Bring home an outstanding fruit

Apples, apples and more apples are waiting in orchards, roadside stands and supermarkets to bring home this outstanding fruit that we can have any time of the year. Johnny Appleseed would be amazed at the hundreds of choices today. There are hundreds of varieties in our nation’s produce departments, whether they are grown in our orchards or shipped in from other countries. Stop at an orchard to see the beautiful colors of the apples to bring home and use in making cakes, salads, muffins, desserts, jams and jellies, stuffing, sandwiches and much more. The best is just eating one out of your hand for a nutritious snack. Be sure to wash them first regardless of how you use them.

Of course it’s apple recipes today and probably for a couple more weeks. Let’s start with a really good sandwich.

APPLE HAM  CHEDDAR SOURDOUGH SANDWICHES
2 T. soft butter or margarine
8-1/4 inch thick slices sourdough bread
4 slices ham
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cut into four 1/4-inch slices
3/4 c. (6 oz.) coarsely shredded, medium or sharp cheddar cheese

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place a slice of ham on unbuttered side of four slices of bread. Top with four apple slices per sandwich, cheese and remaining four bread slices, buttered-side up. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat about one minute or until almost hot. Put sandwiches in skillet (in batches if necessary), cover and cook two minutes or until undersides are golden brown and cheese begins to melt. Uncover and carefully flip each sandwich, using a spatula, pressing down a bit to flatten slightly. Cook one to two minutes or until undersides are golden brown. Serve immediately. Makes four sandwiches. Note: You can make the sandwich a couple hours ahead of time (putting buttered side of sandwich on wax paper). When you’re about ready to serve, cook as directed. Serve a bowl of tomato or another soup for a filling lunch or light supper.

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FRUIT AND  CHICKEN SALAD
1-10 oz. pkg. mixed salad greens
2 c. cooked (two small chicken breasts), cut in strips or cubes
1 medium Golden Delicious apple, cored and diced in 1/2-inch pieces
1 c. pineapple tidbits, well drained
1/4 c. Italian salad dressing
2 c. Italian-seasoned bread cubes
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl, combine first four ingredients. Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat. When ready to serve, add bread cubes; toss. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes four servings. Note: You may use another variety of cheese, shredded, using the wider shreds, not the fine shreds.

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APPLE PECAN  BAKED STUFFING
1 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. diced celery
1/3 c. diced onion
4 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
4 c. wheat or white dry bread cubes
2 medium apples, peeled, cored and finely diced (McIntosh, Haralson, Gala, Fuji)
1/3 c. coarsely chopped pecans
1 t. ground sage
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. pepper

In a small saucepan, bring first five ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer five minutes or until the veggies are tender. Mix remaining ingredients in a large bowl; add broth mixture. Gently stir to moisten. Spoon into a buttered 1-1/2 quart casserole-baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Makes six servings. Note: You can also use the stuffing to stuff an 8-10 pound turkey. It’s very good with pork or chicken also.

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CAKE MIX  APPLE COBBLER
Crust:
1 regular size package moist yellow cake
1 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. chopped walnuts
3/4 c. melted butter

Filling:
7 c. peeled apples, cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 c. each, raisins and water
3 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. vanilla (3/4 t. if using artificial flavoring)

Crust: Mix all crust ingredients in a large bowl until well blended. Press 1/2 the mixture into a greased and floured 9x13 inch baking pan. Filling: Mix all ingredients except vanilla in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Spread filling over crust in pan. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture over filling. Bake at 350 degrees about 35 minutes or until lightly browned. Refrigerate leftovers. Makes 12 servings.

Thought for the Day: Progress is man’s ability to complicate simplicity.