It's Apple Harvest Season!

At left, honey crisp apples in my orchard in fall 2013. They were caught in an early season snow late September last year which is not entirely unexpected in our climate. Still they were delicious and beautiful.

Apples are an excellent selection for weight loss surgery patients because they rank medium on the glycemic index therefore impacting our blood sugar only slightly. In addition apples are fat-free and a good source of dietary fiber, pectin, potassium, and Vitamins A and C. Apples are a healthy choice at any time of year, at any time of day.

"An apple a day" may keep more than the doctor away. In fact, apples may keep a whole host of illnesses away, from heart disease and asthma to cancer. New research has shown a wide range of apple health benefits. Apple pie hasn't been declared a health food just yet, but nutrition researchers around the world are discovering there is more to the apple than meets the eye. Long known to be a great source of fiber, apples are now poised to take their place among such super foods as garlic, broccoli and red wine, thanks to a growing body of research documenting potential health benefits provided by other apple nutrients.

Find and Apple Orchard Near You

To learn more about apples go to All About Apples. There you will find a national orchard listing with many links to orchards in your area that host festivals and pick your own events.

United States Orchards Directory

Corn Husking Done Easy!

If there is one universal complaint about corn on the cob it is the effort of husking and removing the silks. Over the years I've tried all manner of methods to efficiently and effectively remove the husks and silk with very little success. So recently I saw this method of husking on the Internet. And we all know we can believe everything we read on the Internet. But I'm a gamer. I gave it a try. IT WORKS! This method has all the qualities of the good corn husking experience I've been chasing for years: low labor investment, quick, efficient, low mess factor, and stellar results.  Give it a try: this is one Internet legend you can believe!

• Step 1: Cut the stalk end off the ear of corn, about an inch above the lowest kernels.
• Step 2: Remove the first layer of leaves from the ear of corn, leave the silk in tack.  Place in microwave oven. My oven fit 3 ears perfectly when criss-crossed. Cook on high 2 minutes for the first ear and 1 minute for each additional ear. Four minutes on high for three ears worked perfectly in my microwave, but experiment with your oven.
• Step 3: Immediately remove the ears from the microwave with a clean cotton towel, they are very hot. Holding the ear in one hand grasp the corn leaves and tassel and shake the ear loose. A little wiggling and it will release from the leaves and tassel.
• Step 4: Done! A perfectly clean ear of corn that is blanched and ready to enjoy, no further cooking is necessary!

Putting Up: Dilly Beans

I've been making Dilly Beans for at least a dozen years, give or take a missed season here and there. Last year my beans went bad while we attended a family issue. It was sad to see my dilly bean shelf empty all winter. Dilly beans are the perfect addition to a veggie tray that includes pickles and olives. And when the guys get together for a poker game my Dilly's are on the top of the request list.

The local farm stand is open here on Wednesdays. I arrived there early and the green beans were at the peak of the season. So Dilly Beans it was. I've been using the recipe from Ball Blue Book all these years (see original recipe below) and made a few tweaks to suit our taste. More garlic. Red pepper flakes in place of the cayenne. A pinch of celery seed. And just for prettiness sake I add a few matchsticks of carrot or bell pepper. Why bother with canning if it doesn't look lovely on the shelf?

Dilly Beans benefit from a three to four month curing period, stored properly out of sunlight in a cool room.

The following is the original recipe from Ball Blue Book. Be sure to following strict canning and processing procedures to ensure the safety and goodness of your put-up produce.

Original Dilly Bean Recipe

Original recipe (C) Ball Blue Book 1997 by Alltrista Corporation.

Ingredients:
2 pounds green beans
1/4 cup canning salt
2-1/2 cups white vinegar
2-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
4 cloves garlic, divided
4 heads dill, divided

Directions:
Trim ends off green beans. Combine salt, vinegar, and water in a 2-quart sauce pan. Bring to boil. Pack beans lengthwise into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 clove garlic, and 1 head dill to each pint. (For quarts add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 cloves garlic, and 2 heads dill to each jar with the green beans.) Ladle hot liquid over beans, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process pints and quarts 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.

Yield: about 4 pints or 2 quarts

Get the current Blue Book on Amazon