apples

  • Cooking, FALL, INFORMATION, RECIPES

    Favorite Fall Recipes To Make With Kids

    Are you looking for some festive fall recipes to make with your kids? Need some delicious ideas for putting those pumpkins from the patch, apples from the orchard, and zucchini from your garden to good use? Well, today’s your lucky day! Wendy Cox, mom of 4 and garden educator from San Diego, California is sharing a variety of ways to use three popular and prevalent produce items as you cook with your kids this fall. She’s sharing the very best (and her kids’ favorite) fall recipes! Save this post so you can try them all. Which recipe will be your next fall favorite? Mmmm…enjoy! 

    Favorite fall recipes to make with kids

    Fall is wonderful for so many reasons, but one of those is because it’s the harvest season. Three crops that are harvested in abundance during this time of year are zucchini, apples, and pumpkins. Each is nutritious, delicious, and very versatile in recipes. Today, I’m excited to share all of the fun ways we can use these three items to whip up some tasty and nutritious snacks and meals for and with our kids.

    Kid-friendly zucchini recipes

    If you planted zucchini in your garden, you probably still have some plants that are producing into and through the fall. Not only do zuchinni plants produce will into the fall season, they grow fast! I have found that zucchini can grow inches seemingly overnight! One morning it will be a small zucchini with the blossom still attached, and the next, it’s bigger and heavier than your arm! When that happens, and you have pounds and pounds of zucchini to work with before it goes bad, refer back to these recipes, and you’ll use every bit of that zucchini in no time.

    Zucchini bread

    Zucchini bread is a must-make recipe, if you’ve got homegrown zucchini around the house. It’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser for both kids and adults. My mom makes a wonderful hearty zucchini bread every year at Thanksgiving, and it’s one of the first things gone from the table. The smell of bread baking in the oven is sure to put everyone in a good mood. And if you get to enjoy a slice of still-warm zucchini bread with some butter melting on top of it, you’ll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

    Ultimate zucchini bread recipe

    Here’s our favorite “Ultimate Zucchini Bread” recipe, adapted from this one from Smitten Kitchen.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups grated, packed zucchini
    • 2 large eggs
    • 2/3 cup melted unsalted butter
    • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
    • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons raw sugar

    Instructions:

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a loaf pan with nonstick spray. Place grated zucchini in a large bowl and add oil, eggs, sugars, vanilla, and salt. Use a fork to mix until combined. Sprinkle in cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until just combined. Pour into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with the raw sugar. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or tester inserted into the middle cake but also into the top of the cake, closer to the dome, comes out batter-free. Let cool completely in the pan. Leave in pan, unwrapped, overnight or 24 hours, until removing (carefully, so as not to ruin flaky lid) and serve in slices. 

    Zucchini boats

    Zucchini boats are another great (and really fun) way to use zucchini! The best thing about zucchini boats is that they can be eaten with your hands! Fewer dishes are always a win, in my book. And although you scrape out the center of the zucchini, you’ll want to chop it up and add it to the filling, so no part of the zucchini is wasted.

    Another great thing about zucchini boats is that you can use a variety of ingredients for the filling and make them however you want! Don’t have sausage? No problem, use ground beef or ground turkey. Vegetarian? Use beans instead of meat. Don’t have cheddar cheese? Substitute the type of cheese you have for the topping. Zucchini boats are very versatile and cook in 25-30 minutes. The recipe below for zucchini boats from Taste of Home is a big hit at our house (and SO easy)!

    Kid-friendly zucchini boat recipe

    Ingredients:

    • 2 medium zucchini
    • 3/4 pound ground beef
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
    • 1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
    • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese,
    • 2 tablespoons ketchup
    • Salt and pepper to taste
     

    Instructions:

    Trim the ends off the zucchini and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/2-inch shells. Finely chop pulp. In a skillet, cook beef, zucchini pulp, onion, mushrooms, and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Remove from the heat. Add 1/2 cup cheese, ketchup, salt, and pepper; mix well. Spoon into the zucchini shells. Place in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° until zucchini is tender, 25-30 minutes.

    Grilled zucchini

    You know we’re all about getting outdoors here at Run Wild, and grilling zucchini is a wonderful opportunity to do that! Have the kids help you slice up the zucchini into steaks or spears, toss them in some olive oil with your favorite grilling seasonings, and throw them on the grill. Or, add in some of your other favorite veggies (onions, squash, peppers) and pop them onto a kebab! In about ten minutes, you’ll have a tasty side dish. Try this recipe.

    Take your grilled zucchini to the next level by setting out some dipping options, too! We like to dip ours in ranch dressing or marinara sauce. This is an especially good tactic if you have kids who are picky eaters (or ones that say they don’t like zucchini). Sometimes dipping food in a sauce or dressing will get them to try it because, let’s be honest, isn’t it just more fun to eat that way?

