HOUSEHOLD NOTES December 2010

An apple a day . . .

Edited by Anne Gray
But why settle for one a day? Apples are so versatile, we can have them at every meal, and for snacks in between. Put apples in your pancakes, on your cereal or yogurt, in a salad, slathered with peanut butter or with a slice of cheese. Make pies, cakes, cookies, bread, soup.
And there are so many varieties. If you want them red, green, yellow, with a blush, or mixed colors, they are available. Sweet, tart, crunchy, tender, firm, juicy, crisp: all there for the taking. We grow many varieties in Atlantic Canada, and I say we should try as many as we can find in our locale. Step beyond your old favorites. Try something that you've seen but passed up to pick the old familiar guys. You may be delighted, and maybe you'll remind yourself that yes, that old favorite is still the one. Doesn't matter which is more to your taste, but don't be shy to try the rest.
Put a couple chopped apples in your Christmas pudding. Serve warm cider to your guests. Eat fresh, eat local. Happy holidays.

DUTCH APPLE WALNUT LOAF
Natalie Jones, Sydney, N.S.
"This recipe requires a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf dish."

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups peeled and diced apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter

To make the topping, whisk together the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture becomes crumbly. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the loaf dish. Line the base of the dish with parchment paper, then grease the top of the parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, three to five minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well until fully incorporated. Beat in the buttermilk and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer running, slowly beat in the dry ingredients just until fully combined. Stir in the diced apples and chopped walnuts by hand.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish, then sprinkle over the topping.
Place the dish in the oven and bake until puffed and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 55 minutes to an hour. Cool the dish on a rack for 15 minutes, then unmold and cool completely before slicing. Serves eight to 10.


APPLE SNACK CAKE
Johanna Greve, Saint John, N.B.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups coarsely chopped peeled apples
cooking spray

Topping:
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites, sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla together to blend well. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth. Stir in the apples. Spread the batter evenly in a 9" square cake pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Combine the topping ingredients and sprinkle evenly over the batter. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

SUGARLESS SPICE CAKE
Marg Brown, Newport, N.S.

2 cups raisins
2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons Splenda sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a saucepan, cook the raisins in the water until the water evaporates. Add the applesauce, eggs, sweetener, and oil. Mix well. Blend in the flour and baking soda. Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour into a greased 8" x 8" pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Serve with light whipped topping.

JACKSTRAW SALAD
Taken from "The Art of Cooking for the Diabetic."

1 medium red apple
1/2 cup green pepper strips
1/2 cup thin celery sticks
3/4 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup thinly sliced onion rings
1/3 cup poppy seed dressing
crisp lettuce leaves

Remove the core and stem of the apple; leave the skin on. Cut the apple crosswise into 1/4" rings; cut each ring into thin sticks about 1/8" wide. Cut green pepper and celery in similar tiny strips. Combine all ingredients (except lettuce) in a large bowl and toss lightly to mix poppy seed dressing thoroughly. Serve on crisp lettuce.

HIGH PROTEIN MUFFINS
Nita Murphy, Grand Falls-Windsor, Nfld.

1 1/2 cups apple juice
2 1/4 cups wheat bran
1 cup flour
3 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup shelled
pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup flaxseeds
1/2 cup coconut
1 1/2 cups granola
2 cups chopped apples
2 cups raisins

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium-heavy bottom saucepan, bring the juice to a boil over high heat. Boil rapidly until the liquid is reduced to about one cup, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and measure three-quarters cup plus two tablespoons (seven ounces), discarding any remaining reduced juice. Cool to room temperature.
While the reduced juice is cooling, in a large bowl whisk together the bran, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, juice reduction, oil, and eggs until fully incorporated.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and gently mix together with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined, careful not to over-mix.
Gently fold in the sesame, pumpkin, and flaxseeds, coconut, granola, apples, and raisins.
Spoon a heaping one-half cup batter into each of 14 lined large muffin tins. Bake the muffins, in the centre of the oven until golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly touched, 20 to 25 minutes.
Makes 14 muffins. Remove and cool the muffins, still in their tins, on a rack.

APPLE CRANBERRY STREUSEL PIE

Crust:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup shortening
dash salt
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2-3 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups whole cranberries, washed and stemmed
2 large apples (3 cups), pared, cored, and sliced

Streusel topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter

To make the crust, in a small bowl combine 3/4 cup of flour and the salt. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the cheese. Sprinkle with the water while mixing lightly with a fork; form into a ball. Roll out crust into an 11" circle on a lightly floured board or pastry cloth. Place in a 9" pie pan. Trim the edges if necessary; moisten edge with water; turn under and flute, if desired.
For the filling, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add the cranberries and apples, tossing lightly to mix. Spoon into the crust. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
For the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over the fruit filling. Bake at 400 degrees F for 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly. Cover the top with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning.

Mail your recipes, household hints, and requests to Household Notes, care of Rural Delivery, Box 1509, Liverpool, NS B0T 1K0.