September = Apples

I grew up in Northwestern Missouri (and Michigan, but that's beside the point).  I graduated from Liberty High School.  Fall meant leaves turning, the beginning of school and football, and harvest.  Harvest what?  Apples!  We would go to apple orchards and pick our own apples, getting up on ladders in the trees and filling wooden baskets as full as we could.  We would eat the apples, make and can applesauce, pie fillings and bake! 

Liberty, like many Missouri towns, held a Fall Festival every year.  This was held, not only on the town square, but it was so large that the booths were spread all over town.  Our ward would have several booths, one for the missionaries to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, a priesthood booth where the men would hand out Family Home Evening manuals, and a Relief Society booth where we had examples and a sign-up sheets for women in the community to attend what was then called Homemaking Meeting.  All of the sisters would bake giant Ranger Cookies and sell them in a fourth booth in front of the United Supers on Hwy. 291. Our booths were extremely popular!   Most all of the local churches did the same kinds of things.  There was a feeling of comraderie and togetherness - neighborliness.  How I miss those days!

My sister and her family still takes part in the Liberty Fall Festival every year.  I promise myself annually that I am going to go up there and attend the parades and walk from booth to booth to sample/purchase wares and foods. Someday I will make good on that promise.

The point of my sharing these fond memories, besides sharing a special time in my life, are the APPLES.  Apples will be the subject of my recipes for at least this week and possibly next week.  Towards the end of the month I will add pumpkins in there, as there are also many fond memories of taking the kids to the real pumpkin patches, where the pumpkins were grown and sold along with apple cider, apple doughnuts, pumpkin doughnuts, fresh produce (harvest) and canned jams, pie fillings, pies and such.  The owners of these pumpkin patches and apple orchards had barns full of these items.  It wasn't necessarily the purchase of the fruit/veggies/homemade products, but the experiences created for the children and family.

I will begin with something savory then move on to the expected apple recipes - the sweets.

Cinnamon Apple Pork Loin With Almond Green Beans

Lean Pork Loin, 3-5 pounds, sliced into 1" thick slices

(or you can buy boneless pork chops, but it's usually more cost effective to buy the pork loin and cut it yourself)

Marinade:

   1 cup apple juice or apple cider

   1/4 cup olive oil

   1/2 tsp. salt

   1/4 tsp. pepper

   Pinch ground ginger

   Sprig of fresh rosemary

Combine above ingredients in a gallon size baggie. Add pork loin and zip lock top, once removing the air.  Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours or overnight.

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

1/3cup brown sugar  (Diabetics can use Splenda brown sugar or other sweetners as you deem appropriate)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Pinch salt

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 cup apple cider (preferred) or apple juice

4 medium, tart apples, such as granny smith, peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Heat 2 T. olive oil in large hot skillet over medium high heat.  Remove pork loin pieces, discarding marinade, and placing in skillet. Brown each side then place in oiled (PAM) baking dish.  Place in 300*F oven until centers are 145*.  Remove from oven and let stand, covered for 10 minutes.

While pork loin is baking, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cornstarch.  In same skillet, over medium heat, melt butter.  Add apple slices and saute for 3-4 minutes.  Remove apples then add cider and dried ingredients, stirring until thickened. (If too thick, add a little more cider.)  Add apples back into sauce and stir in cranberries.

Once pork loin has been removed from oven, pour cinnamon apple sauce over, cover and let set 10 minutes before serving.  Serve over a rice pilaf if desired.

For the Almond Green Beans:

2 lbs. fresh green beans

1/4 cup minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

1/4 cup sliced, toasted almonds  (toast in shallow pan in 350*F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly toasted and fragrant)

In heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until translucent.  Add garlic and saute another minute, without allowing the garlic to brown and become bitter.

Cook green beans in 1" boiling water for 5 minutes.  Drain then add to skillet with onion and garlic.  Add butter, salt and pepper to taste, and almonds.  Toss to combine then place in serving dish.

...Happy Dinner-Making!!!