International Eat An Apple Day

International Eat An Apple day is today September the 19th. It happens annually on the third Saturday in September. When I was growing up eating an apple a day was very easy to do, it was something that we did not have to set a goal for but because there are so many tasty recipes to make with apples, let alone eating them raw my parents would visit the apple orchard annually and we would enjoy the bounty for months to come.

A scene like the above was common place when we grew up. Our family would normally bring home a bushel or two of apples and those giant red bags would be full as well. Cider was the one thing we never forgot either. You know the old saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away. I am not sure about that but I can say that we had plenty of apples to keep the doctor away.

One of our favorite apple recipes is

Crockpot Chunky Applesauce

Chunky Apple Sauce

first published 9/3/2009

•10 to 12 large cooking apples, peeled, cored, and cut in chunks
•1/2 cup water
•1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•3/4 to 1 cup granulated sugar

Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Serve warm, if desired.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

3 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
1 celery stalk
1 apple
salt and black pepper

1.Heat oven to 400° F.
2.Prick the potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and roast until tender, 40 to 45 minutes.
3.Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
4.Halve the potatoes, scoop out the flesh, and add to the saucepan. Add 6 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes.
5.Puree the soup in the saucepan using a handheld immersion blender (or, working in batches, a standard blender). Add water, if necessary, to reach the desired consistency.