Waldorf Salad with SweeTango Apples

Waldorf Salad with SweeTango Apples.

I was delighted to find SweeTango apples the other day at Whole Foods.  This relatively new variety of  apple is sweet and crunchy and  primarily an eating apple.  I used it in a delicious Waldorf Salad.  I can remember Waldorf Salad being popular back in the 50s,  but it was first created in NY City in 1893 by Oscar Tschirky at the Waldorf Astoria.

I discovered maple ginger yogurt by Dreaming Cow at Whole Foods and decided to substitute it for mayo in the dressing.  I heartily recommend this yogurt. 

Here's the recipe I used:

1/2 cup chopped, slightly toasted walnuts
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced (I didn't have celery.)
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, sliced (or 1/4 cup raisins)
1 SweeTango apple, cored and diced
3 Tbsp mayo (I used maple ginger yogurt)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt (I omitted this because we are trying a low sodium diet)
Pepper
Lettuce

Whisk together the 3 tbs of yogurt, lemon juice and fresh ground pepper to taste in a small bowl and set aside.

Mix the apple, grapes and walnuts with the dressing and serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Yield:  2 servings

SweeTango apple.

Core and dice the apple.

Add grapes.

Add walnuts, toss with dressing, and serve on bed of lettuce.

This is yummy and low in sodium and low in calories.

SweeTango: You Gotta Try These

SweeTango on tree (Photo by SweeTango.com)

It's fall and apple season here in North Carolina.  If you're an apple lover, you must try the newest kid on the block, SweeTango (yes there's only one "t" and it's capitalized and it's one word).  This summer in Nova Scotia, I first sampled this delicious apple, and recently Laura emailed me to say that our local Whole Foods has this apple in its offerings.  I hurried over to lay in a supply.

Bin of beautiful SweeTango apples at Whole Foods.

 University of Minnesota produced this variety of apple from their breeding program. The SweeTango is a  hybrid between the Honeycrisp (mother) apple and the Zestar apple (pollinator, "father"). David Bedford, the inventor of the Minneiska (SweeTango brand) apple believes that it's one of the best apples discovered in 100 years of breeding at the University of Minnesota.

Check out this video extolling the virtues of SweeTango.

So move over Honeycrisp, here comes SweeTango. 

This is a delicious eating apple, crunchy and sweet.  The Waldorf salad I made using this crispy apple was quite good.  I haven't tried it in a pie or in an apple crisp, but that's on my list of things to do, so I'll let you know how it cooks.

We must look into getting a SweeTango apple tree to plant at Marble Mountain.  I bet it would thrive there. It certainly grows in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia.

Sunday Soccer

In the huddle before the game.  Grace is Number 15.

Now that we are back home we will be busy attending the "grands" various athletic events.  Grace is in the middle of fall soccer, and she has moved up to a more advanced league in CASL.  Her soccer games are always on Sundays.  This is the first one I've attended this year, and I am amazed at the level of play for these eleven year olds.

Grace on the bench at the first of the game, but she played most of the game.

Meredith intently watching game.

Tyler was there for the last half of the game.

Grandson Brooks is letting his hair grow long, much to the consternation of his father. I like it.

I've forgotten what Zach's explanation was for the different shoe laces.

Soccer is fun, but I'm looking forward to basketball season.  All four "grands" will be playing BB so I'll be busy going to one game or another.

Goodberry's frozen custard.

Goodberry's, a perfect ending to a fun Sunday afternoon.

James Tucker's Paintings at Friday Night Auction

One of James Tucker's paintings from his Ocracoke series that I was not high bidder on.

The late James Tucker from Greensboro was a dear friend of ours, and on Friday night some of his paintings were sold at Leland Little's Auction.  Laura and I went over to Hillsborough for the auction, and I was lucky to be high bidder on two of the paintings from his Ocracoke series. 

I was high bidder on this one.

And this one.

But I was outbid on this one.

There was a nice modernistic wood sculpture that just seemed to have my name on it, and luckily by the end of the auction it did. 

I took this home with me.

I really liked a photograph that sold for over $1000.  I'm not sure who the lucky high bidder was. 

A very captivating photograph from the 1930s.

