Rows and rows, miles and miles of blooming apple trees are plentiful in our valley during the spring…so BEAUTIFUL! Just take a ride and soak in nature around the country side, enjoy the lovely pink buds opening up into gorgeous white flowers tipped in pale pink. The end of this journey will result in lovely various nutritious produce – delicious local PA apples. Eat the fruit raw or cooked, sweet or tart, red or gold – APPLES, APPLES, APPLES!
Below are two recipes using apples:
Homemade Applesauce: Directions to cook applesauce in a crock pot:
- Scrub, quarter and core apples (I do not peel to retain more nutritional value and I don’t mind if the applesauce is not totally smooth; but, if you wish, peel to make silky smooth applesauce.)
- Cut into similar sized chunks, place in the pot, do not add water (add spices is you wish)
- Cook for 4 or more hours on low. (To make apple butter, it takes 10 hours or longer.)
- When the apples are breaking up and have a mushy texture, it’s time to blend with an immersion blender to make applesauce
Watch the video to see how easy it is to make applesauce to have fresh eating all year round. ENJOY!
Apple Cherry Crumble: Apples and Cherries together make this a wonderful dessert. The difficulty is trying not to eat the fruit before you make the crumble. The colorful beautiful presentation is a bonus for this healthy crumble delight!
Serves: 6 || Prep Time: 20 minutes || Cook Time: 25 minutes
5 baking apples (5 cups), peeled and cored, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 medium lemon (juice and 1 teaspoon zest)
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cherries (no need to thaw)
1-2 tablespoon date sugar or maple syrup (to taste)
5 (3-inch) pieces crystallized ginger, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup granola
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Preheat oven 350°F. Prepare apples then place into a non-stick ovenware dish. Add remaining ingredients (except granola); gently combine. Crumble the granola over the top, bake for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm or cold.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 154 Cal from Fat 9, Total Fat 1g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 8mg, Total Carbohydrate 35g, Fiber 4g, Total Sugars 23g (includes 11g added sugars), Protein 2g
