Canning Cookbook- Caramel Apple Pie Filling

It's officially apple season in Iowa. All over the state families pack up the kids and head to the many apple orchards that are sprinkled around the countryside. Breezy cool fall days are the perfect time to grab a pole picker and head out to the orchard to pick your own apples, or stroll through the pumpkin patches that often accompany the apple trees. Grab some apple cider donuts or gourmet caramel apples and fudge, some hot spiced cider and celebrate fall!

Sherry Chapin Block picked this bounty

Not too far from where I live is Burr Oak Farms. Located near Winterset in Madison County, Iowa, Burr Oak is the kind of place I'd love to have all my own. They are a very young orchard, so while they do have 55 varieties of apples, as well as other fruit trees, they do have limited quantities at times. The apples they grow include a number of heirloom or antique varieties, including Grimes Golden, Newtown Pippen, Delicious, Arkansas Black, Empire, Early Harvest, Cameo, Gala and Honeycrisp. They also have yellow and white peaches such as Indian Cling, Alberta and Bell of Georgia, Bartlett and Keifer pears, plums, nectarines, apricots, sweet and sour cherries and blackberries.

Burr Oak Farms is open from June to mid-November.

Over the years my family has spent a lot of time at Center Grove Orchard. When we first started going there, it was little more than a very sparsely stocked store, a pumpkin patch and some apple trees. NOW it's a full-on family adventure spot with all kinds of animals, activities, a corn maze, hay rack rides, lots of great food options and of course, the orchard shop with apples, pies, freshly made treats like caramel apples, fudge and apple cider donuts. 

2015 is a great year for apples- the trees are loaded!

We love to go for the apples, but the grand kiddos love the animals, the corn pool, the Three Little Pigs' houses, the jumping pillow, giant slide- there is so much to do now.

Of course the apples are still fantastic. There are all kinds of varieties, for fresh eating and cooking/baking. The orchard currently has Paula Red, Gala, McIntosh, Cortland, Honeygold, Empire, Golden Supreme, Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, Jonagold, Idared, Lysgolden, Mutsu, Chieftain, Honeycrisp, and Granny Smith. Don't forget the pumpkins and all kinds of cute gourds for fall decorating. 

Center Grove Orchard is located near Cambridge, Iowa, in Story County. Just east of Interstate 35, it's easy to find and has lots of parking. They are open starting Labor Day weekend through Christmas.

North of The Little Lake House, in Greene County, is Deal's Orchard, near Jefferson. Like many other apple orchards, they have loads of family activities, a petting zoo, and a fantastic orchard shop with all kinds of delicious Iowa food products, apple items like pies, apple butter, and they even make their own cider and hard cider!

In the autumn I love visiting Deal's Orchard because they also have a fantastic selection of winter squash and pumpkins. As a home canner I love stocking up on winter squash such as butternut and Hubbard, and pie pumpkins. You just can't beat fresh squash for making amazing pies, and Deal's is always ready to give you a great price. 

I see a pie or six in my future.

Sometimes I really like a little road trip. Doesn't have to be a long drive, no need for a hotel. Hop in the car, and head over a couple counties to check out Three Bee Farms. Just off Highway 92 in Pottawattamie County, in Griswold, Three Bee Farms is not just an orchard it's a honey producing farm with honey bee educational programs and an observation hive.

The store at the farm features all kinds of honey and beeswax products and candles and all my farm store favorites- fresh produce, autumn produce like pumpkins, gourds and squash, apples, popcorn and more. Like many other orchard/farm destinations there is something for everyone in the family and offers group tours and activities.

In the Apple House Store you can choose from pre-picked apples including Lodi, Summer Treat, Zestar, Paula Red, Earliblaze, Lura Red, Gala, Early Jonathan, Jonafree, Jonathan, Ozark Gold, Jonadel, McIntosh, Jonagold, Macoun, Harelson, Grimes Golden, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Cheiftain, Secor, Edgewood, Arkansas Black and Idared, or you can head out into the orchard and pick your own. They also have raspberries, cherries and pears.

Cindy Davis' pie filling.

With this abundance of beautiful apples it can be hard to decide what to make with them. Apple pie is a given, and so is German Apple Cake- one of my family's favorite desserts. We are also big big fans of crunchy oaty apple crisp, topped with lightly sweetened whipped cream- so decadent and so appropriate for autumn. I mentioned apple pie and naturally, when looking for ways to can apples and preserve this taste of fall for the cold winter season, a lot of home canners look to pie filling. While I am not typically a pie filling fan, preferring instead to make pies with freshly sliced fruit, tossed with sugar and spices and piled in a flaky crust, having pie filling on hand makes super quick desserts. You can use it not only to make pies but as a topping for cheesecakes or ice cream, or a filling for crepes and other desserts. 

