Baked Apples

A simple, satisfying dessert using four natural ingredients. 

4 firm medium apples (for example, Rome, Gala, Honey Crisp)

4 T brown sugar

1/2 t ground cinnamon

2 t butter

3/4 c boiling water

Preheat the toaster oven to 375 F. Trim the bottoms flat so the apples will stand upright in the baking pan. With a paring knife cut a cone-shaped opening around the stem and hollow out the core. Sprinkle an 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon into the hole, pour a tablespoon of brown sugar into each apple, and top each with a 1/2 teaspoon of butter. Pour water into the pan and bake 50 minutes or until the tip of knife penetrates easily. Let cool until warm, before serving. A scoop of vanilla ice cream turns this into a special dessert.

Baked Oatmeal

Recorded January 4, 2014. Adapted by Laura from an online recipe. Prepared many times. A Family Favorite. Can be prepared the night before and reheated for breakfast.

1/3 c butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
3/4 c brown sugar
1-1/2 t baking powder
2 eating apples, cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1/3 c raisins
1/4 c pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 t vanilla
2 t cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 c milk
3 c rolled oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). In a large bowl, beat eggs well. Stir in the sugar, baking powder, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk in the butter, then the milk, stir in the oats, followed by the fruits and nuts, mixing well after each addition. Spread the mixture in a well-greased 9x13 inch glass baking dish (1-1/2 liter), and bake for 35 to 45 minutes until set in the middle. Serve warm, topped with a plump pillow of low-fat vanilla yogurt or with warm cream or milk. Keeps well, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator. Variation Substitute fresh blueberries for raisins, or fresh peaches for apples. Serves 8.

Apple Quick Bread

Apple Quick Bread Cooling on a Wire Rack

Developed November 12, 2013 from an online recipe.

1 c (240 g) sour cream
1 c (180) brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1-1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 c dry-roasted chopped walnuts, divided

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (175 ºC). Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Mix in the leavening agents, salt and spices and then stir in the flour, a half-cup at a time, until incorporated. Fold the apples and half the nuts into the batter, and transfer to a 9 inch x 5 inch greased loaf pan with a spatula. Distribute the remainder of the nuts on top, and press them firmly into the batter. Bake about 60 minutes on the center rack, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes and then remove the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. Suggestion: Slice thinly, broil in toaster oven until crusty, and spread cream cheese on top. A treat!

Fried Apples

Recorded Feb 6, 2013. Prepared many times as a side dish for pork [e.g., see logo above] and other rich meats, or as a topping for waffles, pancakes, or French toast.

1 T olive oil, butter, bacon fat, or vegetable oil
1 medium cooking apple (e.g., Golden Delicious), peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
pinch each of ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar

Heat the fat in an 8-inch skillet over medium. Add the apples and cook with stirring, about 8 minutes until almost done. Dust on seasonings, raise the heat and brown, turning often another 2 minutes. Serves 2.

Apple Sauce

Adapted from an Alton Brown microwave recipe. Similar apple varieties, one tart, two sweet, can be substituted. First prepared April 22, 2012.

1 Golden Delicious apple
2 Fuji or similar apples
1/2 c apple cider
1 T brandy
1 T butter
1 T brown sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon
pinch ground nutmeg
pinch salt and pepper

Peel, quarter, core, and coarsely chop the apples into half-inch pieces. Combine with the other ingredients in a two-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook covered at a slow boil for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft. Off heat, mash to a coarse texture. Let cool covered and undisturbed to permit natural pectin to thicken the sauce. Serve warm or cold, with pork roast, pork chops, pancakes, potato pancakes, oatmeal or other hot cereal, or on its own as a light snack, dusted with a little cinnamon-sugar topping.
Variation #1: Stir 1/4 cup of ground roasted walnuts into the sauce half way through cooking for extra flavor and nourishment. 
Variation #2: replace a Fuji with the flesh from a ripe Japanese persimmon.

Caramel-Glazed Apples

Caramel-Glazed Apples on French toast

First prepared October, 2009. Versatile side dish.

