Easy Sweet and Sassy Pasta Salad

• 1 container (8 oz.) plain, nonfat yogurt
• 1 can (8 oz.) unsweetened, crushed pineapple (do not drain)
• 1/2 tsp. salt, optional
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 3 cups diced Pennsylvania apples

Thoroughly combine yogurt, pineapple, salt, garlic powder, dry mustard, ginger and honey.

Cover and refrigerate.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt in cooking water.

Drain and rinse pasta in cold water. Cool completely.

In large bowl, combine pasta with yogurt mixture, carrots, celery, raisins and apples.

Cover and chill thoroughly before serving.

Makes 8 – 1 cup servings

Nutrition info per serving: 215 calories, 1g fat, 1mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 175mg sodium, 4% calories from fat.

Apple Chicken Stir-Fry

• 1/2 cup onion, vertically sliced
• 1 cup (2 medium) carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. dried basil, crushed
• 1 cup fresh or frozen Chinese pea pods
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 medium sweet or sweet tart Pennsylvania apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 pound cubed boneless, skinless, chicken breast
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 2 cups cooked rice

Stir fry cubed chicken breast in 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in non-stick skillet until lightly browned and cooked. Remove from skillet. Stir-fry onion, carrots and basil in oil in same skillet until carrots are tender. Stir in pea pods and water; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apples. Add to chicken; serve hot over cooked rice. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving: Calories, 365; Fat, 9 g; Cholesterol, 62 mg; Fiber, 3 g; Sodium, 71 mg. Percent calories from fat, 22%.

Crock pot pork or ham and apple dish

In a crock pot:

• Pork loin or sliced ham
• Sweet potatoes
• Slices Pennsylvania apples

Add sugar and butter and a little water. Turn on low and dinner is served when you get home from work.

Pork Chops With Apple Cream Sauce

• 4 boneless pork chops
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

Apple Cream Sauce:

• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 medium Pennsylvania Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced fairly thin
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Pour olive oil in a skillet and place on oven burner. Salt and pepper pork chops and place in skillet. Brown pork on both sides.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To prepare the sauce:

Melt butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan over medium heat until mixture starts to caramelize. Add apples and turn frequently until the whole mixture is caramelized.
Stir in cream and cinnamon. Cover and remove from the heat.

Place pork chops in a baking dish. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.

Pour sauce over pork chops and continue baking for 30 minutes or until tender.

Remove for oven and serve over rice.

Sandwiches

Grilled cheese with Pennsylvania apple slices. You can also add ham.

Turkey or ham, smoked Gouda cheese (or your favorite cheese) with Pennsylvania apple slices on your favorite bread or roll.

Grilled Ham, Pork, Apple, Onion, and cheese sandwich.  4 sourdough french rolls, 8 slices roasted pork loin, 8 slices smoked ham, 12 thin dill pickle slices, 4 tsp. dijon mustard, 4 tsp. Lucky Leaf/Musselman's orange mango fruit'n sauce, 4 slices Jarisberg or Swiss cheese, olive oil.  Dice 1 Pennsylvania Granny Smith apple and dice a small onion (optional) and saute in a small amount butter.  Prepare sandwich: Lightly brush each side of each roll with olive oil.  Spread 1 tsp. dijon mustard and 1 tsp. orange mango fruit'n sauce on each roll.  Layer 2 slices of ham, 2 slices of pork, 2 tbsp. of onion apple mixture, and 3 pickle slices on each roll; top with a slice of cheese and close sandwich.  Grill sandwich until it becomes brown and crisp and then turn over and grill until brown and crisps.  Makes 4 servings.  Gary L. Mann, C.E.C.

Open-Face Garden and Orchard Sandwich

• 4 or 5 slices of your favorite Pennsylvania apple, thinly sliced
• 1 slice whole wheat bread
• 1/2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup broccoli
• 1 mushroom, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp. cranberries (dried)
• 1 Tbsp. chopped pecans
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 oz. Colby Jack cheese, sliced

Arrange the unpeeled apple slices on the bread. Melt butter in a small skillet. Add the broccoli, mushroom, onion, cranberries, and pecans. Sauté until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
Stir in the mayonnaise. Spoon over the apple. Top with the cheese.

Place on a baking sheet and broil about six inches from the heat for one minute or until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Pork & Apple Burritos with Cider Butter Sauce

Gary L. Mann, C.E.C.

Apple Filling:
• 6 Pennsylvania Granny Smith apples dipped in Nature seal
• 12 slices Canadian bacon, julienned
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Fresh ground nutmeg
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Cider Butter Sauce:
• 2 leek
• 1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 inch
• 1/2 quart Lucky Leaf/Musselmans's Sparkling Apple Cider
• 1/2 lb. butter, plus 2 extra Tbsp.
• 6 flour tortillas, 8 inch round

Peel and core apples and cut into 1-inch pieces, dip in Nature Seal.  Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in a large frying pan.  Add the apples, sugar, and nutmeg to taste and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until apples are soft but not mushy, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.  After cooling, combine with julienned Canadian bacon.

Cider Butter Sauce:  Cut both leeks into thin julienne strips, reserving 1/2 for the garnish.  Break cinnamon stick into pieces.  Put the cider, 1/2 leeks, and cinnamon stick pieces in a pot and bring to a boil, then reduce by 2/3 for about 20 minutes.  Remove cinnamon stick pieces.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in preheated oven, or wrap in a towel and microwave for 1 minute until soft and warm.

Reheat apple filling and Cider Butter sauce. 

Melt the 2 Tbsp. of butter in a frying pan and saute the remaining leeks over medium heat, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes, reserve warm.

When the Cider Butter sauce is reheated, carefully add the 1 lb. of cold butter to the sauce, about a Tbsp. at a time, adding another piece as each is almost incorporated.  Butter should not melt completely but should soften to form a creamy sauce.  If the sauce gets too hot, and the butter starts to melt, remove it from the heat and continue adding the remaining butter.

Divide the filling into each tortilla, top with a little cheese and roll it up.  Put burrito on each plate.  Top with Cider Butter sauce and the sauteed leeks.  Makes 6 servings.

Asian BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Apple Jicama Slaw and Orange Mango Fruit

Chef Norbert Bomm

• 24 oz. Pork Tenderloin cut into 12 x 3 oz. medallions
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 12 oz. Jicama
• 1/2 green Pennsylvania apple
• 1/2 red Pennsylvania apple
• 1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 container Musselman's Orange Mango Fruit N Sauce
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted and peeled
• 2 oranges, peeled and segmented
Asian BBQ Sauce:
• 1/2 Hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup plum sauce
• 1/8 cup white vinegar
• 1/8 cup Chinese rice vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 Tsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dar sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. Asian chili sauce
• 1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

In a bowl large enough to hold the pork tenderloin medallions combine all the ingredients for the BBQ sauce and mix well.  Add pork tenderloin medallions and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.  Peel and julienne the apple and the Jicama, combine in a bowl with honey, chopped cilantro, and the orange mango fruit sauce.
Place saute pan over medium heat, season pork medallion with salt and pepper, add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and saute for 2 minutes on each side or until done.  Transfer pork to heated plates, garnish with some Asian BBQ sauce, apple Jicama slaw, and orange segments and roasted bell peppers.  Makes 4 servings.