When you really want to be decadent, you add a little booze, right? My version of pie filling contains a little hint of rum with the spices and brown sugar to give it a caramelly delicious flavor that's so much better than the stuff in a can. The extra kick of rum also turns your apple pie and apple crisp into something really special- after spreading the fruit filling in your pastry shell or baking pan sprinkle it with cubes of cold butter before topping with pastry or the crumb topping for a Butter Rum Apple Pie or Apple Crisp that will be a new favorite for your family too. You can substitute rum extract instead of the booze if you prefer.

Pie filling made by Patty McDaniel Reyling

One more note- this canning recipe uses a product called ClearJel or Permaflo. You can find this modified starch at Amish markets or online at Amazon. DO NOT substitute cornstarch or other conventional thickener in a canning recipe. If you can't find it, you can also can the filling unthickened and use cornstarch to thicken immediately before using it.

Apple Pie Filling with Rum

25 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples 
10 cups apple juice
5 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/4 cups lemon juice
1 3/4 cups ClearJel
1/2 cup rum

Peel, core and slice the apples, adding to a large bowl of water with lemon juice added to prevent browning. When all apples are ready bring a large pot of water to boil. Add batches of apple slices and poach for about 1-2 minutes; remove with slotted spoon to large pan. Cover and keep warm.

In large stockpot whisk together the apple juice, sugar, spices, and ClearJel. Heat until thick, whisking often to prevent lumps. Whisk in the lemon juice and rum. Fold in the apple slices. 

Always adjust your processing time for your altitude

Ladle the hot filling into hot quart canning jars. Remove air bubbles, wipe rim and fix lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 25 minutes. Allow jars to cool 12 to 24 hours before removing rings and checking seals.

A final note about apples- make sure you choose an apple variety that is suitable for baking, like Granny Smith or Braeburn. Most fresh eating apples will break apart during cooking and processing and don't work well in pies or pie fillings. 

Now that you've got the pie filling tucked away on the shelf, you have some delicious homemade desserts on hand in minutes. Just pop the top off a jar of your own homemade, and boozy, apple pie filling and use your imagination.

NOTE: This recipe has been adapted from a recipe shared on www.foodpreserving.com. For more home canning information including complete canning directions and hints, visit the NCHFP website.

Country Life: Greene County Iowa Part 1

Here is another installment from the west central Iowa tourism project blog I worked on a couple of years ago. In this post we are visiting Greene County, Iowa, on a cold and windy autumn day.

Let's face it, some counties are just too big and have too many places we could spend all day visiting- we can't get it done !! Jefferson proved to be just that. After a quick stop at the Chamber of Commerce office, we were joined by Barb Watson as our official tour guide. 

It truly is all about who you know. The Mahany Bell Tower is normally closed BUT..........Barb has the key so...... it's all about who you know !! The bell tower is located on the Jefferson town square and is  a fourteen-story carillon. 

Don't look down !!

The structure is built of glass and ceramic cement. After taking a ride on a glass elevator to the 120-foot high observation deck, visitors can view the city and its surrounding countryside. 

The windows on each side tell you what towns are in the background. The fourteen cast bells chime the time of day every 15 minutes; concerts are also offered daily at 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 5:00 p.m.

After exploring the bell tower we made our way over to RVP~1875. We could have spent all day here. Angie and Robby Pedersen have built a furniture/performance dynasty in their fantastic building. The front is a showroom highlighting most of the pieces built by hand by Robby.

Robby is known for his 1875 lifestyle, dressing in period clothing and using only tools and techniques that were used at that time. No power tools, no glue, only antique tools and construction techniques are used.

In addition to the furniture they build, they also house an artists' colony within the building. Artisans from all over the country, sculptors, tinsmiths, textile artists, and many more have booths in the colony.

Also in their building is a theater, in which the Pedersens and others perform plays, musicals, concerts, and so on. The theater stage is multi-level and the mezzanine floor above is also used in some performances. They plan to add balcony seating as well.

If you're lucky, and you probably will be, you might find Jackson wandering about the workshop. Jackson is the family's cat who loves spending time among the wood shavings doing all sorts of cat things.

Even though it was hard to tear ourselves away, we knew we had other places to visit so we headed to the Deal Apple Orchard. 

