Apples, Apples, Apples and Worms?

We made it to the orchard today and it was a real treat to pick our own apples and then go home and make apple pie. We have so many more left over that this weekend I think we are going to dry some out for dried apples. Pretty impressive how hard it is to find a good apple on a branch. What a hard job it must be having an apple orchard.

Apples. Now I am really feeling autumn's coming. They smell great. They taste great and they give the best energy. It's so fun to peel apples in a big long spiral with a good sharp knife. I am such a weirdo this way. I don't like to bake or really cook that much at all. But I love to chop vegetables and cut fruit. I LOVE to peel apples. I know. I know. The most tedious task is my favorite.

Tobin is exuberant about food. He loves to try new foods. He loves to help in the kitchen. He will eat all day long. And where he puts all this food I have no idea because the guy is such a string bean. I know that he will be either a chef as an adult or just really love cooking for friends and family. So being the sweet mommy that I am, I am breaking through my relationship with the kitchen, that being I don't like it and it doesn't like me relationship. To just be there cooking with Tobin and nurturing that love he has for being in the kitchen. It is our homeschooling that Tobin has taught me he needs to have. Not at all what I expected to teach. Kids are so great like that.

Here is a wonderful recipe I have to share. It's just for the "innards" of an apple pie because I am guessing that most families already have their favorite pie crust recipe. If not then maybe asking grandma for hers would be sweet. I bet she would be happy to share ;) This recipe makes enough pie filling for three pies. Keeps well in the fridge or you can freeze it.

Orchard Apple Pie Filling

25 medium apples peeled and cut into small chunks (I recommend Granny Smith apples)

juice of one large lemon and 2 tsp. lemon zest (a small child will love to do this)

2 cups of brown sugar

2 tsp. fresh ground cinnamon (a small child will love to do this)

1 1/2 sticks of butter (salted)

In a large pot melt butter on medium heat. Add apples and lemon juice and let cook for about 15 minutes. Then add lemon zest and sugar. Let cook on low heat, covered for another 15 minutes. Then set aside uncovered and let cool. That's it!

While we were at the orchard there were lots of questions about apples and worms. And of course the famous joke ...

"What is worse than finding a worm in your apple?"

"Finding half a worm in your apple!"

And they wondered how do worms get up into the tree and get into the apples? So did I for that matter and I assumed that it was probably not a worm at all, but maybe a caterpillar. But I let them think about it for a while. I found out that it really is a caterpillar called the codling moth. Apparently it's a real nuisance.

So Tobin and I made two apple pies today. And as soon as we could we tasted them a la mode style and it was so worth all that time in the kitchen :)

Comments

[Denise]

Oh, that looks great! We love apple picking and all the yummy recipes that follow.

[Ashley]

Yum! That pie looks delicious!! Fall and apples go hand in hand! =)