resources

all about apples

Not only does Allen’s Orchard provide the Marion and Cedar Rapids area with delicious apples, fresh produce and tasty treats, we also have resources to help you make the most of your Orchard experience. With so many varieties of apples to choose from, we get a lot of questions about what apples are the best for each occasion. So here’s some info about the apples and some recipes to delight your friends and family!

Recipes

Oatmeal Apple Cookies

Back-to-School Oatmeal Apple Cookies

2 c. brown sugar
1 c. butter
4 eggs, well beaten
3 c. raisins, chopped, or currants
2 c. apples, unpeeled and chopped
1 c. oats, uncooked
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. pecans, chopped
Thoroughly cream brown sugar and butter; add eggs and beat well. Add nuts to dry ingredients and combine with first mixture.
Chill overnight. Dough can be kept in refrigerator for several days and baked as needed. Drop cookies from teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until cookies begin to brown around the edges.

Recipe courtesy of Cooks.com

Apple Dumplings

Apple Dumplings

1 9X13 pan
2 – Large Apples
2- cans crescent rolls
1 ½ sticks butter, melted
¼ cup flour
2 tsp – cinnamon
1 ¼ cup sugar
1 – 12 oz can Sprite

Peel and core apples and slice each into 8 wedges.
Separate crescent triangles.
Place apple wedge at wide end of each triangle and roll up.
In a separate bowl mix: flour, sugar, cinnamon and add melted butter.
Spoon mixture from bowl over apples and pour Sprite over all.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Apple Muffins

Apple Muffins

½ cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 egg
1 cup milk
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1 ½ cups peeled, chopped apples

Topping: ¼ cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream together sugar and butter. Add egg and beat well. Stir in milk.
In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and spices. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and blend until just moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Add apples to batter and blend carefully. Fill well-greased muffin tin. Sprinkle with sugar-and- cinnamon topping.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

Makes 1 dozen muffins.

Applesauce - Annie's Way

You Need:

  • 1 large cooking pot
  • Water
  • Food Mill or Device for the sauce to go through
  • Apple Slicer
  • Apples of your choice
  • Bowl to collect the sauce
  • Optional: Apple Peeler – if you do not want to cook with the peels on the apples

Directions:
1. Wash apples
2. Fill up pan with 1 inch of water and cider and set on the stove
3. Core apples and put in a pan
4. Bring water and apples to a low boil and cook until the apples become soft
– Apples should cook down and become mushy – they are then ready to go through the food mill.
5. Put the food mill over a bowl and scoop in a spoonful of apples into the mill
6. Process the apples through the mill
– You will need to reverse the mill to scrape out the apple peels. Discard the peels into a trash can.
7. If you have used red apples the sauce will be pink as it has taken on the color of the skins.
8. Store in a refrigerator container and serve as desired or freeze in freezer-safe bags.
9. Add sugar and cinnamon as desired.

ENJOY!

apple varieties

Allen’s is proud to offer over 50 varieties of apples.

At Allen’s visitors will be able to enjoy some old favorites like Jonathan, Red Delicious, and Cortland while capturing the flavor of newer, not so familiar varieties such as Sweet Sixteen, Lura Red, and Empire. Click each variety below to learn more.

