Apples, Apples, Apples!

Apples are plentiful in Minnesota this time of year. Aside from simply eating them raw, what can be done with this delightful and versatile fruit?

Options abound, from sweet to savory, warm to chilled, and everything in between! For starters, there's the quintessentially American favorite, Apple Pie. With nearly as many variations for crust and filling as there are people in our great nation, you should be able to find a recipe that suits your skill-level and tastes perfectly. My personal favorite is a very traditional pie recipe, Bon Appetit's Classic Double Crust Apple Pie. The filling is made with vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon for a perfectly sweet, melt-in-your-mouth finish, and the crust is flake-y perfection.

Beyond pie, there are tarts, crisps, streusels, breads, pancakes, and more if you're looking for some sweet apple carb-y goodness! However, if you're looking for a savory use for apples, chicken can be a perfect partner. Chicken and apple dishes are surprisingly delicious. From a Chicken Apple Skillet meal to an Apple and Cheddar stuffed chicken breast, there are many, many ways to incorporate apples into your favorite chicken dishes.

Pork also pairs nicely with apples. An herbed pork loin accompanied by homemade cinnamon apples is a wonderfully warming dish for those cold nights!

So get thee to your nearest apple orchard. Not only will it be a fun couple hours with the fam, but you can put those apples to good use when you get home!

And don't forget to let us know about your favorite apple recipes!

Oink Outings

In August, our very own Chef Peter Christenson was named the chef for the Minnesota Pork Board's last Oink Outings tour of the season.

Oink Outings tours are a wonderfully educational experience during which food producers are paired with food preparers and joined by moms to allow open communication along the food chain (so to speak). This unique group starts their tour in a local chef's kitchen to learn how to prepare a pork recipe. Then, the group heads out to the farm, where the farm family showcases modern life as a pig farmer.

For Chef Peter's tour, he highlighted several pork recipes, incorporating prosciutto and pork loins in a variety of manners in a nod to the versatility of pork. Additionally, when guests headed off to the Hugoson Pork farm, they were welcomed by Kevin, Mary, and Eric Hugoson. In their farrow-to-finish operation, the Hugoson's (who are fourth generation farmers on their property) not only take care of their animals, but employ upwards of 20 people full-time.

It was a great day of learning, eating, and experiencing. A hearty thank you to the MN Pork Board, the Hugoson's, and all of the guests for such an interesting day!