Another look at apples on the menu: Oldies and surprises

With beautiful apples still front and center at the supermarkets, I thought I’d close the book for the season with some fun old classics featuring those crispy orbs. Enjoy!

We’ll begin with Mother’s apple salad. Here’s her recipe dating from the 1930s.

Mama’s Apple/Cheese Salad

Firm, crisp, tart apples (1 per person)

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 cups diced cubes of sharp cheddar cheese

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice

Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip salad dressing *

Wash and core the apples and don’t peel unless the skin is tough or damaged. Slice, then chop into half-inch dice. Place in a bowl and toss with the vinegar or lemon juice, then add remaining ingredients and stir in dressing to your taste.

*Mother used to make boiled dressing beforehand and let it chill for the salad, but when Nalley’s came out with Miracle Whip in the ’40s, she switched to that. Your choice of mayo works just fine.

Cabbage Apple Slaw

2-3 cups cored, peeled apples, cut into cubes

3 cups shredded and chopped green cabbage

1/2 cup finely chopped dates (or raisins)

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons lemon juice, separated

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon cane sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt, pepper to taste

Prepare apples, toss in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon lemon juice to keep from browning. Shred cabbage, place in large salad bowl; toss with the dates and walnuts.

Make dressing: Mix remaining tablespoon of lemon juice, mayo, sugar, ginger. Add apples/lemon juice to cabbage, tossing to combine ingredients. Pour dressing over salad and mix well; salt to taste. Cover and chill before serving.

Here’s another old favorite from the ‘40’s. Still satisfying today! We had a big tree of Transparent apples, perfect for this anytime snack.

Grilled Peanut Butter

and Apple Sandwich

(For 4)

4 tablespoons butter, softened

8 slices cinnamon raisin bread (or other)

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

Cream cheese *

1 Golden Delicious apple (or other large tender/crisp apple), peeled, thinly sliced

Lay out bread slices for preparing sandwiches. Spread butter evenly on one side of each slice of bread. On four of the unbuttered sides of bread, spread equal amounts of peanut butter; place apple slices evenly over peanut butter and spread cream cheese on facing (top) slice. Top with remaining bread, buttered sides out – making four complete sandwiches ready for grilling. Preheat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. Cook sandwiches in batches, if necessary, for 2-3 minutes per side, or until both sides are golden. Serve immediately, sliced diagonally.

*Note: This sandwich is good as is, without grilling, but is better with plain mayo than cream cheese.

Apple Oatmeal Cookies

1/3 cup EACH vegetable oil, brown sugar, molasses

1 egg

1 cup white flour

1/2 teaspoon EACH baking powder, baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt (if desired)

1/4 teaspoon EACH nutmeg and cinnamon

1/4 cup dry milk

1 cup peeled apples, grated

1/2 cup raisins or chopped dates

1 1/4 cups quick rolled oats

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, molasses and egg.

In another bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and combine together. Add to the oil mixture. Stir in apples, raisins and oats and mix ingredients well. Drop by rounded teaspoons about 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned around edges; remove to a rack to cool.

With Thanksgiving waiting in the wings, this fabulous stuffing will enhance the holiday bird or stand on its own as a delectable side dish. Choose apples that have good tight peels and a sweet-tart taste such as Red Delicious, Honey Crisp or many others. Using crushed croutons provides the spark of garlic and sage or other favorite. Do NOT use chicken broth.

Apple-Cranberry Dressing

20 ounces garlic/sage croutons, crushed to crumbs with heavy rolling pin

2 Tbs. pure virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups diced celery

1/2 cup thin sliced, finely chopped sweet onion

2 cups diced, unpeeled apple

4 Tbs. real butter

2 cups vegetable broth or water

1 heaping cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup fine-chopped walnuts

1 tsp. salt*

1/2 tsp. pepper*

Olive oil for frying

Set oven at 350F; oil or butter a 9x13-inch pan or baking dish; set aside. Saute celery and onions in olive oil over med. heat, stirring till just starting to brown – 3 minutes or so, reduce heat and cook stirring till tender; add apples and cook, stirring till well incorporated. Add butter and crumbs. Toss, mixing well, add broth or water, cranberries and walnuts, salt and pepper to taste and pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking till dressing is golden brown, about 25 minutes more.

Valle Novak writes the Country Chef and Weekend Gardener columns for the Daily Bee. She can be reached at bcdailybee@bonnercountydailybee.com. or by phone at 208-265-4688 between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.