Arkansas Black
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good for Eating and Cooking
  • Hard when first picked
  • Usually ripens in mid October
Braeburn
  • Sweet and Tangy flavor
  • Perfect for salads and snacks
  • Super Crisp
  • Usually ripens in mid October
Braestar
  • Sweet flavor
  • Good for eating
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in early October
Cameo
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good for eating and cooking
  • Firm and Crisp
  • Usually ripens in late October
Chieftan
  • Sweet flavor
  • Good for eating and saucing
  • Firm
  • Usually ripens in early October
Cortland
  • Sweet with a hint of tartness
  • Great for eating and pies
  • Usually ripens in early-mid September
Dandee Red
  • Tart flavor
  • Good for eating and pies
  • Usually ripens in mid-late August
Empire
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good eating apple – also good for saucing
  • Crisp Texture
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Enterprise
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Great eating apple
  • Firm, Crisp and Juicy – can keep up to 6 months when refrigerated
  • Usually ripens in mid October
Fireside
  • Sweet flavor
  • Good for baking, canning, freezing
  • Crisp &  juicy flesh
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Fortune
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good for eating, cooking, baking
  • Hint of spice
  • Usually ripens in early October
Gala
  • Mild sweet flavor and juicy
  • Excellent eating apple – also good for cooking and baking
  • Softer texture
  • Usually ripens in early-mid September
Ginger Gold
  • Soft tart flavor
  • Excellent for eating & pie
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in late August
Gold Rush
  • Complex, Spicy flavor
  • Excellent eating apple
  • Firm texture – can keep up to 7 months when refrigerated
  • Usually ripens in mid-late October
Golden Delicious
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good all purpose for cooking and baking
  • Pairs well with savory foods
  • Usually ripens in early October
Golden Supreme
  • Sweet Flavor
  • Good Eating Apple – but also makes excellent sauce
  • Firm, Crisp and Juicy
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Haralson
  • Tangy flavor
  • Good for eating
  • Firm & juicy
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Honeycrisp
  • Juicy and Sweet flavor
  • Best for eating only
  • Crunchy with a soft white flesh
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Honey Gold
  • Sweet flavor
  • Excellent for dessert
  • Crisp & juicy texture, can keep for 3 months
  • Usually ripens in mid-late September
Ida Red
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Excellent for sauces, cooking, baking
  • Juicy texture
  • Usually ripens in mid-late September
Jersey Mac
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good for eating, pies, and applesauce
  • Crisp and juicy
  • Usually ripens in early-mid August
Jonagold
  • Sweet with a hint of tartness
  • Great for fried apples and sauce
  • Crisp and Juicy
  • Usually ripens in early October
Jonathan
  • Mildly sweet with a hint of tart
  • Best all-purpose apple for everything!
  • Crisp and Juicy
  • Usually ripens in mid-late September
Liberty
  • Sweet flavor
  • Great eating apple
  • Juicy
  • Usually ripens in mid-late September
Lodi
  • Sweet tart flavor
  • Excellent cooking and saucing apple
  • Soft early apple
  • Usually ripens in late July/early August
Lura Red
  • Sweet –tart flavor
  • Good for eating, cooking and baking
  • Firm texture
  • Usually ripens in mid-late September
Macoun
  • Sweet flavor
  • Excellent for eating & baking
  • Crisp & juicy texture
  • Usually ripens in mid September
McIntosh

Sweet-tart flavor
Great for baking! Great all –purpose apple
Solid texture
Usually ripens in mid September

Mutsu

Tart flavor
Excellent for eating & sauce
Crisp texture
Usually ripens in early October

Paula Red
  • Mildly sweet flavor
  • Excellent for baking & sauce
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in late August
Priscilla
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Good all baking & sauce
  • Usually ripens in early September
Pristine
  • Sweet flavor
  • Excellent for eating
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in late July/early August
Red Delicious
  • Mild sweet flavor
  • Good for eating
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in late September
Red Free
  • Mild flavor with hint of strawberry
  • Good for eating
  • Tough skin & juicy texture
  • Usually ripens in August
Shizuka
  • Sweet flavor
  • Great for eating
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Snow Sweet
  • Sweet flavor with hint of tartness
  • Excellent for eating
  • Slow to turn brown after cutting
  • Usually ripens in mid September
Sweet Sixteen
  • Sweet flavor
  • Excellent for eating
  • Crisp & juicy texture
  • Usually ripens in mid-late September
Wealthy
  • Mild sweet flavor
  • Excellent for dessert
  • Soft & juicy flesh
  • Usually ripens in late August
Williams Pride
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Excellent for eating
  • Hint of spice
  • Usually ripens in mid-late August
Zestar
  • Sweet-tart flavor
  • Excellent for eating
  • Crisp texture
  • Usually ripens in mid-late August

apple education

Here’s what you should know about apples!

We all know apples are delicious, but they are also full of health benefits. Like the saying goes,”an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Apples come in many varieties, each with their own special taste and texture.

Apples contain natural sugars called fructose.

Apples contain very little sodium which reduces the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.

Apples are cholesterol free.

A medium sized apple has only 80 calories.

Apples contain no fat.

Apples have pectin and other fibers which reduce cholesterol levels and aid in digestion.

Apples are a good source of complex carbohydrates which scientists believe may help lower the risk of diabetes.

Apples contain potassium which may help keep blood pressure down.

Apples contain the mineral boron which helps the body use calcium.

Apples are a good source of Vitamin A which benefits vision and bone and tooth development.

Want to get the most life out of your orchard-fresh apples?

Don’t put them on the counter! Leave them in the plastic bag in the hydrator drawer in your fridge. Open the plastic bag and place a damp paper towel in it. Every time the damp paper towel dries out – put a new one in.

Apples like two things:  Cold and Damp

Have questions? Stop out and visit or send us an email!

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