Taste of Fall - Apples

The cooler weather brings a whole new menu to the table. Apples are a favorite all year round, but we especially think of them in fall. Americans eat, on the average, about 65 apples a year, and the red and yellow Delicious apples are the most popular. Those are followed by Gala, Fuji, and Granny Smith. There are over 2500 varieties of apples grown in the U.S., and 100 varieties are grown commercially. No wonder its hard to make a choice in the grocery store!

Apples are not only good, they are good for us. One medium apple only has 80 calories and is high in fiber - 5 grams. Last year (before the drought), we had a good apple crop in Kansas. Several of my friends had extra apples to give away and with some of those I made Apple Butter. This is much preferred in our family over the purchased choices and easy to make in the microwave oven. I freeze it in half-pint plastic freezer containers and we enjoy it for months later.

Microwave Apple Butter (makes about 4 cups)
8 cooking apples, cored and quartered
1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup (or less) sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
Wash apples and cut into four pieces and core. Combine with cider in a two-quart glass bowl; cover. MW on high for 6 minutes, stirring twice during cooking. Place apples in a blender and process until smooth and return to glass bowl.
Stir in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. MW uncovered on high for 10 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze in small containers.

Earlier this fall, Southern Living magazine had a delicious looking Apple bundt cake on the cover. I made it and it was just as delicious as it looked! So much in fact, that it was eaten before I got a photo, so the picture here is from the September issue of Southern Living, who also gets the credit for the recipe.

Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

CREAM CHEESE FILLING:

• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• APPLE CAKE BATTER:
• 1 cup finely chopped pecans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 1 1/2 lb.)
• PRALINE FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

1. Prepare Filling: Beat first 3 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended and smooth. Add egg, flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended.

2. Prepare Batter: Preheat oven to 350º. Bake pecans in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. Stir together 3 cups flour and next 7 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in eggs and next 3 ingredients, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in apples and pecans.

3. Spoon two-thirds of apple mixture into a greased and floured 14-cup Bundt pan. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over apple mixture, leaving a 1-inch border around edges of pan. Swirl filling through apple mixture using a paring knife. Spoon remaining apple mixture over Cream Cheese Filling.

4. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 2 hours).

5. Prepare Frosting: Bring 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 3 Tbsp. milk to a boil in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth; stir gently 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture begins to cool and thickens slightly. Pour immediately over cooled cake.

German Beef Rolls

One of the things we liked about the food on our cruise through Germany was that there was a lot of beef served. However, when COOL (county of origin label) was told, it was Argentina. One of my favorites was the beef rolls, and I knew if it was good with Argentina beef, it would be great with Kansas beef! A recipe search and a few modifications, and this is a keeper. I even served mashed potatoes and gravy with it, guaranteeing it's success!

I used minute (or round) steaks that I have our processor cut into thin slices and tenderize. I like this cut for stir-fry, stroganoff, and many recipes that one might use 'chicken fingers' for. You could also use slices of roast, freeze slightly so it can be sliced thin. I also changed the traditional preparation to use pickle relish instead of a whole pickle spear. I always have pickle relish on hand, useful for deviled eggs, potato salad, as well as hamburgers.

Here is my adaptation of the recipe:

GERMAN BEEF ROLLS STUFFED WITH BACON & VEGETABLES

2 lb. minute steak (1 package)

3-4 slices bacon

½ onion

carrots

pickle relish

sweet-hot mustard

2 Tablespoons butter

½ red wine (or water)

2 ½ cups beef broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel carrots and cut into strips about 2 – 2 ½ inches long. Cut onion in half and slice vertically to make strips about 2 inches long.

Lay meat flat and cover with plastic wrap. Pound to make each section flatter and larger. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Spread mustard thinly on each piece. Add pickle relish, carrot strips and onion to each, arranging in a line across the length of the beef.

