SELAH, WA--(Marketwire - Dec 19, 2011) - The holiday season is once again upon us and as the sound of jingle bells gets louder, we start to wonder how we'll wow our guests with a delicious and healthy holiday menu.
Tree Top offers four holiday recipes to take you from appetizers to dessert utilizing a fun wintertime ingredient, apples. Apple juice and apple sauce can be used in a variety of ways to enhance flavors. Included below are recipes for Spiced Apple Wontons with a Caramel Drizzle, Roast Pork with Apple Juice Honey Mustard Glaze, Tangy Apple Crisp and Sparkling Apple Cranberry Punch.
"Holiday meal planning can be stressful, but Tree Top's fun holiday recipes involve few ingredients and are easy to make," said Sharon Miracle, corporate communications director for Tree Top.
Kris Kringle's Jingle Hot Buttered Rum
Tree Top Spiced Cider
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch salt
Light rum
Use whipped cream for topping if desired
Cinnamon stick for décor
Fill mug 3/4 full with cider, add 1 heaping tablespoon of mix and heat until steaming (usually 2 mins. in microwave). Add 1/2 - 1 ounce rum and stir. Great without topping, but a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream, sprinkled with nutmeg and topped with a cinnamon stick, make this a very special treat.
Hold the rum for a great family treat for all ages!
Spiced Apple Wontons with a Caramel Drizzle (serves 6, 4 wontons ea.)
1 cup Tree Top apple sauce
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tbsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup baking walnuts
1/2 cup and 3 tbsp. white sugar
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 heavy whipping cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine Tree Top apple sauce, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir in walnuts and blend well.
Remove the wonton wrappers from the packaging and sprinkle 3 tbsp. of sugar over both sides of the wonton wrappers. Take a small spoonful of the apple sauce mixture and place it in the middle of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wonton according to package directions. Repeat until all wontons are made.
Place wontons on a greased cookie sheet. Before baking, spray cooking spray over the wontons (this will help them turn golden brown). Bake the wontons for approximately 8 minutes, until the edges brown.
Over moderately high heat, boil remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. When all the sugar crystals have melted (should be brown in color), whisk in butter. Whisk until butter is melted. Once butter is melted, remove from pan. Count to three and add heavy whipping cream, whisking constantly until caramel sauce is smooth.
Roast Pork with Apple Juice Honey Mustard Glaze
3 lb pork loin roast
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups Tree Top Apple Juice
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon dry oregano
1 teaspoon dry rubbed sage
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper to taste
There are multiple steps to preparing this recipe -- making the glaze, searing the pork, and glazing and roasting the pork. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin making the glaze by adding olive oil, onions and garlic to a medium-size saucepan and cooking on high heat for three minutes. Add apple juice and cook until one cup of liquid remains, about 15 minutes. While the glaze is cooking, place a large sauté pan on the stove top. On high heat, add one tablespoon of olive oil and sear pork on all sides for about five minutes. Place in oven and roast approximately 30-45 minutes or internal temperature shows approximately 135 degrees on the thermometer. While roast is cooking, finish making glaze. Add honey, dry oregano and dry rubbed sage. Cook until glaze becomes thick like syrup. Add the Dijon mustard, lemon juice Worcestershire sauce, salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and glaze pork three to four times during roasting process. Slice roast and serve.
Tangy Apple Crisp
4 cups apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1 cup (8 oz) Tree Top Frozen Concentrate Apple Juice, thawed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon quick cooking tapioca
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup rolled oats
Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into an 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Combine flour and butter in a small bowl and mix with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Mix in oats. Sprinkle this mixture over apples and bake at 375° for 30 minutes.
Another important holiday baking note: Using Tree Top apple sauce in place of oil can trim the fat and cut calories from your favorite recipes, without changing the taste! It is important to note that apple sauce is not a great substitute for butter-based recipes, but for those cakes, cookies and treats that utilize oil as the main ingredient, apple sauce can help keep off those holiday pounds. To view Tree Top's full substitution guide, visit http://www.treetop.com/ApplesAndHealth.aspx.
Sparkling Apple Cranberry Punch
8 cups (64 oz) Tree Top Apple Juice or Cider
4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
4 teaspoons lemon juice
8 cups (2 liter) ginger ale
*substitute sparkling wine for adult option
Crushed ice (if desired)
Apple slices (optional)
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Add chilled ginger ale just before serving. Add crushed ice if desired. Add thin slices of an apple for decoration. Note: You can freeze the apple slices ahead of time to give an extra chill to the punch.
About Tree Top
Since 1960, Tree Top has provided premium, quality juices, fruit based products and ingredients to consumers and most of the world's leading food manufactures. The grower-owned co-operative is based in heart of Washington's apple country. . With more than 1,000 growers, the co-op creates the widest array of fruit-based products and ingredients available on the market. Tree Top's passion and attention to quality and craftsmanship make it the first choice for customers. For more information, visit www.treetop.com.
Contact Information:
Media Contact:
Katie Stringer
Katie@lanepr.com
503.546.7877
