To me, going apple picking in the fall is the season opener.  Though this year I went apple picking in shorts and a tank top (Weather – Dude, what gives), I picked a bushel and a peck and the smell of apples cooking was a hug around the neck.  I had apples everywhere, and none went to waste. I stayed with my tried and true recipes and quick apple tips to carry me through at least Thanksgiving and I’m sharing it all with you today.  Let’s celebrate apples with this ultimate apple post!

My rule of thumb when I come home with the bushel and the peck is to make a few recipes and then prep the rest of the apples and freeze.  It’s an awesome apple quick tip and when you make impromptu plans to have friends over for dinner or just want to make an apple pie or crisp on a whim, the prep is already done.  Click here for the quick tip.

And while we’re talking quick tips – are you tired of your apples turning brown?  Not that the color changes the taste, but they look unappealing.  Here is how you can keep your cut apples from turning brown.  Fill a bowl with cold water and add 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice.  Cut up the apple and put in the lemon water and let soak for about 2 minutes.  Easy peasy.

We love caramel apples around here.  I’ll even go on record and say that they are my favorite sweet treat.  One of my favorite flavor combinations is caramel and apple, as if you couldn’t tell that already, and I’ve recreated a recipe for the Caramel Apple that I grew up loving.  You can find that recipe here.

What’s the saying — there’s nothing more American than the apple pie?  Something like that.  I do love apple pie, and I celebrate this recipe by recreating the apple pie in myApple Pie Ice Cream and my adult version of Hot Apple Pie Cocktail.  You can’t go wrong with either and both are crowd pleasers.

If you have a few apples left over and are feeling a little peckish for lunch, my Chicken Salad with Apples and Candied Pecans is delicious as a croissant sandwich, over a bed of lettuce, or even on its own.  A delicious fall flavored salad, and you can find the recipe here.