Leland Little's auction is one of the best in the southeast, and we are lucky it is near us over in Hillsborough.

National Chocolate Milkshake Day

National Chocolate Milkshake Day

On Facebook yesterday, I received a post from NC State University Ice Cream saying that it was National Chocolate Milk Shake Day, so why not come on over to the Creamery on Campus.  The only time we've enjoyed the ice cream made by the students in the Food Science Department over at State has been at the State Fair where there are always long lines to get a taste of their ice cream.  I knew they had opened an ice cream store on campus but hadn't been over, so yesterday was my chance.

The Creamery in the D. H. Hill Library at NC State University.

After dinner I suggested to Dan that we drive over to campus, about two miles from us, and have a chocolate milk shake at the Creamery.  Walking through campus, I noticed how much it had changed since I was a grad student there (1969-1972). 

The Brick Yard.

The Creamery is in the west wing of the D. H. Hill Library, so we had to make our way through the Library and over to the store.  There is a window outside from which one can order, but we wanted to meander through campus.

The Library.

Inside the D. H. Hill Library.

Place your order here.

As we enjoyed our milk shake, at a table next to us a group of students with their computers were studying organic chemistry.  I thought how different it was in the late 60s---no computer for studying chemistry and no Creamery on campus. 

Students studying organic chemistry.

Ah well.  The milk shake was good.

A really good chocolate milkshake.

Brunch with Sally and Bob

Delightful brunch.

We stopped in Columbia on our way home this week, and on Sunday had a delightful brunch with friends Sally and Bob. 

Pretty table setting.

Sally always sets a beautiful table.

Interesting decoration at the end of the table.

I like this interesting centerpiece.  I guess it is actually an "end" piece, since it is at the end of the table.

Papaya.

The papaya was a surprising treat.  Yummy!

Omelet and sausage.

Sausage and an omelet were very filling.

So good to see our friends and the brunch was delicious.

Zucchini Mock Crab Cakes

We didn't grow any zucchini squash here this year, but our neighbors have a bountiful supply, and Angela brought us several large ones last week.  I made four loaves of zucchini-nut bread, and yet had more zucchini left.  I found this recipe for mock crab cakes using zucchini.  If you are a vegetarian you will love this.  We're not vegetarians and we like it a lot too.  And it's so easy to prepare.

2 cups coarsely grate zucchini (pat dry with paper towel to remove liquid)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 T mayonnaise
2 eggs
2 t Old Bay seasoning (I couldn't find Old Bay here, but used a seafood seasoning that worked.)
1 T garlic (minced or dried)

Mix together ingredients.

Spray pan with olive oil and add a bit of butter.

Fry until brown on both sides.

Makes 8 servings.

On Golden Pond

Our very own Golden Pond in Marble Mountain, Cape Breton.

Whenever we start packing up to leave Marble Mountain and our "Golden Pond", I think about the Movie On Golden Pond, one of my favorite movies of all time.  I just love that movie.

I think about what a great summer it has been visiting with friends old and new, and  I think about all the adventures we've had.  But another summer has whizzed by, and now it's time to head south. 

The boat is put away thanks to Charles.

Charles takes down the gazebo to pack away until another summer.

The furniture is covered.

The car is being packed.

But our loons will be back, and so will we. 
We're already looking forward to another time here.

Protection of MacKenzie Cove

Lawn Party celebrating protection of MacKenzie Cove.*

During our stay this summer The Nova Scotia Nature Trust celebrated the protection of MacKenzie Cove here in rural Cape Breton by hosting a Lawn Party at our house in Marble Mountain.  Dan has donated his property to the Nature Trust with a life estate for the children through their lifetime.  Consequently,  this beautiful coastal property will be protected in perpetuity.

View of pond and house from beach.

About a hundred folks dropped by for the celebration.

Dennis Garratt and neighbor Yvonne.

Dan and Michealette

Dennis and Maggie.

Dan addressing the group. (Photo by Donald MacFadyen.)

Dan receives appreciation plaque from Dennis.

Silvan receives door prize from Dennis.

Bird Walk.

Following the celebration, Dennis Garrett led a bird walk across the property.

*Photography by Carabin Photography unless otherwise noted.