Snacks

Apple Dip

Simple ingredients add up to a great tasting dip in this recipe.

1 8-oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup yogurt
1/2 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chopped apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
dash salt

Sprinkle lemon juice and honey over the chopped apples. In a medium-sized bowl, combine cream cheese and yogurt. Add the cheese, pecans, apples, and salt to the cream cheese mixture, stirring until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve with dippers, such as raw, bite sized vegetables, apple sections, or crackers.

Yield: 2 cups

―cb 1990

Johnny Appleseed Spread

Anytime is a perfect time for this snack.

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese

2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3/4 cup apple juice

1 3-oz. package cream cheese, softened

2 teaspoons poppy seeds

2 teaspoons Dijon-style prepared mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Sliced apples

Shred cheese; cover and allow to come to room temperature. Combine all ingredients, except apples, in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and well blended. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving. Spread on sliced apples.

Yield: 3 cups

―Western New York Apple Growers, 1990.

Apple Cheese Ball

This cheese ball will elicit oohs and aahs from your guests for both its taste and its appearance. A cheese ball that looks like an apple--what a great idea.

3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons paprika

In a food processor, combine cheese with cream cheese. Add apple juice, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and onion powder; blend until mixture is smooth. Shape the cheese mixture into an apple shape. Place the cheese ball on wax paper. Sprinkle paprika over the ball and roll the ball in the paprika until it is covered, sprinkling more paprika as needed. Use a clove and bay leaf for a stem and leaf. Chill until about 30 minutes before serving. Serve with crackers and apple wedges.

―Western New York Apple Growers, 1990.

Easy Party Meatballs

Since these treats are served cold, you can prepare them well in advance of your party.

1 pound ground chuck
1 cup applesauce
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon salsa
1/8 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, gently combine all ingredients until mixed well. Form tablespoonfuls of the mixture into small meatballs. Place meatballs in a large, shallow baking pan. Bake about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Remove meatballs from pan with a slotted spoon, dabbing grease onto paper towels as needed. Arrange meatballs on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours (or overnight) before serving. Provide cocktail toothpicks for your guests to spear the meatballs. Add a bowl of apple sauce or sour cream for dipping, if desired.

Yield: 30 1-inch meatballs

―cb 1990

Apple Whirl Parfait

Don't you just love gelatin desserts during warm weather? The presentation adds to the fun in this recipe.

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold apple juice

6 medium apples, peeled, cored and quartered

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Dash salt

Natural cereal, crushed

In small saucepan, soften gelatin in apple juice; stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Cool. Place gelatin, 1/4 of the apples, brown sugar, and lemon juice in blender container. Blend on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Continue adding apples, a few at a time, blending until smooth. Add cinnamon and salt last. Layer apple mixture and cereal in 6 medium parfait glasses, ending with cereal. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow mixture to thicken.

Yield: 6 servings

―Virginia State Apple Board, 1990

Waldorf Salad Lookalike

The original Waldorf Salad has been imitated time and time again because of the winning combination of apple, celery, nuts, and dressing. Here is my version.

2 cups chopped apple

1 cup chopped celery

1/8 cup grated carrot

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

In a medium sized bowl, toss apples lightly with the lemon juice. Toss the celery, carrot, and pecans with the apples. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, salt, sour cream, and mayonnaise together. Fold this dressing into the apple mixture. Chill at least two hours before serving.

Yield: 6 servings

―cb 1990

Stirring Solutions

Why oh why do apple slices
turn brown, and what can you do about it?

by Chef Betty Cooker

Did you ever fix a plate of crunchy apple quarters and tangy cheese wedges for your guests and the apples turned brown before the plate was empty? Many fruits and vegetables begin to discolor when the flesh is exposed to the oxygen in the air.

Apples fall into this category, along with other favorite foods, such as peaches and potatoes. Fortunately, there are a number of solutions for this problem.

