Growing up in Texas and Colorado, I picked pumpkins, climbed mountains, and stood in fields of blue bonnets…but I didn’t spend any time walking amongst apple trees.
Luckily, I married my husband who has roots in rural Pennsylvania. On one of our first trips out East together, we visited an apple orchard…and I quickly fell in love with that quintessential fall excursion. With bucket in hand I sampled apple after apple, marveling at their crispness, their sweetness. Heirloom varieties were marked by wooden signs, and the apples from those trees were far better than anything I’d had from a grocery store. Back at the wooden shack, we bought apple butter and cider donuts from women with long skirts. I talked about that farm for days…I’m still talking about it now!
If only we had apple orchards in Colorado Springs.
Lucky for me, I did find a few local farms (about an hour away from home) and signed up for a picking day sometime in September or October. I’m eagerly awaiting an email telling me exactly when and where. I’ll be ready, with Lucy in her Moby wrap, and we’ll spend a cool Colorado morning walking through those neat and fruitful rows.
Speaking of my little love…Lucy is 6 weeks old! She’s started smiling whenever Ryan and I come into the room, and I don’t know if anything has melted my heart like her eyes lighting up when she catches my gaze. We went to our first La Leche League meeting on Wednesday, and I couldn’t have felt more at home with those beautiful women and their babies. I felt empowered and connected, which was a very good for this new and inexperienced mom. Lucy also went to two fancy restaurants this week. Yes two! She slept through both meals. The bustling of a full dining room must have done the trick. My one-year-old nephew also went to dinner with us…and I realized we better take advantage of Lucy sleeping through meals!
Harvest Apple Salad
*From McCormick
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Saigon Cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil
8 cups salad greens, such as arugula, red leaf lettuce or Romaine lettuce
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup pistachio nuts
Cover apple slices with cold water. Add lemon juice. Let stand until ready to serve.
Mix vinegar, honey and roasted cinnamon in small bowl with wire whisk. Gradually add oil, whisking until well blended.
To serve, divide greens among 8 plates. Top each with drained apple slices, apricots, blue cheese and pistachio nuts. Serve with dressing.
