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Acres of Apples, Frugal to the
Core
by Jill Cooper
I’ve always dreamed of having an apple tree in my back yard. You know
the old saying, “be careful what you wish for?” Now that I actually have
my own apple tree, I stand in my yard watching the apples piling up
around me thinking, “Oh no -- What do I do with this mess now?!” If I
could make gasoline out of apples, I could retire, but since that is not
an option and my frugal mind will not allow me to waste one apple, I
have had to come up with some yummier “apple disposal” methods. If you
find that you have a few dozen more apples than you know what to do
with, these recipes from
LivingOnADime.com will help settle your frugal dilemma.
Apple Butter
9 to 10 apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. salt
Place everything into a crock-pot. Stir, cover and cook on high 1 hour.
Cook on low for 9‑11 hours or until thick and dark brown. Stir
occasionally. Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. Stir with whisk
until smooth. Refrigerate or Freeze. Makes 2 pints.
Apple Pie Filling
9 cups baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
5 cups water
2 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside. Combine the rest of the
ingredients in Dutch oven and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring
constantly. Add apples and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer
until apples are tender (6-10 minutes). Cool for 30 minutes. Then ladle
into freezer containers or bake immediately. Makes two 9-inch pies.
Fried Apples
4 large apples, cored and sliced
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Cut apples into 1/4 inch slices. Heat butter in a large skillet. Put the
apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the skillet and cover. Over
medium-low heat, cook apple slices 7-10 minutes or until they begin to
soften and the syrup thickens. Serve coated with excess syrup on top.
Serves 4.
Baked Apples
apples, cored
raisins (optional)
1 tsp. margarine
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
(These amounts are per apple.)
For each person use 1 apple. Fill the center of the apple with all the
ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees until tender or put in a Dutch oven on
top of stove and simmer on very low until tender.
Apple Snack
2 qts. apples, peeled, cored and halved
Coarsely grate apples. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 225
degrees until dry. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces. Store
in an airtight container.
Apple Crisp
6 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon and/or nutmeg
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange apples in well-greased baking dish.
Blend all remaining ingredients except water. Spread evenly over top of
apples. Pour water over the topping. Bake 45 minutes until apples are
tender and top is crisp. Serves 6.
Peach Crisp
Use peaches in place of apples.
Tip: When you have a partially eaten apple, save the good part and chop
into pieces. Place in a microwave‑safe dish. Blend together 1 tsp. each
brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and margarine and a dash of cinnamon. Top
the apple with the topping and microwave until tender.
About the author
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after
becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the inspiration
behind her daughter Tawra's frugal cookbook Not Just Beans: 50 Years of
Frugal Family Favorites. To read more of Jill's articles and for free
tips and recipes visit
www.LivingOnADime.com
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