Picking and a Grinning: Apple Harvest

This week our kids were assigned homework that our entire family enjoyed:  picking apples.  Fortunately, my parents’ Red Delicious tree was especially productive this year and the apples were ripe for picking.  To make it even better, we were harvesting apples on a beautiful fall afternoon with blue skies, sunshine and temperatures in the upper 70s.  Our energetic nine-year-olds spent as much – if not more –  time climbing the tree than they did picking the fruit but that’s how the best memories are made.

As much as I love the natural goodness of a crisp apple, I have to admit that I enjoy eating them more with a little dip!  Last week while I was making farm visits in northeast Iowa, I had the pleasure of also visiting with one our salesmen’s wives.  She had just whipped up some dip for their kids’ afternoon snack, so I requested it for my blog.  While Meg got this recipe from a Cooking Light magazine, she admits to liberally sprinkling additional toffee bits on top of the dip – more chocolate is always better, right?  Her family also likes this dip with graham cracker sticks and/or animal crackers.

What’s your favorite way to enjoy apples?

Apple Fun Facts

• Apples come in all shades of reds, greens, yellows.
• Apples are grown in all 50 states.
• Apples are grown commercially in 36 states.
• 100 varieties of apples are grown commercially in the United States.
• 2,500 varieties of apples are grown in the United States.
• 7,500 varieties of apples are grown throughout the world.

http://www.gone-ta-pott.com/National_apple_month.html