Applepalooza!

Last weekend was Apple Harvest in my home town of Martinsburg, WV.

It was such a nice visit. So happy to be home.

We cheered on the Apple Trample (5k) participants early in the afternoon

Then went off to the Apple Harvest Parade.

Then to the Arts and Crafts Festival

Did I mention I love WV?

In honor of Apple Harvest I put together several recipes that use apples in slightly different ways than your average apple pie (which IS delicious, don't get me wrong!)....

Unfortunately, my camera gave me some flack so some of the pictures weren't usable and others were a little blurry. Sorry about that. But the recipes overall turned out well, so if you are game for a whole day's worth of apple related food, I have some recipes for you...

Recipe # 1 Apple Cider Pork Loin

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of olive or coconut oil
1 pork loin
1 garlic clove
Salt and Pepper, to taste
dash of cumin
1 cup of apple cider
1 cup of chicken broth

Directions:
1. Heat oil on stove at medium to high heat--when it gets hot toss your garlic in the skillet
2. While the skillet and oil warm, rub the pork loin with sea salt, pepper, and a little cumin
3. Brown all sides of the pork loin (should take about 10 minutes)
4. Preheat oven to approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit
5. Place the pork loin into a baking dish with 1 cup chicken broth and 1 cup apple cider
6. Cook for about 20 minutes (or until it's just barely pink inside)
7. Take the pork loin out of the oven and allow it to 'rest' for 5-10 minutes (it will continue baking)

Serve with recipe #2: Kale with Bacon, Apple, and Onion....

Recipe #2: Kale with Apples, Onion, and Bacon

Ingredients
3 slices of bacon, chopped
1 vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 bunch organic kale (or swiss chard)
1/2 golden delicious apple, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Pan fry bacon
2. Remove bacon and drain fat from the pan
2. Sautee onion and apple for about 5 minutes until the onions start to carmelize
3. Add bacon back into the onion and apple mixture

4. Toss with kale or chard until it becomes bright green (take care not to over cook it)
5. Salt and pepper to your liking
*if it starts to stick to the pan add a dash of olive oil

  

Enjoy!

If you are really hungry you can serve recipe 1 and 2 with recipe #3....

Recipe #3: Curried Buttnernut Squash Soup with Apple

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
1 large butternut squash
1 garlic clove
1 apple (I used golden delicious but use your favorite....granny smith or honey crisp would work well also)
3 stalks (medium sized) celery, chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2-3 cups of chicken broth (depending on how thick you like your soup
1 teaspoon cumin
1 dash of tumeric (add more if you like a little spice)
1/4 cup coconut milk
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cook butternut squash (slice lengthwise, scoop seeds, and face down in pan) for about 45 minutes
3. While squash is cooking chop your onions and celery
4. Put onions, apple, and celery into pan (should be medium heat and have some of your oil already melted)
5. Cook onions, apples, and celery until carmelized
6. When squash is finished, scoop out the 'meat' and add in the pan with the onions and celery
7. Add 2-3 cups of chicken broth
8. Add cumin and tumeric (and salt and pepper to taste)

  

9. Let mixture simmer for 5 minutes
10. Add coconut milk (or sour cream if you prefer)
11. Put the soup into the blender in batches and blend until smooth

Enjoy!

Alas, I enjoyed the recipes but for my tastebuds nothing is better than taking a bite out of a crisp, just picked, apple. Oh yea, and being home.