Apples, apples everywhere...
By Cynthia Bowan
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"An apple a day keeps the doctor away..." (Unless, of course, you are referring to an optometrist, in which case, I suppose, you should really be eating carrots instead of apples...
Be that as it may, apples are good for us all.
The University of Illinois extension web page has a long list of apple facts, including:
- Two pounds of apples make one 9-inch pie; a peck of apples weigh 10 1/2 pounds.
- A bushel of apples weighs about 42 pounds and will yield 20-24 quarts of applesauce.
- Apples ripen six to ten times faster at room temperature than if they were refrigerated.
- 7500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.
- 2500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States; however, only 100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.
- The apple variety 'Delicious' is the most widely grown in the United States.
- United States consumers eat an average of 45.5 pounds of apples.
- Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free; a medium apple is about 80 calories and contains five grams of fiber.
- The apple tree originated in an area between the Caspian and the Black Seas, and were the favorite fruit of ancient Greeks and Romans.
- The science of apple growing is called pomology; apple trees take four to five years to produce their first fruit.
- Apple varieties range in size from a little larger than a cherry to as large as a grapefruit.
- Apples are a member of the rose family.
- It takes the energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple.
- Most apple blossoms are pink when they open but gradually fade to white.
- Some apple trees will grown over forty feet high and live over a hundred years; America's longest-lived apple tree was reportedly planted in 1647 by Peter Stuyvesant in his Manhattan orchard and was still bearing fruit when a derailed train struck it in 1866.
Whew!
Actually, archeologists have found evidence that humans have been enjoying apples since at least 6500 BC. The pilgrims planted the first United States apple trees in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. However, it wasn't until 1730 that the first apple nursery was opened in Flushing, New York, and it is safe to say that we have had a love affair with them ever since. One of George Washington's hobbies was pruning his apple trees. When Benjamin Franklin was in London, he missed American apples. So Newton Pippin apples became the first apples to be exported from America in 1768, some sent to Franklin.
Although McIntosh apples have been the most widely grown, competing varieties like Granny Smith, Delicious and Cortland are gaining favor. In this country, the market is dominated by eight major varieties: Red and Golden Delicious, McIntosh, Rome Beauty, Jonathan, York and Stayman.
But who ever thinks of facts and history when it comes to apples? Now, me personally, I remember other things...like a love for apples that I have always had. I can remember my parents driving out to a farm when I was younger, and buying a whole bushel or two of apples. They would keep them down in the fruit cellar - gee, do you remember those? - providing a treat for myself, my sister and my brother in the cold of winter or, better yet, a marvelous pie scenting up the whole house when we came in from school. Another one of my early memories is from when I was a student in the First Ward Grade School in Ambridge, PA. Every fall a local farmer would come into the school with bushels of apples. We would sit on the wide staircase steps, and each child would receive a beautiful, large, fragrant Rome Beauty apple to eat right then and there.
What a joy! Granted, we were out of the classroom which gave us a guilty feeling of pleasure, but even better, we had the apple - full of flavor, crisp, tasting of autumn in all its glory.
Today, when I bake or cook with apples, I love to use a combination of different apples. I might use Jonagolds, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith with my McIntosh and Rome Beauties. This way, I have some apples that will cook up and simply add to the flavor, and others that will stay firm and provide a flavorful texture. If I can find them, I love Lady Apples. The Lady or Api apple is one of the oldest varieties known still in existence. Perhaps the fact that they are smaller has kept them from becoming as popular as they should or could be. Our son Mark's in-laws, the Hindmans, have a few of these trees on their property, and from them, Nancy Hindman makes her wonderful pink apple jelly and pies.
When I make pies, I often sprinkle a cup or so of fresh or frozen elderberries mixed with a few tablespoons of sugar on the crust, then top that with my pie filling. Or I might use a cup or cup and a half of dried cranberries, plumped first in some hot water and drained. It all depends on what I have on hand, and like any dish we make, the mood of the cook that day. <G>
I make apple salads, cookies, muffins, pies, cakes, main dishes and more with apples. The only problem I have with apples is being able to keep them in the house. I have a husband whose favorite snack is a good, crisp apple and a handful of pretzels. And when the children were all home - or come for a visit - I know I have to buy extra apples, or use them before anyone else can find out that I have them!
Well, history aside, the apple is a marvelous gift to us humans. And so, I encourage you to Enjoy! them, especially at this time of year.; And may you Enjoy! the following recipes.
CYH - consider yourself hugged.
Apple Cake with Butterscotch Topping
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 c. chopped apples
butterscotch chips
Combine all ingredients except chips; mix well. Pour into an ungreased 13x9" pan. The batter will be thick. Cover the top of the cake with the butterscotch chips. Bake at 350F., 45-60 minutes.
Apple Walnut Bread (from my friend Peggy in AZ)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped apples (about 1/4-inch cubes)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat sugar and butter on high speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, spice, baking soda and salt just until flour is moistened. Fold in apples and nuts; transfer to greased pan. Bake bread 50 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Caramel Apple Bars
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
1/4 c. shortening
1 3/4 c. flour plus 3 T. flour
1 1/2 c. oatmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
4 1/2 c. coarsely chopped peeled tart apples (about 3 medium)
14 oz. bag vanilla caramels
Preheat oven to 400F. Mix brown sugar, butter and shortening. Stir in flour, oatmeal, salt and baking soda. Remove 2 c. mixture; set aside and reserve. Press remaining mixture in 13x9" baking pan.
