Apple season is here and this home cook couldn’t be happier!
Do you remember that old adage, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?” I guess I’ll never have to go to the doctor’s again based on the number of apples I’ve been eating recently. I’ll slice one up for a snack, but my favorite thing to do is incorporate one of my favorite fruits into my cooking.
Apple butter has always been a favorite of mine. And Gail Herbest’s spicy-sweet Homemade Apple Butter brings back so many memories of eating apple butter with my cousins, the Daileys.
“This is made in a crock pot and takes about 12 hours to prepare,” explains Gail. “So I prepare it in the evening and by morning it’s done.” I could eat gallons of this! Smear on your morning toast, add a dollop on pancakes or put cream cheese on a cracker and add a spoonful of this on top for an easy app. The options are endless!
Another yummy apple appetizer is Melissa Baldan’s Savory Apple Pinwheels. “I make these they are at the first appetizer that is gone,” shares Melissa. “They are absolutely delish!”
The spread consists of cream cheese, apples, chives, cumin and cashews. The cashews add a wonderful little crunch to each pinwheel. In the Test Kitchen, we used Granny Smith apples and cannot imagine a more spectacular, delicious outcome.
Cindy Ferguson figured out a way to elevate her meatloaf. She adds apple (and bacon!) to her Apple Bacon Meatloaf. “I did some experimenting in the kitchen today,” revealed Cindy. “This turned out to be a great hit with the whole family!”
The bacon and apples really add a wonderful, surprising twist to this already moist meatloaf. If meatloaf isn’t high on the menu for your family, consider trying this recipe. It may become a keeper.
Probably my favorite thing to do with apples is to bake with them. My sweet tooth loves any apple dessert!
Darla Hill incorporates apple butter into her Apple Butter Bars with Cinnamon Apple Frosting and oh are they good. “This has been a warm way to welcome fall into our home,” shares Darla. If I could bottle a smell, it would be these baking.
It was hard to wait until they were baked to sneak a taste, but I’m glad I did. Once cooled, and spread with the frosting these were over the top (thanks to cinnamon and lots of vanilla in the frosting). In fact, the frosting is so good, you may want to dig in with a spoon!
Kimberly Dillow was inspired to create her Caramel Apple Upside-down Cake from her love of caramel apples. “I wanted to do something fun, pretty and interesting,” says Kimberly.
From one caramel apple lover to another, she nailed this recipe. The flavors meld so well together… it’s fall in each bite. The cake is moist and fluffy. But the caramel apples take the cake over the top.
“There is nothing better in the fall than those melt in your mouth apple donut from the local orchard,” exclaims Megan Hampton. “This [Apple Cider Donuts recipe] is my take on those tasty donuts!”
Megan’s recipe converted me from a yeast donut lover to a cake donut lover. The apple cider was very subtle, but oh boy did it add to the amazing flavor. If I can’t get to the orchard to pick up a dozen, this has become my go-to recipe.
If you happen to be apple picking or just at the grocery store this weekend, grab extra apples and see what you can create!