Autumn is such a joyful season in Tennessee with the beautiful change of leaves, cooler weather, great harvest of foods, craft fairs, to name just a few enjoyable changes. To me there are certain things that just go with fall. Apples are at the top of my list. I always think of apple pie and apple cider. Have you ever watched apple cider being made? To me it is fascinating to witness apple cider being made at the fall craft fairs. Cider can be made at home, but be cautious to keep cider safe from harmful bacteria.
When making homemade cider always wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds before and after preparation. Get rid of any damaged or bruised areas on the apples. Always wash apples thoroughly under running water before cutting or cooking, then dry the apples with a clean cloth or paper towel.
Grind clean apples into an applesauce consistency to makes cider. Layers of the substance are wrapped and put into wooden racks where a press squeezes the layers making the juice flow into a refrigerated container. Cider always needs to be refrigerated because it is perishable. It may also be frozen, just be sure to leave an inch or two of headspace for expansion during freezing. Cider will stay good for up to two weeks.
Pasteurize the cider by heating to 160 degrees Fahrenheit to destroy harmful bacteria. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, has received reports of severe outbreaks of foodborne illness that have been traced to drinking cider that has not been treated to kill harmful bacteria. Children, older adults, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems are put in jeopardy of serious illness or even death from drinking untreated juice, such as cider. Symptoms can include those similar to other sickness, such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache, and body ache. Foodborne illness usually occurs within 1 to 3 days after eating the contaminated food, but sickness can occur within 20 minutes up to 6 weeks later.
Therefore, to prevent foodborne illness from happening one needs to look for the warning label on the juice that states the product has not been pasteurized. Keep in mind that you can find pasteurized or otherwise treated products in the grocery store’s refrigerated sections, frozen food cases, or in non-refrigerated containers. The untreated juice is likely to be sold in the refrigerated section. Also, be mindful that the FDA does not require warning labels for cider that is sold by the glass, such as at restaurants. Always ask if you are unsure if the product has been treated or not.
This week’s recipe was submitted by Wendy Drumm, Riddleton FCE Club.
Yellow Squash Casserole
4 cups sliced yellow squash
½ cup chopped onion
35 Ritz Crackers crushed
1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 eggs beaten
¾ cups milk
¼ cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 400°. Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Add small amount of water, cover and cook about 5 minutes until squash is tender. Drain well and put in large bowl. In medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half mixture into cooked squash and onions. In a small bowl mix milk and eggs then add to squash mixture. Pour melted butter into mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cracker mixture over squash and dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake in oven 25 minutes or until lightly brown and bubbly.
Submitted By: Mary Parker Draper – UT Extension
