Welcome to The Cherry On Top.
I wanted to start blogging more about recipes and food like I used to when this blog first started. We finally got a wood burning stove a few years ago. We did it for several reasons. Saving money on ever increasing energy prices and even more importantly, it's something not connected. We control it and no electricity or gas is needed to use it. I'll write more about that, later.
I realized that I could actually cook on it after a while. I know! I'm a natural blonde. Sometimes it takes longer. Hehehe... I perused Pinterest for recipe ideas and did not find much at all. So, I thought I'd start sharing my cooking on the wood burning stove top experiences since there wasn't much out there.
If ya know me, I like it easy and I like to eat really healthy. So, these are the kinds of recipes you'll find, here.
I wanted to quickly go over some things you can do with apples. We had so many apples because our neighbors had an enormous apple tree and we could pick all we wanted. Our neighborhood in Germany has apple, pear, plum, mirabella, cherry and nut trees all over and people can harvest them. Isn't that awesome? I wish we'd do that in our neighborhood in Belgium. I don't see any public fruit trees. We do have chestnuts and walnuts in a few places, but not a lot at all.
I was on the hunt for things I could do with all of these apples and here's a few things I've made. I'll be back with full recipes, later. Keep your eyes peeled! Peruse the internet or Pinterest if ya want the recipes. You'll find them on my Food Board more than likely.
Apple Juice
We bought a juicer in Germany and it's crazy easy! Since we know the apples are not sprayed, I don't even wash them unless they are dirty. Quarter the apples, place them in the top basket, add water to another basket and heat. After a while, the apples soften and the juice just comes right out into another pan and the juice goes through the hose. Get your containers ready and let the juice pour into the jugs.
I recycled wine bottles and stored the juice in the refrigerator after the bottles cooled. It lasted at least three weeks. We ended up drinking it all before it went bad and if it were to have gone off, I was going to just use it to clean with.
Apple Sauce
I even used the pulp from the juice and turned it into apple sauce. The first time I made apple juice, I didn't strain the juice. The second time I did and collected and reused the pulp in my apple sauce.
Apple sauce is also crazy easy. Peel, core and dice your apples. Heat them in just a little bit of water and when they get soft, take a 'tater masher and squish them up. If your apples aren't as sweet as you would like them, you can always add sugar.
You can make the apple sauce and juice on the wood burning stove top. I lay down a towel so it doesn't ruin our wood floor that surrounds the stove. The juice making can be a bit sticky and may be messy, too.
You can make big and small batches of apple sauce. I've not mastered canning yet. I put my sauce in cleaned, recycled glass jars and mason jars. I put the sauce in hot, add the lid and turn it upside down. When it's cooled, I stick it in the fridge, right side up. You can read a lot about how to can. When I get the guts to try it, I'll share my experience.
I told ya how much I like easy recipes. The easier the better. I also limit my use of dangerous chemicals and use as much natural cleaners as I can. Apple cider vinegar can be used for so many things and I use it more than any other cleaner. I also use it for health reasons.
Depending on the apples I use, my apple cider vinegar can be so sweet, it's delicious! I take a teaspoon each morning or mix it with apple juice or apfelschorle. (carbonated apple juice)
I took a cleaned and recycled, glass, sangria bottle and added the cores and peels from my apple sauce, then poured over some filtered water until the apple pieces were covered. I use one of those tea bags that you typically fill with lose tea for over the top. It fit perfect and allows the cider to breathe. I keep it under my kitchen sink. Ya need to store it in a cold dark place. After several weeks, you'll get your cider. You can smell it and taste it. Drain it and pour it in a recycled spray bottle. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a "mother". That's a super thickly concentrated mass that accumulates at the bottom of the jar. You can use it in the bottom of your next batch ya make. I feed my chickens all of the scraps. Talk about no waste.
Apple Oatmeal
I'm a huge fan of oatmeal. Over night oats totally rock! I'll be sharing my gourmet apple oatmeal recipe with you, later. Core and chop some apples a little on the thin side and add them to your oatmeal and let them cook just a few minutes. Add honey, maple syrup, brown sugar ... to your liking.
Use apples in muffins and breads, too.
Here are some fun papers I designed for Plus using cute gnome designs. Some of them have apples included. Those papers might also be great for you.