    Zoodles

    Have you heard of zoodles? Zoodles are what you get when you take a spiralizer to a zucchini. The spiralizer cuts the zucchini into long, thin strips the size of a spaghetti noodle. Making zoodles with kids is so much fun because they can be several feet long. If you don’t have a spiralizer, I recommend this one. It’s inexpensive and easy enough for kids to use! They’ll love helping out in the kitchen for this project and turning zucchini into noodles! If you have more than one kid, you might even want to get two spiralizers and see who can make the longest zoodle.

    Zoodles can be used in place of spaghetti in any recipe that calls for pasta. The flavor is mild, and the consistency is very similar to a spaghetti noodle. Your kids will forget that they’re even eating a vegetable. If you cut thin strips off the zucchini lengthwise, they can be used in place of a lasagna noodle! 

    Zucchini fritters

    You can also use grated zucchini for fritters! This is a sure-fire win with my kids because they’re hot and crispy (and taste a bit like a flavorful hashbrown). Here’s our favorite zucchini fritter recipe inspired by Just a Taste.

    Ingredients:

    • 4 cups shredded zucchini
    • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
    • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
    • 1/3 cup sliced scallions (green and white parts)
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • Sour cream for serving (optional)

    Instructions:

    Place the shredded zucchini in a colander set over a bowl and sprinkle the zucchini lightly with salt. Allow the zucchini to stand for 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible. Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl. Add the flour, eggs, sliced scallions, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper to the bowl, stirring until the mixture is combined. Line a plate with paper towels.
     
    Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, scoop 3-tablespoon mounds of the zucchini mixture into the pan, pressing them lightly into rounds and spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Cook the zucchini fritters for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip them once and cook an additional 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked throughout. Transfer the zucchini fritters to the paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle them with salt. Serve the zucchini fritters topped with sour cream (optional).

    Grated zucchini (freeze it!)

    Don’t forget that when you have zucchini coming out of your ears and won’t be able to use it all right away, you can always freeze it. This will keep it fresh for months and give you a taste of summer well into the winter months.

    First, grate the zucchini, squeeze out as much moisture as possible, put it in a freezer-safe bag or container. Frozen zucchini will be good for up to three months. I like to add my frozen shredded zucchini to lots of the recipes I make during the week: omelets, soups, salads, ground meats, and basically any savory dish. I’ll even top a baked potato with shredded zucchini and some cheddar cheese. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! 

    Favorite fall apple recipes

    Visiting an apple orchard is fun, but the best part is eating the apples! Apples are a classic fall favorite staple and can be used in so many ways, making them one of the easiest and most versatile ingredients. They can be sweet, savory, and even spicy. They can be used in so many different dishes. And, they’re probably one of those things that your kids won’t ever complain about eating!

    We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite ways to enjoy apples in the fall. Here are a few recipes that kids will love to help out with and eat!

    Apple dipping station

    Have your kids been asking to have a play date at your house? I feel like mine are always wanting some friend or another to come play at our house. Hosting an apple-themed play date is easy and so much fun, especially in the fall when apples are aplenty. Maybe you even took the kids apple picking recently and have more apples than you know what to do with. Most kids like apples so they don’t need to be enticed to eat them.

    At your apple play date, why not set up an apple dipping station as the snack! As I mentioned before, it’s just more fun to eat something when you get to dip it first! All you’ll need to do is cut up some apples and have a variety of dips and toppings for the kids to choose from! Let them try them all and find their favorite flavor combinations. 

    Dips for apple slices:

    • Peanut butter/almond butter/sun butter
    • Caramel
    • Nutella
    • Cream cheese
    • Marshmallow fluff
    • Buttercream icing

    Apple slice toppings:

    • Mini chocolate chips
    • Chopped peanuts
    • Raisins
    • Mini marshmallows
    • Shredded coconut
    • Toffee bits
    • Crushed graham crackers
    • Sprinkles

    Applesauce

    If you’ve got apples to spare, it really doesn’t get any better than making your own homemade applesauce! And I promise it’s easier to make than you might imagine! You don’t even need to peel the apples if you don’t mind the applesauce being a little more tart.

    To make homemade applesauce, simply core and slice eight to ten apples (peel them only if you want). Throw them in the slow cooker with half a cup of water (and a cinnamon stick, if you like cinnamon applesauce), and let it cook until the apples are the desired tenderness. It will take about five to six hours on low heat. If you want smooth applesauce, put the mixture in the blender/food processor (or use a stick mixer) and puree. I like my applesauce a bit chunky, so I just smash the apples a bit with a potato masher. Add sugar (and maybe some cinnamon) to your liking, and that’s it! 

