Stewed Apples

3 pounds of Jonathan or Granny Smith apples
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon powdered cloves

Directions:
Peel apples (or wash them well and leave unpeeled.) Cut into quarters and place in a large (6 quart or more) saucepan. Add enough water to measure 1-1/2 inches in the saucepan; sprinkle salt over top. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add sugar and spices. Cook over low heat until apples are soft, but not mushy.

Notes:
This is a nice side dish for pork chops or ham. Adjust the sugar and spices to suit the apples and your taste buds.

Cranberry Apple Bake

3 cups peeled and chopped apples 2 cups fresh cranberries 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 cup sugar

3 packages instant oatmeal (cinnamon flavor) 3/4 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup margarine,melted

Directions:
Toss together apples, cranberries, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 cup sugar in a 2 quart baking dish. Set aside for 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine instant oatmeal, pecans, 1/2 cup flour, brown sugar, and melted margarine. Stir together lightly to blend. After fruit mixture has set for an hour, spoon topping over it. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Quick and Easy Waldorf Salad

3 c. diced apples
1/2 c. nuts
1 c. celery, chopped
3/4 c. mayonnaise

Directions:
Chop the apples, nuts, and celery. Combine in a bowl with mayonnaise. Chill before serving.

Waldorf Salad

Dressing: 3/4 cup mayonnaise 3/4 cup sour cream 1/3 cup honey 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Fruits: 1-1/2 cup celery, diced 1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved 1/2 cup raisins 3 large Granny Smith apples 3 large Red Delicious apples 3 large Golden Delicious apples

Garnish:
Walnut halves, toasted and chopped

Directions:
Combine dressing ingredients, blend well, and set aside. Prepare and measure celery, grapes and raisins; stir them gently into the dressing. Chop the apples and stir them gently into the dressing. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, place walnut halves in a dry heavy skillet over medium heat. Within 1 to 2 minutes, they will turn golden brown and begin to smell "toasty." Stir and toss them so they are evenly browned, attending to them carefully so they do not burn. Pour onto a paper towel to cool. When cool, chop into smaller pieces.

At serving time, garnish the salad with 1 cup of the chopped toasted walnuts (or stir them in.)

Notes:
Adapted from a Southern Living recipe by Sharyl Agnew of Clayton, North Carolina

Bernadine Brock's Cranberry Fruit Salad

1 quart cranberries
3 or 4 apples
2 cups sugar
1 cup crushed pineapple (drained)
1 cup whipped cream
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup nuts

Directions:
Grind cranberries and apples together. Add sugar and let stand for 2 hours. Fold in crushed pineapple, whipped cream, marshmallows and nuts. Let stand overnight. Stir gently before serving.

Notes:
Bernadine Brock of Rose, Nebraska, placed this recipe in the Jolly Neighbors Extension Club's handwritten cookbook during the early 1960's. John and Bernadine Brock worked for Cecil Lee when he owned the ranch that I grew up on, and after we moved to the Lee place, the Brocks worked for the Shovel Dot Ranch.

Easy Apple Crumble

1 package honey spice cake mix (dry)
2 cans (22 oz. each) apple pie filling
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup water

Directions:
Spread half of the dry cake mix evenly across the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Spoon pie filling evenly over the cake mix. Sprinkle remaining cake mix over the top of the apples. Combine the water and lemon juice and pour it over all. Bake at 350 for 1 hr. and 10 minutes.

Notes:
This recipe was collected by my mother, Doris Hill. She wrote it by hand on a recipe card for her files. My father liked apple crumbles, crisps, cakes, etc. so Mama was a collector of recipes that used apples.

Quick Apple Torte

3/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 1-1/2 cups diced apples 1/2 cup chopped nuts Cinnamon Nutmeg

Directions:
Sift sugar, flour, and baking powder together. Add egg, vanilla, and apples and stir together until blended. Fold in chopped nuts. Turn into an 8-inch pie plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Notes:
This recipe was collected by my mother, Doris Hill. She wrote it by hand on a card for her recipe files.

Spicy Apple Bars

1/2 cup shortening 1 cup sugar 2 unbeaten eggs 1 cup sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon cocoa

1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 cup rolled oats 1-1/2 cups diced pared apples 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift dry ingredientstogether and add to creamed mixture. Stir in oats, apples, and walnuts. Spread into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool for five minutes and cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Notes:
From my mother's recipe files.

Virginia Apple Pudding

1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 cup sugar 1 cup sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup milk 2 cups sliced cooked apples, drained

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°. While it's heating, melt butter in a 2-quart casserole. Combine sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and milk. Stir to make a batter and pour into the casserole on top of the melted butter. Pile the apples in the center. Bake until batter rises over the apples and the crust is browned, about 30-40 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped topping or pudding sauce.

Notes:
Canned apples may be used in this recipe from my mother's recipe files.

Apple Luscious

2 medium apples 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup chopped nuts 1/2 cup chopped dates

2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 egg, unbeaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Pare and core the apples and dice them finely. Add sugar, nuts and dates; mix with dry ingredients. Add egg and blend lightly. Bake in a greased 8-inch baking dish for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. 4 to 6 servings.

Notes:
From my mother's recipe files.

Bernadine Brock's Fruit Nut Bread

2/3 cups sugar 1/3 cup soft shortening 3 tablespoons sour milk or buttermilk 1 cup grated apple or other fruit

2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:
Blend sugar and soft shortening until well mixed. Stir in sour milk and grated fruit. Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt together, and add to fruit mixture. Mix well. Stir in chopped nuts. Pour into 2 well greased 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Let stand 20 minutes before baking. Bake at 350° until it tests done.

- If using applesauce: Use brown sugar, not white. Omit sour milk.
- For orange date bread: Use recipe above and omit sour milk. Instead, add the pulp and juice from an orange along with enough water to make 1 cup. Add 1 cup cut up dates.

Notes:
Bernadine Brock of Rose, Nebraska, placed this recipe in the Jolly Neighbors Extension Club's handwritten cookbook during the early 1960's. John and Bernadine Brock lived and worked on the ranch my parents bought at Rose when it was owned by Cecil Lee. Later, I believe they worked on the Shovel Dot Ranch. I have expanded the directions a little because all the recipes were greatly condensed to fit on one side of a 3x5" recipe card.

Doris Hill's Raw Apple Cake

1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup butter 2 eggs, well beaten 1/2 cup sour milk 2 cups flour 1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/2 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1-1/2 cups raw apples, peeled and grated

Optional: 1 cup raisins, plumped in 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. If you want to add raisins, plump them by placing them in a microwave bowl with 2 tablespoon water. Microwave on high for 1 minute, then leave them in the microwave until they are added to the batter.

Cream butter and sugar together, add beaten eggs, and beat well. Sift dry ingredients together. Add to egg mixture alternately with sour milk. Stir in grated apples. If adding raisins, drain any remaining water from them and fold into batter. Bake in a greased and floured loaf pan until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean (about 45 to 55 minutes)

Notes:
Doris Hill --my mother!-- contributed this recipe to the Jolly Neighbors Extension Club of Rose, Nebraska, for a hand-written cookbook that they made during the early 1960's. I have expanded the directions a little because all the recipes were greatly condensed to fit on one side of a 3x5" recipe card.