Apples

Keep us, oh Lord, as the apple of your eye.

Hide us under the shadow of your wings.

Hop on the tractor for a ride out to the orchard.


We went apple picking a few weeks ago. It was a gorgeous, sunny day.

Josiah only picked one apple, the one he is eating. He touched many apples and studied them, but he did not pick them.

Charlotte needed a rest after all of that work. It was quite warm and both kids were hot and flushed in the cheeks.



Our neighbor Mary went with us.

Mmm mmmm Good!

Even though we picked apples several weeks ago, I used the last one yesterday. We had apple juice, applesauce, apple pie, apple cake, apple pancakes, apples with sausage and apple crumb coffee cake. Here is a taste of some of the autumn baking at our house.

German Raw Apple Cake (from Mindy)

Beat until frothy: 3 eggs, 1 C oil

Add: 2 C sugar, 1 tsp vanilla

Sift in: 2 C flour, 1 tsp soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon

Add: 4 C thinly sliced peeled apples, 1/2 C walnuts

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes in a greased and floured 9x13 pan.

Icing: 6oz cream cheese, 3 T butter, 2 C powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla

Apple Crumb Coffee Cake (created by moi)

2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp course salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp, plus more for pan
1 C sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C sour cream
3 C peeled chopped apples (3-4 large apples)
Crumb Topping (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a bowl; set aside. Butter a 9x13; set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until well combined. Add vanilla, and beat until combined. Fold in 2 cups of chopped apple, reserving one cup for the topping. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Toss remaining apples with the crumb topping, sprinkle crumb topping over cake. Bake until golden brown 50-60 minutes. (Don't forget to brew some coffee after 45 minutes or so, so you can have a cozy cup with a warm piece of cake!)

CRUMB TOPPING
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp course salt
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 C chopped pecans
12 T (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temp

In medium bowl, combine cinnamon, salt, sugar and flour. Cut in butter using your hands until well combined and crumbly. Add pecans and apples.


My favorite apple recipe this year came from a cookbook called Dining By Fireflies; Unexpected Pleasures of the New South (Junior League of Charlotte, North Carolina)

John bought this when he travelled to the south for an AMiA (Anglican Mission in America) Conference.

1-21-01
To my dear Margie on the occasion of our first married "separated time."
I missed you!
Enjoy this new addition to your collection.
Love,
John

Apple-Puffed Pancake

6 eggs
1 1/2 C milk
1 C flour
3 T sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C butter
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced thin
3 T brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425.

Blend eggs, milk, flour, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl. Batter may remain lumpy. Add butter to 12-inch quiche pan or 9x13 and melt in oven. Add apple slices to heated pan and return to oven until butter sizzles (do not let butter burn). Remove from oven and immediately pour batter over apples. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake in center of oven 20 minutes or until puffed and brown on top. Serve with warm maple syrup.

Both kids said, "Delicious!"