I love the fall. Apples are my favorite fruit. Usually, I pick one out of the basket and eat it before I leave the orchard. The orchard I go to has samples to eat so you can pick out the type you want.

One thing that I really appreciate about apples is their versatility. You can use them in so many ways. I have all sorts of recipes. They range from the very easy to the more difficult ones. Apple pie was a favorite of Don – that is after mincemeat.

With Don’s birthday coming up I recall the mincemeat pies we received from his daughter Melanie who lives in Alaska. The first one she sent came to his house. She told us it was warm when she took it to the Post Office. The clerk told her to let them know how it arrived. We called to let her know that it arrived just fine. We got pies for the next couple years except the year that we were at her house. She made one that year but we got to eat it with them.

Mincemeat is nothing but apple, raisins, and green tomatoes with seasonings. I used to can a green tomato mincemeat. Sometimes I put it in the freezer. It was good for making filled cookies, too.

Then, there is apple crisp. Now I mostly make one that goes in the microwave. It is so easy and takes a lot less time. I have tweaked the recipe to my own taste. I did not like it as sweet as the recipe called for. Yes, I will include this recipe so you can make it too.

APPLE CRISP

3 c. tart cooking apples

2 T. lemon juice

2/3 c. quick cooking oats

½ c. white sugar

½ c. flour

½ c. butter or margarine, softened

¾ tsp. cinnamon

Cut apples and put into an 8×8 pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix remaining ingredients until crumbly. Sprinkle over the apples. Microwave uncovered on high for 7-10 min. depending on the wattage of your microwave. Test with a cake tester to be sure the apples are thoroughly cooked. Cool and serve with ice cream.

P.S. You can also use 3 c. of berries or even some fruit mixed with rhubarb. I have also used a glass pie plate for this recipe. It works just fine.

I usually purchase a variety of apples. That way I can mix them for applesauce and pie. My favorite apple to just eat is the Cortland. They are quite an old variety but still very good.

I store my apples in a garbage can (never used for garbage) in the room between my kitchen and garage. There is no heat there. They keep all winter. If the temperature goes down to zero, I bring the can in then put it back out when it goes back to twenty degrees. I have apples to use until May.

At church we make applesauce in the fall for the Pancake Supper. We put it into the freezer and take it out to thaw just before the event. People who attend the event tell us our applesauce is so good. To make applesauce you put a little water in the bottom of the pan and cook the apples until tender. It can be made without sugar if the apples are sweet or you can add sugar to your taste.

Another way that I enjoy apples is “fried”. You put a little butter in your pan, then add apples thinly sliced. Dick’s Aunt Edna taught me how to make these. You have to watch these carefully and cook them on low. They are done when they are soft. Cracker Barrel serves fried apples, but they are firmer than when I make them. I serve them with pork and chicken dinners.

This article made me hungry for a good apple. I think my son and his wife picked apples on Wednesday so maybe I can get some from him. I suggested that he make cider since we have so many apples.

It has been a long time since we made cider!

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell. Contact her at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.