What’s Cookin’?
By Donna Zitter Bordelon
You are the apple of my pie (or cake), if you are a Granny Smith or Rome apple — two fine varieties of baking apples. But a Honeycrisp, Jonathan or Braeburn produce great-tasting results, too. Bake with a mix of sweet and tart apples for a distinctive taste. With over 7,500 known apple varieties worldwide, comparing apples to apples, the best apples are the ones that you like best to eat. For apples served in a salad, with wine and cheese, dipped in peanut butter, honey or eaten out of hand, try the Fuji, Gala, McIntosh, Golden Delicious or Braeburn varieties. Apples are high in fiber, low in calories and full of phytonutrient antioxidants. Here are a few good recipes worth trying.
APPLE ALMOND CAKE
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 cup ground almonds
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 eggs, beaten
10 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. almond extract
2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored, cut in slices
Extra sliced almonds for topping
Butter and flour a Springform pan (9- to 10-inch), shaking out excess flour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees
In a bowl, mix the sugar, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
Add the beaten eggs and melted butter and stir well.
Spread about one-third of the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan. Place the apples evenly over the batter. Spoon the rest of the batter evenly over the top of the apples.
Sprinkle the almonds around the edge of the cake.
Bake for 50–55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven and run a knife around the sides of the cake, then gently spring the cake open, remove the circular form, and allow to cool.
APPLE BREAD
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ cup butter, softened
1¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 baking apples, peeled, cored, grated
¾ cup walnuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
Cream the butter and gradually add the sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the apples into the creamed mixture.
Stir in the nuts.
Bake for 55–60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Cool before slicing.
APPLE CHICKEN SALAD
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ cup applesauce
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley
½ tsp. ground coriander
2 cups cooked chicken breast, chopped/shredded
½ cup walnuts, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped small (1 cup)
1 apple (your favorite), cored and chopped small
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, applesauce, honey, parsley and coriander.
Add the chicken, nuts, celery, apple, salt and pepper.
Mix all thoroughly.
QUICK APPLE PAN CAKE
1 egg
¾ cup sugar
½ cup flour minus 1 Tbsp.
1¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup chopped apples (1 medium apple)
½ cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease an 8-inch x 8-inch pan
In a large bowl beat egg.
Add remainder of ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Transfer to pan and bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Eat well, live long, enjoy!
(Questions or tips can be sent to Donna Zitter Bordelon at WhatscookinNEPhilly@gmail.com or in care of the Times, 2 Executive Campus, Suite 400, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002)
