Martin's Hillside Orchard

Explore the Orchard

Keep Those Apples Happy

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You spend all that time picking the perfect apple, your favorite variety, etc, you want them to keep for awhile, right?

Here’s the secret:  Simply store your apples in  your refrigerator in those plastic picking bags with a damp paper towel.  Without that damp paper towel, the fridge will just dry them out.

Follow these steps and if the apples are in good shape when you put them in the fridge, they can last for months.  It’s not magic, but almost.  We recall last February we made an Apple crostata with the last of our Jonathans.  What a treat!

All-Day Apple Butter

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Take a step back and savor fall. This recipe will fill your home with apple-ful fragrance.  Toss it together on Saturday morn, let the crockpot do the work.   Run errands, watch football, take a catnap – stir once in a while, whisk at the end, and you are done

So cute in a little jar with a cinnamon stick and ribbon on top. Sometimes I think I make stuff in the kitchen just so I can go out and buy cute jars. That’s not a problem, right?

Great on toast. As well, look forward to adding some to oatmeal at breakfast

Anything extra, we’ll freeze for later!

Pumpkin Votives

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Not something to dine on – but these cute votives could certainly upgrade a table setting.  Yes, that’s the connection – Orchard to table

How-tos: 

These little gourds are a bit tough to try to carve by hand so we used our trusty cordless drill with a 1 1/2″ paddle bit to do the messy work. Then, just

used a spoon to scoop out the seeds and plopped in a battery-operated tea light. Easy-peasy. Probably not a project for indoors but done in no time.

These votives are awesome.

Tip: Do NOT use a hole saw. While it will do a dandy job of creating the hole, it is a hazaard to try to clean the saw. A couple of Band-aids later, I learned my lesson the hard way.

Raspberry Squares

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(Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)
Makes 25 squares.  Note: Lining the pan with foil makes removal of the squares easy.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 T large crystal sugar (optional)

1/4 tsp  baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

12 T unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces and softened but still cool

1/2 cup raspberry sauce (see recipe below)

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9-inch-square baking pan with foil. Use two sheets of foil, placing one on top of the other in perpendicular fashion to completely line the pan. Push foil into corners and up over sides of pan to provide an overhang (helps with removal of baked squares). Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a bowl mix flour, oats, sugars, baking soda, salt, and pecans at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add butter pieces; continue to beat until mixture is well-blended and resembles wet sand, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, mix together fresh raspberries and sauce.

3. Transfer 2/3 of oat/nut mixture to prepared pan and use hands to press crumbs evenly into bottom. Bake until starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Using rubber spatula, spread raspberry mixture evenly over hot bottom crust; sprinkle remaining oat/nut mixture evenly over raspberries.

[Optional: Sprinkle large crystal sugar (sanding sugar) on bars before final baking for added appeal.]

4. Bake until raspberry sauce bubbles around edges and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.  Remove from pan using foil handles. Cut into squares and serve.

Raspberry Sauce
(Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated)
Makes 1 ½ cups

12
ounces fresh raspberries

8

 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/8

 teaspoon salt

1

 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. In medium saucepan, bring raspberries, 1/4 cup water, 8 tablespoons sugar, and salt to bare simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook until sugar is dissolved and berries are heated through, about 1 minute longer.

2. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor; puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl, pressing puree with rubber spatula (yes, it requires some pressing) to extract as much seedless puree as possible. Stir in lime juice and additional sugar to taste. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Stir to recombine before serving.

Can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Great on ice cream, cheese cake, pound cake, chocolate tortes, French toast, and waffles.

Raspberries, Brie, and Puff Pastry

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Great appetizer/dessert. Serve with your favorite artisan bread, e.g. ciabatta, french.

Ingredients:

1 sheet Puff Pastry, half of 17 oz. package, thawed
1 – small wheel Brie, about 6-inches in diameter, rind removed
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Toast pecans in a bit of oil.

2. Roll out puff pastry on lightly floured surface. Place brie in center. Top with fresh raspberries, brown sugar, and toasted pecans.

3. Pull 4 corners up and seal seams. Twist ends at top.

4. Place on cookie sheet sprayed with cooking oil.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

6. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving.