How to Cook Fruit

How to cook fruit? Most of the time we think of eating fresh fruit right from the tree, bush or plant. The varieties of fruits consumed are numerous and the uses are even more so. They are valuable for their sugar and acids; their juices are cooling and refreshing. Many contain pectin and others contain starches which during the ripening convert to glucose. Fruits are so delicious when freshly picked; sweet oranges from the tree or sun ripened strawberries.


For fruit lovers who learn how to cook fruit, it is good to know that bananas, dates, figs, prunes and grapes are the most nutritious. Melons, oranges, lemons and grapes contain the largest amount of water. Apples, lemons and oranges are valuable for the potash salts; oranges and lemons for their citric acid. If you are watching your sugar intake, plums, peaches, apricots and raspberries have less sugar than other fruits. The largest amount of sugar will be in fruits like apples, grapes and cherries.

How to Cook Fruit

HOW TO COOK FRUIT  "A "

APPLES: Besides eating fresh as a snack and in salads, apples are cooked in many desserts and entrée. They are used in applesauce, apple juice, apple butter and canned in jams and jellies.

How to Make Apple Pandowdy Recipe

Apple Pandowdy Recipe is just like apple pie; after partially baking or fully baking, the crust is broken and stirred into the juices of the apples. The name originated for “dawdling”.

How to Make Apple Turnovers

Apple turnovers are also a favorite of mine because they are very easy to make and very delicious. Try them made with a pastry dough, puff pastry or other dough recipes.

How to Make an Apple Dumpling Recipe

Apple dumplings have left me with many great memories. Many times in the fall during apple picking time we would have these sweet baked apples wrapped in pastry for dessert.

How to Make Apple Pie Recipes

The great American apple pie recipes can’t get any better. Don’t limit yourself to cooking apples, try different types of apples even the eating varieties.

How to Make Apple Tart Recipes

Make delicious apple tarts. They are very similar to pie recipes differing by a thicker crust and less filling; they are baked in tart pans but can also be made in pie plates.

How to Cook Apples

Learn how to cook apples and make fabulous recipes. Make delicious apple desserts,  apple squares, apple nut bread and an apple plum dessert. 

How to Make Apple Cheesecake Recipes

Apple cheesecake recipes are made with two traditional American ingredients; apples from the beginning of this country and cream cheese developed here over one hundred years ago. Great!

It is recommended that most apple desserts be made with what are classified as cooking apples. I often use what are classified as eating apples in many of my recipes and am very pleased with the results.

Apple Cake Recipe

Apple cake recipes are made with different forms of apples; fresh, canned and applesauce. Any of these add sweetness and moistness. Try a fresh apple cake recipe with rum,  a recipe made with apple pie filling, one served with whipped cream, a caramel apple, a recipe with Jello and an apple pear cake.

Apple Betty Recipes

Like so many apple recipes the apple Betty recipe originated in our early colonies when they were learning how to cook apples. Made with bread crumbs the result is that like a pudding.

History of Apples

Don't take this wonderful fruit for granted and learn about the history of apples; a very rich history in the United States.

Pie Apples

There are so many different pie apples. I am always trying different varieties of apple to see which I like best!

How to Make Apple Crisp

The Apple Crisp Recipe is a great apple dessert, especially when served warm topped with ice cream; nuts and oatmeal give it extra crunch.

Apple Bar Recipe will make a great snack or a delicious accompaniment for coffee or tea. So many ingredients can be added besides apples to produce a wide variety of flavors.

Apple dessert recipes range from a plain applesauce, apple pudding or try a wonderful applesauce cake for a special occasion.

Apple Recipes are some of the most popular traditional recipes here in the United States; I have many great memories of visiting the orchards in the fall to pick apples.

Apple Cookie Recipes have flavor and moistness from this delicious fruit; ingredients like raisins, nuts and oatmeal add extra taste and texture.

True Apple Cobbler Recipes have a topping when baked resembles “cobblestones”. This traditional recipe dates back to the New England colonies.

Apple Coffee Cake Recipes are a real sign of hospitality when offered with a fresh hot cup of coffee to arriving guests; fresh apple recipe is made easy with box of nut bread mix.

More than apple juice, Apple Cider Recipes contain a lot of flavor; in the making the cider is left with a lot of delicious pulp giving any recipe more taste.

Most Apple Bread Recipes are made as a quick bread; they are easy to make but have a great flavor and texture. Delicious with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

Like quick bread Apple Muffin Recipes are made without yeast making them very easy to make. They go well as an accompaniment to a meal or as a simple snack. Fast to bake too!

Apple Salad Recipes can be very healthy and refreshing depending on the added ingredients. No matter what you add they are very tasty.

Apple Strudel Recipes consist of delicious fillings surrounded by flaky pastry crust. There are quick ways and then there are more time consuming ways of making them but all are delicious.

Apple Pancake Recipes must date back to the wagon train era or beyond. As the trains headed west these were cooked over the open fires made with the dried apples.

Apple Squares can be a dessert topped with ice cream or it can be more of a bar cookie depending on the texture after baking. Whatever the recipe they will certainly be delicious made with apples.

My favorite Apple Snacks are candy apples; especially caramel apples. Other great recipes are deep fried rosettes and apple sorbet.

APRICOTS: If you are in an area where this fruit is grown you can eat them fresh. I usually buy them dried which are good to eat, in fruitcake recipes, desserts and entrée. They are also available in cans and in jams and jellies


AVOCADOS: Some cooked recipes include this non sweet creamy fruit in them but most of the time avocados are eaten raw. Often they are included in spicy uncooked dishes and make delicious recipes like guacamole.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "B"

BANANAS: This fruit is famous for eating fresh and in luscious desserts. It is also used in entrée especially the Plantain, a less sweet variety of banana which is popular in Central and South America.

How to Make Banana Pudding

Anyone with any taste buds has to learn how to make banana pudding; this has to be the “all time” favorite deliciously creamy dessert.

How to Make Banana Bread

There is just something about the moistness and flavor in homemade banana bread.

Easy Banana Bread Recipes

Easy banana bread recipes can be whipped up quickly and baked for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea or just for a snack.

Banana Dessert Recipes

For me many of the banana dessert recipes are the best desserts possible; from a simple banana kabob to all the rich creamy ones.

Great Banana Desserts

Great banana desserts from the luscious banana split dessert to a pie recipe and more in between.

Banana Salads

Banana salad recipes might be a gelatin salad, frozen salads or even a delicious salsa.

banana cake

Bake a delicious banana cake; make it sugarless or with sugar.

How to Make Drinks

If you want to learn make delicious banana drinks? They that are great tasting and refreshing. Try a fruit milkshake, a banana smoothie combination, or a fruit slush.

The first time I tasted a banana fritters was in an Asian restaurant; I was shocked at the great taste of the fried banana.

How to Make Banana Pie Recipes

A good banana pie has always been a favorite of mine; I like the homemade kind with lots of sliced bananas.

How to Make Banana Cookie Recipes

Make the best banana cookies; great with chocolate, peanut butter, dates and other ingredients.

How to Make Banana Recipes

There is a special banana recipe for everyone!

Banana Entree Recipes

Banana recipes are not just for desserts; they also offer a wonderful taste when cooking entrees.

Banana Ice Cream Recipes

Make delicious banana ice cream recipes like the following: no cook banana ice cream recipe, cooked banana custard ice cream, deep fried ice cream, bananas foster recipe, homemade banana ice cream, banana pops, ice cream cake roll and spiced banana ice cream.

Grilled bananas make a delicious dessert when cooking out; add some chocolate or nuts and it is even better.

Banana pancakes are delicious made with frozen bananas; save over ripened bananas in bag in freezer to make various recipes. Try a recipe made with buttermilk, banana and pecans, raised pancakes with filling, topped with banana rum, oatmeal banana pancakes and additional toppings! 

BLACKBERRIES: This fruit makes delicious desserts, cobblers and muffins as well as being delicious when fresh. They are also used to make great sauces, jams, jellies and preserves. 


BLUEBERRIES: Besides being delicious fresh this berry adds so much flavor to muffins, scones, cakes and so many other desserts. I use a lot of blueberries in pancakes and waffles; they make a wonderful sauce to be served over the pancakes and waffles in place of syrup.


BOYSENBERRIES: This sweet tart berry is delicious for making pies, cobblers and many desserts. They are also good to make jams, jellies and preserves. I find this berry unavailable in the markets but occasionally I will find a jar of jam in some specialty shops.

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CANTELOUPE: This is the most popular melon in the United States serving it fresh and cold in the hot summer. It also makes a delicious fresh juice, fresh salads and occasionally will be added to cooked recipes.


CHERRIES: This is a delicious fruit to be eaten fresh and makes great juice. This is one of my favorite fruits to use in coffee cakes, cakes, with cheesecake, sauces and all kinds of desserts. 

