Fall Family Fun Turns Delicious with a Visit to Highland Orchards

I love fall—the crisp air, the colorful trees and the distinctive flavors always lead me to declare it my favorite season of the year. As the weather starts to turn and my three children get busy with school and extracurricular pursuits, I look for activities that we can all participate in together. Given that my children range in age from eight to 14 and I have two boys and a girl, that is often difficult. What has always brought my family together, though, is food. When I suggested we go apple picking, there were no teenage eye rolls or little girl complaints that it would be boring. So off we went to Highland Orchards in West Chester.

Highland Orchards offers a shuttle out to the fields and sets you free to pick as many apples as can fit in your pre-purchased peck (about 7 lbs.)  or bushel (about 25 lbs.) bags. The whole family enjoyed selecting which varieties of apples to pick: Golden Delicious, Macoun, Stayman, McIntosh and Empires all made their way into our bag.

When we got home, the real fun began. While apples are great for snacking, it was clear that we had to turn our haul into delicious plates of food if we wanted to use them all. I had only ever used apples to make desserts so I set my sights on finding recipes that incorporate apples into a main dish. After searching for recipes and running it by the family for approval, I got to cooking.

Top Apple Recipes to Prepare with Your Just-Picked Bounty:

Chicken Sautéed With Apples

Recipe from realsimple.com

I selected this recipe because it seemed easy, quick enough to make on a school night and didn’t have any overpowering ingredients that might offend my eight-year-old picky eater. I used the apple cider we got at Highland Orchards instead of apple juice, and also substituted in honey mustard because I didn’t have any Dijon. After tasting the sauce while it was on the stove, I decided to also whisk in a few tablespoons of honey to increase the sweetness. The family declared this a winner, even though my picky eater wouldn’t eat the cooked apples.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1 firm apple, such as Braeburn, cored, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch slices

• 1 C apple juice

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

• kosher salt and black pepper

• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Place each chicken-breast half between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until about ¾ inch thick.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken until golden, about 3 minutes per side.

3. Add the apple slices, apple juice, onion, garlic, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ? teaspoon pepper. Simmer, covered, 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender.

4. Remove the chicken, apple slices, and onion to a serving platter and keep warm.

5. Bring the sauce to a boil for about 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Whisk in the mustard. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Slow Cooker Barbecued Country Style Ribs

Recipe from amandascookin.com

I chose this recipe because I love to use my slow cooker. I can get dinner ready during quiet time in the morning after the kids leave for school, run carpools all afternoon and still have a hot meal on the table. This recipe got a huge thumbs up and will become a staple in our house—it was that good.

Ingredients:

For the ribs:

• 1 C barbecue sauce

• 1 tsp. liquid smoke

• 1 large onion, sliced into rings

• 1 large apple, sliced into rings

• 5–6 lbs. country style pork ribs

• 2–3 Tbsp. olive oil

For the rub:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp.paprika

• 1 Tbsp.sugar

• 1 Tbsp.kosher salt, finely ground

• 1 1/2 tsp.mustard powder

• 1 Tbsp.chili powder

• 1 Tbsp.ground cumin

• 1 1/2 tsp.black pepper

• 1 Tbsp.granulated garlic

• 1 1/2 tsp.cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Mix the liquid smoke into the barbecue sauce and set aside.

2. Layer onion in the bottom of the slower cooker. Layer the sliced apples over the onions.

3. Mix all the rub ingredients together. Rub all over the ribs.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet. Brown the ribs on all sides. You may have to work in batches. Add remaining olive oil to the skillet if needed.

5. To the slow cooker, add a layer of ribs (start with any that contain bones) on top of the apples and onions. Cover those ribs with about 1/3 cup of the barbecue sauce mixture, brushing on to cover the meat.

6. Layer remaining ribs on top of the first layer and pour on the rest of the barbecue sauce. Use a brush to ensure all ribs are covered.

7. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7–8 hours or on high 4–5 hours.

Easy Apple Crisp with Oatmeal Streusel

Recipe from chow.com

My eight-year-old daughter loves to help out in the kitchen, especially if I’m making dessert. She has wanted to cook something all on her own for some time, so I found a recipe that I thought would be simple enough for her to master. The only step in the recipe I completed was the peeling of the apples and taking the crisp out of the oven. This recipe was easy enough for an eight year old to make, so what are you waiting for?

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds medium Golden Delicious apples (about 5 or 6), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick

• 2 to 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp.fine salt

• 1/2 C packed light brown sugar

• 1/2 C uncooked rolled oats

• 1/3 C all-purpose flour

• 4 Tbsp.cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces, plus more for coating the dish

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter.

2. Combine the apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl and toss to coat. Place the apple mixture in the prepared baking dish and set aside.

3. Using the same bowl as for mixing the apples, mix together the brown sugar, oats, flour, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt until evenly combined. With your fingertips, blend in the butter pieces until small clumps form and the butter is well incorporated, about 2 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples and bake until the streusel is crispy and the apples are tender, about 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool on a rack at least 30 minutes before serving.

Highland Orchards will continue apple picking through November 1, and they have pumpkin picking, too. They also offer hayrides, have a Kid Korral with a hay bale maze, a groundhog tunnel, scarecrow building and a giant inflatable apple. And don’t forget to hit their store for farm-fresh merchandise, especially the homemade apple cider doughnuts—a family favorite! Check out their activities page for more information.

Find Highland Orchards at 1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Rd., West Chester; (610) 269-3494.