The taste of the orchard at home

By Heather Holland
Western Herald

Autumn is finally here, which means it’s time to visit a local orchard and pick fresh, Michigan grown apples. While you’re there, be sure to buy a gallon of homemade cider and a dozen hot doughnuts. If you can’t make it to a genuine orchard, stop by the Kalamazoo Farmers Market or even Meijer. Both have great tasting local apples this time of year.

Mulled Cider
1 gallon apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons whole allspice
3 cinnamon sticks

Heat apple cider and brown sugar to a slow boil and shut off. Then add remaining ingredients. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain and store in refrigerator. Reheat to serve.

Apple Dip
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup white sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
¼- ½ cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend well and serve with apple wedges.

Apple-Oat Crisp
1 quart sliced apples (peeled and sweetened to taste)
2/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
½ cup oats
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 stick butter

Pour the sweetened apples into an 8-inch square pan. Mix all other ingredients together and pour over apples. Bake about 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Dutch Apple Pie
Plain pastry for one crust
6 medium sized apples
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cloves
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ tablespoons sugar

Roll out crust to about 1/8 inch thick and line pie pan. Flute edges. Pare, core and slice apples medium thin. Fill pastry shell. Mix flour, 1 cup sugar, and cloves together. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly. Pour over apples. Sprinkle cinnamon and 1 ½ tablespoon sugar over top. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes, and then reduce heat to moderate and finish baking.

Caramel Apples
6 Granny Smith apples
6 wooden sticks
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Wrap in paper towel and place in plastic bag. Freeze for one hour.
Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan.
Place on the wax paper and chill until ready to serve.

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Posted by HeraldAdmin on Oct 23 2008. Filed under Recipe, Weekend Scene. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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