For A Delicious, Nutritious Diet, Add Apples

(NAPSI)-The old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" may have more to it than many people realize.

That's because recent research at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control suggests apples may be a "superfruit" when it comes to helping your health. A diet rich in colorful fruits such as apples may help reduce your risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer and also works to address heart disease and control high blood pressure. Apples are also fat-free, saturated fat-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free and are a good source of dietary fiber.

There are about 7,500 different kinds of apples to enjoy, but the best for baking tend to be:

• McIntosh-a medium-size, firm and juicy apple with crisp flesh and dark-red skin with green streaks.

• Rome Beauty-large, round and shiny with a slightly acid taste, rich aroma and red stripes with little spots on the skin.

• Granny Smith-green apples that are medium in size, juicy and tart.

These recipes are just two of the many delicious ways you can enjoy eating apples.

Lite Apple Crisp

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 35 to 45 minutes

Serves: 8

8 cups firm cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced ½-inch thick (7 to 8 medium-size apples)

¼ cup Argo Corn Starch

⅓ cup granular sucralose sweetener

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup unsweetened apple juice

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup Karo Lite Syrup

4 crunchy granola bars, oats, nuts and honey flavor, crushed

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Stir apples, cornstarch, sweetener, cinnamon, apple juice and lemon juice together in a large saucepan. Add syrup and mix well. Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture just begins to boil, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and transfer to a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle crushed granola bars evenly over fruit filling. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender.

Recipe Suggestion: Try this recipe with peaches, cherries or blueberries in place of apples and use ¼ teaspoon almond extract instead of cinnamon.

Caramel Sauce

Yield: Makes 4 cups

Use as a dip for fresh fruit or drizzle over ice cream or apple pie.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

½ cup butter or margarine

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup

2 tablespoons water

1 can (15 ounces) sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in a medium-size saucepan. Stir in sugar, corn syrup and water. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat. Add condensed milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a full boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Serve immediately or keep warm in a slow cooker or fondue pot. Dip fresh apples, pears, bananas, graham crackers or gingersnaps in the Caramel Sauce.

Recipe Tip: Prepare ahead and reheat in microwave. If sauce seems too thick, stir in 1 tablespoon water or milk.

In addition to the apples, these delicious dishes are made with the natural goodness of Argo Corn Starch and Karo Corn Syrup, which can add flavor and texture to dozens of tempting recipes.

Cornstarch such as Argo is an important but inexpensive ingredient in a variety of dishes, from soup to dessert. Thickening with cornstarch rather than flour adds fewer calories (47 percent fewer) because you use less. And Karo is a natural sweetener, made of pure corn syrup and real vanilla.

Learn More

For more recipes and information, visit www.karosyrup.com and www.argostarch.com.

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Bake Your Best with Expert Recipes, Advice

(ARA) – If only love alone were the key ingredient for baking success. Filling your cookie tray with delicious delights, however, calls for just the right mix of a great recipe, good ingredients and a little baking savvy.

“Delicious cookies start with quality ingredients like good chocolate, real butter and fresh spices,” says Gale Gand, Chicago pastry chef and Food Network star. “For example, I use fresh ground nutmeg, rather than powdered, to impart amazing flavor in my recipe for Eggnog Cream Cheese Cups.”

Chef Mary Sonnier of The Uptowner, Special Events and Catering in New Orleans, La., stresses organization in your kitchen.

“Read the recipe before you begin and organize the necessary ingredients and equipment in your baking area,” Sonnier says. “Then pre-measure your ingredients with attention to detail. Spoon dry ingredients into measuring cups and crouch down to read liquid measurements at eye level.”

Sonnier’s traditional Italian Wedding Cookies get a special twist from creamy Mascarpone cheese. “The rich Mascarpone cheese enhances the buttery flavor and texture of the cookie.”

Chef Debbie Gold from the American Restaurant in Kansas City, Mo. offers a chocolate-lover's take on the traditional ginger snap with her Cocoa-Ginger Crisps. These crunchy little cookies deliver a delicate ginger flavor balanced by the rich chocolate dough.

“Keep clean up simple and line your baking sheets with parchment paper,” Gold says. “The cookies will be easy to remove and your baking sheets will be protected from cookie crumbs.”

Visit www.ButterIsBest.com to view dozens of holiday recipes and tips for baking. Sign up for the Holiday Magic e-newsletter to receive a daily e-mail with a holiday cookie or candy recipe, along with helpful baking tips from chef Gand.

Cocoa-Ginger Crisps
By Chef Debbie Gold

Makes four dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons cocoa powder, divided
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
1 cup (two sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup light corn syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour, 6 tablespoons cocoa powder, baking soda, 1 teaspoon ginger and salt; set aside. In a small bowl combine 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cocoa, and 1 teaspoon ginger; set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream together butter and 1 cup sugar until fluffy. Add corn syrup and blend until combined. Gradually add flour mixture; mix well.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in sugar mixture. Place dough 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes until cookies are firm and tops have slight cracks. Cool on baking sheet two to three minutes; remove cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

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