They are preparing for their upcoming fall festival and had huge piles of pumpkins and gourds everywhere. 

Scarecrows and metal yard sculptures are scattered about. 

The orchard's shop offers a wide variety of decorating and gift ideas, several types of apples, pies, cider and much much more.

The apples !!!!  They have several varieties in the orchard, it's so hard to make a choice.

Outdoors there are loads of activities for the whole family, games, a jumping pillow, animals and an apple slingshot. Plus the pumpkin patch, and farm cats everywhere. What a great way to spend a fall afternoon !

We got to peek inside the pressing room, and on the day we visited
they were pressing apples to brew up some hard cider

We were unable to visit the vineyard today but we did head over to Country Blessings, a cute little store just off the highway to the north of Jefferson. Antiques and cute fall and holiday decor fills the shop.

We finished off our visit to Jefferson with a stop at Angie's Tea Garden.

This quaint little spot offers lunch and catering and other tempting treats. Today the cheesecake of the day was caramel apple and the cappuccino flavor was pumpkin spice. Sooooooo delicious !!  You should never make a trip to Jefferson without stopping here.

There will definitely be a Greene County, Part Two, as we just didn't get to see all the sights we had planned, so stay tuned !! 

Easy Apple Galette- with a few cheats

Who doesn't love pie? The quintessential midwestern dessert, pie has fans of all ages. And what variety! Cool, creamy fillings, fluffy whipped fillings, custardy and spicy, fruity and delicious, all snuggled into a flaky pastry crust that shatters when you break it with your fork. I want some right now in fact!

Several years ago I came across a unique way to make pies. At first I thought it was the height of gourmet baking and expert pastry work but really, it's just a very attractive and super easy way to cheat and get pie on the table with minimal work and no special pans. Some call them galettes, others call them crostatas, but they really are a free-form rustic way to form a pie with your delicious filling piled in there. The pastry gets just as crisp and delicious and these must be pies that have a fruit filling- custards and cream fillings are a no go.

This particular combination is very very French, and as you know, everything French makes Monica very happy! Tart and sweet apples, crunchy walnuts, a gooey caramel-like sauciness, a pop of French Cognac and a very special surprise- dates! Anyway, to make this really pretty dessert you need to get your pastry ready first. Each galette uses a recipe of pastry for a single crust pie, so we will make that ahead and get it chilling. Please use BUTTER for the crust or if you must substitute- use vegetable shortening. Don't use margarine, it contains water and makes a dense crust, not a flaky crust.

Single crust pastry

1 stick butter (COLD!!!) 

1 1/3 cup flour, plus more

1 tablespoon sugar

pinch of salt

4-6 tablespoons ice water

I make this in a food processor but you can use a pastry blender if you like. Pulse, or cut the butter into the combined flour, sugar and salt until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time just until the dough forms. Don't knead the dough! Remove from bowl, wrap tightly in plastic and chill about an hour.

Sometimes I like to add a pinch of cinnamon or other spice with the flour- it brings a little bit extra flavor to the pie. Nutmeg is a great choice. Now let's work on our filling.

Caramel Apple Date Galette

2 Granny Smith apples

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup cognac

1/4 cup caramel sauce

pitted dates- cut up and loosely packed to make 1/4 cup

1/4 cup broken walnuts

A quick note- dates can be very very sweet so if you pack them firmly you will find they overpower the apples and get cloyingly sweet. It should take between 4 and 6 dates, depending on their size, to make the amount needed. One more thing- they can be sticky. Very sticky. Sometimes it helps to start with a lightly oiled knife.

I only needed 4 dates for one galette, so I have plenty
left for snacking!

Peel and slice the apples. Chop the dates in small pieces. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter; add the apples. Cook and stir over medium heat until apples are slightly softened. Add the dates and sprinkle with cognac. Raise heat to medium high and cook off the excess liquid. Remove from heat, add the nuts and let cool about half an hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with silicone mat or spray with baking spray and set aside.

Roll the pastry out into a circle about 11 or 12 inches across. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. I cheated and used a store bought rolled pastry sheet- and it works just as well, so feel free to cheat a little.

Almost looks like Apple Bacon Something- but it's dates!

Pile the filling in the middle and spread it out a bit, leaving at least 2 inches uncovered edge. Then start folding the edge over towards the middle, tucking and pleating as you go, until the entire galette has been "edged". Drizzle with half the caramel sauce. Brush the pastry edge with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar if you like. 

