October is National Apple Month, and we are all ready to pick that orchard-fresh fruit and enjoy! There is nothing quite as crisp and clean with such a delicious sweetness. Whether they are Gala, Fuji, Cameo,—with many more varieties to choose from—you can’t go wrong peeling, coring, slicing, or cooking up apples for the month of October.
Try a few of these time-tested ideas and have a Happy Apple Month with the ones you love!
1. Take a trip to your own local orchard or fruit stand. Let everyone in your family select a favorite color or variety of apple. Take them home to enjoy!
2. Is there a jar of sugar-free applesauce sitting on your pantry shelf? Give it a mealtime makeover with Linda’s Special Applesauce recipe on pg. 141 of the Southern Seasons cookbook. Better yet—bake up a yellow cake mix and layer this yummy applesauce recipe with cake layers to make our delicious Applesauce Cake featured on pg. 142.
3. Slice up a few apples one afternoon and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon sugar. Young and old are sure to enjoy a snack prepared with love!
4. Apple cinnamon infused water is both refreshing as well as beneficial to your body. Try slicing one Fuji apple into a pitcher of water and add one cinnamon stick. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy through the week. If you would prefer a hot drink, you can simmer sliced apples and cinnamon in water and serve as tea. Remove the apples and refrigerate the remainder to drink the following day.
5. Skillet fried apples are a special treat. Try the recipe featured in Southern Seasons cookbook on pg. 141. Serve them over fresh biscuits, and you are sure to have a crowd pleaser at mealtime!
6. Bring home a gallon of fresh apple cider and serve over ice for a cool, refreshing treat after work or school.
7.How about a sugar-free option for fall? Try Linda’s Sugar-Free Apple Pie on page 141 of the Southern Seasons cookbook.
How about you? Which one of these apple traditions is your favorite? What is your best apple recipe for October?