Autumn and Apples

You can't go through the Fall here in upstate New York without going apple-picking. And while it's fun and a great way to spend the day and you can get an amaaaazing amount of apples ($20 a bag works out to roughly about $1 a pound or less) you can quickly run out of apple recipes. But here is an hiker-friendly apple recipe that is easy to make and packs well to boot.

Maple Olive Oil Apple Chips

Ingredients:

• 4 apples
• 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Bit of salt

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 250. Coat two baking sheets with non-stick spray.
2. Combine maple syrup, olive oil, and salt in a large bowl
3. Thinly slice the apples and place them in the bowl with the maple syrup mixture.
4. Toss to coat the apple slices. Arrange the apple slices in a single layer on the baking sheets.
5. Bake for 1 and a half to two hours or until the apples are dry.
6. Store in an airtight container

Want something a little different?

Homemade Apple Leather

Ingredients:

• Apple Spice Fruit Leather
• 8 cups chopped apples (if you have a high-powered blender, just leave them unpeeled)
• 1 cup spiced apple cider
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 170° F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or microwave-safe plastic wrap.
2. Combine the apples, apple cider, and cinnamon in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until the apples are soft.
3. Puree the mixture in a blender and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Gently shake the baking sheet to spread out the fruit puree.
4. Bake until the fruit is mostly dried out, but still a little sticky.
5. Cool completely and then cut into strips. Store in a tightly sealed container.