Fall is upon us, and that means there are fall fruits to be picked! It is the perfect autumn activity, yet the question is always what to do with the excess apples, pumpkins, and pears that are brought home. No one ever wants to throw away fresh fruits that have gone bad; here are some easy ways to make sure that everything gets used.
1. Applesauce
I believe applesauce to be one of the most underrated snacks there is. Throw some apples and cinnamon in a pan or a blender, and you have your mushy deliciousness that goes perfectly with potato pancakes, or even by itself. It can be eaten all-year round, and is your best friend if you ever get braces, get your wisdom teeth taken out, or any other oral procedure.
2. Apple Crumb Pie
Apple pie is the best pie around. However many apples you have leftover after picking, slice them up, put them in a crust and dust it with crumbs - you will have made one of the most scrumptious desserts available. In my opinion, this pie could save humanity.
3. Glazed Apple Fritters
Another easy way to use excess apples is to roll them up in some Pillsbury dough, put them in the oven, and make an apple fritter. If you put a glaze over it, it becomes an excellent blend of fresh and sweet.
4. Cinnamon Snacks
If you still have more apples to get rid of, the best way to do this would be to slice them up, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over them, and then sprinkle lots of cinnamon everywhere. It tastes like an apple cinnamon dessert, but with a healthier twist.
5. Apple Snickers Salad
I came home one day to my roommates making this and was blown away: cut up apples and snickers thrown into a mixture of vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and milk. If you’ve ever needed an excuse to eat basically plain whipped cream, here is your chance! And there are fresh apples in it, so it’s kind of healthy, right?
6. Jack-O-Lanterns
The face of October, more so of Halloween, can be created by carving out a pumpkin to put a design on it. Whether it is a face, a cat, or anything else spooky or sweet, putting a candle inside will make the design stand out. It is the ideal decoration during the Halloween holiday.
7. Baking Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are a secret snack that many people don’t think about. When you’re carving out your pumpkin, don’t throw away the seeds; they can be washed and roasted with some salt seasoning or cinnamon sugar that makes for a crunchy snack. It is the fall version of roasted kale chips.
8. Pear Galette
Pears are such a sweet fruit, so why not throw a pile onto a piece of rolled out dough? I like to think of a galette as a DIY pie because there’s no need to worry about a crust. The dough curls around the sugary, gooey pears. When baked, it is just like a pie, except more warm dough!
No matter how many you pick, there is always something that can be done with the extra fruit so that nothing fresh ever goes to waste. And who doesn’t like the feeling of fresh fall lingering around when fall fruits can be used as food and decor?