THE LOVELY CRAZY

Earlier this week, the mr and I took a little Vermont drive. We grabbed some coffee, went to the country side, down some dirt roads, and struck apple gold. This road was lined with apple trees.(no, it was not an orchard) Trees all over the place, of all sorts of different variety apples, just falling from the trees. It was crazy. So We stopped, tasted, and picked picked picked. We filled up the trunk of the car.

This is after a few days earlier we picked about 2 bushels of heirloom apples that are growing all around our garden.So yeah, we might have a few apples laying around the house

But we picked with purpose. The mr is in processes of making , from scratch, his own hard apple cider. He has 2 of these humngo 5 gallon glass carboys (is that what they are called) or glass jugs that he was attempting to fill with cider. No problem right? We have an abundance of apples. Well that's all well and good, but guess what? We don't have a press. The mr didn't seem to see this as a problem. He will just borrow a juicer…HAHAHAH. that worked, for about 2 cups of juice, then the motor blew out. So I let him use my blender. He spent 4 house deseeding and blending apples to a pulp and squeezing the juice through a piece of cotton. It was ridiculous and amazing and he actually got about 3 gallons of juice through the process, which is now fermenting in the basement, but he did not get anywhere near the ten gallons that he was looking for. So next project… build an cider press.(seriously)

But we still gots about half of the shit ton of apples that we picked. Luckily,most of them are good keepers so I can store them for a while (until I eat them all) but some of them are starting to smell so super apple-y that I can tell that they need to be used asap. And thats fine by me cause that just mean applesauce!

Applesauce!!! It is a must, an apple season stable. Sure you can make all sorts of pies, tarts cakes, salads, pretty much apple anything, but applesauce is apple at it's most delicious purest state( besides fresh). Plus applesauce can be used to make all of those apple cakes, breads, salads and such. IT's also what you do when you have any apples that need to be eaten, might taste a little on the meh side,are too sour, might look a little to funky to eat, or just because applesauce rocks and you want some.

So yeah, applesauce is awesome-sauce and you need to make some May you apples be store bought, orchard pick, or wild foraged. Any apples will do!

Applesauce time!

The stuff. Apples, apple and apple.

Cut up the apples, removing the seeds and stems. (peel if you really must)

Toss all those apples into a pot and add in a few couple of water. Place lid on the pot, stick one medium heat, and let it cook.

Until it looks like this. Applesauce.. a little on the chunk side(the way I like it) but if you want it smooth, just use a masher or a blender to smooth it as much as you like. This applesauce is all about you my friend.

Spoon into jars… and into you mouth.

Add some stuff (cinnamon, peanut butter, fresh raspberries...) add to stuff, (yogurt, muffin batter, salad dressing…) or eat straight up. The possibilities are endless!

Happy Wednseday and Happy First day of Fall!!!

-C

Applesauce

Makes about 2 pints

5-6 pounds apples (use any variety or varieties that you like)
2 1/1- 3 1/2 cups water

Note. I am not an apple peeler kind of lady. I get that some of you are, so by all means, peel your apples if you want.

Chop apple into chunks, removing the seeds and the stem and toss into a heavy bottom pot. Pour in aout 2 cups water and stick on on a medium high heat and top the pot with lid. After about 5 minutes, give the apple a good stir and turn heat to medium low. Let simmer for about 20-30 minutes, stirring every now and then, adding more water if needed, until the apple are completely soften and falling apart. Turn burner of and either with a masher of some kind, or even a wood spoon, smash apart any large chunks of apples. If you like a smooth sauce, add it to a blender and puree until you are happy with the consistency. Want it thinner, add a little more water. Thicker, cook a little longer.

Note that once it's refrigerated, it will become thicker too. Store in jars for up to a week (if it lasted that long)

Eat as is, or add anything that you heart desires to it. Cold is great, warm is amazing. Can be used in just about any baked good or savory recipes that you can think up!

The mr and I were suppose to go to our weekly dinner at my sisters house the other night, but when I texted her to double check that wet were still on, she informed me that her two kids had been sickos.. but we were still welcome to come.

Yeah, no. We stayed home.

