There is just something about fall that makes me happy. Maybe it’s the cooler temperatures or the leaves beginning to change. Maybe it’s the happiness I feel when celebrating the Jewish New Year with family and friends. Or, who am I kidding? It’s the food — it’s always about the food. This month, I’m all about eating apples. I could go on about them like Forrest Gump — applesauce, apple pie, taffy apples, but I’ll stop right there. One of my favorite ways to eat apples is when they are dipped in honey. And with Rosh Hashanah around the corner next week, this is a perfect segue into explaining that we eat this apple and honey combination because it stems from an age-old Jewish tradition of eating sweet foods to express our hope for a sweet new year. No problem there for me!
I perused my recipe box recently looking for a couple of recipes to serve to my holiday guests this year. Here are a couple of my favorites that I’d like to pass on to you. The first is actually more of a cool way of serving apples and honey, and I originally got this idea from Martha Stewart Living, September 2010)
Apples Dipped In Honey
Trim the top and bottom of an apple and hollow it out with a spoon or melon baller. (McIntosh apples are easy to scoop). Brush the inside with lemon juice and fill with honey. Slice more apples for dipping.
One Bowl Apple Cake
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup of sugar
2 heaping teaspoons of cinnamon
1/2 cup of oil
6 medium Gala, Fuji or Honey Crisp apples
More Top Picks Heart Healthy Breakfast Ideas
2 cups of flour
2 teaspoon of baking soda
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the eggs, sugar, cinnamon and oil. Peel and slice the apples and add to the mixture – coating the apples to keep them from browning. Mix together the baking soda and flour and add to the bowl. Mix well until all of the flour is absorbed. Pour into a greased 9-inch x 13-inch Pyrex or two 9-inch round pans. Bake approximately 55 minutes.
In other neighborhood news, Didier Farms is hosting the American Diabetes Association’s annual 5K Walk called the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes on Saturday, Sept. 19. The walk starts and finishes at the farm, located at 16678 W. Aptakisic Road, Lincolnshire. Last year, more than 1,000 people attended this event. The walk is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., with registration opening that day at 8 a.m. You could also pre-register at Didier’s website, www.didierfarms.com. And, once the walk has ended, Didier Farms is inviting you to stay for the opening day of Pumpkinfest. Filled with everything fun about fall, people of all ages can enjoy the festivities featuring painted pumpkins, hayrides, a carousel, camel rides, gem mining and farm stand foods including — you guessed it — apples!
Now, if you are a die hard apple fan like me, then the next thing to mark your calendar for this month is Long Grove’s Apple Fest which is coming up on September 25 to 27. This year, they are hosting some great bands for their free live music festival. The popular Dave Matthews Tribute Band called The Trippin’ Billies will be performing on Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. Lucky Boys Confusion will play on Sept. 26 at 8:30 p.m. and the Suburban Cowboys will be there on Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. More information about the fest is available at the website www.visitlonggrove.com.
For those who celebrate the Jewish New Year, I wish you a happy and healthy one. I also want to wish my newly engaged daughter, Mara, a very happy birthday this weekend! That’s all for now; please keep in touch and send neighborhood news to Aileen Simons at [email protected].
Aileen Simons is a freelance columnist for Pioneer Press.