Mix apples and 3 T. flour, spread over crust mixture. Heat caramels over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Pour evenly over apples. Top with reserved 2 c. mixture. Press lightly. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and apples are tender. Cut into 2x1 1/2" bars while warm. Refrigerate any remaining bars. Makes about 3 dozen.
Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
(This recipe won 1st place in a baking contest sponsored by the Wheat Foods
Council & American Baker's Assoc.)
Streusel Topping:
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pudding:
1 3/4 c. milk
1 c. butterscotch, caramel or fudge ice cream topping
1/4 c. butter
4 c. cubed bread
2 c. peeled thinly sliced apple
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Mix streusel ingredients together and set aside.
In large saucepan, combine milk, ice cream topping and butter. Cook over medium heat, until blended and butter melts. Remove from heat. Stir in apples and bread; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in eggs. Pour into baking dish and bake 20 min.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with streusel. Bake another 20-25 minutes or until apples are tender and tester inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with additional caramel topping if desired.
Note: I prefer dicing the apples instead of slicing to serve easier.
Original Cyn's Chunky Muffins
1 1/2 c. oats (quick or old-fashioned)
1 1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 c. unsweetened chunky applesauce
1/2 c. milk (regular or 2%)
1/2 c. light brown sugar, packed
3 T. vegetable oil
1 egg
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, chopped
1/2 c. golden raisins
3/4 c. dried cranberries
Topping:
1/4 c. oats
1 T. melted butter
1 T. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Cover cranberries with hot water to plump. Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and soda in large bowl. Add applesauce, skim milk, brown sugar, oil and egg. Mix well. Drain cranberries well. Add apple, raisins and cranberries, stirring well.
Spray muffin tin with cooking spray or use papers. Divide batter evenly between tins. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle each muffin with topping. Bake at 400F., 20-22 minutes. Let cool before eating (or they fall apart <G>)
Notes: You can substitute 3 additional T. of applesauce for the oil. Substitute skim milk for regular or even 2%. Use only the egg white instead of a whole egg -- and you have a healthier, low fat muffin.
Kotlet Sapivon
(Pork with Beer)
8 thick chops
1 clove garlic
2 sliced onions
2 apples, peeled, sliced
Salt and pepper
1 T. butter
1 T. chopped parsley
1 T. chopped chives
2 T. flour
2 c. beer
dash cayenne pepper
Render fat from chops in skillet; remove, pour off all but 2 T. Sauté garlic in skillet, discard.
Add onions and apples to skillet; cook until browned. Place mixture in bottom of large casserole dish. Add chops to skillet; brown both sides. Transfer chops to casserole dish, placing on top of apples. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in same skillet. Sauté chives and parsley. Stir in flour; gradually add beer. Cook over low heat until smooth and thick. Add cayenne; pour sauce over chops. Bake at 350F., 1 hr. Serve with lots of mashed potatoes.
Serves 6.
Overnight Layered Fruit Salad
2 c. shredded lettuce
2 naval oranges
2 Golden Delicious apples, unpeeled and thinly sliced
2 c. seedless green grapes
1/3 c. real mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip)
1/3 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded mild Cheddar cheese
Place shredded lettuce in a 2 qt. glass serving bowl. Peel and section oranges, reserving juice. Combine apple and orange juice; toss to coat. Layer apple slices over lettuce; top with orange sections and grapes. Combine mayonnaise and sour cream, stirring well. Spread over salad, sealing to edge to bowl. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Caramel Apple Salad
1 pkg. instant butterscotch pudding (3 oz.)
8 oz. carton Cool Whip
8 oz. can crushed pineapple with juice
1 c. mini marshmallows
3 c. chopped apples, (unpeeled)
1 c. dry roasted peanuts (optional)
In a large bowl, mix dry pudding, Cool Whip, pineapple and juice until well blended. Stir in apples, marshmallows and peanuts, until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate 1-2 hr. before serving. Serves 8.
Roast Pork Loin with Brown Betty Dressing
1 loin of pork about 4 lb.
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. powdered ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 c. finely chopped onion
4 c. diced dry white bread
3 apples, pared, cored and diced
1 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. raisins, light or dark
2 T. sugar
4 eggs
1 c. milk
Rub fat surface of roast with salt, ginger and pepper. Place fat side up in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer in thickest part of roast, avoiding bone and fat. Roast at 325F for 1 hour. Scatter onion around pork. Roast 30 minutes longer, or until onions are lightly browned. Combine bread cubes, apples, wine, raisins and sugar, stir into onions. Roast 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
Beat eggs with milk. Remove roast from pan; combine egg mixture with apple mixture, mix well. Replace roast. Spoon apple mixture around roast. Roast 30 to 40 minutes longer or until roast is golden brown and meat thermometer registers 170F.
By Cynthia Bowan
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Apple Cake with Butterscotch Topping | Apple Walnut Bread
Caramel Apple Bars | Caramel Apple Bread Pudding
Original Cyn's Chunky Muffins | Kotlet Sapivon (Pork with Beer)
Overnight Layered Fruit Salad | Caramel Apple Salad
Roast Pork Loin with Brown Betty Dressing