2 c (about 2 medium) peeled and sliced sweet but firm apples [e.g., Fuji, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Cortland]
1/2 c apple cider
1 T brown sugar
pinch of salt
2 t butter, cut into pieces
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1 t lemon juice

Combine first 4 ingredients in 10 inch skillet. Bring to a fast simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Apples should be crispy-soft. Uncover, dot with butter and raise heat to a vigorous boil to reduce and caramelize the syrup, about 5 minutes. When it thickens and coats the apples, mix in the spices and lemon juice. Serve as a side dish with French toast or pork roast and chops (see markee at top of page), or as a dessert, alone or with ice cream.

Pork Chops Grilled and Braised with Onions, Apples, and Cabbage

Prepared August 30, 2007. Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, foodnetwork.com.

4 1-inch thick rib or loin pork chops, bone in
general purpose breader or seasoned flour
3 c yellow onions, thinly sliced through poles
2 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thick
2/3 lb cabbage, finely shredded
1 c apple cider
1 T cider vinegar
1 c chicken stock
6 pepper corns
2 bay leaves
1/2 T ground cumin
1/2 T paprika
chili powder
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 T vegetable oil, divided

Trim fat from chops, dust with chili powder and bread lightly. Add 1 T oil to a heavy oven-proof 12-inch skillet, heat over medium high, and grill chops until nicely browned on both sides but not cooked through. Remove to a plate. Heat 2 T oil, and cook onions and apples until lightly colored. Add the cabbage and fry a few more minutes. Add the liquids, raise the heat, and deglaze the pan. Return the chops to the pan and cover with the cooked vegetables, and add the seasonings.  Cover tightly and oven roast 1-1/2 hours at 325 degrees F, turning once half way through the cooking. Serve over steamed rice. Serves 4.

Caramelized Apple Topping

Developed November 18, 2007.

1/2 T unsalted butter
2 T dark brown sugar, packed
1 T water
1 t lime juice
1 large cooking apple, peeled, quartered, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 t cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch each of salt and freshly-ground pepper

Heat a heavy 8-inch skillet over medium-high, cook the butter until bubbling dies down. Add the brown sugar, stirring to dissolve, and then add water and juice. Boil the syrup for a minute or two until it begins to thicken. Add the sliced apples and turn to coat with syrup. Add seasonings. Cook for a few minutes until the apples begin to get soft, turning often. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook another 5 minutes covered until tender. Serve warm as a topping over vanilla ice cream, pancakes, or pound cake.
Optional: Stir in a 2 T of toasted pecans just before serving.

Apple and Persimmon Crisp

 

Developed December 30, 2010. These luscious fruits with their vivid color and jammy sweet flesh have a short season, in Autumn in Northern Hemisphere.

Filling

1 ripe Japanese persimmon (also called, Sharon fruit or fuyu), trimmed and thinly sliced
2 medium eating apples (Pink Lady, Braeburn, or similar), peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 T all-purpose flour
1 T vegetable oil
3 T brown sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of freshly-ground pepper
1 to 2 T lemon juice, depending on sweetness of fruit
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground clove

Topping

1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c brown sugar
1/3 c rolled oats
3 T cold butter, cut into small dice
1/4 t ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 ºF.  Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly, let stand 15 minutes, and spread in a six-inch glass baking dish. As shown in the photo above, the recipe when doubled will fill a nine-inch pie pan. Mix the dry ingredients for the topping. With your fingers or a pastry cutter, work in the butter until no lumps of butter are visible. Cover the fruit with topping and firm into place. Place on baking sheet to catch any spill over, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until topping is browned and the fruit is bubbling. Let cool uncovered until just warm. Pair each serving with ice cream for an extra treat.

Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Our internet consensus recipe. Developed January, 2005. Great side for rich meat dishes such as oven-braised spare ribs.

1 medium head red cabbage, coarsely shredded

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 strips bacon, coarsely chopped

2 medium apples, peeled, cored, & sliced

1/3 c apple cider vinegar

1/3 c water (approx)

1/4 c brown sugar

1 t salt

1/2 t dry mustard

1 large bay leaf

2 t caraway seeds

Fry bacon until crisp. Add onion, cook until lightly browned. Stir in the other ingredients. Cover and cook about 1/2 hour on medium-low heat, until tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

(Almost) Instant Caramel-Maple Apple Topping

September 27, 2010
Bought a three-pack at Kroger. That’s a lot of candy apples, so now what?

