Crunchy crisp apples reflect fall on a plate

One of the most delicious fall fruits is apples.

This crisp, crunchy fruit is ideal to eat on its own or in salads, but is also delicious cooked in entrees, side dishes and sauces, and baked into desserts.

Try apples and pork for a classic dinner combination, or apple crisps and pies for a delightful end to a meal. Applesauce is a fall tradition, as is apple cider.

To add complexity to a dish, use a number of different varieties. Just remember that some apples that are best suited to baking — think Jonathans and Courtlands — others for cooking, including golden delicious, and still others for eating in hand, such as honeycrisp.

Although red apples are what people visualize when the topic comes up, this fruit also comes in shades of green and yellow — think Granny Smith and golden delicious apples.

Apples not only taste great but also provide essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, with health benefits that make them a super food. After all, as the old saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Just remember to eat the peel as well as the flesh, since many nutrients are found in the skin.

According to the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association, eating an apple a day for four weeks can help lower LDL, or bad cholesterol, levels as much as 40%.

Apples can also help increase the number of good bacteria in your gut, the association states.

The freshest apples are available from September through November, although most varieties are available year-round. Purchase colorful apples that are firm with a fresh, not musty, fragrance and smooth skin without bruises or gouges.

Some apples have dry tan or brown-colored areas on the skin, called scald, that typically have little or no effect on the flavor.

It’s generally recommended that before using, lightly scrub apples in cool water to remove the wax-like coating and any leftover insecticides.

Don’t forget to brush lemon juice onto cut surfaces to prevent them from quickly turning brown.

Make sure to store your apples appropriately. Apples ripen six to 10 times faster at room temperature than when kept refrigerated.

Apples should be stored in a cool, dark place. If you don’t have a cold cellar, place apples in a plastic bag and store them in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Following are apple recipes from thekitchn.com.

 

Skillet Apple Crisp

For topping:

1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup flour

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

For filling:

2 pounds apples, cored and diced

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

For topping, place oats, flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir until combined. Drizzle butter and vanilla over the oat mixture and stir to combine. The mixture should hold together when pressed. Set aside.

For filling, place sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk until lump-free. Set aside.

Place an 8-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat and add the apples. Sauté about five minutes, until tender and juicy. Add sugar and cornstarch mixture and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice. Scatter the oat topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the fruit juices are bubbling around the edges and the topping is golden-brown and firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack at least 15 minutes before serving.

 

 

 

 

Easy Skillet Pork Chops With Apples

2 1-inch thick bone-in pork loin rib chops 2 1/2 cups apple cider or unfiltered apple juice

1 cup water

1/2 cup kosher salt

1 large sweet-tart apple, such as honeycrisp or Pink Lady

1 small yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon canola or other neutral oil

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Prick pork chops all over with a fork about 1/8-inch deep. Flip the pork chops and repeat.

Place two cups cider, one cup water and kosher salt in a gallon-size zipper-top bag, seal the bag, and massage to dissolve the salt. Add pork chops and seal the bag. Place the bag on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the pork chops so they sit in a single layer. Let brine at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate as long as eight hours.

Core and cut one large apple into 1/4-inch-thick slices, cut the onion into 1/2-inch wedges and peel and smash the garlic cloves. Remove pork chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add pork chops and cook one minute per side, until they begin to brown. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook six to eight minutes, flipping the chops every minute, until they register 140 to 145 degrees. Transfer chops to a clean plate.

Add canola oil to the pan, then add  onion, garlic and thyme and cook three to four minutes, until onion begins to soften and brown. Add apples and remaining cider and nestle the chops on top. Cook three to four minutes, until the apples are warm and tender but not falling apart.

 

 

 

Apple, Cheddar and Chicken Melts

8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough bread

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 teaspoons honey mustard

2-1/2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1-1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 small Gala apple, cored and cut into matchsticks

4 ounces Brussels sprouts, finely shredded

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven, place a baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread butter evenly on one side of each of the slices of bread. Spread honey mustard on the opposite side of four slices of bread.