    Baked apples

    Bakes apples are almost as easy to make as applesauce, but because you cook them in the oven they take less time. I like to make baked apples for dessert on a cool fall night because they make the house smell amazing! Here is the recipe I use. These will need to cook for about 40 minutes to get really tender. You can let each kid customize their apple before putting it in the oven by having a variety of different spices (cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, allspice, clove, etc.) and sweeteners (sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, honey.) Top the baked apples with a scoop of ice cream for an extra special treat.

    And if you really want to make this a fun activity, instead of baking the apples in an oven, bake them over a campfire! They make an absolutely amazing treat when enjoying an evening outside in the backyard or on a camping trip! 

    Apple pie filling

    One of my sisters had an apple tree at her previous home, and some years that tree produced so many apples we could barely eat them all! In cases like that, we had to get creative with all the way to use the apples, so they wouldn’t go to waste.

    One of my favorite ways that she used them was to make jars and jars of apple pie filling using a simple apple pie filling recipe and gave them as Christmas gifts. Genius! What a great gift for your kids to give to their teacher or neighbor, as well. My jar was gone before the new year because it was so tasty!

    You could definitely use the filling to make a pie, but I also used it to top so many things, like ice cream, oatmeal, and yogurt. Or, how delicious would it be over-baked brie? What a great way to spend time making something special with your kids and have gifts to give to loved ones afterward! 

    Favorite pumpkin recipes to make with kids

    Last but not least, let’s talk about pumpkins. Pumpkins are the star of the season and have to be included in this list of favorite fall recipes to make with your kids. We see them used as decorations and love to carve them for Halloween, but most pumpkins are also edible and nutritious.

    Cooked pumpkin has high percentages of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and iron. These nutrients keep our immune system strong and our skin and eyes healthy. Here are some ways to get all of those important vitamins and minerals into those little bodies that seem to have endless energy.

    Pumpkin pancakes

    Pancakes are a breakfast staple at my house, but when my kids drench them in syrup, I feel like it’s more of a dessert than a healthy breakfast. One way to add more nutrients to your pancakes is to add pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree can be purchased in a can from the store (although, not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling), or you can make your own if you’re feeling extra ambitious. The more you add, the more orange-colored they will be, but in addition to color, it will add more pumpkin flavor and extra nutrients.

    Choose an amount of pumpkin puree that fits your family’s tastebuds. For every two cups of pancake mix, I typically add one cup of pumpkin puree. This works well for our family, and I get zero complaints about them tasting too pumpkiny. Pancakes are quick and easy and can be stored in the refrigerator or the freezer for use on those mornings when everyone sleeps in. My kids pop frozen pancakes into the toaster for an on-the-go breakfast. 

    Pumpkin bread

    Like zucchini bread, pumpkin bread is a HUGE hit at our house with kids and adults alike. We have been known to eat pumpkin bread for breakfast, but it could really be a dessert as well. You can make it in a bread loaf and slice it or even make it into muffins for on-the-go snacks. My youngest has started asking for his own loaf of pumpkin bread to take home from Thanksgiving when we go to Grandma’s house. 

    If you want to get extra-decadent, these pumpkin cream cheese muffins are just about the most amazing thing ever. 

    Pumpkin chili

    Who doesn’t love a warm bowl of chili on a cool fall afternoon? Chili is a fan favorite at our house and a staple on weekend evenings when we spend all day outside. A great way to add some flavor (and nutrients) to your chili is to add pumpkin puree to your favorite chili recipe. It makes it a little thicker and healthier. I always serve my chili with a generous portion of cornbread and some sour cream on top. Here is the pumpkin turkey chili recipe I use.

    Dinner in a pumpkin

    I’ve been saving the best for last! My birthday is at the end of October, and back before I can remember, my mom started making dinner in a pumpkin for my birthday! It was such a fun and unexpected tradition and something that still continues today. The dinner portion is comprised of wild rice mixed with sausage, peppers, and onions. However, you could serve chili, dip, soup, or even sloppy joe meat out of a pumpkin, as well! The options are endless! 

    Your family may like to have this meal on Halloween night because it’s served right out of the pumpkin! It makes for a fun centerpiece on your Halloween dinner table. This one does take a while to bake, so plan on getting it in the oven at least an hour before you want to eat. The time is so worth it, though! Your kids will love scooping their dinner right out of the pumpkin. 

    Cooking with kids

    Cooking with your kids is an experience they will not easily forget. Yes, there will be a large mess. Sure, it will take longer. Yeah, you will need a healthy dose of patience. But the benefits far outweigh the mess. Your kids will be learning math through measuring, counting, timing, and portioning. Teach them where each ingredient comes from as they add it to the bowl. Show them how heat rises when the steam drifts up from a pot of boiling water. Watch them coordinate their muscle movements as they slice a zucchini or grate cheese.

