Apple Butter

Before we turn into all things pumpkin for October, we have to give apples their spotlight.  Many people are starting to take advantage of the fall harvest, venturing to the apple orchards for apple picking.  However, what should we do with all those bushels of apples?  We can't let them go to waste because, there are at least 34 science-backed health benefits of apples. Make Apple Butter! This recipe for homemade apple butter only requires a slow cooker.  It'll yield enough butter to freeze for months and has been a family favorite for … [Read more...]

Apple Butter

I always loved going apple picking with my kids when they were toddlers.  It was a fall activity we wouldn't miss once the bathing suits were packed away and the routine of school finally kicked in. However, now that my kids are older, our weekends are jam-packed with sports and other social activities.  Sadly, for me, apply picking and pumpkin picking have moved away from the trees at the orchards and have moved to the farm stands dotting the New York City streets. But, I'm always happy when I get freshly-picked apples direct from the … [Read more...]

Fall Harvest Recipes

What do you do when you get back home from an afternoon of apple picking , open the doors to your apartment (or house) and realize that between the pounds of apples picked and sheer girth of the pumpkins you've purchased, you’ve got no counter space left in your kitchen? Sure, you get a rush when you’re actually selecting and picking the apples in the beautifully vast orchard  blanketed with crystal blue skies. However, when you’ve got the filled bags sitting in your kitchen, it’s a little overwhelming. Hoping to put a serious dent in my … [Read more...]

Apple Butter

  Yesterday would have been Mom’s 70th birthday. While I’ve tried so desperately to celebrate her life through her culinary legacy, it’s inevitable: her absence is always felt.  Every day. For the past four years. This weekend, I kept myself busier than usual so I wouldn’t focus on this unwelcomed anniversary. I celebrated fall with my family.  We pumpkin picked.  We painted pumpkins. We carved pumpkins. We made pumpkin seeds. We apple picked. And now, I’m back in my city apartment, staring down 20 pounds of apples and two … [Read more...]