Fresh picked apples at Harvest time

When apples are in season, there are a wide range of varieties to choose from. Red Delicious, Gala, and Fuji are crisp and juicy all by themselves. For baking, a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors can be made by combining Rome Beauties with Granny Smiths. For use in soups and sauces, the softer Johnathans, Cortlands, or McIntoshes all work well.

Apples are a great way to get fruit into your diet. From grab and go whole apples, to diced into a salad of baked whole for a yummy simple dessert, the possibilities are endless. We all know that apples are a great healthy snack. They are especially yummy with peanut butter on them. A slice of sharp cheddar cheese makes another tasty topping.

Golden Delicious apples bake up quickly

But did you know that apples are useful in the kitchen in other ways too?

Here are 4 tips to get the most out of an apple.

1) Green tomatoes will ripen faster when placed in a paper bag with an apple in it.

2) Try stuffing an apple inside a whole chicken the next time you roast one up to make it juicier.

3) Hardened brown sugar will soften easily when placed in a bag with an apple wedge.

4) Apples will absorb extra salt from homemade soups and stews. Just add few wedges to balance out too mush salt.

Got a handy use for apples? I’d love to hear about it.

MGH Tags: cleanse, skin