Roll the beef up crosswise as tightly as possible. It helps to secure it with toothpicks as you roll it and tuck the ends in. Use butcher’s string to tie at 1-inch intervals to make a long log shape. Set remaining carrots and onion aside.

Heat half of the butter in a large cast iron skillet or heavy skillet or pan over high heat. Brown half the meat bundles on all sides and set the rolls aside. Add the rest of the butter and brown the other half, set aside. Transfer rolls to an ovenproof heavy roasting pan. Add left over carrot and onion to the pan and sauté until the onion is golden, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Pour in the wine (or ½ cup beef broth). Stir the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits and incorporate them into the sauce. Add onion, carrot and wine sauce to the beef rolls. Add rest of liquids to cover beef rolls.

Braise (uncovered ) for 1 ½ - 2 hours or until the meat is tender but not falling apart. Carefully lift the rolls out of the dish and keep warm.

Prepare the gravy by straining the cooking liquid and discarding the solids. Measure 1 cup of cooking broth and add ¼ cup flour to it and whisk vigorously.  Put the rest of the cooking liquid into a pan and bring to a simmering boil, you should have about 2 cups, or cook to reduce until it measures about 2 cups. Carefully pour the flour/broth mixture into the sauce and let cook for 5 – 10 minutes to make gravy.

Remove strings from beef rolls and slice horizontally into serving pieces. Serve with a drizzle of gravy.  Mashed potatoes with parsley and peas go well with this meal.

Garnished!

We recently took a European River Cruise - the best of cruising and touring in my opinion. Of course, one of the special things about a cruise is the food. Our 5-star ship did not disappoint! Although on this smaller ship food choices were not as extensive as a large ship where several buffets and different types of restaurants are offered besides the dining room, what was served in the dining room was fantastic.

The presentations of the plated meals that were served for each dinner and many lunches were works of art. Many were enhanced with garnishes. Wikipedia says garnishes are "an item or substance used as a decoration or embellishment and often a flavor to compliment the food or drink". Garnishes make the food more visually appealing and may enhance the color or taste (although many garnishes are not eaten).

Garnishes don't have to be elaborate, or do we need to be a 5-star chef to use them. Many are simple, such as a stream of sauce swirled on the plate under a piece of cake, a sprig of herb atop the vegetable, or mint leaves  tucked into the edge of the food. Citrus strips can be curled or knotted, citrus slices add color and flavor to beverages. Vegetable (carrots, cucumbers or zucchini) strips can be curled, and don't forget radish 'fans'. Bell peppers are colorful additions of red, green or yellow and can be cut into small shapes with tiny cutters or freehanded. Chocolate is always a tasty addition. Make chocolate curls from a chilled bar of chocolate with a vegetable peeler, dip fruits in melted chocolate or add chocolate shapes that are piped or molded.

Here are pictures of some of the lovely garnished foods we were served, and they were delicious too!

Lemon white wine cream with merenque and berries.
Notice the mint leaves, browned meringue and accents of berries. 

Fried Trout on warm German potatoe salad with sauce remoulade.
Interesting how they placed the trout on top of the potato salad, this was done in several presentations-meat of the entree on the vegetable, easy to eat 'European style' (fork in left hand, knife in right  hand). 

Shrimps cocktail with iceberg letture.
Plus a sprig of rosemary(?), cherry tomato, and endive leaf. 

Creme caramel and almond panna cotta with fresh fruits.
The swirl of strawberry sauce under the dessert would be easy to do, it really adds to the presentation on the white plate. 

Melted chocolate cake with almond panna cotta and fresh fruits.
The use of small serving bowls is becoming popular for 'sample' size servings of several foods. Molten chocolate cake is a cruise ship speciality! I've found a good recipe - topic for another blog! Isn't the fork outline with dusted cocoa cute? 

Whole marinated roastbeef, with green beans, stuffed potato and Marsala sauce.
See the meat on top of the vegetables again? I tried the sprig of rosemary in stuffed potatoes with my family this weekend - you don't want to hear the comments!