It’s Apple picking season on Long Island. For some of us fortunate Smithtown residents, we can simply walk outside and pick our favorite apples from our own trees, while other families head East to enjoy a day out at the farms. While we love the family memories of picking apples together, most of us are stuck with barrels of apples with no clue what to do with. Luckily, there are a few healthy and easy ways to keep the first fruit from going to waste and they are fun and safe for the kids to help make! So break out the aprons and the Crockpots and get ready for fast fun and healthy apple recipes fit for gift giving or enjoying at home!
Baked Apple Chips
Preheat the oven to 200F. Cover cookie sheets with wax/parchment paper or silicone mats, if you have them. This will keep the apples from burning. Next wash and dry apples. If you want to remove the core, do so prior to slicing the apples. Use a mandolin to slice paper-thin slices of apples. If you do not have a mandolin, try using a cheese slicer or a very sharp knife. Next, sprinkle generous amounts of ground cinnamon and granulated sugar over the apple slices. Lay the slices evenly on cookie sheets. Bake at 200F degrees for two to three hours, flipping over halfway through baking time. Tip: After the chips have baked to a golden brown crisp, shut the oven off and allow the apple chips to remain in the oven while it cools down. This will dry out any leftover moisture in the apple slices, guaranteeing crispy chips.
Savory Apple Chutney
Core and chop three to four granny smith apples or a similar tart apple. Add half a cup of diced white onion, a tablespoon of minced fresh ginger root, 1/3 cup of cider vinegar, 1/2 cup of orange juice, a tablespoon of whole grain mustard and the chopped apples to a large saucepan. Bring ingredients to a boil, stirring well. Reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring every few minutes for 40-45 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, adding a pinch of salt and pepper flakes along with 3/4 cup of currants and mix well. Once the chutney has cooled, store in small mason jars for gifts or one large jar for the family to enjoy.
Crockpot Apple Butter
Core and chop up six to eight apples of your choice and place into the slow cooker/Crockpot. Add 1 tablespoon cinnamon, a quarter cup each of granulated sugar, brown sugar and water to the apples and give it a gentle stir. Set the slow cooker to low and let it cook for 4 ½ hours. At the halfway point, check to see if the apples need more water. You want to keep the apples from drying out but not drowning in water. After 4 ½ hours in the slow cooker, run the apples through a blender and puree until smooth. Add the puree back into the slow cooker and heat on medium for an additional hour or until the apple puree has concentrated down to a thick golden brown spread. Check on the apples every 20 minutes or so, removing from heat once the color has turned into a rich dark brown spread.
Slow Cooker Apple Sauce
Core and chop up 10-15 apples of your choice and place into the slow cooker/Crockpot. Add enough water to coat the bottom of the cooker. Set the slow cooker to low and let it cook for 4 hours. Check on the apples and stir every half hour. The apples will begin to soften into a chunky sauce consistency throughout the 4 hours. Once they’ve cooked down to the thickness you desire, add a few tablespoons of cinnamon and stir. Remove from heat and store in Mason Jars or similar canning glass.