What's Cooking? APPLES

By St. Vincent dePaul Food Pantry

The advocation of eating healthy has been around a long time, and apples go way back in that idea.

The aphorism we all probably know, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” originated in Wales. That was the first appearing in a publication in 1866 , but in a slightly different rhyming format:

“Eat an apple on going to bed,

and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

The saying reappeared in 1913 in its current form.

In the spirit of encouraging “an apple a day,” St. Vincent de-Paul Food Pantry is providing a few recipes to help people use the humble apple in a potential new way.

Sauteed Apples and Bacon

6 slices of bacon, chopped

4 cups of tart apples, cut cubed size

2 T. white or brown sugar

1 T. butter

In skillet over medium heat fry bacon, until crisp. Transfer bacon from the pan to a paper towel lined plate. Keep a tablespoon of bacon fat and drain the excess. Add a tablespoon of butter to the bacon grease, add apples to he pan. Fry, stirring every so often, until the apples are tender. Sprinkle with sugar. Place apples on a plate and surround with bacon.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

5 pounds of mixed apples, peeled and cored.

3 cups of granulated sugar, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Cut apples into 1 inch cubes ,place apples and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a 6 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours. Stir in spices and remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Cover, cook on LOW until apples are very soft, 4 hours. Place half of apple mixture in a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Pulse until smooth or desired texture. Repeat with remaining apple mixture. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 month.

Vidalia Onion and Apple Casserole

4 large vidalia onions, peeled and sliced into 1/8 slices

4 medium apples, peeled and sliced into 1/8 slices

8 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled, reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat.

3/4 chicken broth

1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs

Layer the onions, apples and bacon in a 2 quart casserole, spray with Pam.

Pour the chicken broth over all.

Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

While baking, saute bread crumbs in the reserved 2 T of bacon fat.

Uncover casserole and sprinkle top with the toasted bread crumbs.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes.

“What’s cooking?” is a question many families face daily. Some families don’t even bring up the topic because the cupboards are bare.

Food pantries provide families in need with items. However, there are times the family doesn’t know what to do with the free groceries delivered.

Annunciation’s St. Vincent de-Paul Food Pantry provides food to those needing assistance in the area, including dairy, various protein, fresh vegetables, and fruit, along with canned and boxed goods.

If you don’t know what to cook with the groceries provided, what good is the assistance?

That is why volunteers at the St. Vincent de-Paul Food Pantry want to provide recipes to help people use the groceries they receive.

NOTE: The new building that will house the food pantry is up and ready to be finished inside. St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry President Patrick Hardman, along with the other volunteers, are excited to watch the project come to fruition. The new building is located in the parking lot across from Annunciation Church, 19 North Alabama Street, Brazil. IVY JACOBS PHOTO