1. The Apple’s Stars
Once upon a time there was a baby apple growing from the sheer strength of
his mothers branches. She protected him and kept him from harm, provided
him all his nourishments and his identity. Although she looked much different
than him and tower over him in height and strength, he knew he belonged to
her from the way she took care of him and his siblings.
He resembled his siblings mostly. Yet they were different. Some were weak
and infected by outside influences (the worms and bugs of that day). Others
were strong and brilliant in color. Some of the apples were older than the baby
apple, but all held tightly onto their mother tree’s branches for they knew this
was their only way of survival. When the wind shook them and when the sun
beamed on them, they knew they were sheltered in their mother’s twigs.
The apples matured at different rates. Some turned from green to yellow at a
quick rate but then were unhurried when it came to turning a ripe red. And
others bid their time at each stage and captured all the colors reflecting their
different phases. And there were those in the prime of life bursting with color
and juices ready to find their own piece of ground and start their own family of
little apples.
This little baby apple, however, was positioned high on top of his mother’s
branches and far from his brothers and sisters view. He could only see the
sun at day and the stars at night. He asked his mother why couldn’t he be like
the stars at night. They were so beautiful. They twinkle and hung in the air all
by themselves. They didn’t need to be so protected. They gave such
radiance and sparkle to all those who wish to observe their loveliness.
“Oh, my little one. You have such greatness in being who you are. Your own
beauty and color surpasses the stars in the sky.”
“But mother tree look how the stars twinkle. They are like diamonds.”
“My little apple you are special outside and inside, just like the stars.”
And next time you open an apple cut it not from stem to tail, but from side to
side. And look upon the apples’ stars. And the beauty of HaShem’s creations.
Apple butter toast
Prep 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serving Portions: 6
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ medium McIntosh apples, peeled, grated
2 Tbls butter
1 loaf sliced thickly tasty bread

2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl; add apples and butter, tossing to
coat. Place the mixture in a pot over a low heat stirring constantly until soften
about 10 minutes. Remove the apples from the heat.
Meanwhile toast the bread. Spread the apple mixture. Place on a cookie
sheet and broil 1-2 minutes until light brown.
Apple Coleslaw
Prep 25 minutes
Chill: 2 hours
Serving Portions: 6-8
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbls cider vinegar
2 tbls sugar
2 tsp brown mustard
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
4 cups coarsely shredded checked red or green cabbage
2 medium tart red or green apples, cored and chopped
1 cup (dill) pickles chopped
½ cup green or red seedless grapes halved
¼ cup onion chopped small
Pinch of sweet paprika (if using green cabbage)
In a small bowl stir together the mayonnaise vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt,
and pepper
In a large bowl combine the cabbage, apples, pickles, grapes and onion. Add
the mayonnaise mixture to the cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Cover and chill
in the refrigerator for 2 to 6 hours before serving. Stir before serving and
sprinkle paprika on top for color.
Walnut stuffed slow cooked apples
You can bake it in an oven, but what a great idea to put it up in the morning in
a slow cooker and let the aroma fill the house. (See photo)
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time in slow-cooker 2 ¼ hours in regular oven 1 hour:
Serving Portions: 4
¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
5 tbls dried raisins
2 ½ tbls brown sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
8 medium granny smith apples, cored
1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup apple cider or apple juice

3. In a small bowl add together the walnuts, raisins and brown sugar with ½ tsp
of cinnamon. Peel the top third of each apple. Place each apple in the slow
cooker set for low. Spoon walnut mixture into the cavity of each apple
Combine the remaining ½ tsp cinnamon with 1-cup brown sugar and apple
cider in a small bowl stirring to combine. Pour over the apples and into the
rest of the cooker. Cover with the lid and cook for 2 ¾ hours. Remove the
apples when they are tender with a slotted spoon. Pour the cooking liquid
over each serving.
Fancy Apple Brown Betty
You can try this as a breakfast as well as a dessert. The drying of the bread
can be days in advance.
Prep 25 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Serving Portions: 8-10
1 loaf French crustless bread cut or torn and fill loosely 5 packed cups
½ cup margarine
8 medium tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch thick cubes
2 Tbls grated lemon zest
3 Tbls fresh lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
1 ¼ tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp allspice
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup brandy or 2/3 cup apple cider
2 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 225*F.
Spread the bread pieces on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring
once and awhile, until the bread is dry but not browned about 40 minutes. Let
it cool.
Now heat the oven to 375*F (180*). Melt the margarine in a large pot over a
medium heat. Add the dried bread and cook, stirring occasional, until the
margarine is absorbed and some of the bread has turned golden about 5
minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl combine the apples with the lemon zest and juice. In a small
bowl, combine the sugar, and all the spices including the salt. Add the sugar
mixture the apples and mix.
Add the rum with 1/3 cup of water and the vanilla. If using apple cider just
add the cider to the vanilla.
Spread 1/3 of the bread on the bottom of a 9inch square-baking pan. Spread
½ the apple mixture over the bread and drizzle ½ of the rum mixture. Repeat
process and then end with the last 1/3 of the bread on top.

4. Bake until golden brown, the apples should be tender about 1 hour. During
the baking press the apples down to make sure it is bathed with the juices. Let
it cool before serving.
Tips: Types of apples:
Fuji – originally from Japan. They are super sweet and juicy. They have a
reddish peel with flecks of gold.
Ginger gold have a crisp white flesh that stays white long after it is cut,
making it good for salads
Golden – Sweet and yellow skin. They are also good for cooking or salads.
Granny Smiths – green, juicy and tart. Use them for everything..
Honey crisp – Crispy and sweet. They are ideal for snacks and salads as well
as baking.
Jonathan – Crispy and tart. Good for cooking and sautéing.
McIntosh – they start out tart and yellow in the beginning of the season and
then turn sweet and red. Great fresh for snacks and cooked for applesauce
not for baked whole.
Red Delicious – Large and juicy. They are great as a snack but not so great
for cooking.
Rome – are good for sauce, baking and cider.