What is Citron

Citron or Buddha's hand is an ingredient in many fruitcakes. This citrus fruit is usually candied before adding to cakes. 

COCONUTS:   The coconut is used in all types of recipes from luscious desserts to many entrée dishes. Coconut oil, made from the seed, is also great for cooking and frying. Dry coconut is plentiful and delicious but for that extra special flavor try using fresh coconut.


CRANBERRIES:  Cranberries can be purchased any time of the year canned whole or as a sauce and frozen. They usually are very plentiful fresh in the markets during the fall.  They add so much flavor to cakes, muffins, breads and other recipes.

How to Cook Cranberries

Learn how to cook cranberries and make fabulous recipes! Try a recipe for beef pot roast with cranberry gravy, cranberry apple stack pancakes, cranberries with cubed steak, cranberry rice stuffing, cranberry muffins, cranberry bread, cranberry salad, cranberry chutney, pork medallions with dried cranberry sauce, breakfast upside down cranberry cake, cranberry turkey salad, easy and fast cranberry green beans, gingered acorn squash with spiced cranberry sauce and a cranberry conserve recipe.

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DATES:  I always keep dried dates on hand. Date bars are a favorite of mine but they also make other great cookies, cakes, breads, puddings and other desserts.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "E"

ELDERBERRIES: This fruit, which is hard to get in this country, is used to make pies, jams and jellies. This berry is known to be eaten also for medicinal purposes in some countries. Some varieties are not to be eaten at all and the ones that are edible should be at least minimally cooked.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "F"

FIGS:  Like the date bar, I love homemade “fig bars”. Besides cookies, figs are used in pudding and other desserts; even some entrees. 

How to Cook Figs

Make delicious fig recipes like my favorite ricotta fig tart, a fig bread, an anise pork with figs & apples, figs with prosciutto & walnuts, steamed duck with figs, wine & couscous, figs & cheese, strawberry fig preserves, fig preserves, figs in syrup and sweet & sour figs with sausages. 

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "G" 

GOOSEBRRY: These berries are edible as is or cooked. I have never been able to buy them fresh but I do buy them in cans at the grocery. They make great pies, crumbles and other desserts plus wonderful jams, preserves and jellies. 


GRAPES/ RAISINS/ CURRANTS/ SULTANAS: Fresh grapes make delicious juice, wines, salads and baked goods.

Raisins are dried white grapes; usually Muscatels. These are the dark sweet raisins commonly used in many recipes

Sultanas are also a dried white grape but of a seedless variety. In recipes like breads and fruitcakes these are referred to as “golden raisins” and are sweeter and juicier.

Currants are dried dark red seedless grapes; very popular in making hot cross buns and other British recipes.

Grape Recipes

Prepare fabulous recipes made with grapes like the following recipes: chicken breasts, roasted grapes and mascarpone cheese, grape marmalade, diabetic grape jelly, conserve, spread, Italian cake, chicken pieces, Abalone, meringue pie, grape dessert, frozen grape salad, fruit and vegetable salad, cider and grape ring and grape ice.

GRAPEFRUIT:  Although grapefruit is usually eaten fresh or squeezed into juice, there are some good recipes using this fruit. Grapefruit cake is very good!


GUAVAS: this fruit is eaten raw like apples and it makes delicious juice. Because they are not readily available in this country I have not used them in cooking but in other countries many make candies, jams and jellies from them.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "H"

HUCKLEBERRIES: Like most berries, this berry can be used in making pies, muffins, pancakes, jams and puddings.


HONEYDEW: This melon is eaten fresh most of the time and it makes great juice if ripened properly. Cooked recipes using this fruit are limited. 

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "K"

KIWIFRUIT: This fruit is usually eaten fresh and it adds a lot of flavor, texture and color to salads and fruit plates. Because of natural enzymes found in fresh kiwi they are not suitable to use in dairy rich desserts.


KUMQUATS: This entire fruit is edible including the peel tasting much like other citrus.  It can be used in making jams, jellies and purees for cakes, pies and ice cream.

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LEMONS AND LIMES: These fruits are very valuable in cooking. I use lemons every day that I cook; the uses are endless. I do not use as many limes but I always try to keep some on hand. 

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "M"

MANGO:   Sweet ripened mangos are delicious eaten fresh or cut into fresh salads. Ripe mangos are also cooked in pies, cakes and other desserts as well as in making ice cream.  Unripe mangos are often used to make delicious spicy chutneys.