Carefully remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Place all the bread slices, butter-side down, on the sheet. Evenly distribute the shredded chicken among the mustard-spread bread slices, then distribute the cheese on the remaining bread slices. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling

Combine apple, Brussels sprouts and lemon juice in a small bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Remove baking sheet from the oven and transfer the bread slices with the chicken to a cutting board. Evenly distribute the apple and Brussels sprouts slaw over the chicken. Place remaining bread slices, cheese-side down, on top of the slaw to close each sandwich. Cut each sandwich in half and serve.

 

 

 

Last-Minute Caramel Apples

3 large apples

1 11-ounce bag soft caramels

2 tablespoons water

For topping:

Sprinkles

Chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts

Mini M&M candies

Crushed chocolate cookies

Cut apples from stem to bottom into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Use a paring knife to remove the seeds from the center slices, then cut a small horizontal slit in the bottom of each apple slice. Insert a Popsicle stick into each slit. Place on the baking sheet.

Unwrap caramels and place in a wide, medium saucepan. Add water and melt over low heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat the lowest setting.

Carefully dip one apple slice in the caramel and let the excess drip off. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with toppings, if desired. Repeat with the remaining slices. Refrigerate, making sure the baking sheet sits flat, for 30 minutes to let the caramel set.

 

 

Apple, Brie and Dijon Baguette Sandwich

1/4 French baguette, split in half lengthwise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 ounces brie cheese, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1/4 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced

Spread mustard on the cut sides of the baguette. Place brie slices on the bottom half of the baguette, top with apple slices and close the sandwich with the top half of the baguette.

 

 

 

Apple Cabbage Salad With Brown Sugar Cider Vinaigrette

5 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

4 ounces lettuce, torn or sliced into strips

2 medium crisp and crunchy apples  such as honeycrisp, Gala or SweeTango, diced small

2 medium carrots, peeled into ribbons

2 cups finely chopped cauliflower

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, green and white parts

3 tablespoons canola, vegetable, safflower, or mild nut oil

1-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar (light or dark)

1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Pinch of fine sea salt

5 grinds fresh black pepper

1/2 cup pepitas, toasted

Combine cabbage, lettuce, apples, carrots, cauliflower and scallions in a large serving bowl. Toss several times so they are thoroughly combined.

In a small bowl or spouted measuring cup, briskly whisk together mayonnaise and oil until completely smooth. Add sugar and mustard and whisk again. Whip in the vinegar, salt and pepper until it emulsifies. Pour vinaigrette over the salad, scatter pepitas into the bowl and toss to combine everything. Serve immediately.

 

 

Crispy Turnovers With Apple, Bacon, and Caramelized Onions

2 sheets frozen puff pastry

6 strips bacon, diced

2 medium-sized yellow onions, sliced thinly

1 baking apple, diced small

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 egg yolk mixed with one tablespoon warm water

4 to 6 ounces gouda or sharp cheddar cheese, optional

Remove puff pastry from the freezer and set on the counter to thaw in its package.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and gently cook bacon until all the fat is rendered and the bacon is just starting to become golden and crispy. Remove bacon and set on a paper towel.

Pour off all but one tablespoon of the bacon fat. Still over medium-heat, slowly cook onions with a pinch of salt about 30  minutes, until they are completely soft and caramelized.

Add apples and another pinch of salt and cook five to 10 minutes, until apples have softened but are still firm in the middle. Stir in cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Add cider vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan to get up any caramelized brown bits. Let cider vinegar  bubble until the pan is nearly dry, then remove from heat.

Combine onion mixture and bacon in a bowl. If using, add cheese when the mixture has cooled slightly.

Sprinkle a little flour on a work surface and unfold the puff pastry. If there are ridges, gently flatten them with a rolling pin. Cut each piece of puff pastry into four equal squares.