    Kids are absorbing so much information all the time. When we cook with our kids, we make sure that the information they receive is wholesome and will serve them well in the future. The chances that they eat the food they cook are also much higher than if someone else prepares the food for them, so get those kids in the kitchen with you! Need a little more motivation?

    Here is a blog post all about the benefits of cooking with kids.

    Take it outside

    After you’re done preparing all of this deliciousness, don’t be afraid to take your food outside. Pack a picnic and bring pumpkin bread for dessert. Set up a table on the patio and eat your chili by candlelight. Gather around a backyard bonfire and warm yourself up with some baked apples.

    They say that food tastes better outside, right? Let us know if that is true for you and your kids. Happy fall, and have a great time trying these delicious fall recipes to make with your kids!

    Which fall recipe do you want to make with your kids?

    About the author

    Wendy is a married momma living in central San Diego, CA, raising 4 human kids, 2 goat kids, 4 chickens, and one grumpy cat. She enjoys gardening, hiking, camping, backpacking, going to the beach, and generally getting out of doors. Wendy is a family photographer and also works at several local elementary schools as a garden educator. She dreams of traveling to all 50 states and beyond, and believes that there is great beauty to be found in all parts of the earth, we just have to open our eyes to see it.

    You can find more from Wendy online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @wendycoxphotography
    RWMC posts: Wendy Cox

  • FALL, FARM, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES

    Tips for Apple Picking with Kids

    Apple picking in the fall is a time-honored tradition for our family. Each year during apple picking season, we head out to our local u-pick apple orchard and stock up on this delicious treat. The kids love the hay rides to the field and running through the rows of apple trees to find the best fruit. I love making a huge vat of apple sauce and how it fills my whole house with the sweet scent of fall (and a touch of cinnamon). Today, Meghan Garriott, Illinois mom of three, shares all the best apple picking tips for kids, plus a few favorite kid-friendly apple recipes so you can put your pickings to good use. So, get on board the apple wagon, and let’s get picking! 

    Tips for apple picking with kids and kid-friendly apple recipes and crafts

    Apple season

    Nothing says Fall quite like Apples. Their colors, smell, flavors, and orchard experiences are Autumnal staples. They have all the reds, greens, and golds of the changing fall leaves.  The smell and taste of caramel apples and apple pies brings me right back to the happy Autumns of childhood.

    Harvest for these favorite fruits spans the whole fall season from August to November giving everyone plenty of time to enjoy the season. Today we are talking about all things APPLE and the many ways you can enjoy them with your kids!

    Benefits of apples

    An apple a day keeps the doctor away. We’ve probably all heard this saying, right? They may not be a cure-all but apples do have many health benefits in addition to being a delicious treat for all ages. Apples are are a great source of fiber and vitamin C. The fiber in apple skins helps to feed the good gut bacteria as well as keeping things moving through the digestive tract as they are supposed to. An apple a day was linked to 28% decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. So while it is a sweet snack, at only 90 calories, it’s one you can feel good about eating and feeding to the whole family. 
    Two boys with bags of apples in front of an apple tree

    Types of apples 

    There are so many types of apples. They vary greatly in their season availability and their taste. Below are some of the most popular varieties, what they are best used for, and when they are in season. Apple season runs from August to November for reference. 

    • Gala – Early picking season. sweet flavor. Good for salads, snacking, and freezing.
    • Red Delicious – Mid to late season picking season. Mild flavor. Good for snacking.
    • Granny Smith – Mid to late picking season. Tart flavor. Good for baking and snacking.
    • Fuji – Midseason picking. Very sweet. Good for snacking and salads.
    • Honeycrisp – Early picking season. Juicy and sweet flavor. Good dessert apple.
    • Macintosh -Mid picking season. Sweet and tart. Good for baking and snacking.
    • Jonagold – Late picking season. Sweet and tart. Good for snacking salads and sauces.
    • Pink lady – Late season picking. Sweet with some tart. Good for baking and applesauce.
    • Ambrosia – Mid picking season. Sweet and Crisp. Good for baking and snacking.
    • Golden Delicious – Mid picking season. Mellow and sweet. Good for snacking, salads and baking.

    Child laying on ground under Apple rainbow

    U-pick apple farms and orchards

    Picking your own apples either at the store or at a local apple orchard is a great family activity. Visiting your local u-pick orchard it’s a great way to support local businesses and shop small. Our local orchard Okaw Valley Orchard grows a wide variety of apples and fresh fruit and veggies, and also carries many products from many other local businesses as well. Letting children pick out their own food items from the farm market can help children try new healthy foods or encourage picky eaters to give things a try. 

    No matter where you live (in the US), there’s a good chance that you have a local apple orchard or pick your own farm nearby. Apples are grown all across the US and are usually available starting late summer through the fall (late October or early November). U-pick orchards are also everywhere. To find an orchard or u-pick farm near you, check out pickyourown.org and search by your state and region. 
    Two children picking app,es

    What to know before you go apple picking

    Before heading out to the orchard be sure to check out the orchard’s website, Facebook page or other social media channels. Different types of apples have varying seasons. Know what’s ripe in your area (and how you’ll use it), so you know what to pick (and how much). If you are in search of a certain variety it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for when they will be available. The orchard may also have specific times or dates for picking your own apples.  Many orchards host school tours and events. Checking their website or social media can help you plan your trip on a less busy day, and ensure you get all the products you are after.

    You’ll also want to know if there’s an admission fee to pick apples, the price (per pound) of apples, whether they take credit cards, what’s available in the farm store, etc. 

    Two boys picking apples

    Apple picking with kids

    Apple picking with kids is a fun and easy outdoor fall activity for the whole family. Every year we make it a point to make a day trip to go pick apples and it’s become a family tradition that we all look forward to. Apple picking is easy enough for little kids (although, they may need some help reaching the high ones) and still fun and enjoyable for older kids (and adults). Apples are available around us from late August through early November, which means we could even go a few times a season in order to get the best varieties for our treats (see below) in a wide variety of weather. Our local apple orchard has a ton of fun activities for the kids that keep us busy all day. 

    What to pack for apple picking with kids

    The good part about apple picking is that you don’t really need any special gear or items. If you have a long drive, pack accordingly for your car ride (toys, entertainment, water, and lots of snacks). Depending on the weather, you may need layers, sunscreen, bug spray, a raincoat, boots, or a jacket. We always pack a change of clothes (because you just never know with kids) to keep in the car. And maybe bring along some cash and/or change for any events, rides, activities at the orchard. 

    For the most part, the only thing you need to pick apples is a container to hold them. Most u-pick farms will provide bags, baskets, or buckets for holding your apple haul. However, check to make sure before heading out the door.

    Finally, don’t forget to bring along a camera! Apple orchards make beautiful backdrops for pretty family photos. 

    Boy in blue shirt picking apple

    How to pick and choose your apples

    When it comes to picking your own apples right off the tree, there are some things to keep in mind to make sure you get the best apples and to ensure the tree is unharmed so we have apples for years to come.  Kids tend to want to just pull the apple down until it comes off. Unfortunately, this method can damage or break branches on the apple tree. To pick effectively without damaging the tree remind kids to “twist, then pull upward”. This helps to loosen the stem and preserve the tree branches.  

    Before twisting and pulling check the apple to make sure there are no openings in the skin and give it a little squeeze before picking to make sure it is firm and not squishy. Little ones might be tempted to fill their bags with apples from the easy-to-reach ground so you may want to double-check them to make sure they are free of soft spots. 

    If you plan to do some baking keep an eye out for “seconds specials”. Seconds are apples that may not look great on the outside but are perfectly fine to eat. These ripe apples are best for baking, where their skin imperfections will go unnoticed. 

    Exploring an apple orchard with kids

    Most orchards have more to do than just picking apples, which is great because kids can sometimes be over the picking part quickly. Local apple orchards can offer a wide variety of games and activities, such as hayrides, bonfires, tractor rides, corn maze, pumpkin cannons, pig races, train rides, cider mill tours, pony rides, live music, pumpkin patch, scenic wagon ride, a petting zoo full of farm animals, farm stand, beer garden, wine tasting, food trucks, bounce houses, carnival rides, face painting, and more! The food is usually delicious too – bratwurst and burgers, funnel cakes, ice cream, apple cider doughnuts, and fresh apple cider, of course! 

    Our local orchard has a playground outside and a lot of products to browse through on the inside at the market. Many of these products are made with or pair perfectly with apples like bbq sauce, cinnamon apple jellies, and ciders.  Our favorite thing to get inside our local orchard store is cider slushies and cider donuts! Local orchards are also a great place to start some of your holiday shopping with small gifts like soaps, home goods, and delicious canned goods. 
    Boy looking at apples in store Two boys drinking apple cider slushees

    Kid-friendly apple recipes 

    Visiting the orchard is fun but let’s be honest, the best part is eating! Apples can be sweet, savory, and even spicy. They can be used in so many different dishes. Here are a few recipes that kids will love to help out with and eat!

    Sweet apple treats

    Apple chips– Thinly slice a cored apple. Place slices on parchment paper. Sprinkle slices with cinnamon. Place slices in the oven at 200 degrees cooking low and slow for about 2-3 hours until they are nice and crisp. As an added bonus the house will smell delicious as these cook! 

