Happy Monday!
I’m on the porch in celebration of apple season,
which runs September through November here in North Carolina.
Iâm beyond ready for hay rides and cider!
Fun Apple Facts:
đ NC ranks seventh in apple production in the United States and has over 200 commercial apple operations comprised of 9,000 bearing acres of apple orchards.
đ Up to 4 million bushels of apples can be produced in a given year.
đ Forty percent of the stateâs crop is marketed as fresh apples through packing operations and direct marketing outlets while the remaining 60% is utilized in the processing industry, mainly as applesauce and juice.
đ When storing apples at home, always refrigerate them. Apples will ripen and turn soft 10 times faster at room temperature.
My DIY Apple Spice Wreath is hanging on the porch in celebration.
Find this copycat wreath tutorial, HERE.
Pick your own apples at one of the many pick-your-own farms. . .
Or pick up a pot of mums at Lowe’s and place it in an apple bucket. ;)
The age-old adage, âAn apple a day keeps the doctor awayâ is more and more substantiated. . .
đ Apples are rich in pectin. Pectin and mild acids found in apples help fight body toxins and aid digestion. Pectin too has been associated with helping to keep cholesterol levels in balance and is significant in helping to reduce the incidence of certain types of heart disease. Studies have shown that personâs eating apples regularly have fewer headaches and other illnesses associated with nervous tension.
đ Other studies have demonstrated an association of regular apple consumption with a reduced incidence of colds and other upper respiratory ailments.
đ The mild nature and low acidic content of apples are more readily accepted and digested by infants, and causes less colic and rash-related disorders.
 I harvested some favorite apple recipes from the archives to help celebrate fall and apple season. . .
Click on the titles highlighted in red to find the complete recipe.
Apple Cider Moscow Mule
A delicious fall twist on a Moscow Mule that celebrates autumn with some seasonal flavor, when youâre craving hayrides and cider!
 Filled with fall spice, studded with fresh apple and layered with a gooey caramel-pecan topping!
Cranberry-Apple-Pumpkin Bundt Cake
The flavors of fall in a cake with a Maple Glaze and Sugared Pecans and Pepitas
Quick and Easy Apple and Brie Galette with Pomegranate
An easy and delicious recipe you can whip up using store-bought pie dough and just a few ingredients.
Apple, Gorgonzola & Thyme Pies
Sweet and savory apple hand pies
Good things come in threes! Whip up a batch of Triple-Apple Granola,
made with applesauce, apple cider and dried apples.
An Apple Picnic and Apple Walnut Spinach Salad
Harvest Waldorf Kale Salad with Maple VinaigretteÂ
A harvest of dark leafy greens, fresh seasonal produce and lean protein that
 makes an entrée salad with nutritious ingredients and satisfying flavors.
Equal parts sweet and tangy, serve as an accompaniment to your charcuterie board;
with crackers and goat or cream cheese for easy entertaining;
or as a condiment on a slider roll with pork tenderloin, ham or turkey.
Double-Topped Apple Pie with Crumb Topping and Pie Crust Leaves
Butternut-Apple Soup with Cranberry-Cheddar-Pecan Pie Crust Leaves
 A sweet and savory soup for fall, served with pie crust leaf sandwiches of cranberry, cheddar and pecans
Easy Caramel Apple Bars
An easy and crowd-pleasing recipe that starts with cookie mix.
The hardest part is waiting for them to cool long enough to cut!
 Apple Cider Sangria
 An easy and refreshing cocktail for a crowd!
Cinnamon Swirl Apple Fritter BreadÂ
Enjoy this quick bread any time of year with coffee for breakfast or tea for an afternoon treat.
Apple Cider Caramel Sauce
Easy and oh so good! Use fresh-pressed cider for maximum apple flavor.
Details:
Hayrides Pillow, throw, apple bucket / HomeGoods, several years ago
Apple plate / Pfaltzgraff Plymouth
Red transferware plate / Spode Archive Collection âBritish Flowers â Rosaâ, used here
Join me at a transitional table with a DIY flower arrangement using apples:
đđđ
What are your favorite apple recipes?
