Aunt Ann's Waldorf Salad

For my 16th birthday, a friend gave me a copy of “With Love, From My Kitchen”, which is basically a blank yet organized cook-book, to be filled with the favorite recipes of friends and family members. Since then, I have been slowly gathering the classic family favorites, as well as begging friends to write one or two of their favorites in for me; I like the idea of the recipes being written in their own handwriting, leaving a bit of their personality in my keepsake cook-book.

One recipe that is surrounded by wonderful memories is Aunt Ann’s Waldorf Salad. She wasn’t my aunt, but like most people who visit older people with their nieces and nephews, I called her aunt. We played games on the living room floor with the kids and scrabble at the dining room table, and she served this salad with dinner. I’d never had it before and managed to work up the nerve to ask her for the recipe. (I was still in my most dreadful shy stage back then.) I looked up traditional Waldorf salad, and I’m afraid this has been dressed up a bit, and sweetened with whipped cream. I can’t quite imagine I would enjoy plain mayo as the dressing after eating this.

Aunt Ann’s Waldorf Salad

2 C chopped red skin apples

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 C chopped celery (TINY, in my opinion, is the way to go.)

1/4 C chopped walnuts

1/4 C raisins or chopped dates (dates all the way! Raisins are normal. Dates are extraordinary. Remind me to share Nan’s Date Cake recipe.)

1/4 C red grapes, halved

1/2 C whipped cream or cool whip (give or take a little… taste it and see what you like.)

1/4 C mayonnaise

ground nutmeg

In a medium bowl, toss apple with lemon juice. Stir in celery, nuts, dates and grapes. In a separate bowl, fold together whipped cream and mayonnaise. Spread dressing over the top of the apple mixture (I believe this helps keep the apples from browning if you keep it overnight) . Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Cover and chill 2-4 hours, or overnight. To serve, fold dressing into the fruit mixture.

This badly lit picture of the dressing-covered salad is the last picture I have. I meant to take pictures of it all mixed together, but I made it for our dinner on Resurrection Sunday, and somehow… we ate it all. I think we might have been licking the bowl, but perhaps that’s an exaggeration. Anyway, people really love eating this stuff.

(P.S., as long as you don’t get carried away with it, this recipe is HCG P3 approved.)

Flavors of the Season: Caramel Apple Cider

Now that you all know how to make good raw cider, here's something you can do with the pasteurized stuff (those of you who don't have a juicer) to make it taste better. I admit I used our home-made cider because, well, that's what we have.

Caramel Apple Cider

1/4 C heavy cream
1/4 C brown sugar
3 C cider
1/2 C water

Whip together till stiff: 1/2 C heavy cream
1 Tbs brown sugar

Bring the cream and brown sugar to a boil and add water and cider. Heat until steaming. Serve in mugs, topped with caramel whipped cream.

Introducing: The Juicer!

I am slowly growing to love Fall. Growing up, summer was such a whirl of hard labor and working at the family produce stand that we felt as though we didn't get a 'real' summer. And all fall meant was that winter is about to get here. Boo, hiss. Now though, I've been able to experience summer for all its worth, and by the time fall gets here, I'm ready for it. I have the time to really take in and savor some of the things fall brings. Like apples.


Here in upstate NY, apple orchards abound. In my family, buying apples means buying directly from the growers, which I love. I recently acquired a juicer from a friend (on loan) and when I discovered home made cider I was thrilled! Selling unpasteurized cider is no longer legal, (which annoys me NO end. Pasteurized can not even be COMPARED with the real thing.) so making our own seems like a good option! A bushel box like the one above costs $6, making it very affordable.




In case you every wondered what to do with all the giant pockets on the front of your apron, this picture illustrates their versatility! I fill my pockets with the apples we store in the unheated utility room, and carry them to the kitchen, bulging and laughing at myself.

And now, HERE it is! My (borrowed) industrial Champion juicer!


Oh, and that pitcher of heavenly foamy stuff is fresh cider; sweet, tangy, full of goodness and NOT pasteurized. It doesn't last long around here.

Maple Walnut Apple Cobbler

6 C sliced tart apples (4 large)
8 Tbs butter
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C buttermilk or plain yogurt (In a pinch, I've also used vanilla yogurt, and part sour cream.)
1 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C maple syrup
1 C chopped walnuts

Lightly grease a deep 8 or 9 inch square pan (I double the batch in a 15x10) and place the apples in it. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350*
Beat together butter and sugar until smooth. Add buttermilk, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla and beat again. Spoon the batter - it should be rather stiff- over the apples in the pan, using a spatula dipped in water to spread it.
Pour the maple syrup over the batter, then sprinkle with nuts.



Bake for 55-60 minutes, covering with aluminum foil, shiny side up, after the first 30 minutes. Let set at least 20 minutes before serving.

I am a person who would never in a million years buy imitation maple syrup for my pancakes. At the same time, the real stuff is insanely expensive (but I know it's actually a fair price, a LOT of work goes into a little syrup) and we haven't had any in the house for quite a while. (I miss making our own! :-( ) So for this recipe, I did the unthinkable. I made fake syrup. For this recipe, it works beautifully.

2 C sugar
1 C water
1 tsp maple flavoring

Heat water and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add flavoring.