MULBERRY: This berry can be used to make great pies and other desserts like we do other berries. They grow wild and I would pick these for Mom to make great pies; sometimes mixed with strawberries.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "N"

NECTARINES: This fruit is commonly eaten raw but they also make delicious desserts, jams and preserves like peaches.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "O" 

OLIVE: For most of us, when we get olives they are already cooked in the canning process. All types are used in uncooked recipes like salads and also in many cooked recipes like on pizzas. The recipes are unlimited for olives. 


ORANGES: Although this fruit is delicious eaten fresh and the “juice” oranges make delicious juice, they provide wonderful flavor for many recipes.  Delicious desserts are made with the whole orange; the flesh, juice and the peel. Besides desserts the orange adds flavor to many different entrées.

Cooking with Oranges

When you cook with oranges you can make tasty entrees or fabulous desserts. Try a recipe for sesame chicken, beef and broccoli, Mexican orange flan, quesadillas with fruit salsa, muffins, cake, baked pork and chicken. 

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "P"

PASSION FRUIT:   This fruit is delicious to eat and to make desserts but I love the juice which is made from it. 


PEACHES:  This fruit is generally eaten fresh but there is nothing like the taste of a fresh peach pie and other scrumptious desserts; the peach is also used to make jams, jellies and preserves.


PEARS: Like apples, pears are eaten fresh as a snack. This fruit makes wonderful tarts, cakes, pies, cookies and other desserts; occasionally included in entrée recipes also.

How to Cook Pears

Learn how to cook delicious pear recipes like the following: pear with pork stir fry, pear stuffed pork, blue cheese pear gratin, pears with honey, tossed pear salad, personal pear pies, marmalade pear,  butternut squash pear soup, chilled pear soup and pears en croute recipe.

PINEAPPLE: (Below watch me cut a pineapple.) This fruit is delicious to eat fresh but are also great used cooked in recipes. When fresh they often do not blend well with other ingredients. It is necessary to use canned pineapple when a recipe tells you to do so. 

PLUM/PRUNE: Mostly the plum is eaten fresh but there are quite a few delicious dessert recipes and some entrees for this fruit.

The prune is a dried plum. Prunes are used in all types of recipes; cakes, cookies, breads, puddings and many entrees. They add so much moistness and flavor to all recipes.


POMEGRANTES: This large fruit (Up to the size of a grapefruit), is actually a berry containing anywhere from 200 to 1400 seeds filled with juice. This juice is used in drinks and in various cuisines. 

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "Q" 

QUINCE: This fruit is too hard and bitter to eat raw but is often used to make jams and jellies by adding lots of sugar to sweeten. Sometimes a little of this strong tasting fruit is added to recipes along with other fruits to enhance the flavor. 

HOW TO COOK FRUIT "R"

RASPBERRY: This berry is readily available and is used in many recipes. They can be eaten fresh alone and added to fresh salads. This berry is also used in so many cooked and baked recipes for sauces, breads, muffins, cookies, puddings and entrees.


RHUBARB: Mom used to make delicious strawberry rhubarb pies. Some consider rhubarb to be a vegetable but I have always thought of it as a fruit (Because of the desserts made with it).  The stalks are what you use to cook with; the leaves are said to be poisonous. A lot of sugar is required when making desserts with this plant because of the bitterness. I do know of many people who like to eat the “bitter” stalks raw.


Learn how to make the best rhubarb recipes. Prepare fresh rhubarb and make a fabulous strawberry rhubarb pie, a strawberry rhubarb fools dessert, a rhubarb crisp, bars, stewed rhubarb, dumplings, a cake and a rhubarb sauce to use over ice cream or cakes.

HOW TO COOK FRUIT FROM S to W

STRAWBERRIES: Strawberries are well known for our delicious “strawberry shortcake”.  They also make wonderful (fresh or cooked) in so many delicious pies,  cakes, breads, salads and other desserts as well as jams, jellies and preserves

Strawberry Recipes

Strawberries recipes; fresh, canned and frozen. Recipes for strawberry pie, crepes, bread, waffles strawberry shortcake, preserves, and sugar free freezer recipe.

TOMATO: This fruit can be used in every kind of recipe imaginable whether it is sweet or not; sauces, entrée, soups, jams etc.

WATERMELON:  Both the watermelon pulp and rind is used in many culinary recipes. The juice is delicious fresh and is used to make watermelon wine. Great candy recipes are made with the flavor of this melon and the rind is used to make flavorful pickles. Even with all these recipes nothing beats the wonderful taste of fresh cold watermelon in the hot summer; so refreshing.