Kate’s Cooking: Fun With Apples

Hello out there. If you are like me and like to collect up interesting cooking books and put your nose into them to ferret out interesting cooking ideas, then you might like the two recipes we have today. One hails from Ireland and the other I found in an old Jewish cookbook. Both use apples and are tasty and relatively inexpensive to make. I like to experiment and change spices and seasonings from time to time but I have given you the base recipes. Enjoy.

MEAT & APPLE MACARONI

1 cup cooked meat – ground or chopped finely or ground
2 to 2 ½ cups cooked macaroni – you might like to adjust this
1 ½ to 2 cups thick gravy – adjust to suit taste
Black pepper
4 apples – preferably green and tart
1 tablespoon sugar
Fresh brown bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or margarine (approx.)

**Mix together the meat, macaroni and gravy and season with the black pepper. Turn into a buttered casserole dish. Core the apples and finely chop them and place on top of the macaroni mix. Sprinkle with the sugar and breadcrumbs and dot with the butter or margarine. Bake in a moderate oven at 180C (350F or Gas 4) until heated through – approx. 30 minutes.

IRISH APPLE DESSERT

6 slices bread
¼ cup butter or margarine
4 or 5 apples
Cinnamon
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
approx. 1 cup heated milk

**Butter bread with half the butter/margarine and cut into 2-inch squares. Core and slice the apples. Heat remaining butter/margarine and soften apples in it. Grease pie dish and arrange a layer of bread in the bottom then a layer of apples and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Continue in layers ending with a bread layer. Beat the eggs and pour the heated milk onto them. Continue to beat this mix well and pour over the bread and apples. Bake in a moderate oven for approx. 40 minutes. This is nice served with fresh cream or whipped cream that has a little vanilla essence added.

Well, happy cooking to all of you. Keep well and safe.

Cheers, Kate.