"A" is for "Apple"

Cool, crisp evenings and bright, sunny, comfortable days mean fall is in the air. And nothing in the culinary world spells fall like the Apple. Fall means apples!
Apples can be taken for granted. I remember climbing on apple trees as a kid and picking them off the ground, rubbing them on my shirt and enjoying them for a quick snack. They are always available, come in a myriad of varieties, and beckon us to the kitchen. And who could forget our first spelling lesson? “A” is indeed for “apple!”
Besides being deliciously ubiquitous, they are extremely healthy. Apples are low in calories and have no fat, cholesterol, or sodium. Apples are high in fiber. One apple has 20% of the fiber our bodies need every day. The main type of fiber apples contain is soluble fiber which can help lower blood cholesterol. Also, apples have a huge amount of pectins, which also lower blood cholesterol levels.
As well, they are a good source of flavonoids, which are naturally occurring plant compounds. As antioxidants not only have they been shown to reduce cholesterol, they also have apparent benefits against cancer incidence. The antioxidant properties of Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid also have positive effects on the cardiovascular system. One medium apple provides 8% of the daily adult requirement of Vitamin C based on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet. No wonder they have that saying about “an apple a day!”
Apples range in color from bright yellow and green to crimson red. Their textures range from tender to crisp and their flavor from sugary sweet to extremely tart. There are now literally thousands of varieties.
Buy firm, brightly colored apples with smooth skins. They should also smell fresh. You can assure this by picking your own in orchards all over the country in the fall. Apple trees are also pretty easy to grow in your own back yard.
Apples can be stored in a cool dry place or in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. If they start to get a little mushy, cook with them or make apple sauce which freezes very well. And don’t forget to shine a bright, crisp red one up for the teacher. It truly is a way to show you care!

Apple Crisp
Filling:
8 cups cored and sliced apples with the peals (about 10 apples)
1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
teaspoon ground cinnamon
Topping:
1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 cups brown sugar
4 ounces butter, cut into bits
sweetened whipped cream or French vanilla ice cream as a garnish
Toss the apples with the 1/4-cup flour, maple syrup, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place in an even layer in a deep 9 x 13 baking dish. Place the topping ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until the texture of coarse meal. (Alternatively, you may “cut” the mixture together using two knives in a deep bowl.) Place the topping mixture over the apples in a smooth layer. Bake in pre-heated 325-degree oven until bubbly on the sides and the topping is golden brown and crisp. Serve warm with sweetened whipped cream or ice cream. Serves 8 to 10.

Sour Cream Apple Pie
Crust:
4 ounces butter
1/4 cup natural maple syrup
4 ounces cream cheese
zest from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Filling
About 6 Granny Smith Apples
1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Topping:
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup natural maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Have all crust ingredients at room temperature. Place the butter, maple syrup, cream cheese, lemon zest and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse to blend, scraping the sides as needed. Pulse in the egg. Place the flour and baking powder in the bowl. Process just until dough begins to gather around the blade. Pat dough into a ball and roll out into a 1/4-inch thick circle on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll it over an 8-inch pie dish. Press into the corners of the pie dish and crimp the edges of the dough.
Core the apples and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices. Toss with the flour and powdered sugar. Arrange the apple slices attractively on the dough in pie the plate in an even layer. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Combine sour cream, maple syrup and lemon juice. Spoon over chilled apples. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake in pre heated 350 degrees oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack. Serve warm with slices of cheddar cheese. Serves 6 to 8.

Pork Chops with Apple Topping
2 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 onion, minced
6 tart apples, cored and cut into chunks
1/2 cup red wine
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 grilled or broiled small pork chops
In a heavy, non-stick sauté pan over medium high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Add the onion to the pan and sauté a few minutes. Add the apples to the pan and drizzle the red wine over the apples. Stir in the honey and cinnamon. Cook the mixture over medium heat just unlit the apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve over hot grilled or broiled pork chops. Serves 4 to 6.

Ginger Baked Apples
4 firm apples, cored
4 cinnamon sticks
8 to 12 whole cloves
10 ounces ginger ale
1/2 lemon
dash vanilla extract
Place a cinnamon stick in the core or the apple and insert 2 or 3 cloves in each apple decoratively. Place apples in a deep baking dish with lid. Pour ginger ale over the apples and rest the lemon half in the center of the apples. Sprinkle a dash of vanilla over the apples and cover. Bake in pre heated 325-degree oven for 90 to 120 minutes or apples are soft but not mushy. Serve with a drizzle of warm caramel sauce (below).

Red Hot Apple Sauce
8 to 10 apples, cored and sliced
1 cup “Red Hot” cinnamon candies
zest from 1 lemon
juice from 1 lemon
Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender and the candies have melted. Continue to simmer until apples are soft. Remove from heat and cool until warm. Run the mixture through a food mill to remove skin (Alternatively, you may remove the skins before cooking and puree the mixture.) Makes about 6 cups of applesauce.

Quick Warm Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
3 ounces butter
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix ingredients together in a saucepan over medium low heat and stir until mixture reaches a simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Cool to warm before drizzling over ice cream, bananas or ginger baked apples. Makes about 1 cup of sauce.