Fall Fruit

The leaves may not have changed color and the temperature doesn't feel very fall like, but I know fall is here and it's not because of all the pumpkin flavored beverages and baked goods showing up on menus and in the grocery.  I know it's fall because freshly picked, straight from the orchard apples are appearing in the produce department.  These apples are so much prettier and flavorful than the ones I've bought all year that have been in cold storage since they were harvested.

Apples are a staple at our house.  They make a quick and healthy snack and are easy to pack in a lunch box or take on the go.  They're delicious baked, poached  and in a pie.  Apples are wonderful combined with other fruit in a fruit salad and they're the star of the recipe I'm sharing today.

A few years ago on a trip out of town, we ate at a restaurant that had apple salad on the menu.  I'd never eaten it before and was hesitant to order it.  I couldn't fathom how apples could taste good covered with mayonnaise and sour cream.  I ended up ordering the dish and was hooked after one bite. When our very friendly server found out how much I liked the salad, she was more than happy to share the recipe with me.

The dressing -- which I didn't think I would like -- was actually quite tasty. The sour cream contributes to the creaminess, but also adds a subtle tanginess that keeps the salad from being bland.  I use light sour cream, but regular sour cream will add a richer flavor to the dressing.  Depending on the sweetness of the apples you use, you may need to add some sugar, but don't add too much.  You don't want the salad to be too sweet.

I make the salad the way the restaurant did using only apples, craisins -- dried cranberries -- and celery.

Additions can include nuts, raisins  coconut, grapes, mandarin oranges and even pineapple chunks.  Depending on the size of the addition, you may need to cut the ingredients into smaller pieces.  You're pretty much limited by your imagination, the ingredients you have on hand and what your family likes to eat.

For a fancy presentation, serve the salad on a bed of lettuce leaves.  A nice touch for a party is to combine the dressing and apples and put all the additional ingredients in bowls.  That way, people can create and fall for their own one of a kind salad creation.
  

Apple Salad

4 to 6 Servings

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

sugar to taste

2 apples, diced (unpeeled)

1/2 cup craisins

1 stalk celery, sliced diagonally

Combine the first three ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.

© Margaret's Morsels

National Pi Day

That's not a typo in the title.  National Pi Day isn't referring to the sweet and savory pies we eat, but the Greek letter (π) used in mathematics to represent the numerical value of the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, approximately 3.14159....  Math is an important part of cooking -- just think of all the fractions!  Since today is March 14 (3/14), I thought it would be fun to use this play on words with pie recipes I've posted in the past.

Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie:  The addition of a streusel topping takes a plain pumpkin pie from ho hum to wow!

Banana Cream Supreme:  This cool and creamy, no bake pie is a cross between banana pie and banana pudding.  

Lemonade Pie:  What's more refreshing on a hot summer day than a glass of lemonade?  A piece of lemonade pie!  This beat the heat dessert gets its wonderful lemon flavor from a can of lemonade concentrate.  

Easy Peanut Butter Chip Pie:  The pie is made with peanut butter chips and not peanut butter.  If you love chocolate and peanut butter, top the pie with a bottle of chocolate Magic Shell topping!

Chocolate Dream Pie:  This no bake pie only uses four ingredients and half of them are chocolate!  

Chocolate Cobbler:  This eggless cobbler makes its own chocolate sauce! It's best served hot from the oven with a scoop of ice cream on top!  

Cookie Apple Cobbler:  This apple pie is super easy to make.  The crust is made with a package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough!

Chicken Pot Pie:  The picture doesn't do this pie justice!  Refrigerated pie crusts encase a filling made with canned chicken, vegetables, soup, milk and seasonings.

Broccoli Quiche:  You don't have to make the pie crust, cook the broccoli or, if you don't mind spending a little extra, even grate the cheese!

Bacon Quiche:  This quiche uses a package of refrigerated pie crusts and is baked in a 13 x 9-inch pan.  The filling ingredients can be assembled and refrigerated ahead of time.

© Margaret's Morsels

   

  

Poached not Baked

I've previously shared recipes for foods that are baked rather than fried. Today, I want to share an apple recipe that's poached rather than baked.  If you made the No Bake Turkey Cookies I posted last year, this is a chance to use the rest of the cinnamon candies.

My mom never fixed baked apples.  She always poached them on top of the stove in a sugar syrup made with red cinnamon candies and water.

Poaching is a cooking method where food is submerged -- either partially or completely -- in a liquid and simmered until done.  Poached eggs are probably the best known poached food, but fish, chicken and fruit can also be poached.

