

Leftover bread, cubed, about 4 cups

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Apple cider

In a large saute pan, cook bacon until crisp then remove to paper towel to drain. Cook the onion and celery in the bacon drippings, until tender. Add bread cubes, ginger, and cayenne, stirring to coat well. Add enough apple cider to make a moist stuffing, about 1/2 cup, more or less.

Slice off the stem end of the apples and reserve. Scoop out the apple pulp to make a bowl. Dice the slices of apples removed from the top and add to the stuffing in the pan, along with all the pulp, except the core, removed from the apple. Crumble the bacon and add that also.

Spoon the stuffing into the apple bowls, piling it up. Place the stuffed apples into a baking dish. Pour about 1/2 inch of apple cider into the dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples

Here is a recipe from the November, 2005 Everyday Food magazine. This delicious recipe first appeared on my Thanksgiving that year and every year since. I've also made it several other times over the years. I really like it!

Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 pints brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, and halved
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 apple, cored and sliced
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Arrange bacon in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees until done, about 10 minutes. Add brussels sprouts in a single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and toss in apple slices. Return to oven and roast until brussels sprouts are browned and tender and apple slices are tender, about 10 minutes more. Toss with vinegar and serve.

Baked Cabbage and Apples

This is a super simple and delicious side dish. I've made it many, many times, and people always enjoy it. Its Autumnal flavors can be modified endlessly. If you use a tart apple, such as Granny Smith, you may want to use some kind of sweetener -- sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup. This time, I used Honey Crisp apples that were plenty sweet, so I didn't add anything sweeter. You could also add cinnamon and/or nutmeg, but I never do. I have used dashes of cayenne pepper, however.


Baked Cabbage and Apples
1 small head cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 or 2 apples, depending on size, sliced
1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
1 cup dried bread crumbs (store bought work fine)
1/2 cup melted butter


Plunge the chopped cabbage into boiling water for 5 minutes only. Drain very well. Place one third of the cabbage into a 2 quart baking dish. Top with half the apples and sprinkle with sugar if using, then bread crumbs. Repeat layers, ending with cabbage, then a layer of bread crumbs. Pour melted butter all over. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for another 15 minutes.

Crockpot Apple Butter

This is the first time I have made apple butter and I couldn't be happier with the results. I made mine from fresh apple sauce made with fresh apples. Yes, apple butter starts with apple sauce. You can make your own apple sauce, as I did, or you can make your apple butter with canned applesauce.

Know that for a good apple butter, you will cook and reduce the apple sauce by half. I started with approximately 9 quarts of apple sauce, and finished with 9 pints of delicious and rich apple butter.

The amount of sugar and spices, varies according to your tastes. I like my apple butter less sweet, less spicy, and more apple-y flavored.

Apple Butter
9 qts. apple sauce
1 to 4 cups sugar (I used 1 cup)
2 tsp. to 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon (I used 2 tsp.)
1/4 to 1 tsp. ground cloves, if desired (I did not)
1/4 tsp. allspice, if desired (I did)

Fill a 6 quart crockpot with apple sauce, to within 1 inch of rim. Stir in desired amount of sugar and spice. Set on low and cover with a spatter screen. Cook for 6 to 12 hours, until reduced by half. (I cooked mine overnight). Taste and add additional sugar and spice, if desired, then add the remainder of the applesauce and cook for 2 or 3 more hours.

Eat, freeze, and/or process in hot water bath. Enjoy!

Comparing Apples to Apples

The applesauce on the left was made with a combination of Cortland (red with very white flesh) and Granny Smith (green with green flesh) apples. The one on the right was made with all Gala apples with their combination of red and yellow skin and yellow flesh.

Unusual Apple Pie

This is a recipe from allrecipes.com and is called "Apple Pie by Grandma Ople". Moshasmama, who submitted it states: "This was my grandmother's apple pie recipe. I have never seen another one quite like it. It will always be my favorite and has won me several first place prizes in local competitions. I hope it becomes one of your favorites as well!" The recipe has a five star rating on the site, with 2,473 reviewers. I couldn't resist. . .

Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.

Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.