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Scripps Howard News Service
Apple turnovers are simple to make using refrigerated
buttermilk biscuit dough -- the type you pop out of the can.

A+attitude

The season's right for
taking a bite or two
out of an apple

---

Staff and Wire Reports

Forget about what happened to Snow White. She was gullible and got a bad apple from a bad lady. Forget about what happened to Eve. Bad apple; bad snake.

This time of year, fruits are pretty much reduced to citrus, banana and the good old apple. And it's the apple that's the versatile, hardy one of the bunch.

Not a sexy fruit -- despite the connection to Eve -- the apple is never allowed the juicy reverence given to peaches, cherries and that ilk. But those fruits are seasonal lightweights. It's the crunchy, crispy apple that sticks with us month after month after month.

This time of year is especially good to explore the apple. Varieties that debut in the fall are at their peak. And your basic Granny Smith and Fuji are looking good, simply because there's not much competition in the fruit bins.

For holiday enjoyment, apples add the colors of the season to some of our best-loved desserts. But they also make for unique entrées, mixing well with chicken, pork and cheese dishes, and their crunch being perfect for salsas to garnish grilled and roasted meats.

An apple dish doesn't have to have the time-consuming complexity of a double-crust apple pie. Slice and dice is enough skill for many tasty apple experiments.

Apple Lasagna with Fall Greens

U.S. Apple Association

12 lasagna noodles
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons diced apple
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup apple cider
1 cup vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
1/2 teaspoon coriander, ground
1/4 teaspoon clove, ground
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1 cup applesauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 cups turnip greens or Swiss chard, cooked, drained, chopped and seasoned with salt, pepper and nutmeg
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup whole milk mozzarella, shredded
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Cook lasagna noodles in 4 quarts lightly salted, boiling water until tender. Drain well and rinse with cold water; set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat. Add apple; cook about 3 minutes. Add flour, stir well; cook about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add apple cider and vegetable stock; simmer. Season with salt and spices. Add applesauce and lemon juice. Continue to simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring to medium-thick consistency.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-by-11-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Place one layer of pasta on bottom; followed by 1/3 of the applesauce mixture, then a layer of greens, followed by a thin layer of cheese. Repeat, finishing with sauce and cheese on top (there should be 4 layers in all). Cover with foil. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake 15 to 20 minutes. Remove; let cool 15 minutes before cutting. Serves 6-8.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 366 calories, 14.9 g fat, 141 mg cholesterol, 479 mg sodium, 14 g protein, 43.8 g carbohydrates, 2.6 fiber.*

Crunchy Apple Salsa with Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salsa:
2 cups chopped, cored Gala apples
1 Anaheim chile pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup lime juice
Salt and black pepper

To prepare salsa: Combine ingredients; cover and set aside. (Refrigerate if made several hours or a day ahead.)

To prepare chicken: Combine white wine, apple juice, lime zest, salt and pepper. Add chicken and turn to coat; cover and refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes.

Heat grill. Drain and discard chicken marinade. Grill chicken until cooked through; serve with salsa. Serves 4

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving:255 calories, 5 g fat, 119 mg cholesterol, 400 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrate, 37 g protein, 2g fiber.

Taking the time and trouble to bake an apple pie at least once a year is akin to preserving American culture and craft. But that doesn't mean we have to fuss and crimp crust.

Refrigerated buttermilk biscuits form the basis of these easy treats. Pop open a can, and you're nearly done. If each and every biscuit cooperates during baking, your turnovers will come out intact. But if some pop open and appear a tad messy, the overstuffed apple biscuits will taste as good. The more fruit the better.

Little Apple Turnovers

Michigan Apple Committee

1 (21-ounce) can apple pie filling
2 teaspoons butter
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, chopped
1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
2 tablespoons dried currants or cranberries, optional
2 tubes (12-ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 tablespoon each milk, sugar

Cut canned apple slices into small pieces. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat and stir in chopped apples. Sauté until tender.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Stir sautéed apples into pie filling, along with spice and dried berries, if using.

With a rolling pin or heel of the hand, flatten each biscuit to about 1/8-inch thickness and 4-1/2 inches in diameter.

Place a rounded tablespoon apple filling in center of each flattened biscuit. Moisten edges with milk and fold in half. Crimp edges with fork and prick tops two times. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake 10 minutes at 400 or until golden brown. Serve warm or cold. Makes 20 mini-turnovers.

Nutritional information unavailable.

From savory to sweet, to something in between. These crumb-topped loaves would make a unique Christmas gift.

Penzey's Apple Bread

Penzey's Spices catalog

4 cups apples, peeled, cored and quartered (use McIntosh or Granny Smith)
4 large eggs, beaten
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 9-by-5-inch bread loaf pans.

Cut the apples into half-inch chunks.

Beat eggs until fluffy. Add oil and beat until combined. Add extracts, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour and sugar, and mix on low just to blend. Turn the mixer to high and beat until smooth. The batter will be very thick. (This is easiest to do in a standing mixer).

Fold in the chopped apples with a spoon.

Divide the mixture between the two pans, spooning it in.

To prepare topping: Combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut butter into the mixture with a fork until ingredients are moist and crumbly (it's easier and faster to use your fingers). Sprinkle equal amounts of topping on each loaf. Bake for about 1 hour on the center rack of the oven. The loaf should feel fairly firm when touched in the middle. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans.

Let cool before slicing. Makes 2 loaves.

Nutritional information unavailable.

All about apples The motherlode: More than half of all apples grown in the United States for fresh eating come from orchards in Washington state. Washington apples are sold in all 50 states and more than 40 countries. An all-American fruit? Not exactly: Americans eat approximately 19.6 pounds of fresh apples annually, compared to about 46 pounds consumed annually by residents of European countries. What do those words mean?: Washington apples are graded, with the best marked Washington Extra Fancy. Next comes U.S. Extra Fancy, followed in descending order by Washington Fancy, U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 1 Hail. An apple a day: An apple has 5 grams of fiber, supplying 20 percent of the daily fiber recommendation. Source: Washington Apple Commission Red delicious The nation's best-selling apple is mildly flavored and sweet. Golden delicious An all-purpose cooking apple with a mellow flavor that survives baking. Its thin skin doesn't require peeling in many recipes. Gala Crisp and sweet, the Gala is great in salads or for eating out of hand. Granny Smith A tart green apple that works well in salads. Its tartness especially comes through when baked. Fuji This apple's spicy sweetness is good in applesauce. Its flavor improves with age. Pippin The greenest apple, with yellow highlights, its tangy taste is best in pies and applesauce.

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