Crisp, tasty apples await kitchen magic

It’s fresh apple time, and if you are one of those people who lets your apples lie unused on the ground without a clue as to what to do with them, read on! (The rest of us will haunt the farmers’ markets and the region's orchards for organic apples and use them in any number of ways.)

Apples are the perfect accompaniment for pork roasts or pork chops. Simply sautéed in butter to near-caramelization, they complement the richness of the meat to perfection.

Too, sliced and tossed raw into a green salad with walnuts and onion rings, they’re the perfect go-with for nearly every meal.

Tip: When using them in fruit salad, toss fresh-cut slices into a shallow bowl of lemon juice. It keeps them from darkening and adds a sprightly tang as well.

The easiest and arguably best option for fresh apples is to bake them whole and serve with rich cream for a healthy and delicious dessert. Here’s an elegant possibility.

Fresh Baked Apples

(for 4)

6 large red apples

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce pkg. frozen puff pastry (1 sheet) thawed, cut into 4 3-inch circles

2 tablespoons milk or soy milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Slice 1/2 inch off the tops of four of the apples. Scoop out the centers, leaving a 1/2-inch shell. Cut away the core from the scooped-out flesh and discard. Place the flesh pieces in a bowl.

Peel and thinly slice the remaining two apples; add to a bowl. Toss with brown sugar, cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and 1 tablespoon of water. Stuff apples with the filling; place on a baking sheet.

Place puff pastry circles on top of apples, brush with milk, and flute the edges with a fork.

Combine sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl, and sprinkle over the pastry tops. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the apples are tender. Pass the cream!

Apple pies, of course, are a given. But for a bit more ease, try this great apple cake.

Blue Ribbon Apple Cake

4 cups cored, peeled, diced apples

2 cups sugar (can use half brown sugar)

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons black walnut flavoring (optional but good if available)

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons soda

1 teaspoon salt 1 cup chopped walnuts

Mix the apples and sugar together. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 9x9-inch greased pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for 1 hour. The cake should be moist. Cool and cut into squares. It keeps well refrigerated. (I make several and freeze.)

Note: This cake can be baked in a 9x13-inch pan for a shorter period of time — about 45 minutes. The thicker cake is moister, however.

Many folks’ favorite is applesauce. My favorite recipe is one given to me by my friend (and travel guru) Sherrie Metz. It uses a combination of apples, and you can adjust your recipe according to the apples available.

Oven-Roasted Applesauce

(2 cups)

1/2 cup cider

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

Pinch of ground cloves

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, plus zest of

1 lemon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar (or more, depending on the sweetness of the apples used)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

3 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped

Pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a 12x14-inch roasting pan or an 11x17 baking pan, combine cider, cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice and zest, brown sugar, and butter. Add all the apples, mix, and toss.

Roast until the apples are very soft and golden brown, about 30 minutes. If you wish, you can place cooked apples in a food processor and pulse till smooth, but Sherrie (and I) simply mash it all together. Stir in salt and serve warm.

Remember, you can use any and all of your own apples to create this most flavorful sauce. Truly, variety is the spice of life — or applesauce!

Sometimes the most delicious desserts are the easiest to make. The Fleischmann’s Yeast people give us this traditional old recipe — a fluffy bread topped with apple slices and a cinnamon mixture. Great as is or served with ice cream or whipped cream.

Apple Kuchen

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 envelope of rapid-rise yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup butter

1 large egg

3 cups sliced, fresh, cooking-type apples

Cinnamon topping (recipe follows)

In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup of the flour, sugar, dry yeast, and salt.

Heat water, milk, and butter until very warm; gradually add them to the flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes at medium speed with the electric mixer, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the egg and 1 cup flour and beat for 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in the remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Turn into a greased 13x9-inch pan.

Arrange apple slices evenly over the batter; sprinkle with cinnamon topping. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack, or serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Cinnamon Topping

In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Cut in 2 tablespoons of butter with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Editor's note: For many years, Valle Novak has written gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. "Weekend Gardener" and "Country Chef" became renowned for their humor, information, and common-sense advice on how to do everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns to delight her many fans. This is one such column, originally published on Oct. 5, 2008.