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

As I walked our dog along the creek, I couldn’t help but think of all the things I love about early fall.  I love how the morning air is crisp and cool but the afternoon temperatures are pleasantly warm without all of the humidity we experience in the heat of summer.  I get a kick out of watching children play touch football in our backyard.  I enjoy decorating for fall and picking pumpkins.  I marvel at the number of Monarchs resting on my flowers and delight when I find their eggs on the backside of leaves.  I find beauty in the countryside as crops mature and leaves begin to turn color.

Most of all, I enjoy the fruits of this season.  There’s nothing better than fresh apple cider and all of the wonderful home-made treats that are synonymous (at least to me) with fall harvest.  My mom made the following recipe last weekend, and I thought it was simply delicious.  I hope you’ll agree!

What do you enjoy most about fall?

Labor Day Weekend and large gatherings?  Back-to-school snacks?  End-of-the-summer bounty?

It was tough choosing just one of these topics to feature in my weekly recipe blog until I looked through an old Taste of Home magazine.  I was searching for a new idea on how to put my family’s bountiful zucchini to good use when a photograph of a delectable-looking chocolate cupcake with a pull-quote caught my attention. The lady who submitted the recipe wrote, “I’m always asked for this recipe, which makes a tasty treat after school, after lunch or after supper.  My grandkids love these cupcakes and don’t believe there are veggies in them!”

With Labor Day and family get-togethers around the corner, I thought cupcakes would be the perfect addition to a family picnic. Not to mention, getting kids to eat veggies without even knowing it is like a dream come to true!  I thought to myself, “I don’t even have to count this as a dessert.  Why these cupcakes really count as a serving of vegetables rather than a dessert.  Perhaps I could eat two of them – one from the fruit/vegetable group and one as dessert.”  (How’s that for rationalization, ladies?  Of course, I won’t share this thought with my kids!)

What’s your favorite way to sneak veggies to your kids?

You won’t want to miss out on the fun – and the cookies – today at the Latham Country Fair in Alexander! Val Plagge with the Iowa Soybean Association is issuing a Chocolate Chip Cookie Challenge where guests are invited to sample two types of cookies: one made from a traditional recipe and one made with soy flour and tofu (see the recipe below). Stop by and See Val at the Latham Country Fair, in Alexander, Iowa today to cast your vote for your favorite cookie!

For more information about the Latham Country Fair, click here.