McDougal Orchards

201 Hanson Ridge Road, Springvale, Maine 04083
phone: 207-324-5054 fax: 207-459-7849

Do you have a favorite apple recipe? Send it to the us and we'll try it out. If the family likes it you might find it posted on this website (with your permission and recognition of course).

Apple Sauce

There are many ways to make apple sauce. We found this to be the easiest as we try to put a lot of apple sauce in the freezer while the apples are ripe.

We use a KitchenAid® mixer (model K5SS) with the Fruit/Vegetable Strainer (model FVS/FG-A) attachment.

Start with ripe apples (McIntosh). Drops are the best as they will be the ripest. Utility apples are an alternative. You could use handpicked apples but these are more expensive than drops or utilities.

Apples
1/2 cup of water

Wash apples
Cut into quarters, place in a large pot. Fill to the rim with apples.
Add water
On low heat cook until apples are soft
note: do not start at high heat as the apples on the bottom will burn and stick to the pot.

Follow the directions on the mixer for running the apples through the strainer. The core, seeds and skin are run out the end of the strainer.
The skin will impart a nice color to the sauce. I have heard of people adding red gelatin for coloring (we don't). If the apples are ripe no sugar is necessary.

Let the sauce cool and then refrigerate or freeze.
Serve warm by itself or with pork. It goes well with Mac & Cheese also. I like to throw in some whole almonds. Of course a dollop of ice cream on warm apple sauce is very tasty.

Apple Pie

Any apple can be used for a pie. We like McIntosh. Others swear by Cortland. Northern Spy makes one of the best pies.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
6 cups of thinly sliced apples, pared, cored
3/4 cup of sugar - adjust this for your taste and the ripeness of the apples used.
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
Dask of ground nutmeg
Pastry for 2 crust 9" pie
2 tablespoons butter

Combine sugar, flour and spices.
Mix with apples.
Line 9" pie plate with pastry.
Fill with apple mixture, dot with butter.
Adjust top crust, cutting slits for escape of steam, seal.
Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or till done (liquid bubbles).

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream (we like Shaw's Ridge or Shain's) or sharp cheddar cheese.

Apple Crisp

Any apple will do but some will cook down and other varieties hold their shape. This recipe is a combination of a few apple crisp recipes we have in the recipe file. It makes a 9"x13" pan so you'll be eating apple crisp for awhile. And what's wrong with that?

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
8 cups of sliced apples, pared and cored. (4 pounds)
1/2 cup water
1 & 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of brown sugar
3/4 cup of white sugar
1 & 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup butter

Fill a 9"x13" pan with apple slices.
Pour in 1/2 cup of water.
In a bowl combine flour, brown sugar, sugar and spices.
Cut in butter until it has the texture of cornmeal.
Distribute evenly over the sliced apples.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour or until done (liquid bubbles).

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream (we like Shaw's Ridge or Shain's) or whipped cream.

Jack's Sunday Buttermilk Pancakes

These will be thin pancakes. The way we like them. Cut down on the liquids if you want them thicker.

4 Tablespoons of Saco Buttermilk Blend®
1 Cup of whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon of molasses (or honey, or maple sugar)
1 Teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon of baking soda
1 egg
1 Cup of apple cider (or water)
1 Cup of plain yogurt
1 Cup of apple sauce

You could also add Maine wild blueberries or apple chunks.
Ground cinnamon and/or nutmeg adds some flavor. Don't overdo it.

Our dog Ginger
Mix the dry ingredients and then add the egg and liquids.
Mix until blended.
Preheat a griddle or pan on medium/low heat.
Spray with Pam®.
I use a ladle to drop the batter on the hot griddle.
Cook until the edges begin to cook and flip.
Makes about 2 dozen 4" pancakes, generally enough for our family of four with a couple left over for Ginger (our dog). Top with butter, pure Maine Maple Syrup, apple sauce or any fruit compote.