Place two spoonfuls filling in the middle of each square. Dampen the edge with egg yolk and fold the squares into triangles. Poke vent holes in the top with a paring knife and brush each turnover with egg yolk. Transfer to two parchment-lined  baking sheets, spaced a few inches apart.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tips of each turnover are brown and the tops are golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Turnovers are at their flakiest within a few hours after baking. Leftovers stored in the fridge will still be delicious, but are not as flaky. If you plan to have leftovers, it’s better to freeze the turnovers un-baked and then bake them off individually.

 

 

 

Apple, Sausage and Smoked Cheddar Breakfast Casserole

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound uncooked breakfast sausage links

3 cups sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 medium firm apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

8 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

10 large eggs

1 cup whole or 2% milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 scallions, green part only, sliced thin

Heat oil in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. When shimmering, add breakfast sausage and cook according to package instructions. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and set the skillet aside without draining. When the sausage is cooled, cut on a bias into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Add cut sausage, bread, apples and cheddar to the skillet. Stir to mix everything together.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl and whisk in milk, cream, Dijon, salt and pepper. Pour the eggs into the skillet. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until eggs are set and top is light golden-brown. Let cool five minutes. Top with scallions and serve hot.

 

 

 

 

Mini Apple Rose Pies

1 pie crust

6 honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

5 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam

1 to 2 small drops red food coloring, optional

Chill a mini-muffin tin.

Roll pie dough out on a lightly floured surface, then use a three-inch cookie cutter, punch out rounds. Remove muffin tin from refrigerator and gently press rounds into each well. Place tin back in refrigerator.

Core the apples. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut apples into half-moons 1/16-inch thin. Place in a large bowl, add lemon juice and toss to coat.

Place brown sugar, jam and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until ingredients are melted and combined. Remove from the heat and add food coloring, if desired. Pour mixture over the apples slices and toss to combine. Set aside for five to 10 minutes to allow apples to become pliable. If apples are not pliable, microwave in 15-second bursts until they are pliable. Strain apples and discard liquid.

To form roses, arrange about eight apple slices in a straight row, with each slice overlapping one another, to create a 12-inch line. Starting at one end, gently roll apples. Transfer rolled apples into a pie crust. Repeat until all pie crusts are filled. Refrigerate.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, until crust is golden and apples have cooked. If apples start to brown faster than pie crust, lightly place aluminum foil on top.

 

 

 

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

For salted caramel:

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For filling:

3 pounds Granny Smith, honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

For crust and topping:

20 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

1 large egg

3 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For caramel, place sugar and water in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved, then stop stirring and bring to a boil.

Measure one cup heavy cream, two tablespoons unsalted butter and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

Continue to boil sugar three to six minutes, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring, until it turns a dark-amber color and reached 380 to 390 degrees. There will be pale yellow streaks, then darker ones. When you see these, pick up the pan by the handles and swirl occasionally.

Remove pan from the heat. Whisking continuously, immediately but slowly pour in the cream. Be very careful — it will steam and bubble up violently. It may also ball up or clump, but keep whisking until smooth again. Add butter and salt and whisk until smooth.

Return pan to medium-low heat and simmer five minutes, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 1-1/4 cups. Transfer to a heatproof bowl or container and let cool at least 30 minutes.

For filling, peel apples, halve and core them, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and place in a large bowl. Add sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and kosher salt, and stir to coat the apples.

For crust and topping, cut cold butter into 1/2-inch cubes. Lightly beat egg in a small bowl.

Place flour, sugar, packed light brown sugar, baking powder and kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Scatter butter cubes over the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or your hands to work together until the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Add egg and vanilla extract and stir to combine. Mixture should be crumbly and hold together when squeezed.

Transfer two-thirds of the dough to a 13-by-19-inch baking pan that’s coated with cooking spray and press with your hands until it covers the bottom and goes up the sides about 1/2 inch.

Add ground cinnamon to the remaining dough and mix together.

Transfer apple filling into the crust and spread into an even layer. Drizzle about 1/2 cup salted caramel over the apples. Crumble cinnamon dough evenly over the top.

Bake in a 350-degree oven 52 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool completely in the pan, then cut into 12 bars and drizzle with the remaining salted caramel sauce.