Baked Apples

These are a super easy and wonderfully delicious dessert that you can put in to bake while eating supper and have nice and hot. I also think they make a great breakfast too.

1 apple per person (or more if desired) 
Apple Stuffings – choose your favorite, try multiple
Granola and a little honey dollop on top
Raisins, dry oatmeal, a little honey, a pat of butter on top
Marshmallows
Brown sugar and a pat of butter on top
Nuts, raisins, a drizzle of maple syrup, and a pat of butter

You can use any apples you have, pretty much all varieties taste good baked, and some taste super good! Use a knife or apple corer to cut the core out of each apple while leaving the rest of it intact, so you effectively have a whole apple with a hole all the way through it.

Stuff each apple with your choice of stuffing. Put on a baking sheet or dish and bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for about 35-45 minutes until cooked through.

Serve solo, or with ice cream, custard, yogurt, or a little heavy cream.

Hot Mulled Cider

From Sarah Voiland, 2014 

1/2 gallon local cider
2 cinnamon sticks (or 1 tsp cinnamon)
1/2 tsp allspice
8 whole cloves
A few slices fresh ginger
1/2 orange, thinly sliced in rounds
nutmeg or cinnamon to garnish

Each spice is optional really, as hot cider itself is very good too. You can use lemon in place of orange, but half the amount, check for sweetness, and add honey if desired. Bring to a simmer until fragrant. Pour into cups, aiming for a slice of orange in each. Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg or cinnamon.

If you want a kick, add some whiskey or rum after you’ve poured your cup.

German Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

1 head red cabbage, shredded 
1 cup onion, chopped
1 apple, chopped
¼ cup vinegar
2 cups water
3 Tbs sugar
salt

Salt the shredded cabbage and let sit for a half hour. Add remaining ingredients and simmer covered for one hour until cabbage is tender.

Kale ‘n’ Apples

1 bunch kale, rib removed and chopped 
2 tart apples, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
¼ cup apple cider
2 T lemon juice
¼ cup diced fennel (optional)

In a pot, saute onions and fennel in oil (about 5 minutes). Add kale, apples, lemon juice, and apple cider. Stir and cover until kale begins to wilt (about 3 minutes). Turn off the burner and toss with balsamic vinegar.

Parsnip Coconut Rice

2 cups uncooked rice 
2 T butter or olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, diced
1 pound parsnips (about 3-4), diced
1/2 t turmeric
2 t curry powder
3 c veggie stock or water
1 apple, diced
1 can coconut milk

Heat pan with butter or oil. Place the rice in the pan and stir to coat. Add water and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and add all ingredients. Cover and simmer until rice is done (about 40 minutes for brown).
Salt and pepper to taste.

Caramelized Leeks and Apples

From Red Fire Chef Kristen Schafenacker, 2007

A sweet and savory side dish.

2-3 medium sized leeks
1 T brown sugar or maple syrup
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper
1½ T butter or margarine

Roughly ½ cup honey mustard (optional)
1 hot pepper (optional)
2-3 apples

Trim off the root and top edges of the leeks, leaving the middle part intact. Half the middle and chop into 1 inch rounds. Heat the olive oil and butter; when melted add the leeks and toss well. Cook slowly for about 10 minutes or until the leeks start to soften. Add sugar continue to cook for about 15 minutes, adding a small amount of hot water if the mixture starts to stick.

Slice apples into circles and arrange on a plate. Mix  mustard with minced hot pepper and spread atop apple. Top with a spoonful of caramelized leeks.

Daikon-Apple Salad

From Sarah Voiland, 2009

1/3 volume grated daikon
remaining 2/3 volume grated apples
sprinkling of olive oil
salt to taste
raisins (optional)

Grate the daikon and cored apples (a food processor makes this easy!).
Mix together in a bowl with a sprinkling of olive oil and a dash of salt.
Adjust towards more daikon or more apple if you want more bite or sweet respectively.
You could add a little lemon juice as well, though when I made it the apples didn’t discolor when mixed with daikon for whatever reason.

Broccoli Waldorf Salad

Thanks, Katherine, for sharing this one! Adapted from Cooks.com, 2011.

4 c. fresh broccoli, chopped (you can use some cauliflower too)
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1 sm. onion, chopped
1/2 c. crisp fried bacon, usually about 1 lb. or similar amount of tempeh Fakin Bacon (optional)
1 c. apples (you can add pear as well)
1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped

Sauce:
1 c. mayonnaise (some plain yogurt can be used instead)
1/2 c. sugar, or to taste
2 Tbs – 1/4 c. vinegar

Mix all ingredients, except sauce. Then mix mayo, sugar and vinegar together and coat the salad with it. You can add more or less of the ingredients you like best.