It's Apple Time

Last weekend we picked the last of the apples at my husband's family cabin. We usually make apple juice, but the crop was small this year. I still don't want to waste any apples, so yesterday I made 6 apple pies!! I used Granny Smith apples and my apple peeler (I wouldn't make anything without it!) I got it at the Kitchen Store in our local outlet center. It peels, cores, and slices apples. I also use it when I can pears. I always make the apple pies ahead of the holidays because that's when the apples are fresh. I read a very old cookbook for advice on freezing the pies. First I put the crust in the pie pan (I buy the crust in the cookie dough section of the store. It tastes just fine and I don't like to make crust! Right now there is a coupon for $1 off if you buy 2. This makes them less than $2 a box - 2 crusts - at Food Maxx) then I use my fingers to spread a very thin layer of soft butter onthe crust. I slice about 6-8 cups of peeled apples and add 1-2 cups of sugar depending on how tart you want the pie. I also add 1 tablespoon of flour, and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. When you stir the apple mixture up, pure heaven happens. It makes a wonderful, thick juice that you must be sure to get all of into the pie crust! I then pour the apples into the pie crust, sprinkle with another tablespoon of flour and a couple of small chunks of butter and then plop the other crust on top. Then I pinch the edges together. I don't do it very fancy! I then use tiny cookie cutters to cut out a shape from the top crust. This year I used an apple, last year a leaf. If you don't want to do that, just cut some small slits into the crust. Next, I wrap the pies with saran wrap very well so no air at all can get in. I place the pies in my freezer with nothing on top of them. The next day, I get the HUGE ziplock bags and put 2 pies in each bag stacked on top of eachother. Since they are frozen solid, they won't be damaged. When you are ready to bake the pie, take it out of the freezer and unthaw it first. Bake for about an hour at 350. It's very important to put something under the pie when cooking or it may bubble over all over your oven! I have a special tray to put under pies, but a cookie sheet works just fine too.
Now what about the rest of the apples? Apple sauce to go with the pork loin that Raley's has on sale this week! Apple sauce is easier than you think. Just peel  and slice some apples - any kind will do - and put them in a sauce pan with some sugar and cinnamon and a little water. Be sure to taste along the way to get the sauce as sweet or tart as you'd like. Bring to a boil and then turn down heat. Simmer until the apples are tender. Now you have to decide if you want chunky applesause or smooth applesause. If you want chunky, just wait for the apples to be soft and use a hand potato masher to smash the apple mixture up. If you want smooth, you will need to use a handheld milkshake maker or a food processor. My family likes both so I do half chunky and half smooth. You can serve this applesauce cold or warm!
Enough about apples, let's get to more dinners. With the pork loin, roasted potatoes is always good. You can make your pork on the grill or  in the oven, just season it with salt, pepper and fresh rosemary and thyme for a great taste. A meat thermometer is a good idea here also.
I will make manicotti this week - something my daughter will eat! Just buy the pasta and 2 jars of sauce. You will need ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesean cheeses, and eggs also. First get your water boiling for the pasta. Cook it for about 12 minutes then drain and rinse with cold water so you can touch touch them. In one bowl combine 2 eggs (put them in the bowl first and whip them with a fork), container of ricotta cheese, half a cup of parmesean (shredded), and 2 cups of mozzarella. Mix it all together. Use a small spoon to put the cheese mixture into the manicotti tubes and put the stuffed tubes into a baking dish that you have spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom first. After all of the tubes are stuffed, cover them with sauce. It will take more than one jar, but not quite two - save the rest of the sauce for another dinner this week. Cover the dish with mozzarella cheese and then cover with foil that you have sprayed Pam on. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 then uncover and bake another 10. It should be bubbly and all of the cheese melted.
Later in the week, make meatball sandwiches with the rest of the sauce. I buy shredded mozarella cheese at Costco so I always  have it on hand. When I get it home I split it up into 4 large ziplock bags and throw it them in the freezer. I also keep Costco meatballs handy in the freezer. Just thaw out and heat the meatballs in the microwave, put some on a sandwich roll, cover with sauce and cheese and you've got dinner!
Last week we had leftover sandwich night. The best creation was super delicious. We had venison steaks and sauted mushrooms leftover so we grilled sandwich rolls with butter in the oven, cut up the steak  and heated it, sauted some sliced onions in butter, then added mushrooms. We put the steak on the grilled rolls and topped it off with provalone cheese and put it in the oven on broil for a couple of minutes. Then we topped it off with onions and mushrooms. it was so good that we didn't need anythng else!