Eat Local — Eat Apples!

The apples are incredible this year! We have many old trees and I can never come up with enough ways to use them. Plain old applesauce and apple pie are regulars in my kitchen, but here are a few more to add to your files.
Apple Crumb Cake
Crumb topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
Cake:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3 eggs
2 1/4 cup four
1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temp
3 lg. apples, peeled & sliced thin (about 4 cups)
Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” x 13” x 2” pan with foil or parchment paper —allow the liner to extend a few inches off the ends of the pan. Combine the crumb topping ingredients. Prepare the cake in a large bowl: mix together the butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt, by hand or on slow speed with a beater for two minutes —until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until blended. Add the flour alternately with the sour cream —beat until just smooth. Spoon half of this cake batter into the prepared pan. Cover with half of the prepared apples, the rest of the batter and then the rest of the apples. Crumble topping over the apples. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, and then lift the cake out using the extended liner and allow to cool completely. Sprinkle the top with confectioner’s sugar. Serves 10 to 12. (Great for potlucks!)

Apple Cider Chicken
2 whole chicken breasts (or any parts),
halved, boned, skinned
5 T. butter, divided
1 red onion, sliced thin
2 Red Delicious apples, peeled & sliced
1/4 cup apple cider
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. allspice
1/4 t. cloves
1/4 t. nutmeg
3 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 t. brown sugar
3 T. milk
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup 1/2-&-1/2
Apple wedges & cilantro for garnish

Melt three tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and then add the onion, and cook until soft. Stir in the apples, cider, cilantro, sugar, cinnamon, salt and spices —cook for eight to 10 minutes or until the apples are tender. Moisten the chicken in the milk and then roll the pieces in the flour one piece at a time. Remove the apple mixture from the skillet and use the same skillet to cook the chicken using two tablespoons of the butter over medium heat —brown on all sides. Add the apple mixture and heat slightly. Stir in the half-and-half, and heat through —don’t boil. Serve over rice or couscous. Garnish with apple wedges and cilantro. Serves four.

Apple Slaw
4 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 T. milk
1 t. celery seed
3/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper (or to taste)
2-3 apples, cored & chopped

Place the cabbage in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the mayo, sugar, lemon juice, milk, celery seed, salt and pepper. Toss with the cabbage and chill well. Add the apples just before serving. Serves eight.

Apple Salsa
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint
2 apples, the tarter the better
2 limes, juice & rinds grated
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 chili pepper, chopped & seeds removed
1 t. confectioner’s sugar
3 T. olive oil
Salt to taste

Place the cilantro, mint, apples, lime juice and zest, garlic, chili and sugar in a blender or food processor — pulse to chop roughly, adding olive oil gradually. Chill covered until ready to serve. Makes one cup. This is great with grilled chicken or pork.