Homemade Apple Cider

I went apple picking the for the first time this fall. I didn't even realize that this is something people did or that it was something you could do until I was invited to tag along to the orchard. Back home, people grow apple trees in their yards, but orchards don't really exist. Instead of cherishing the fresh apples, the apple tree inheritors tend to pawn off the apples on as many people as possible. You said you wanted a couple apples? Here, take a bushel.
I went late in the season so most of the apples were on the ground instead of dangling in the trees. This just means there were more apples to sample. And sample, I did. I must have eaten at least 6 apples and eat part of half a dozen more. Some sweet, some tart, and some sitting exactly in between. Oh, it was apple heaven.
My apple picking methods were as follows: scope out the reddest apple trees, find an apple sitting at the base, pick it up off the ground, dust it off on my shirt, and take a big bite. Sometimes more than one bite. Sometimes I would eat the entire apple while picking as many as I could before another tree would catch my eye. Apple trees are terribly distracting. Especially the ones with the ladders to climb.
All said and done with, I bought 20 pounds of apples. For myself. At this rate, I should be able to keep the doctor away for at least a month. Maybe two.
This is the first time I have attempted to make apple juice (or any juice for that matter). Without a juicer, I wanted to prove that making apple cider would still be simple, easy, and that anyone could do it (yes, that means you). From start to finish, this apple cider takes roughly an hour to make. So, if you happen to have a dozen or two apples lying around and hour to spare, you have no excuses for not making this. Absolutely none.
This homemade apple cider will make your home smell absolutely fantastic, 100% guaranteed. This is the real deal, my friends. It doesn't get fresher or more pure than this. And knowing you took the time to make the juice yourself will make you appreciate the final product all the more. The cider has hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of orange to round out the flavors. I like to call it Autumn In A Cup because that is exactly what this tastes of.

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Savory Sundays: Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

I am a reluctant vegetarian. When I moved to Montreal, it became clear that meat was much more expensive than I was used to. Almost $5 more per pound, to be exact. As I am a poor college student with empty pockets, meat was not going to be on the menu. Not when a block of tofu is $2 and will feed me for days. My fate was sealed. Vegetarian, I became. Not necessarily out of desire, but out of necessity.
Coming from cattle country, meat is cheaper than vegetables. The standard dinner table fare is meat and potatoes. I can say, with great certainty, that well over half the population of my home state has never tried tofu and never will. When I tried tofu for the first time, I can't say my attitude was any better. I held the package with two fingers and at arm's length from my body. But once I tasted it, I came around. Tofu and I have since become the greatest of friends.
But here's the twist. I have an unusual and dysfunctional digestive system. As far as my body is concerned, I might as well have been a vegetarian for years. After a couple months of going tofu, I have lost my ability to eat meat without consequence. And so here I am, stuck between two different realms of food. I am the reluctant vegetarian.
This vegetarian roasted butternut squash and apple soup is a nutritiously delicious. It is a thick puree of roasted vegetables, where the squash and apple take center stage. The flavors of the mushrooms and celery are hidden, which makes this soup easily adaptable. You could add cauliflower or any other vegetable with a subtle flavor to pack in more nutrients. This soup smells sweet and is warm and comforting on a cool, fall day.

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Baked Apple Chips

Sometimes I wish my kitchen had more features. I live in a small, but charming old apartment which means I have a charming, but tiny kitchen. So tiny, in fact, that there isn't enough space for the refrigerator. The refrigerator lives in the laundry room. Imagine that.
Unforutnately, this also means my kitchen is too small for a microwave. When I want to reheat food this means business. Pulling out the pots and pans, turning on the stove, trying to reheat the food instead of recook the food. It's an art. A messy one. Which is why it would also be nice if I had a dishwasher. But I'm not even going to let myself imagine that level of luxury, not even for a second.
Small kitchens leave a lot of room for improvisation. The stove is my microwave, the oven is my toaster, and the whisk is my mixer. I may not have a microwave, dishwasher, food processor, coffee maker, toaster, blender, stand mixer, or hand mixer but, damn it, I've got a waffle maker. You better believe it.
These baked apple chips are light, delicious, and perfect for snacking. The cinnamon sugar flavor is subtle, but adds just the right amount of spice to the apple chips. The apple chips are both chewy and crunchy, making for an interesting texture. These can be served as an appetizer, alongside a sandwich with lunch, or in the middle of the afternoon for a pick-me-up snack. And if you eat ALL of them at once? You can't feel bad about it because these are apple chips and you just got your daily recommended intake of fruit. Oh yeaaah.

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