    Apple roll-ups– Using pre-made crescent roll dough sprinkle each dough slice with some cinnamon and sugar. Place one apple slice in the middle of the dough then roll up and bake as directed on the packaging. These make great afternoon snacks!

    Apple nachos– These are very customizable and fun to make. Use apple slices as you would chips in traditional nachos. Then cover the slices with all your favorite toppings, we used peanut butter, chocolate, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Nuts and caramel would be delicious toppings as well. 

    Apple donut rings– Core and slice apples crossways. Decorate slices using peanut butter, Nutella or marshmallow cream for the “donut icing”. Then have fun with the toppings using chopped nuts, chocolate chips, and sprinkles. The “icing” can be difficult for little fingers to spread so it worked best for us if the adults did the spreading and the kids did the decorating. 

    Apple butter– Check out this post on a fun family tradition of making a huge vat of homemade open-fire apple butter outside with the whole family! Apples, red hots, and even some silver dollars make this a really special recipe! Pair with biscuits for cleaning the pot!

    Two boys making apple nachosChild decorating apple slices

    Savory apple recipes for kids

    Turkey apple grilled cheese sandwiches– Spice up the traditional grilled cheese with some deli turkey, cheddar cheese, and some thin-sliced apples. To apple it up even more add some apple butter. Then prepare just like you would traditional grilled cheese. If you happen to have a panini press that would work as well!

    Apple beer bread– This apple beer bread is the perfect combination of apples, honey-wheat, and cinnamon. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to prepare, so you can enjoy it soon without the long wait. Try it warm with a slathering of butter (or spiced butter!). 

    Apple and pork breakfast sausage– In a bowl combine ground pork, shredded apple, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Form the mixture into small sausage patties. Cook the patties in a skillet for about five minutes per side until golden brown

    Apple crafts for kids

    If eating apples is just not going to happen, don’t worry! Apples can also be used to feed wildlife and for kid crafts. 

    Apple stamping– Cut an apple in half, paint the cut side and use it as a stamp to get a perfect apple-shaped silhouette. Stamp on a paper tree or fill a paper basket with stamped apples while learning about apples at home without going to the store or orchard. 

    Apple suncatcher– Use construction to cut out a large apple outline. In the center of the outline, use contact paper and colored tissue paper to decorate the apple. Hang on windows to let the sun illuminate the tissue paper. This is a fun way to decorate for fall. 

    Apple bird feeder– This is a great way to use apples that may have imperfections or soft spots and aren’t going to get eaten. Cut the apple in half. Hollow out the center of the apple. Fill with peanut butter then coat with birdseed. Then hang in a tree for birds, and probably squirrels, to enjoy. Check out this post for even more fun and simple bird feeders you can make with kids.
    Boy holding apple bird feeder

    A favorite fruit 

    Apple picking is one of those wonderful fall activities that’s fun for the whole family and is sure to be a great time! Hitting the orchards is one of our family’s favorite fall traditions and a fun way to get outside and enjoy the cooler weather and fresh air. Apples are a favorite fruit for kids and adults alike, and for good reason. With all of their uses and their many varieties, they can easily please a wide range of people. There is no shortage of fun and delicious things to do with apples. So get out to your local orchard and start picking today!

    About the author

    Meghan is a country living, mom of 2 boys in rural central Illinois (with a baby girl on the way). She is a Physical Therapist Assistant by trade but spends most of her time outside with her family. At home, she has large flower, herb, and vegetable gardens to tend to and 3 large dogs to play with. As a family, they enjoy hiking, camping, boating, fishing, and helping her in-laws show and raise livestock. Photography became a hobby while in isolation after her oldest son’s bone marrow transplant. It has since become a passion to capture her family’s daily life. Throughout her family’s journey with rare disease and transplant, the outdoors have been a safe space for the whole family to grow, learn, and thrive.

    You can find more from Meghan online in the following locations:
    Instagram: @meghangarriott
    RWMC posts: Meghan Garriott

  • FALL, OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, RECIPES

    Family Traditions: Making Open-Fire Apple Butter with Kids

    If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that family matters more than ever before and we should not take the time we spend together for granted. We’ve also learned that sometimes it’s nice to slow things down and it’s even nicer to do that outside, surrounded by those you love. Today, our Creative Team member and Ohio homeschooling mom of four, Leslie Alvis, shares her family’s tradition of making old-fashioned homemade open-fire apple butter. This is a time-honored tradition that’s been passed down generations, from great-grandparents to the grandkids. It’s a beautiful story of slowing things down, getting everyone involved, and spending quality time together. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy this one!