I cheated and had a little trouble with my edge, but it was
still flaky and delicious and no one cared it was't perfect

Bake for about 40-50 minutes until pastry is deep golden and filling is bubbly. Pour the remaining caramel sauce over while the galette is still hot. Don't worry if a little of the juice leaks out. Allow pastry to cool for a while, and serve warm, drizzle with additional caramel sauce if you like and whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

This is truly delicious and super easy, and if you keep refrigerated pastry on hand and fruit- frozen, fresh or even canned- in the pantry, you can whip up a quick dessert that looks like you spent hours in the kitchen.

Autumn in the country

Leaves are like spring flowers. Shades of red, yellow, orange dot the landscape, rustle and whip around in the breeze. Dust from the corn harvest fills the air. The sound of combines off in the field create the soundtrack. Deer poke their heads out from the cover of the woods. Autumn has arrived in the country.

"Knee high by the Fourth of July"is now dry and brown and
ready to harvest. Summer is officially over.

The fall season is so different at the Little Lake House than it was living in the city. No crowds pack the stores trying to get a jump on holiday shopping. The holidays still seem so far away right now. There is work to be done for country people. It's harvest time, and the fields are busy with activity. Late into the night farmers drive combines and grain trailers back and forth. The wild blows stray corn husks all over the highways. Farmers markets are closing for the year, apple orchards and pumpkin patches are overflowing with visitors from the city. Here at the lake people are busy readying their homes for the winter. Stacks of firewood line the sides of sheds and garages of the full time residents. The weekenders are packing up their fun in the sun toys, loading up boats and four wheelers and closing up houses til spring. Most days the air is heavy with the warming smell of burning leaves and fire pits.

photo by Todd Leech

It's time for us to clear out the gardens, dump out potted plants and clear the deck- anything that shouldn't freeze needs to be put away. It's bittersweet. This is my favorite time of year, and I definitely am looking forward to the first snow of the winter, but I will miss the garden and fresh herbs and stepping out the door to grab a couple of fresh tomatoes for dinner. Vegetables are now packed away in glass jars, lining the shelves of the kitchen cabinets. Jars of dehydrated herbs and peppers are crowded onto the bookcase shelves. Almost 40 pounds of peppers make a lot! Only a handful of cold-hardy plants remain out there-some kale, a couple of herbs. Lots of amazing winter meals will come out of those jars- chili, roasts, apple pies, toast with homemade jam and apple butter.

Long, leisurely drives in the country often reveal real gems
like this old farmstead, long abandoned and left to decay.

Another year has gone by and I didn't collect any walnuts for picking over the winter. I always say I am going to but.......the squirrels outnumber me. Leaves don't need to be raked here, so The Chef and I let nature do what it does with leaves. Mostly I enjoy watching them blow in the breeze and the way they smell during a cool fall rain. I love that they get stuck in the corners of the deck- I love their pop of color against the worn wood of our rustic weathered wood deck. It's also time for pumpkins and winter squash and all those amazing "fall foods" we love so much. Wonderful smells that fill the house, roast turkeys and beef stew and apple and pumpkin desserts. All those things remind me of holidays when I was younger, when my children were younger, time spent with relatives.

Autumn is definitely my favorite time of year, a time of giving thanks, reflection over the year that's coming to a close, and getting prepared for the year to come. It won't be long and the first flakes of snow will begin to fall.......

Cleaning out the freezer cake

Remember last fall when we had bushels upon bushels of apples at the Little Lake House? Roasters full of apple butter simmered for days, and the cupboards quickly filled with jars of cinnamony apple goodness for toast, and many, many jars of applesauce. The dehydrator worked overtime drying apple chips for snacking, and a stack of ready-to-bake pies went into the freezer. But not only pies went in the freezer. Bags and bags of sliced apples, waiting for cakes, pies, jams and more still fill the freezer. I need to make room for fresh things from this season!

Apple cake has always been a favorite of mine. It's easy to mix up and get in the oven. No need to haul out the big Kitchenaid- you can mix this up with a whisk in a bowl. The bonus is, it's a great way to use up all those sliced apples in the freezer. It's homey, old-fashioned and reminds me of old church cookbook recipes.

I had canned apples, frozen apples, apple butter, apple sauce......

To make the cake you need:

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 tsp cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups sliced, peeled apples (I am using frozen)

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (black walnuts are excellent)

In bowl, stir together dry ingredients and set aside. In large bowl whisk eggs and oil together until well combined. Whisk in sugars and vanilla until completely combined. Gradually mix in dry ingredients until thoroughly combined. Don't worry if the batter seems dry- it should be a lot like cookie dough.

