Ah, autumn. Crisp nights, leaves changing and apple harvests. Well, maybe one out of three isn’t so bad. We can celebrate October as National Apple Month even if any chill in the air around here is still a hope on the horizon, or at least the 10-day forecast. The color most leaves are morphing to is baked brown, but apples, at least, come in all shades of red, green and yellow. We often associate them with fall, with tempting apple pies, caramel apples, delicious fried pies and even bobbing for apples before hopping on a hayride.
National Apple Month gives us a chance to revisit the fruit grown in all 50 states (commercially in more than 30). That means about 2,500 varieties grown in the U.S. They make great, healthy snacks, or additions to salads. One of my go-to appetizers is simply apple slices paired with caramel dipping sauce; perfect for fall. And don’t we love to bake with apples? Can’t you smell a just-from-the-oven apple crisp right now? Or a bubbling apple pie?
This is where all those varieties get narrowed down.
Get picky
In an article at bonappetit.com, by Chris Morocco, the best apples for baking keep their structure when subjected to the oven. Granny Smiths are generally the go-to baking apple. However, there are others recommended that hold up under high temperatures and deliver on flavor: Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Mutsu, Winesap and Pink Lady (or Cripps Pink). Each has its own flavor profile and is worth looking into. Other suggestions at allrecipes.com include Cortland, Gala and Golden Delicious. The Betty Crocker site tips Red Delicious and Golden Delicious for sauces, cakes and butter, Granny Smith for pies, crisps and tarts, plus other varieties for additional baking uses.
Kitchen tips
For we snackers and servers of apple appetizers, the perennial question is how to keep apple slices from turning brown so fast. Here are a couple of recommendations: Taste of Home says to place each slice immediately into a bowl of cold, salted water (about 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of water). Let slices soak for five to 10 minutes, then drain. If you won’t be serving apples right away, store them in an airtight container or plastic baggie until ready to use. Run them under tap water before serving.
Other methods call for soaking slices in lemon-lime soda for five minutes, then rinsing and serving. Or soak slices in a tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of water for five minutes. Rinse and serve. There are also commercial anti-darkening preparations you could go with.
Enjoy some of today’s recipes during National Apple Month. Hurry-up baked apples are suited to dessert, snack or breakfast. There’s an apple crisp, less-calorie laden than its apple pie cousin with a crust. Try the crispy apple dippers for a different snack, or the apple “pizzas” made with biscuits.
Maybe, just maybe, if we “build” them, fall will come.
HURRY-UP BAKED APPLES
Serves 4
2 medium size tart apples (Granny Smith, Braeburn, Cortland, Jonathan, Fuji)
1 teaspoon white or brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons oatmeal
2 tablespoons (total) raisins, sweetened dried cranberries, chopped walnuts or other nuts
1 container (6-ounces) low fat vanilla yogurt
(Source: spendsmart.extension.iastate.edu)
APPLE CRISP
Makes 6 servings
Canola oil cooking spray
4 Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into thin slices or bite-size pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons 100 percent apple juice
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 tablespoon cold butter, cut into small pieces
(Source: quickhealthyrecipes.msstate.edu)
APPLE DIPPERS
1 serving
1 medium red apple
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup crunchy nugget cereal
Thin pretzel sticks
(Source: University of Nebraska Extension)
APPLE PIZZAS
Makes 10
1 can of 10 refrigerator biscuits
2 large (or 3 medium or 4 small) apples
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour
2/3 cup grated cheese
Softened margarine for spreading on biscuits
(Source: University of Nebraska Extension)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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