There's two things to remember when you poach food.  One, don't let the liquid boil.  If you boil the liquid, you're boiling rather than poaching the food.  Two, use the right size pan.  The pan should be big enough to hold the food and liquid, but no bigger.  If you use a pan that's too big, you'll need to add more liquid.  Since the food absorbs the flavor of the liquid it's cooked in, adding more liquid dilutes the flavor.

When you cook with apples, use an all-purpose or cooking apple.  They retain their shape and don't get mushy when cooked.  Granny Smith, Rome, Empire, Golden Delicious and McIntosh are all good choices.  I've recently discovered Honeycrisp, an all-purpose apple that is both sweet and tart, and used it the last time I fixed these apples.  They were delicious poached!

My mom used a 9 ounce package of red cinnamon candies, but I only use about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups.  Put the candies and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Once the candies are dissolved, turn the heat down to low and add the apples which have been sliced into eighths.

This pan can hold 11 apple slices.

Depending on the number of apples you cook, you may need to poach them in batches.  Simmer the apples, turning them occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 8 to 12 minutes.  When you're finished with a batch, use a slotted spoon to remove the apples from the liquid and put them in a serving bowl.

Once all the apples are poached, check the viscosity of the remaining sugar syrup.  If it's thick enough, pour it over the apples.  If it's thin, reduce it by bringing it to a boil until it thickens.  Reducing not only thickens the syrup, it also intensifies the flavor.

I like the combination of apples and pork so I serve these with sauteed pork chops.

The apples can also be served as a dessert.  No matter which way you serve them, the apples add a burst of color to any meal.

Poached Cinnamon Apples

4 Servings

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups red cinnamon candies

2 cups water

5 all-purpose or cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths

Dissolve the cinnamon candies in water over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low.  Working in batches, simmer the apples uncovered, turning occasionally, until they are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 8 to 12 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the apples to a serving bowl. When all the apples are cooked, reduce the syrup, if necessary, by boiling it until it's thick.  Pour the syrup over the apples and serve.

© Margaret's Morsels

Awesome Apples

I love this time of year.  Days are cool and nights are crisp, leaves turn to vivid shades of yellow, orange and red and newly harvested apples are arriving at the grocery store.

Although available year round, apples have a season just like other fruits and vegetables.  Fall is apple season.  Apples that aren't sold right away go into storage and are sold throughout the year.  Compare apples sold in the summer to ones sold in the fall.  You'll be able to see and taste the difference.

Baked apples are wonderful year round, but they're especially delicious made with apples fresh from the orchard.  Start by selecting all-purpose or baking apples -- they retain their shape and don't turn mushy when baked -- that are firm and free of bruises and blemishes.  Although I use a combination of apples when I bake a pie, I stick with one variety -- Rome -- for baked apples.  You'll also get good results with Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith or McIntosh apples.

Unlike apples that are baked whole, this recipe uses sliced apples.  This reduces the cooking time and puts the finished dish on the table in less than 30 minutes.  I use an apple wedger to core and slice each apple into eight equal pieces.

If you don't have one of these handy gadgets, slice the apples as close to the same size as possible to ensure even coooking.  Toss the apples with lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown and place them -- this is important -- cut side down in a baking dish.

The remaining ingredients are heated and poured over the sliced apples. The apples are baked for 10 minutes and then turned over, cut side up. This is easy to do since all the apples are turned the same way at the beginning of the cooking process.

Turned over after cooking 10 minutes.

Continue baking until the apples are tender, about 8 to 10 more minutes.  I test the apples with the tip of a knife.  If the apples aren't tender, I bake them a few more minutes.

I like to serve baked apples as a side dish with sauteed pork chops.  They can also be served warm as a dessert with a scoop of ice cream, if desired.   

Whether you fix baked apples, apple pie or eat apples straight from the refrigerator, they're most flavorful and juicy when they're in season.

Baked Apples

4 Servings

3 large Rome apples, peeled, cored and sliced into eighths

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2/3 cup apple juice

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a large glass dish, toss apples with lemon juice.  Rearrange apples cut side down; set aside.  In a small saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves and butter melts.  Pour the mixture over the apples.  Bake at 400° for 10 minutes; turn apples over.  Bake until tender, about 8 to 10 more minutes. Serve warm.

© Margaret's Morsels

One Dish Dinner

There's an episode of the classic TV show "The Brady Bunch," where Peter Brady does his best James Cagney imitation and announces the family is having "Pork chops and applesauce" for supper.  I couldn't tell you what the rest of the episode was about, but I remember thinking at the time, and still do, that pork chops and apples are delicious together.  When I want this wonderful combination, I rely on a recipe that blends everything in one dish.

Easy Pork Chops and Apples is quick to assemble for two reasons.  One, there's no need to peel and cut apples.  The recipe uses canned apple pie filling instead.  The apple pie filling is spread on the bottom of a greased baking dish.  Cinnamon can be sprinkled on top if you want more flavor.

