how about them apples?

(Before I begin, I would like to say a word to Instagram. Instagram, your new business model stinks. I took a slew of beautiful pictures of pumpkins and apples and my children over the weekend and you have made it impossible for me to save, print or even post those photos on my blog. I love how you make me look so much better than I am, but I am leaving you. All you care about is Facebook. I am so disappointed in you. Okay, now that I've explained why there are no fabulous photos shared here, on with the post.)

I’ve never been a fan of the shorter days or the colder mornings. Give me a bright and sunny 6 a.m. that’s fast-approaching a balmy 80 degrees any day of the year. Still, I’m a sucker for the changing seasons. The sudden transformation from green and brown to orange and yellow never fails to awe me. And the orchards overrun with pumpkins and peck after peck of apples inspires me every year.

The last two weekends we’ve visited two different orchards. For you local folks, Honey Hill Orchard in Waterman, IL, is worth the drive if you’re looking for the world’s best homemade apple cider donut, a pick-your-own pumpkin patch and some family-friendly activities like a hay-bale maze, petting zoo and tractor pull that are (unbelievably) free. If you’re looking for a very expensive three-ring circus that includes a giant plethora of country kitsch for purchase, a cop directing traffic in the middle of nowhere and a “fun” area you can hardly get out of without spending a week’s budget, check out Kuipers Family Farm in Maple Park, IL. (I should, however, note that my kids were crazy about the washing stations at Kuipers. We brought home some spanking-clean pumpkins.)

At both orchards I picked up a peck of Cortlands. Hands down (in my opinion), they make the best applesauce. Using my grandma’s recipe (which is nothing but the whole, peel-on, seeds-in apple), I immediately processed the first peck last weekend. The gallon of sauce lasted a week. I also made this delicious and very flexible breakfast apple crumble. I say breakfast because it’s low on sugar and it has oatmeal in it and it makes me feel better about eating dessert when the sun is rising. And my kids think I rock when we eat apple crumble for breakfast. (I used honey in it and exchanged almond meal for half the whole wheat flour. Hence the flexible part.)

I also tried something new with apples last week. And I am happy to say—especially to you people who are demanding new recipes (you know who you are)—it turned out pretty excellent. I will make it again, which is my criteria for putting the recipe into a post, as this blog has now become my recipe book and lately my reminder that I actually used to cook and bake stuff. Now it is proof that when apples are in season, I still do.

A pizza recipe with apples may seem odd, but the best recipes often are. This one’s no exception. (By the way, I know this recipe would benefit from photos, but thanks to Instagram, there aren't any. The final product looks like a muffin and functions like a calzone, in case that helps.)

Muffin-tin Meatball (or Meatless Ball) and Apple Pizza

1 recipe pizza dough (below) or store-bought dough (like Trader Joe’s)

6 meatballs (like frozen Turkey meatballs or vegetarian meatballs from Trader Joe’s)

1 apple, peeled and thinly sliced

6 T marinara sauce

shredded mozzarella (about 1 cup)

shredded parmesan (couple ½ cup)

egg

1 T milk

Separate dough into 6 pieces and roll out pieces individually to diameter of a large grapefruit. Set first piece in large, greased muffin tin compartment. A couple inches on all sides should hang over the edge. Fan out a layer of thinly sliced apple in the bottom and along the sides of the dough-lined tin. Put meatball, a tablespoon of marinara, a couple pinches of mozzarella and a pinch of parmesan on top of the apple. Fold over the excess dough to close the pizza pocket. Continue with the other five pizza pockets. Brush the tops of the six mini calzone-like pizzas with a mixture of egg and milk. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

For the dough:

Dissolve ½ teaspoon of yeast in ¾ cup warm water. In mixer with dough hook, stir together 2 cups all-purpose flour with ½ teaspoon salt. While mixing, pour in the yeast water. Continue mixing for several minutes. Dough should look and feel like pizza dough. Form into a ball and let sit for a few minutes before using.