After a weekend full of wine tasting, good eats, and birthday fun (Happy BirthdayKath!!), I had one last thing on my agenda: apple picking!
I can’t remember a season going by while I was growing up that didn’t involve the drive out to the country for fresh fruit picking. Strawberries, broccoli, peaches… you name it, you could pick it.
As good as fresh, juicy strawberries were in the summer, nothing compared to the fall: apple picking, pumpkin patches, hayrides, corn mazes, and fresh squeezed apple cider.
The lack of nearby apple picking in North Carolina quickly fizzled my yearly tradition of laboriously picking out the perfect pumpkin, then stuffing bag after bag full of apples of every kind. (Of course I would always volunteer to taste test every apple variety. You know, just to be sure we wanted them. 
)
When I passed signs for an apple orchard on my drive up to Charlottesville, I knew I’d be making a quick pit stop on the way home.
Let me tell you- apple picking is not meant to be a quick activity. You’re supposed to make a day of it, go through all the apple trees picking the best apples, sampling the cider and the apple donuts, and taking in the scenic views. I, however, likely set a new record- I was in and out of there in a flash.
I knew exactly what I wanted: Pink Lady apples! (I snagged a few Fuji’s too.)
Pink Ladys (Ladies?) just came into season this weekend. They are THE best apple that has ever crossed my lips. People must agree with me because it’s nearly impossible to find a good one at the grocery store- they’re always out of stock. 
So I grabbed a few apples and was shortly on my way home. Maybe one day I’ll be able to drag convince somebody to come with me to actually experience the joy of apple picking.
I foresee lots of apple dishes in my near future…apple sauce, apple pie, apple crisp…and apple turnovers! (On hindsight, I should have grabbed more apples…how did I only leave with 15?!)
Apple Turnovers
(aka Vegan Apple Turnovers for Two)
Filling
2 Pink Lady (or other tart variety) apples, sliced or chopped
1/2 T cinnamon
1 T sugar
1 T flour
1 t nutmeg
1/2 T lemon juice
Crust
2/3 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c almond flour or ground almonds
2 T non dairy butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 c cold water
Combine flour, almonds, & vanilla. Cut in cold butter with pasty cutter or knives. Slowly add water a little bit at a time- just enough to hold the dough together. You probably won’t need all of it. Refrigerate until you’re ready for it.
Cook apples & all the filling ingredients over medium heat for about 10 minutes- just enough to soften.
Don’t let the husband “watch” the apples during football. Or ever. It doesn’t matter how bad you need to pee.
Divide the dough into the number of turnovers you want, and roll out each section into a thin circle. (This makes 2 regular sized apple turnovers or 4 mini turnovers.)
Fill each dough circle with the apple filling, keeping the apples on one half of the circle.
Fold the dough over to make half-moon shapes. If the dough won’t stick together, try slightly wetting the edges of the dough.
Use a fork to make the edges pretty. Totally optional. Not optional: cutting slits in turnover tops to vent.
Brush the tops lightly with water and sprinkle with turbinado or demerara sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Also optional: glaze! (Confectioner’s sugar, water or almond milk, and vanilla.)
Now, what to do with the next batch of apples….
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