    Apple Butter

    Good old-fashioned traditions

    The skills of past generations were often passed along verbally and through hands-on experience. Children learned the wisdom of their parents and grandparents as they worked alongside them. Sometimes we call the ways of past generations “old fashioned” because they didn’t have the modern conveniences we use today. But often the slower ways tied people closer to each other and the rhythms of the earth. This fall our family had the opportunity to experience this firsthand as my husband’s grandparents taught us a new skill in an old-fashioned way: making apple butter over an open fire.

    Apple Butter

    Apple butter tradition

    Years ago, my husband’s grandparents would get together with a group of friends every fall to make apple butter. They peeled the apples by hand—five bushels of them. Then, they gathered together for a full day of cooking, stirring, and canning the delicious results. Several years back, Nanny and Grandpa acquired their own equipment and began teaching their grandchildren the tradition of open-fire apple butter making.

    It’s been a few years since anyone organized the event and we all missed it. So, this fall we decided to make it happen. We wanted our children to enjoy this experience, spend time with their great-grandparents, and make these memories together. With practical wisdom, special traditions, and a lot of laughter, they taught us their way of making apple butter.

    Making Apple Butterstirring apple butter

    Old-fashioned apple butter

    Making apple butter over an open fire is a slow process. Even if you precook your apples to soften them, it still takes lots of hours of stirring and cooking. Peeling bushels and bushels of apples takes a lot of time, too! We spent most of a Friday and Saturday on our apple butter project. But, an important part of the experience is the gift of spending time with friends and family, working and visiting together. We had four generations involved with our apple butter making this year.

    Peeling ApplesApples for apple butter

    In my mind, this is the heritage of doing things “the old-fashioned way.” It’s slowing down and spending time with your people, learning from each other, and helping each other. Plus, there really is something about the taste of food cooked long and slow over an open fire. No other apple butter tastes quite the same.

    Making Apple Butter

    Kids helping make apple butter

    Even though making apple butter involves a lot of sharp knives, hot fire, and boiling liquids, our children found plenty of ways to be involved. Even the little ones used apple peelers (with careful supervision) and helped us with the peeling process. Our bigger kids helped stir the apple butter. All of them helped add the cinnamon candies and cinnamon oil into the apple butter as it cooked. Our son is always ready to build and feed a fire, and our oldest daughter also joined the canning assembly line. We found ways to get them all involved.

    Making Apple ButterKids making apple butter

    All four of our kids were all outside with us all day, playing and helping and eating. One of their cousins was able to join us, and they also played in the woods and played board games near the fire. They especially loved getting to spend time with their great-grandparents, since Covid has limited our family activities this year. The time together was a gift, and I think the pandemic has reminded us of just how precious that gift is.

    Making Apple Butter

    Peeling the apples

    The process of making apple butter begins with peeling the apples the day before. We bought several bushels of “seconds” apples from an local Amish orchard. Nanny taught me to get several different varieties of apples to give our apple butter the best flavor. Several family members came over and helped us peel apples all afternoon. I found my children out peeling apples while I made supper, and they filled a half a bucket of apples by themselves. Then my sister-in-law and I picked up our paring knives again that evening and peeled until late into the night.

    Peeling apples

    The apples can sit in covered pans or buckets in a cool place overnight. Nanny assured me that it wouldn’t harm the apple butter if they browned a little. A few of us took some apples home to pre-cook before putting the apples in the big copper kettle. This cuts down significantly on cooking and stirring time over the open fire. We worked off an old photocopied recipe with Nanny’s handwritten notes and instructions on it. She thinks perhaps this recipe is for a 30-gallon kettle, and we only had a 20 gallon one. We modified the ingredients based on the amount of apples we could fit into the kettle.

    Apple Butter recipe

    Weather challenges

    Although the weather was beautiful and warm the day we peeled our apples, a stormy cold front blew in overnight. Saturday morning dawned gray, raw, and blustery. We tried to set up our cooking fire in our backyard and found that the wind made our project impossible. We had the apples all peeled–people invited–cinnamon rolls ready to eat. Somehow we had to save our apple butter making day.

    My husband and I walked across the road and down the farm lane to a small clearing at the edge of my dad’s pine woods. It was a little farther from our house, but the trees gave us just enough protection to start a fire and spend the day in relative shelter from the wind. We were still chilly, but it was bearable. We built a second fire to heat water over for hot chocolate and cooked soup over it for lunch.

    Making Apple Butter

    Apple butter equipment

    A copper kettle is essential for open fire apple butter making because it conducts heat so evenly and helps keep the apple butter from scorching. You can buy a copper kettle new, if you have several hundred dollars for it. They’re a pretty major investment. If you’re really interested in making apple butter this way, I’d recommend watching farm auctions or antique stores. Or go in together with some friends and begin your own apple butter tradition together!

