October 2008 ingredient of the month.

[Food Network Fan]

Each month we will choose an ingredient or feature food for our members to prepare in some way during the month, and share with everyone what they made using said item. This month I am choosing Apples because this is the time of year when they are at their peak.

So make a little time this month to prepare anything edible with Apples and please do share your results.

[Pluff Mudder]

I love Mt. Dew apple dumplings! They're easy and fast and will make your toes curl when you eat them, but I don't make them very often because they are so rich - lots of butter, sugar and Mt. Dew. For a change, you can switch out fresh peaches for the apples.

[Food Network Fan]

Apple Varieties

[BerryBaby]

I made a great chicken salad with grapes and Honey Crisp apple pieces. Added slivered almonds and celery and it was delicious!

Apples in anything really change the flavor and add so much.

[Pluff Mudder]

Got some great Winesap apples at Kings (the farm mkt. across the creek) that are fresh from the NC mts. They are so good and juicy with that good apple "snap" to them when bite 'em.

[bakerman]

My favorite is the Courtland apple, this is what I grew up with in Maine. Down south here I like the Honeycrisp apple. The Courtland is a great baking apple, but here I choose Granny Smith for apple pie, unless I can get to the farmer's market, then there is a nice lady that helps me pick out a good variety of pie apples (usually at half the cost of the grocery store)!

MAC

[BerryBaby]

Varieties of apple are different throughout the country. Out here the most popular is Honey Crisp and Fuji....then McIntosh, Granny Smith, Jonagold, Braeburn, there are few less known that I can't think of.

When we were growing up, we'd go out to Bell's Farm for apples in Lake Zurich. The Red and Golden Delicious were THE apples. Now, I rarely see any Delicious apples out here. The growers said the Honey Crisp has taken over the top spot, where Delicious use to be.

[Food Network Fan]

I think Gala is my favorite for eating out of hand. And they look wonderful in my kitchen.

[BerryBaby]

Darn, I knew I forgot one...yes, we have Gala's that make great caramel apples.

[Pluff Mudder]

The DH's fav is the Fuji.