By Cheryl Radkiewicz

This week my husband and I made our annual pilgrimage to Ritter’s Farm Market in Mount Cobb. We filled the car with wonderful varieties of apples, homemade pies, doughnuts, cider and butternut squash.   

Do you realize you can use apples in any course on your table? They’re not just for dessert.  In previous columns, we’ve shared recipes for cobblers, pies, crumbles, cakes and other desserts, however, this month we’re serving up some special ideas for all…from soup to side dishes to salad to main courses. So, get ready to enjoy…..it’s apple season!

Scandinavian Apple Soup:

2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 cups diced apples
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Dash of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweet red wine
Whipped Cream and Cinnamon, for garnish

Stir together the chicken broth and cornstarch.  Combine with diced apples, cinnamon and salt in saucepan and simmer for about 25 minutes or until apples are soft.  Pass through a strainer.  Add sugar and red wine.  Taste for sweetness.  Note: This will depend on the kind of apples used.  Add more wine or sugar if needed.  Chill well.  Top each serving with a spoon of whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.   Makes 4-6 servings.

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Apple Salad with Celery Seed Dressing: 

Dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. celery seeds
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 cup vegetable or canola oil  ( I use canola)
1/3 cup cider vinegar

Place all dressing ingredients in blender or food processor.  Blend or pulse until thoroughly combined. 

4-5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
2 heads Romaine lettuce, cleaned and torn into bite-size pieces

Place apples in medium bowl. Pour dressing over apples; toss to coat.Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until well-chilled. Serve apples atop lettuce. Makes 6-8 servings.

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Apple Slices Baked in Butter:

4-5 apples
Salt
Sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
Sugar
Butter

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pare, core, and thinly slice apples. In a flat, lightly buttered baking dish, arrange apples in slightly overlapping rows. Sprinkle apples with a little salt and, generously,  with sugar. Add lemon juice and pour the butter over the fruit. Bake apples, basting them occasionally, at 300 degrees for 25 minutes. At this point you may stop and continue later.

Just before serving, sprinkle apples with a little more sugar, dot with butter and put them under the broiler until their edges turn golden. Makes 6 servings.  

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Baked Apples and Carrots:

6 apples, cored, peeled, sliced and divided in half
2 cups carrots, sliced, cooked and divided in half
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Salt, to taste
1 cup orange juice

Arrange half the apples in a greased 2-quart casserole; cover with half the carrots.  Repeat layers; sprinkle with sugar, flour and salt.  Pour orange juice over top.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Makes 6 servings.

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Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Mustard Glaze: 

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup cola soda
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 – 1 lb. pork tenderloins
1/3 cup bourbon (or apple juice)
1/4 cup raisins
1 small Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, halved
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Combine oil, hoisin sauce, soda, orange juice and soy sauce, stirring well.  Place tenderloin in shallow dish; pour marinade over top.  Cover and chill 6 hours or overnight.  Combine bourbon or apple juice and raisins in small bowl and let stand 45 minutes to plump raisins.  Butterfly tenderloins lengthwise and lay open flat.  Alternate apple and onion slices down the center of each.  Top evenly with raisins, garlic and rosemary.  Close tenderloin over filling and place on aluminum foil.  

Combine syrup, brown sugar, and mustard; brush half over tenderloins.  Fold foil closed and place in 13x9x2″ pan.  Bake in 325 degree oven for 25 minutes.  Pour remaining syrup mixture over tenderloins and close foil.  Bake an additional 20-25 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees.  Serves 6.

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Buttermilk Cider Chicken with Apples & Pecans:

8-4 oz. skinned and boned chicken breast halves
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into wedges
1 Red Delicious apple, cut into wedges
1 cup apple cider
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream
All-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives
1/4-1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Place chicken in 13x9x2″ baking dish; pour buttermilk over top.  Cover and chill overnight.  Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; add apple wedges and saute’ until browned.  Add cider to apple wedges and bring to a boil; boil until cider is reduced to 1/4 cup.  Add broth and cream and boil 15 minutes.  Drain chicken; dredge in flour, coating well.  Cook chicken in hot oil in separate skillet over medium heat until done.  Drain apple wedges, reserving sauce; add apple wedges to chicken and cook until thoroughly heated.  Add reserved sauce and chives to chicken.  Sprinkle with pecans and cook until thoroughly heated.  Serves 6.

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Sugared Apples:

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 large apples, seeded and sliced
Powdered sugar

Mix flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in shallow dish.  Heat oil in heavy skillet until hot.  Coat apple slices in flour mixture and fry 6-8 minutes.  Set on paper towels and dust with powdered sugar.  Serve warm.  Great treat to enjoy as you’re decorating the Christmas tree!