    Stirring apple butter

    Fire it up

    We had a hard time getting the fire the right temperature at first. Too much flame and the apple butter will bubble right out of the pot. When it’s really bubbling, you also need to watch out for it popping out. It can burn if you stand too close!

    The apple butter has to be stirred constantly with a long-handled paddle with holes drilled through it. Nanny and Grandpa bought theirs at Lehman’s Hardware, a local store that has made it big by specializing in old-fashioned equipment. You can find one online at http://www.lehmans.com. Again, buying one new is pretty expensive. If you know someone with rudimentary woodworking skills, you could probably get them to make you one for a fraction of the price.

    Making Apple ButterApple butter

    Apple butter traditions

    One of Grandpa’s traditions is for the children to toss a couple silver dollars into the kettle to help keep the butter from sticking to the bottom of the pan. (Nanny says they use two because only rich people can afford to throw more money than that into a pot.) After putting in the silver dollars, our kids raced off to get their own pennies to add to the kettle. At the end of the day they had some shiny clean copper pennies to remember the day by. They washed off Grandpa’s silver dollars and he slid them back in his pocket for next time.

    Making apple butterapple butter pennies

    After all the apples had cooked down and the mixture was smooth, we got to experience another one of Nanny and Grandpa’s unique apple butter traditions. Their recipe calls for cinnamon red hot candies to be stirred in for color and flavor. So the kids munched on candies while tossing them into the pot by the handful. I think that may have been their favorite part. (Also, I spared myself the angst of running from store to store, trying to find red hot candies at this time of year. I ordered these off Amazon.)

    candies for apple buttermaking apple butter

    Finishing the apple butter

    After the cinnamon candies comes the sugar. 15 lbs of it! (That’s about 1 lb per gallon of finished apple butter, so that’s not quite as alarming as it sounds!). We stirred it in gradually, then cooked it for a couple more hours.

    The girls and my husband took turns stirring, and we drank coffee and hot chocolate while we waited. We also set up a sawhorse table for the finishing assembly line. When the apple butter is finished, it will appear “set up” when you dab a bit onto a glass dish and turn it from side to side. No water runs out from the edges and it holds its shape. At that point, you add cinnamon oil and stir for another half hour while preparing to can it.

    cooking apple butter

    Canning apple butter

    Hot apple butter can be canned with the cold pack (or hot seal) method. We set up our assembly line and Nanny assigned us all our jobs before we moved the kettle off the fire. Then, as fast as we could, we ladled our apple butter into clean canning jars. One person ladled and the next wiped the rims. Another person pulled canning lids out of hot water and set them on top, and the last one screwed the rings on. I moved the hot jars off the table to keep the workspace open. You have to work quickly to can the mixture while it’s still hot. The apple butter will create a vacuum and seal itself in the jars as it cools. 

    canning apple butter

    Cleaning the kettle with biscuits

    It was at this point, as we began filling jars, that I realized I had totally forgotten about another important tradition. Nanny had told me we needed to have hot biscuits ready to eat as soon as the canning was done. Hot biscuits are how we would clean out the copper kettle. I raced across the road to our home and whipped up the fastest batch of biscuits I’d ever made! Then, I set a timer on my phone and ran back to join the assembly line again while the biscuits baked.

    apple butter jar
    apple butter on biscuits

    Thankfully, the timing worked out. There was a tray of hot biscuits waiting when we were ready to scrape the last bit of apple butter out of the kettle. Everyone spooned apple butter onto their biscuits and we got to enjoy the fruits of all our labor. The kids broke off pieces of biscuit and wiped the kettle clean. It was a perfect way to end a long day of work on a chilly fall day. We all enjoyed the experience, the apple butter, and the memories we made together.

    apple butter kettleapple butter on biscuits

    Passing down the traditions

    Thank you for letting me share this experience of passing down our family’s tradition of making old-fashioned apple butter with you. The process and time spent together are so special to us and our family. I hope our apple butter days are a memory my children never forget and may even want to create with their grandchildren someday. Does your family have any special traditions or recipes they’ve passed down generations? 

    What old fashioned skills or traditions
    have you learned from someone special to you?

    About the author

    Leslie is an Ohio farm girl and chaser of light, children, and sometimes chickens. She’s a lover of Jesus, wife to her high school sweetheart, and a homeschooling mom of four wild rascals who love the great outdoors as much as she does. As a family, they love hiking, camping, fishing, and just about any outdoor activity. She and her husband are just beginning the process of building a homestead from the ground up, doing most of the work themselves. Leslie has a lifelong obsession with writing and capturing everyday life from behind the lens. You can follow along with their homesteading, homeschooling, and everyday adventures on her Instagram account.

    You can find more from Leslie in the following locations:
    Instagram: @c_l_allofus
    Client work: @lalvisphotography
    RWMC posts: Leslie Alvis