Two, you don't have to precook the pork chops.  Season the boneless pork chops with salt and pepper and arrange them over the pie filling.  When I can find them, I like to use thin cut boneless pork chops.  When cooked, they're so tender you can cut them with a fork.

I changed the recipe at this point.  I can't remember the original directions, but when the stuffing was cooked it was too crumbly.  To solve the problem, I combine the stuffing mix -- cornbread or herb flavor -- with water and unmelted butter.  When combined, the stuffing holds together better and is less likely to crumble when eaten.

The recipe makes eight servings, but can easily be halved and baked in a 9-inch pan. 

Although it's a meal by itself, I always like to add a vegetable such as green beans.

If pork chops and apples aren't your thing, check back soon for a baked apple recipe that cooks in less than 30 minutes.

Easy Pork Chops and Apples

8 Servings

2 (20 oz.) cans apple pie filling
cinnamon to taste (if desired)

6 to 8 boneless pork chops (preferably thin cut )

salt and pepper to taste

6 cups stuffing mix (cornbread or herb flavor)

2 Tbsp. unmelted butter

2/3 cup hot water

Spread pie filling in the bottom of a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper.  Arrange pork chops over the pie filling.  Combine stuffing mix, butter and water.  Spread stuffing mixture over pork chops.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour.  Recipe can be halved and baked in a 9-inch baking dish.

© Margaret's Morsels

Easy as Pie

One year ago tomorrow, I posted my first blog with a recipe for a cool and creamy pie for the 4th of July.  In May, I posted an idea for an easy red, white and blue dessert.  If you want something more traditional and less colorful, nothing is more American than apple pie.  Or, in the case of the recipe I'm sharing today, apple cobbler.

A cobbler is a baked deep-dish fruit dessert topped with a batter which makes a crust when baked.  Cobblers are easy to make since they only have a filling and top crust.  Unlike a pie with fluted edges or a lattice top, a cobbler doesn't have to look perfect.

When you bake apples, choose all purpose or baking apples such as Empire, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, McIntosh or Rome to name a few.  All purpose apples retain their shape and don't turn mushy during baking.

You can use one kind of apple, but it's better to use a variety for a contrast of taste and texture.  The last time I made this cobbler, I combined sweet Golden Delicious with tart Granny Smith apples.  You don't have to limit the apples to two varieties; combine three, four or more for a one of a kind culinary creation.

When you cut the apples, try to keep the slices the same thickness so they bake evenly.  I use an apple wedger which cores the apple and slices it into eight equal pieces.  If the apple won't sit flat, slice a thin piece off the bottom to make it level.

Once the apples have been wedged, I turn the pieces upside down on a cutting board and cut them into thinner slices.

The apples are combined with the remaining filling ingredients:  brown sugar to sweeten; flour to thicken; cinnamon to flavor; and lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown.

Cobblers are a deep-dish dessert so they require a deep-dish baking pan. I use a deep-dish stoneware baking pan which is bigger than my other pie pans.  If you don't have a pan deep enough, use smaller pans and make two cobblers.

Left to Right:  Regular pie pan, deep-dish pie pan

deep-dish stoneware pan.

Once the apples are in the pan, it's time to add the topping ingredients. Cobbler batter is typically made of butter or margarine, sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, vanilla and milk.  You don't have to make the topping for the recipe I'm sharing today.  It uses a roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough instead.  Slice the cookie dough into thin pieces approximately the same thickness.

Place the cookie dough over the filling, overlapping the dough, if necessary.  Sprinkle the dough with a combination of cinnamon and sugar before it goes in the oven.

   
The cobbler bakes in 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the apples and cookie dough.  It's easy to tell when the cookie dough is done, but not so easy to tell about the apples. Carefully stick the tip of a sharp knife into the cobbler to test the apples for doneness.  When the apples are tender and the cookie dough baked, the cobbler is ready.

Remove the cobbler from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.  The cobbler can be served warm or at room temperature.  It's delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.  Leftover servings can be reheated in the microwave, if desired.

If you think the cobbler is good in July, wait until you make one in the fall with apples that are in season.  It's even better!

Cookie Apple Cobbler

6 to 8 Servings

6 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 (16.5 oz.) pkg. refrigerated sugar cookie dough

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Peel, core and slice apples.  Combine apples with the brown sugar, flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and lemon juice; toss to coat apples well.  Spoon apples into an ungreased deep-dish pie pan.  Slice cookie dough and arrange on top of apples, overlapping if necessary.  Combine sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over cookie dough.  Bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes or until top is golden brown and apples are tender.

© Margaret's Morsels