Thursday, October 15, 2009

An Apple a Day, Keeps the Doctor Away!

Did you know?

• More than half of all apples grown in the United States for fresh eating come from orchards in Washington state.
• One apple has five grams of fiber, supplying 20 percent of the daily fiber recommendation.
• Americans eat approximately 19 pounds of fresh apples annually, compared to about 46 pounds consumed annually by residents of European countries.

Care and Handling

Selection
1. An apple's skin should be shiny, not dull. This tip's important ... dull appearing apples won't be crisp and tasty.
2. Your apples should be firm and free of bruises and punctures.

Storage
Keep apples refrigerated at about 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Fruit bowls are beautiful, but your apples won't stay crispy for long on the countertop.

Preparation
Prepare apple dishes just before serving to minimize browning (oxidation). Protect cut apples from oxidation by dipping them into a solution of one part citrus juice and three parts water.


Apple Ideas and Recipes:

Apple Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts plus more for garnish, if desired
1 cup prepared vanilla icing (optional)

Method:
1) Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add eggs; beat until light and fluffy.
2) Combine both flours, the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir into butter mixture until blended. Stir in apples, oats, and nuts. Spread mixture in pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. If desired, top with icing and garnish with nuts before cutting into bars.

Apples n’ Oatmeal
Cut up one apple into bite sized pieces and put into sauce pan with 2 cups water, cinnamon (1/2 tsp), and a pinch of salt. Boil water and apples until just tender. Add two cups of oatmeal and cook for 5 more minutes. Serve with brown sugar and milk, as desired.

Cascade Chunky Applesauce
Ingredients:
4 lb. Washington Golden Delicious or Granny Smith apples
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 ounces water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method:
1) Peel, core and chop apples. Sprinkle sugar over apples. Combine lemon juice and water. Pour over apples; stir gently.
2) Transfer apples to sauce pot. Bring to boiling; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes or just until apples are soft, not mushy.
3) Stir cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
4) Puree 1/3 of apples and cooking liquid in food processor or blender, until almost smooth. Return to sauce pot.
5) Cool or serve warm over ice cream; pork or lamb chops, or as a side dish to burgers or sandwiches.

Red Cinnamon Apples – (Stevens Family)
6-8 Jonathan or Yellow delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 4 slices.
6 cups sugar
3 cups water
Red food coloring
Cinnamon Sticks (about 4)

Cook sugar and water on stovetop ‘til dissolved – don’t boil yet. Position apple slices in pot with mixture. Cook until tender (10-20 minutes). Don’t over-cook. Add cinnamon sticks and food coloring at the end of cooking time. Let stand covered in the fridge overnight. Serve cold.

Crunchy Apple Stir Fry
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sliced onion
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon crushed dried basil
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen snow pea pods
1 tablespoon water
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Gala or Golden Delicious apple, cored and thinly sliced

Method:
1) In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; add onion, carrots, and basil; stir fry 3 minutes. Add pea pods, water, and ginger; stir fry 2 minutes. Add apple and cook 2 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Caramel Apple Dip
1 8oz package cream cheese
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup Heath chips
¼ cup vanilla yogurt
Place all ingredients in a blender; blend together. Serve with sliced apples.

Dried Apples (slices or wedges)
1. Fruit fresh
2. Lemon juice
3. Cinnamon and sugar
4. Jello – prepare jello as directed except without adding the cold water. Dip apple slices into jello and then dry.

Apple Leather - spray dryer sheet with Pam, spread about 2 cups of puree onto each dryer sheet. This works great with bottled apples (pureed) or applesauce. You can also add cinnamon if you want.

Apple Witches – sliced apples with peanut butter on top. (what a festive little treat!)


Caramel Apples/Candied Apples
"The caramel coating is very gooey, so refrigerate the apples for about 15 minutes, or until the caramel has firmed up. (You will need 6 wooden craft sticks for this recipe.)"

PREP TIME 8 Min
COOK TIME 2 Min
READY IN 25 Min
Original recipe yield 6 caramel apples

INGREDIENTS
• 6 apples
• 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
• 2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Remove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top. Butter a baking sheet.
2. Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave 2 minutes, stirring once. Allow to cool briefly.
3. Roll each apple quickly in caramel sauce until well coated. Place on prepared sheet to set.

TIPS & TRICKS
• To cover apples, turn while dipping them. The smaller the dish, the better. A 4-cup pyrex container works well.
• Make sure apples are nice and cold before starting. Refrigerate overnight, or place in freezer for 15 minutes prior. This helps the caramel to set.
• After dipping in caramel, let set. Then dip in chocolate or vanilla almond bark, oreo cookies, crushed graham crackers, sprinkles, candy corn, nuts, chocolate chips, crushed candy bars, etc. Be creative!
• To serve in pieces, cut in pattern of a tic-tac-toe board around the stick. It’s so much easier for my kids to eat it this way!