But before I was informed of the ill littles, I started making these biscuits to bring over. And whoa, am I glad that we didn't go cause if we did, I would have brought these and maybe killed a kid. See, one of the littles is very allergic to nuts, and I used almond milk in these, so if I had brought them over to the houes, he would have surly ended up with one of those epi pens stuck in his ass and a trip to the nearby hospital. And that would have sucked. I am usually so good about making sure there is not nut anything near anything that goes into that house, but the almond milk.. it just slipped by my awareness. Maybe cause I usually use soy milk, or maybe I am subconsciously out for the kid, but I am now more aware the ever. I think I might even make a little sign to go over the baking stuff that says "Watch your NUTS!" The mr or and any boy would like that.

So yeah, good thing we didn't go, and now we have lots of biscuits, but that is also a good thing. The mr has had the pleasure of enjoying them all to his lonesome. for dessert, then for breakfast, then for lunch, and now for dessert again. He is a biscuit man through and through. And yeah.. APPLES!

To the biscuits!

The stuff. For the biscuit itself we got some flour, baking soda and powder, cold almond milk, cold earth balance. salt and a little brown sugar. Then for the filling we have more brown sugar, cinnamon, a little more earth balance and of course apples*.

*These apples, oh they are good. Nice and crisp and slightly sweet. They are also very little. I picked them off one of the many trees at our community garden. Unfortunately I have yet been able to identify them, so apple variety here is up to you. A granny smith, gala, or even a mac should do just swell.

To start off, thinly slice and chop up your apples.(I think peeling is a waste, but if you want to, I guess you could peel them). Add the apples to a pot with the earth balance and brown sugar.

Place on medium heat and cook until the apples are soft and the liquid sugar is starting to thicken. Add in the cinnamon and set aside.

Flour, baking soda and powder and salt are whisked together in a large bowl. Add in the cold earth balance and cut in with a fork or pastry cutter until it makes the flour crumbly.

Now add in the cold almond milk and mix until just incorporated. If the mixture seems to dry, add in another tablespoon or two of almond milk

Dump mixture onto a flour surface ands gather into a ball.

Side note.. SEE MY BOWL!!! It's it amazing? My grandmother gave me here set of vintage ptyex mixing bowls last time I saw her. (It came with a medium red and a little blue one too!) And the best part, my dad remembers them from when he was a little. How fantastic is that.

Roll dough out into a square thats about 1/2 inch thick

Spread the apple mixture on half the dough, leaving a little boarder.

Fold dough over, press the sides tougher, roll the rolling pin over the dough, just to give it a little flatten pat, and cut into squares.

Place on a baking sheet and wash the tops with a little almond milk and sprinkle with more brown sugar.

Into the oven they go!!

Baked until fluffy golden brown. Remove and let cool for a minute or two.

Apple cinnamon biscuits heck yeah!

To share or to hoard.. all up to you..

Happy apple time!

-C

Apple cinnamon Biscuits

makes 8

For the biscuits

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/3 cup cold earth balance
2/3 cup cold almond milk (or any milk)
1 tablespoon lwmon juice

For the apple cinnamon filling

2 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons Vietnamese cinnamon (I like lots of spice so I used 2 tablespoons, but if you like a more subtle cinnamon flavor, use a little less. Also can use regular cinnamon if you don't have viteneme cinnamon)
2 tablespoons earth balance
1-2 gala, granny smith or mac apples (about 2 cups thinly sliced)

a little extra almond mild to brush tops and bit of brown sugar to spindle the tops with.

Preheat oven to 425.

Slice and chop apples into small thin chunks and place in a pot with the 2 tablespoons of earth balance and sugar. turn heat on medium high and cook until the apples have soften and the sugar an butter have turned into a thin syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and powder, salt and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cut in the cold earth balance until flour is crumbly. Add in almond milk and mix until combined If dough seems way to dry, add in an extra tablespoon of milk . Dump dough onto a lightly floured surface and bring together. Take your lightly floured rolling pin and roll dough out into about a 1/2 inch rectange. Take apple mixture and spread evenly on half the dough then fold over and press sides and ends together. Cut into 8 equal pieces. Place on a baking sheet (Iit might be a good idea to line it with parchment) and wash tops with a little almond milked and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Place in oven for 12-14 minutes until golden brown.

Remove and let cool for a minute and then eat them all. Or eat a few and save the rest for later.

Lasts for 2-3 days in air tight container, but will not be super crispy biscuity after being stored.