Apples, apples, apples..oh how I love to cook and bake with apples. I am so ready for all things fallâŠespecially the weather. It is to get to 87 today in VirginiaâŠcanât believe I am saying this but I think I would prefer 67! I have saved so many recipes today canât wait for end of September when I will go to Carter Mountain Orchard near Charlottesville for apples to can and bake/ cook with. Thanks for sharing such good recipes and beautiful pictures! Peace.
I’m with Cindi…AND, we go to C’ville “Carter’s Mountain” for those “cider doughnuts” made to order! It is so beautiful…this ian’t thw day…97% humidity. Thanks, Mary…baking it is!! franki
Mary, Apple season is a favorite of ours. We were in NY state many, many years ago and it was so much fun driving up to Lake George from NYC and stopping at the various apple stands. I wasn’t aware of NC’s apple production. We will have to plan a trip in the future to participate during apple picking season. Your wreath and porch are gorgeous! We’re having a cooler day today but back in the heat tomorrow! Thanks for the recipes! Claraâ€ïž
Good morning, Mary! Your porch looks so pretty with your wreath, bucket of flowers, bowl of apples and pillow. I really love the piece that your wreath is hanging on. Thanks for the round up of recipes. As for me, who could resist a piece of apple pie, an apple scone, or a slice of apple cake? đđđ
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! I’ll take a piece of Caramel Apple Pecan Cake please, and an Apple Gorgonzola and Thyme Pie! Lovely round up Mary, excuse me, I have to go put my apples in the refrigerator!
Years ago I helped my great Aunt run her small tourist home on Canadaâs beautiful Georgian Bay. Every year she hosted a pair of American gentleman from Pittsburg, PA. They were a lovely father and son who would spend their days fishing and putting away the case of Canadian whiskey and box of Cuban cigars they purchased on their way up. One of their favourite desserts was apple pie served with very old cheddar cheese. In fact they would arrive with two blocks of Extra Old cheese..one American and one Canadian! Many lively after dinner discussions were held on the large screened verandah smoking their cigars and debating the merits of both varieties of cheese. My Aunt wasnât fond of pie making(she was a bread maker) so I learned to perfect pie crust at a young age, we must have served three per week and wrapped leftovers for their shore lunchesâŠwith the cheese along side!
Now when I serve apple pie my guests are given a choice of old cheddar cheese or vanilla ice creamâŠthose who choose the cheese vow they will never again eat apple pie any other way!
Great list of apple recipes. I canned apples last year. I think I’ll make a apple pie.
OMG! I love this post. Thank you
I can vouch for the Easy Caramel Apple Bars and the Cinnamon Swirl Apple Fritter bread. I’ve made both several times and they were delicious. I always look forward to apple season but local apples are not quite ready where I live.
Beautiful images and yummy recipes! Thank you for all of the information.
Hooray for Apple season! So many wonderful recipes to choose from. Thank you!
Mary, you are gal of many talents! Just look at all of these delicious and beautifully presented treats. I’m in awe! We love apples! Thanks for sharing all the recipes.
So many yummy recipes Mary! I don’t know where to start first! Happy September đđđđđ§Ą
Mary, the apple round up is fabulous. They are certainly a great autumn fruit. I am drooling over all of the recipes while I am finishing dinner. There are several I want to try! Enjoy your week!
It’s a good thing cyber calories don’t count! Drool worthy photo and recipes!
Beautiful post Mary, so many yummy recipes! Hello fall! Apples and pumpkins a great combo!
Apples!!! An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Thatâs what my mom always told me! It was the start of my love for fruit! Last year, I found a recipe on how to freeze my apple pie filling on the side of a box of Ball storage jarsâŠitâs been great to have this convenience in the freezer. Now when I need a quick pie, I donât have to do the prep. l just make crusts and pour the thawed filling in and bake!! It freezes for up to a year and 3 months in the fridgeâŠI really like the cranberry apple cake recipeâŠfor me anything with apples & pecans is the bomb!! Also, I make my own apple butter and have calls for it all the timeâŠanother easy recipe done in the crockpot! Thanks for a great post, Mary! đđđđđđđ
I never did come across the recipe mentioned in the post.
Connie, All the recipes are linked in red below the photos, just click.
Just a treasure trove of apple goodies! I picked 2 huge baskets of gravensteins and forget they been in the fridge for 2 weeks, time to get baking!