 
Apple Muffins (Rebecca Gregoire)
Mix:
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 cup grated/chopped apple (1 large)
 
Mix:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
 
Mix wet and dry ingredients together but don't over stir. Fill greased tin or muffin cups. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
 
 
No Roll Pie Crust (Marnie Criddle)
Mix together:
2 cups flour
3 T sugar
1 tsp salt
 
Beat with a fork:
2/3 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
 
Add dry ingredients to liquid mix, stir with fork. Save a generous 1/3 to sprinkle on top. Mold in pie pan with fingers. Bake 30 min. at 400 degrees with apple pie filling. Do not under cook. *For crust only (such as to use for a creme pie) bake 10-12 min at 425-450 degrees.
 
 
Apple Pie Filling (Marnie Criddle)
6 qts peeled, cored and sliced apples
5 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups clear jel (avail at Kitchen Kneads)
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 1/2 -3 cups cold water
5 cups apple juice
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 -1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp. almond extract (opt)
 
Put apple slices in fruit fresh to prevent browning while sauce is being prepared.
Sauce: Combine all ingredients except lemon and almond.  Bring to a boil then add lemon and almond. Fold in apples and put in jars leaving 1" headspace (high altitude leave more). Process 35 min. in hot water bath. *Sauce has lumps until the very end.
 

Cha Cha Cha Salsa (Washington Apple Commission)

3 medium Red Delicious apples, cored and chopped
2 (4 ounce) cans diced Green Chiles
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup cider vinegar
3 T brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional)
Combine apples, chiles, raisins, onions, vinegar, sugar and cumin in medium bowl. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Serve with grilled chicken or pork.
*2900 Euclid Avenue, Wenatchee, WA 98801 - Phone (509) 663-9600 - Copyright 2007*



Apple Buttermilk Loaves (Washington Apple Commission)
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp each baking soda and baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup each granulated and packed brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups (about 1/2 lb. or 1 large) pared, cored and finely chopped Rome Beauty apples
1/2 cup nuts
1 tsp grated orange peel

Combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Set aside. Cream butter and sugars; beat in eggs one at a time and vanilla. Stir in buttermilk alternately with flour mixture. Fold in apples, nuts and orange peel. Pour into two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 5/8 inch greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Wrap and let stand overnight to allow flavors to blend. Makes two loaves.
*2900 Euclid Avenue, Wenatchee, WA 98801 - Phone (509) 663-9600 - Copyright 2007*


 
 

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

APPLES! APPLES! APPLES!

This Thursday Night, 7PM

Lindsey Steven's Home

Come for demos, tasty samples and FUN!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Calling All Recipes...

The produce is in and it's time to create! What are YOU doing with all that zucchini? We are looking for delicious and creative ways to use our garden produce. Please email any recipes you have and are willing to share to Amy Jensen (a.m.jensen@Hotmail.com). I will post them quickly so we can all make the most of our gardens this year!

30 Minute Meals

Thanks Jenny for the great tips and ideas! Thanks to everyone who came. It was so nice to have a crowd! Here are the recipes I promised to post:

Quick Chicken
Prep Time: 5 min. Cook Time: 30 min. Yield: 4 servings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 oz Dijon mustard
1/2 cup cream
1 small bottle marinated artichoke hearts (optional)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish. Slather chicken evenly with mustard, add artichoke hearts if desired. Pour cream over top and then sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste and serve.


Couscous with Scallions (Green Onions)
Prep Time: 5 minutes. Standing Time: 5 minutes. Cook Time: 5 minutes. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 cup plain couscous
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper

In medium sauce pan, combine oil and chicken broth. Bring to simmer. Stir in scallions and couscous and cover pan. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. When couscous has absorbed all the liquid, fluff it with a fork and add parsley, salt and pepper. Serve warm.


Iceberg Lettuce Salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes. Yield: 6 servings

1 head iceberg lettuce
1 basket of grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup bacon bits
6 oz. blue cheese crumbles (or any other cheese you'd rather use)
Blue Cheese or French dressing
Optional toppings: hard boiled eggs sliced, poppy seeds, black sesame seeds

Wash lettuce and cut into wedges. Top with tomatoes, cheese and bacon bits. Pour selected dressing on top and serve.


Creamy Orange Fluff
Prep Time: 5 minutes. Yield: 6-8 servings.

3 oz. pkg orange gelatin mix
8 oz. thawed whipped topping
12 oz. cottage cheese
13 oz. pineapple tidbits
11 oz. mandarin oranges

Combine first 3 ingredients in a serving bowl. Mix well. Fold in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with vanilla wafers or graham crackers.