During baking the apples release enough liquid to moisten the cake. Fold in apples and walnuts.

I used pecans because that's what I had on hand.

Spread the mixture into a greased and floured cake pan (I am using a 9x13 pan) and spread and "smoosh" it down evenly. 

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes in a 9x13 pan, or 55-60 minutes in a Bundt pan. You can also bake this batter in muffin tins (bake about 20-25 minutes) and then pop them in the freezer for easy-to-thaw snacks or even breakfast. **Note- since I am working with frozen sliced apples I am adding about 8-10 minutes to my baking time. If you use frozen, be sure and allow for that. DO NOT thaw apples first though. They won't fold in, they will break up.

My mom often added raisins to this cake too, which is super delicious. You will want to eat this one up fast- the apples keep the cake so moist. You can serve this cake with a dollop of whipped cream but you DEFINITELY don't need frosting. A drizzle of caramel sauce on the plate before adding the cake looks elegant, but go easy on the caramel with this rich cake. It also looks pretty with a little sprinkle of confectioners' sugar dusted over the top- but do so immediately before serving as the cake is so moist it will melt the sugar after a bit. 

Keep an eye out for more apple recipes coming up soon- I have A LOT to use up. 

German with a sweet twist

Sticking to traditional recipes is very important to me. I love the history and stories and uniqueness foods from other cultures have. Growing up with a German mother, I often had REAL German food, prepared by a real born and raised German cook. Simple flavors, meat and potatoes meals, the occasional splurge of something truly remarkable, my childhood of German cuisine was filled with deliciousness. Whether it was my mom's German lentil soup and potato pancakes, or weiner schnitzel from a German restaurant in Chicago, or lunch on a Rhine River cruise, I got to experience it all.

While I have an immense respect and curiosity for truly genuine regional and ethnic cuisines, it's also fun once in a while to try a little fun spin on flavors, shake things up a bit and see what happens. Americans are famous for doing this. We recreate "Mexican food" to suit our eating habits. Italian dishes have met the same fate. It's not a bad thing, just something we do.

Some foods just invite some adventure. Take sausages, for example. A renewed interest in charcuterie and sausage-making has spawned a generation of chefs and foodies that like to get creative with the grinds and flavors and bring new life to ages old recipes. Bratwurst happens to be one of those foods. Seems simple enough- ground meat, flavorings, stuff in a casing. But some combos just don't add enough "oomph" and others are way over the top.

Here in Iowa we have a chain of grocery stores called HyVee. Over the years HyVee has grown from the smallish neighborhood grocery store of my childhood to these giant, cavernous, overwhelming behemoths that contain everything your culinary heart could desire. Endless varieties of produce, both organic and not. Meat counters half a city block long. Bakeries cranking out artisan breads alongside the peanut butter cookies. Aisle after aisle of every ethnic food you can possibly imagine. You can get supplies to make sushi, Froot Loops, organic canned tomatoes and red wheat berries from the bulk foods section. Toss a couple Calphalon skillets in the cart, stock up on Dr. Pepper and off you go. 

It should be no surprise then that the meat counter included at least ten different flavors of bratwurst. Seriously. Jalapeno. Pineapple. Green onion. Traditional. On and on they stretch. So many choices. Of course we had to try the pineapple (yum!!) and the jalapeno (double yum!!) but one flavor really jumped out at me, and said "Cook me.......with a creamy mustard sauce and fried apples" and that was the Apple Spice Bratwurst. I just had to have it!

So today for dinner, we won't really have a "recipe" to work from, other than the sauce. Instead we are going to pan fry the sausage to get some delicious fond going on as a flavor base for our sauce. Bratwurst works well for this because of the pork fat, and the added sweetness of the apples will add sugar to the mix, creating crunchy, tasty browned bits that will be so amazing. A hit of grainy German-style mustard, finished with cream and some butter, and we will have a yummy masterpiece! Fried cabbage and onions on the side will tie it all together nicely.

How were the bratwurst? Fantastic! The pork stays nice and juicy inside the casing when you use tongs to turn them instead of poking with a fork. The apple and spice flavors are the perfect accent to pork and don't disappoint in these sausages.There were lots of chunks of juicy apple in the sausages and the spices reminded me of a sweet breakfast sausage. I wasn't too worried- after all, the pineapple and jalapeno bratwurst were delicious also. 

Next time you're out and about, cruise by the meat counter of your favorite store. Look for something new and different and interesting. Step outside of your comfort zone and check out new flavors. You might be very happy you did!