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Sunday, September 17, 2023

Apples! 15 family favorites, plus Grandmother's Apple Pie.

Fall, a return to school classrooms and the apple harvest all come about, at the same time. Making it apple season in just about every kitchen, everywhere. Come and take a look at some of our favorites, you just might find a new favorite for your family. 



You might be surprised where you will find apples as an ingredient, and often the recipe is savory in nature instead of sweet. But I assure you, all of these recipes are not only delicious, they are repeatedly served on our table!



Slow Cooker Potluck Baked Beans. This delicious recipe starts with canned beans, but feel free to use your own home cooked beans too. 



Roasted Apples and Onions with Thyme and Bacon. This delicious pan of apples and bacon seasoned with a touch of thyme, is perfect just about anytime, breakfast, lunch or dinner. 



Mary's Favorite Raw Apple Cake. I don't think I have ever met anyone who did not enjoy a slice of this cake! While I am a whole wheat baker, this is from my Mom's files and shared as written. 



Celery Root Carrot and Apple Slaw is one I make every time I see fresh celery root in the market place. 



Easy One Bowl Apple Cake. This is my favorite apple cake, it is tender, delicious  and whole wheat!



Apple Raisin Chutney, This recipe is for a jar of delicious fermented apple raisin chutney that you will enjoy just about everywhere...and it keeps until gone!



Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Pecans, the perfect side dish to pop into the oven while you get the rest of dinner tended too...



Kale Apple and Carrot Slaw is such a delicious salad and the perfect way to get the family to eat more kale...



Dried Apple Pie AKA Schnitz Pie. Apples can be used year round. They store well and are easy to preserve by drying and canning. 



These apple desserts couldn't be easier! Left to right: Honey Baked Apples and Cranberries, Apple Dessert Slices, and Honey and Cinnamon Baked Apples




Cottage Apple Salad, one of our favorites because not only is this delicious, it is so easy!



Granny Dorr's Easy Fruited Sauerkraut. For the sauerkraut fans! Perfect with just about any pork or chicken main dish. 



Beet and Apple Salad with Feta and Walnuts. Not only beautiful to look at, this salad is delicious, don't pass this one up...


And saved for last, this jewel of a pie, part of a story in From the Heart... While Grandmother was not a whole wheat baker, I have also shared my updated photos from my own apple pie, served with just as much love as Grandmother put into her pies! And like Mary's Favorite Raw Apple Cake, the original photos were prior to baking with whole wheat flour. 



Grandmother's Handmade Apple Pie, seasoned with love 
Recreated from memory, by the seat of my pants!
Makes 1 large pie

Start with the apples:
7 large apples - peeled and sliced thin
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T flour
1 T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
1 1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg

Peel apples, quarter, and core, the apple pieces will measure approximately 8 cups.

Creative Writing From the Heart.

Rinse, slice into a large bowl.

Creative Stories From the Heart.

Combine remaining ingredients and stir into apples to coat well.

Creative Writing from the Heart.
Season your apples and let them sit while you make the pie crust dough. That is the secret to a pie that is full of fruit after baking. 

Let apples sit and "juice" while you make the pastry. The "juicing" process will shrink the apples slightly. Ensuring that the shrinking of the fruit will happen before baking the pie, and not during baking. The pie will be full of fruit, with less of an air pocket right under the top crust.

Pastry:
400-degree oven to start, reduce to 350-degrees 

ice water - place 2 or 3 ice cubes into a measuring cup, add 1 c water, place in the fridge

2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1 T sugar
3/4 c chilled butter, lard, or coconut oil, cut into small dice

additional flour for rolling out the dough
minute tapioca, to sprinkle in the bottom crust

Prepare ice water.

Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl, cut the fat in with a pastry cutter (my preference) or work the fat into the flour with your hands.


Creative Writing from the Heart.

When fat is cut into flour and there is an overall even look to the mixture of flour and fat, begin working in the water. Only use a T measuring spoon to add water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Important:  Do Not Use More Than 8 T of Water - Total. 
The dough will come together with some assistance, gently use your hands to bring the dough together into a ball.