BBQ Cups

3/4 lb ground beef
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp onion
1 can Pillsbury biscuits
3/4 cups grated cheese
Additional toppings: chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions, sour cream

Shape biscuits into muffin cup pan, pressing into the bottom and up the sides. Brown meat and onions together. Drain. Add BBQ sauce and sugar to meat. Spoon meat mixture into biscuit cups. Top with cheese, tomatoes, onions and anything else you can think of that you might want. Bake 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve with sour cream.


White Bean Chili
Prep Time: 20 min to cook and shred chicken, 10 min for the rest. Yield: 5-6

1 1/2 chicken breasts
1 can diced green chilies (undrained)
1 can corn (undrained)
1 can Great Northern beans (undrained)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 Tbsp Lime juice

Cook and shred chicken. In a large soup pot add all ingredients. Stir and cook until warm. Serve with sour cream, cheese, avacados and tortilla chips.


Yoplait's Vanilla Whip (Aubrey Anderson)

Combine 2 lbs yogurt and 1 vanilla pudding mix (dry); stir in 1 container whipped topping and fresh or thawed frozen fruit. Marshmallows optional.


As mentioned in the class, one of the most time consuming things about making meals is coming up with WHAT TO MAKE. Jenny handed out an organizational spreadsheet that has a place to list family favorite recipes, the time it takes for each one, where the recipe is found, any major ingredients that would need to be purchased first, good sides that go along with it and the date that it was last served.

Other ideas that were mentioned included making a weekly or monthly menu plan. I use this method and though I don't use it ALWAYS, it makes my life so much easier. I find that my meals are healthier, more varied and I use my food storage! I update my weekly meal plan on Sunday evenings. I don't go strictly by the day, but look at it more as having seven options for the week, to use on any given day that I choose. It's just nice having a plan; we all know things get in the way and activities pop up. Don't stress. It's just a guide.

Find whatever works for you and go for it. Plan in advance, make lists, make larger portions then freeze half, etc. We hope these ideas help save time in the kitchen! Happy cooking.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Quick'n Easy Meals

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20th

Amy Jensen's Home
408 West 3750 South

7:00 PM

Come get delicious and fast meal ideas presented by Jenny Collumber!

Monday, July 6, 2009

NO COOKING CLASS IN JULY

Due to busy schedules, we are taking a short break from the cooking class this month! Enjoy the warm weather and go do something fun. We'll meet again on the third Thursday in August and talk about QUICK and EASY MEALS.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Fabulous Freezers

Thanks to Lindsey for letting us come to her home and thanks to Carol Garner for sharing with us helpful tips and techniques for freezing food. Carol has great, quick ideas such as freezing fruit (banana chips, grapes, apple slices, berries, etc.) instantly creating easy and healthy snacks. I'd never thought of doing bananas that way. She brought some for us to try and they were tasty!
Also, a big thanks to those who brought a special treat to share. We sampled several different dishes and they were all amazing. Recipes are coming, so stay tuned....

For more information on freezing, check out the following resources:

**Fruit Freezing Methods**
Website: http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/FN_215.pdf or obtain a written copy at the USU Extension office located in Logan City's Office Building. It contains a comprehensive list of fruits, how to freeze them, instructions for syrups, and the types of containers to use.

**Freezer Meals and Mixes**
http://extension.usu.edu/duchesne/files/uploads/FCS/Freezer%20Meals/freezermeals%20and%20mixes_updated%20Mar08.pdf or obtain a written copy at the USU Extension office. This is a wonderful packet full of instructions as well as a three week menu complete with recipes!! Check it out!!

**Ball Blue Book of Preserving**
Buy online at http://theconsumerlink.com/product_detail.asp?BID=FreshPreserving&T1=TCL+14400214001&navStart=14 ($5.49) or watch for it in stores during the canning season. Also, the USU Extension office may have copies available for purchase. This is a great resource for canning, freezing and drying a wide variety of food.

RECIPES:

Frozen Raspberry Dessert (Lisa Saraiva)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries or strawberries
(thaw if frozen)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Mix flour and brown sugar and cut in the butter until crumbly; add the pecans. Press in an ungreased 9-inch square baking pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes until light brown. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, crumble the pecan mixture and set aside 1/2 cup for dessert topping. Sprinkle the remaining mixture into a 9x13 pan and press down lightly.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the berries, sugar and lemon juice until well blended. Fold in whipped cream and spread evenly on top of crust. Sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Cover and freeze 8 hours or overnight. To serve, cut into squares and top with additional whipped cream and fresh berries.


Frozen Ice Cream Dessert (Joanne McBride)

1 cube of Butter
2 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Coconut Flakes
3/4 cup ground Cashews
1/4 cup ground Almonds
1/2 gallon Ice Cream, Strawberry or Vanilla

Mix together Butter, Rice Krispies, Brown Sugar, Coconut Flakes, Cashews, and Almonds. Place 1/2 of the mixture in a 9x13, then spread Ice Cream and then the rest of the mixture on top. Put in freezer until Ice Cream is firm or ready to serve.