FLOUR

Our long spell of mild weather even into this month of November is beginning to change now.  The cooler temperatures always make me think how much a warm dessert made with apples would be welcomed at the end of the day.  I have chosen to make this Apple Crunch recipe.  It is similar to Apple Crisp, which I make frequently.  Somehow I think this Crunch will give the Crisp some competition in our family.  Enjoy!


APPLE CRUNCH
from Higgerson School Historic Site, Recipes & Remembrances, 2006

1 c. flour
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. oats
1/2 c. melted butter or margarine
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. flour
Sliced apples

Mix until crumbly.  Press 1/4 of crumbs into greased 9x12-inch pan.  Cover with apples.
Combine: 

1 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 T. flour

Cook until clear.  Pour over apples.  Top with remaining crumbs,  Cook at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

 APPLE CRUNCH 

APPLESAUCE


I used to watch my grandmother make her own applesauce.  The steps seemed easy so I decided to try it myself and have been making it ever since.  You peel and chop your apples.  Uniform slices are not necessary.  As a matter of fact I pretty much peel each apple, take out the core, cut in quarters and put it in the pan until I have the desired amount.  I prefer chunky applesauce.  If you wanted smoother applesauce then cut your apples in smaller pieces. Depending on your quanity of apples, start with a small amount of sugar like half a cup.  I usually do not exceed one whole cup and I use white and brown sugars to season.  I also use cinnamon and sometimes a pinch of nutmeg.  You will just have to taste to decide what you like.  I put in just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan when the apples begin to cook.  I put the pan on a burner with a lower setting.  You will need to check on the applesauce frequently and give them a stir.  When the apples are soft, I use my potato masher to get my desired consistency.  A blender or food mill would work to make a smoother product.  I make enough to eat for a couple meals and freeze about a quart. 


FLOWER

Anyone still have tomatoes in their garden? I almost forgot I had the seeds for these tomatoes and did not plant them until late spring.  I planted the seed in clay pots and it was quite a while before I moved the seedlings to my bed.  These cylindrical tomatoes are the San Marzano variety.  I have learned that they are a plum tomato variety and are supposed to be very good for sauce.  I have been harvesting quite a few and freezing them as fast as I can pick them.  With cooler temperatures coming now, I am picking them green and allowing them to ripen before freezing.  

I have always liked to see an amaryllis bulb in bloom.  They are mostly available for purchase during the holidays and many come with their own pot, ready to be planted.  My mom liked to buy them as decoration during the Christmas season.  I was always fascinated in how the stalk grew so quickly and the trumpet like blooms were always beautifully vibrant and vivid in color.

Five years ago my sister-in-law gave me some amaryllis bulbs that she had stored in her garage.  She said they could be planted outdoors during spring and summer.  Then in the Fall the bulbs could be brought indoors and allowed to be dormant in a cool, dark place like a basement or garage for about a month.  After that time, they could be potted and treated like a house plant.  This is when the amaryllis will produce a tall stalk and bloom. So I took the bulbs and planted them at home.  Three of the five bulbs she gave me bloomed in the winter after being planted in my flower bed the summer before.  Since then I have been able to prolong the life of a few bulbs for for about two years each.  Below is the one lone bulb I have left.  Hopefully this winter it will resemble the blooming one underneath.