The weather is changing and fall is here. As I shared before, fall also brings about the wonderful season of apples. When I was growing up, my dad would make fried apples using nice Granny Smith apples and they made for tasty Saturday morning breakfast. I love apples in all forms – raw, fried, baked, in juice…. I use my apples to make apple preserves, applesauce, apple pie, apple cake, and anything else apple that I can think of and they are all just yummy. I usually purchase seconds from my orchard guys and second isn’t always a bad thing.
Here are some of the seconds, they look like regular apples right?
Upon closer inspection, some may look like this
and a few will look like this
All in all, they are still quite usable and tasty. We were using this batch to make applesauce and some apple cake. If you are lucky, a helper will show up.
They even realize when the peeling isn’t happening as planned.
After all of the sous chef work, you will have piles that look like this
You may also have another helper emerge to scour the scrap pile, it’s small scale dumpster diving
In the end, even from those seconds, you will end up with first class lovelies like this applesauce that will re-emerge on a winter day and make everything better
or this yummy apple cake (before glazing) that is sure to tickle the tummy.
Note: The apple cake is from Carolyne Roehm’s Fall Notebook and is called Fresh Apple Cake Doris. It is very similar to my grandma’s apple cake recipe.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons milk
2 cups (about 2 large) tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using 1 tablespoon oil, grease a bundt pan (can also use mini-loaf pans)
2. In medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside
3. Blend sugar and remaining 1 cup of oil. Add eggs and milk and beat until well combined. (I add in approx. 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract)
4. Add reserved dry ingredients to sugar mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in apples (I crush some to extract juice during this process). Makes a thick batter.
5. Press batter evenly into pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until tester comes out clean. You may choose to glaze the cake with a mixture of lemon juice and confectionery sugar. Eat and enjoy!!
Looks scrumptious! And looks like so much fun too!
I want to come live at your house!
So what do you do with all the apple scraps? Use them for compost?
Yolanda,
Yes I do use them for compost but after the above comment, I am googling apple scrap vinegar.
Thanks!
apple scrap vinegar in your future I bet!!! great photos! we love applesauce chunky and as a dip for grilled cheese by the 3 year old!
.-= michelle´s last blog ..pine nuts =-.
Hmm, I had never heard of this but I am off to get some recipes.
Yummy! I had a lady give me some apples one year and taught me to make applesauce. It was soooo easy. Might go get some apples at the farmer’s market! Hmmm…
.-= Cindy Is Crafty´s last blog ..Dotee’s An Animal! =-.
We always use imperfect apples for sauce too. usually they are free and they taste great, as long as you get all of the worms out!
Haven’t been fortunate enough to find them free but my local orchard sells them really cheap.
I’m off to get apples tomorrow!
.-= JodyM´s last blog ..Bourbon Pickled Peaches =-.
Those are awfully cute kitchen helpers!
The apples are seconds? they are beautiful! what’s second any way? The cake is tasty looking and I bet Your helpers are fantastic! Happy fall!
Thanks Renee and you are right – what’s second anyway? One man’s trash is always someone else’s treasure so it is all about perspective.
“small scale dumpster diving”– too funny!
I’m imagining what your house smells like and it makes me want to make cake too!
Looks great
.-= Lainie@ Mishmash Maggie´s last blog ..A Simple Woman’s Daybook =-.
Thanks Lainie! I know why apples and cinnamon is an air freshener scent, it smells delicious.
I loved the “small scale dumpster diving” bit, too!!
I’m trying not to covet your apple peeler.
And that you live in a place where you have an “orchard guy.” No apple orchards in the desert.
I have GREAT apple memories from childhood, though — making applesauce w/ my mom (with the food mill/sieve — not sure what it’s called, it’s like a pan with a crank on the top that pushes food through the bottom…), and her making fried apples, too. Yumma.
.-= Karen Joy´s last blog ..In praise of ceci beans (and other food trials) =-.
That apple cake looks scrumptious!
Great post! I love anything apple. Your sauce is beautiful….and youi’ll have to check my blog this week regarding that gorgeous Bundt cake
Blessings!
Gail
.-= Gail´s last blog ..Product Review – To Bundt or Not to Bundt =-.