Johnny Appleseed and A bit of Apple Fun

Johnny Appleseed was born John Chapman was born September 26, 1774. An American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of the United States including states of Pennsylvania, Ontario, ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Johnny became an American legend because of the way he lived his life in a kind generous ways. His leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributed to apples. While planting apples he also shared the love of Jesus as a missionary for the New Church.

The Legend of John Chapman aka Johnny Appleseed was that he was born September 26, 1774. He started out as a nurseryman who started out planting trees in western New York and Pennsylvania. The movement west was taking place in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois. While Johnny traveled he planted apple trees and giving apple trees to families he also gave them hopes and preached. Johnny Appleseed led a simple life and wanted little. He rarely accepted money and often donated any money he received. It was belief that his death came due to what was referred to as a winter plague.

Today serve up a fresh apple snack

These apple bites are festive, healthy and most importantly, easy to make!  All you have to do is carve out some apple wedges (the tricky part) and then use your favorite jam or nut butter for the tongue, and decorate with some gnarly slivered almond teeth.  These would look super cute on any Halloween buffet table.

share some fresh or store bought apple sauce

 

 

 

about 5 pounds of peeled apples (I used organic Golden Delicious, Honey Crisp, Granny Smith and whatever else was in my fridge)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

 

In a large pot, add the apples, water, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

let the apples cook over medium to low heat until the apples are soft. About 20 minutes.

Add the vanilla bean paste and the lemon juice.

You can either put the apples in a food mill, food processor, or use my weapon of choice. A potato masher. I like my apple sauce to have some chunks. It is a personal preference.

recipe source here

 

or bake up an apple dessert

 

Baked Apples

 7 large (about 6 ounces each) Granny Smith apples
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
3 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats
1 teaspoon finely grated zest from 1 orange
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch table salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons apple cider

 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Peel, core, and cut 1 apple into 1/4-inch dice. Combine 5 tablespoons of butter, brown sugar, cranberries, pecans, oats, orange zest, cinnamon, diced apple, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
Shave thin slice off bottom (blossom end) of remaining 6 apples to allow them to sit flat. Cut top 1/2 inch off stem end of apples and reserve. Peel apples and use melon baller or small measuring spoon to remove 1½-inch diameter core, being careful not to cut through bottom of apple.
Melt remaining tablespoon butter in 12-inch nonstick ovensafe skillet over medium heat. Once foaming subsides, add apples, stem-side down, and cook until cut surface is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip apples, reduce heat to low, and spoon filling inside, mounding excess filling over cavities; top with reserved apple caps. Add maple syrup and 1/3 cup cider to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until skewer inserted into apples meets little resistance, 35 to 40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with maple syrup mixture in skillet. (If you don't have an ovenproof skillet, transfer the browned apples to a 13- by 9-inch baking dish and bake as directed.)
Transfer apples to serving platter. Stir up to 2 tablespoons remaining cider into sauce in skillet to adjust consistency. Pour sauce over apples and serve.
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