Yummy Apple Recipes
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
Apples: they're America's fruit, and they're great any time of the year. Here are some great things you can do with apples, and they're not all edible! Try making Applesauce Pomanders after your apple harvest, or on a cold winter's day when the kids are bored. They're easy and fun, and you can enjoy the mulled cider afterwards!
Spicy Mulled Cider
- 1 gallon apple cider
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. whole cloves
- 2 large cinnamon sticks, broken
Try to get apple cider with no preservatives. Mix all the ingredients together in a large kettle or pot, and boil for 5-8 minutes. Strain and serve hot. You may refrigerate the mixture and reheat it. Serve hot with additional cinnamon sticks broken into individual stirrers, and placed in cups. If you're having a party, keep the mixture at just the right temperature in your slow cooker.
Applesauce Pomanders
Usually, pomanders are made of oranges with a hefty amount of whole cloves stuck into the skin all around the orange. They smell great, and will last for months in your closet or drawer. However, pomanders don't have to be orange, you can make some sweet-smelling apple pomanders too.
Add a teaspoon or two cinnamon to 1/2 cup of applesauce until it forms a stiff, doughy mixture. Keep adding cinnamon until it is stiff enough. You can also add a variety of ground cloves, nutmeg, and ginger if you prefer a mixture of spicy scents. Roll the mixture into small balls, and let dry for at least a week. You can leave them on a kitchen counter or anywhere it isn't too moist. They are ready to hang when they shrink slightly, and you can store them in an airtight container with no condensing moisture.
After they are fully dry, you can wrap them in fabric, tie with a ribbon, and hang. They smell wonderful – just like fall! Don't try to eat them, but you can give them as gifts, hang them around the house for a spicy scent, or place them in closets or drawers. Just make sure they are fully dry before you decorate and hang.