On a floured surface, roll dough in flour to coat. Cut into 2 pieces.

Creative Writing From the Heart.

Using one-half of the dough, roll evenly into a 10inch circle. The easiest way to do this is to stand at the corner of your work area, roll the rolling pin North and South gently a couple of times, then East and West a couple of times. Continue rolling in this manner evenly until dough is the correct size for your pie pan.

Use the rolling pin to roll the dough onto, lift the dough onto the top of the pie pan, and unroll the pie crust dough over the pie pan. Use your hands to "fit" the dough down into the pan and shift it if necessary to fit the pan evenly, in order to seal the edge when the top crust goes on.



Creative Writing From the Heart.

Sprinkle the bottom of the crust with the minute tapioca.

Add the apples, using your hands to "fit" and arrange the apple slices in the crust.  Roll out the top crust, and again, use the rolling pin to support the dough and bring it over the apples, and unroll.

Creative Writing From the Heart.
Always treat the crust dough with careful handling to keep it tender.

Adjust the top crust, and seal the edges. Make one small hole in the top crust, and put in a vent so that you do not lose the good juices onto the bottom of the oven floor. I prefer a small stainless steel funnel. Having the vent allows the juices to boil in the crust, and cook the pie completely, without a lot of mess. There are also ceramic pie birds that work well, they are much cuter, but I am partial to my funnel, it comes out clean when the baking is over.

Creative Writing From the Heart.

Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees, reduce heat to 350, and bake 45 - 55 minutes more or until fruit is cooked and pie is done, in your oven.
Remove and let cool before slicing and serving.

#wholefoodingredients

#scratchmadefoodforyourfamily

#WholeWheatThat’sGoodToEat!

#eatmorevegetables!

This post featured at: 
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Tuesday's With A Twist Link-up and Blog Hop.
Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Tuesday's With A Twist Link-up and Blog Hop. 


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Would you like to comment?

  1. Judee from GF A-Z Blog: Some interesting and wonderful looking recipes! Since I don't bake, I like the celery, carrot, apple slaw!

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    1. Judee, apples are good keepers whether you have a root cellar or extra fridge drawer, so they show up often in our meals. Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate it.

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  2. SO many delicious apple recipes! I love baking with apples and really wish I had known about that trick with the pie vents before. That would have saved so much scrubbing...

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    1. Joanne, it works great. Not only for keeping the oven floor clean, but I love all the juice left behind IN the pie. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.

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  3. I love all the apple recipes. The pie looks amazing! The cottage cheese recipe sounds intriguing. :) Visiting from Tell it To Me Tuesday.

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    1. Jennifer, I try to keep apples around as an ingredient in cooking as well as for fresh eating. They seem to go just about everywhere, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it.

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  4. Apples in baked beans!! I never would have thought of it! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party! See you Sunday!

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  5. so much apple deliciousness here! Thanks for sharing with Weekend Cooking

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    1. Marg, you are so welcome thanks for hosting Weekend Cooking!

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  6. Everything looks so good! I love this time of year. Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party. And thanks for bearing with my blunders!!

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  7. So many of these look amazing, thanks for sharing! Thank you for visiting Tell It To Me Tuesday! I hope to see you again this week.

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  8. Oh boy these recipes sound fantastic. There's several I'd like to try. And thanks for sharing about using a funnel to vent. That's a brilliant idea as opposed to making slits and running the risk of bubble overflow.
    Thanks bunches for sharing these recipes with Sweet Tea & Friends this month dear friend.

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    1. Paula, thanks so much! You are so sweet to stop by, thanks for hosting, I appreciate it!

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  9. All of your recipes look delicious, but I’m just gonna have to say that that pie looks like the bomb!

    I love apple pie, and I really love a super stuffed apple pie like you made.

    Thank you so much for sharing this at the Homestead blog hop!

    Laurie

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    1. Laurie, thank you and thanks for hosting, I appreciate it!

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  10. Such autumn deliciousness! Thanks for sharing these wonderful recipes!

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    Replies
    1. Laura you are so welcome, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it!

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