1 nut-covered caramel candy apple
2 T water
1 t butter
1 T maple syrup

Remove stick! Quarter, core and thinly slice apple. Add apples and water to a small nonstick skillet and bring to a rapid simmer. Cover and cook until apples are tender but not soft, about 6 minutes. Remove cover, add butter and reduce over medium heat. Add maple syrup and heat through. 
Uses: topping for waffles, pancakes, ice cream, puddings.

Pan-Roasted Pork Porterhouse Chops with Fried Apples

2 loin (porterhouse) pork chops, 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick
General Purpose Breader (see Recipe)
1 T EVOO
1 medium cooking apple, peeled, cored, and cut in wedges

Seasonings
1/2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/4 t sugar

Let the chops warm to room temperature. Lightly coat in the breader and shake off excess. Heat oil in a large saute pan until it's shimmering, but not smoking. Add the chops. Saute undisturbed 2 to 3 minutes on each side, and lower the heat. Move the chops aside and add the apples in a single layer. Cook over medium low heat about 6 to 8 minutes more, turning the meat and apples occasionally. When the chops are cooked but still juicy, remove to plate and tent with foil. Sprinkle the seasonings on the apples and raise the heat. When the apples are browned and softened, serve on the side with the chops. Serves two.

Quick Apple Compote

Prepared and recorded November 23, 2009. Does nicely as a fruit course for breakfast or brunch.

1 medium apple, peeled, cored and sliced in thin wedges
about 1/2 t sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1/4 c apple cider
1/4 t tapioca or corn starch
1 T cream (optional)

Place apples in a glass bowl. Add the other ingredients, and mix well, to disperse the starch and flavorings. Cover with plastic foil, and microwave on high for two minutes. Vent the steam carefully, and turn gently to mix. Microwave uncovered another 1 to 2 minutes, until apples are cooked tender-crisp. Serve warm, topped with cream or half-and-half. Serves 2.

RAVE
Honeycrisp™ apples are fantastic. Named the state fruit of Minnesota in 2006. Sweet, tangy, fruity, crisp, complex, versatile. I just tried them. Should have done sooner! (Fuji, don't worry, I still love you too. And Cortland, where Laura raised her kids.)

NOTE
Zeigler's Cider is excellent. Made in Lansdale, Pennsylania. Always fresh and distinctively applish. Can vary in sweetness during the season.

Oven-Braised Spare Ribs Smothered in Onions

Created and first cooked December 15, 2005, and many times since. A Family Favorite.

5 to 6 lb slab pork ribs, trimmed of fat and membranes, and cut into 2 rib portions (see Note)
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced through poles
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/2 c water
garlic powder
cumin
cayenne
paprika (smoked, if available)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Arrange ribs, meaty side up, in a roasting pan with a cover. Combine liquids and pour over meat; dust on seasonings to taste. Top with sliced onions. Cover. Roast 30 minutes, turn over rib portions, reduce heat to 325 ºF and roast another 60 minutes covered, turning once after 30 minutes. Remove cover, turn meat, and brown for 30 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally. Meat should be very tender, almost falling off the bone. Serve with steamed rice topped with the onions and pan gravy. Fried apples and braised red cabbage make nice sides. Feeds 6 heartily.

Note: Choose small slabs (5 to 6 lbs). They come from younger animals, and are generally more tender and less fatty.

French Toast

First prepared September 19, 2009.

Dip #1
1 cup milk
1 t sugar
1/2 t vanilla extract

Dip #2
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 T water
scant 1/4 t salt

9 slices French or Italian bread cut 3/4 inch thick
butter

Preheat toaster oven to 300 F (150 C). Place bread on oven rack and bake 10 minutes. The goal is to dry but not toast the bread. Mix each dip thoroughly to dissolve the sugar or salt. Dip a slice on both sides in the milk mixture, and then both sides in the egg mixture. Cook on a medium-high griddle in sizzling butter, until nicely browned on one side. Turn and finish the other side. About 6 minutes total. Be careful to avoid scorching the egg coating. Should be crisp and buttery outside and creamy custardy on the inside. Garnish with powdered sugar and serve with a topping or side dish of warm caramel-glazed apples.