If you only plan to slice one or two apples,
a sprinkling of lemon juice over the fruit will help

keep the apples fresh, especially if you are slicing them for a recipe where the fruit will quickly be coated with a dressing. If you are slicing up a number of apples for pies or canning, however, preserving the color may require a little more kitchen chemistry.

Immerse the apples in a mixture of commercially packaged ascorbic acid (also known as vitamin C) and cold water or add 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or vinegar) and 2 tablespoons salt to 1 gallon of cold water. Rinse the apples in clear, cold water before using.

Apple Carrot Salad

This recipe was a big hit with my youngest son who hates vegetables.

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons yogurt

dash salt

1 cup chopped apples, sprinkled with
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup grated carrots

1 tablespoon raisins

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, and salt in a small, chilled bowl. Add the carrots, apples, and raisins, stirring until the ingredients are thoroughly coated with the dressing. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour or more before serving. Sprinkle almonds over individual servings.

Yield: 4 servings

―cb 1990

Tangy Mulled Apple Cider

1 quart apple cider (or apple juice)

1 2-inch stick cinnamon, broken

6 whole cloves

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon butter per cup (optional)

stick cinnamon for stirrers (optional)

Combine cider, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover pan, and simmer 15 minutes. Strain into mugs, float butter on top, insert cinnamon stick.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

―Western New York Apple Growers, 1990

Party Perked Mulled Cider

1 gallon apple cider

3 2-inch cinnamon sticks

5 whole allspice

16 whole cloves

1 whole nutmeg

1 cup light brown sugar

Pour cider into a large percolator. Place spices and brown sugar into peculator basket, and perk cider as you would coffee. Serve directly from percolator. Spices may be saved and used another time.

―Eckert's Country Store & Farms,1990

Apple Bites

Talk about easy―you can use one apple and a tablespoon of sour cream or 10 apples and a 1/2 cup of sour cream. This snack idea also works with fat free sour cream or yogurt.

Cut apples into bite-size chunks. Stab with a toothpick, roll in sour cream, then roll in chopped nuts or grated cheese.

―Submitted by Western New York Apple Growers,1990

Here is a tip for gauging apple weights and measures from the Delaware Fruit Growers Association:

1 pound apples = 4 small, 3 medium, or 2 large apples

2 medium apples = 1 cup grated apple

2 pounds apples = filling for a 9-inch pie

1 pound apples = 3 cups diced or 2¾ cups sliced apples

1 bushel apples = 42 pounds

1 bushel apples = 16-20 quarts slices or 32-40 pints sauce

―Tipically

Make Ahead Party Apple Salad

The Jones Farm Families say this easy recipe will keep several days when stored in a tight container.

Dressing:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoon flour

1 cup water

2 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon butter

fruit mixture:

3 apples, diced

1 cup miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup drained, crushed pineapple

1/2 cup raisins

In a small pan, combine sugar, flour, water, vinegar, vanilla, and butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.

When the dressing is cool, combine the apples, marshmallows, celery, nuts, pineapple, and raisins in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the fruit mixture, and lightly toss the salad. Refrigerate the salad overnight in a container with a tight lid.

Yield: 1 quart

―Jones Farm & Country Store, 1990

Easy Oven Apple Butter

This recipe first appeared (with some variation) as part of an article I wrote for the Washington times Food Section. It was based on a recipe by Maryland homemaker, Irma Johnson.

6 pounds apples, peeled and quartered

2 quarts sweet apple cider

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Combine apples and cider in a stock pot. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook the apples until the fruit is tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the mixture has cooled enough to handle.

Sieve the mixture into a flat, non-aluminum, roasting pan, and cook in a slow oven (300E F) until the mixture boils, stirring occasionally.

Combine the sugar and spices, and stir the mixture into the hot sauce. Continue baking (stirring occasionally) until the mixture thickens, about 4 hours.

To test, spoon a small mound of the butter on the edge of a cold plate. The butter is done when no liquid seeps out around the edge of the butter.

Yield: 4 pints