Apple Season In Full Swing

Apple season is in full swing and favorite recipes are resurfacing in family kitchens. For the very best taste, it's important to pick the right apple for the job. Below are some guidelines.

For eating:

If you like them sweet, choose Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Criterion, or Gala. If you prefer your apples tart, try Granny Smith, Jonathan, Macintosh, or Rome Beauty.

For salads:

Just about any variety will do, but Red Delicious, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan and Pippin usually top the list.

For pie:

Golden Delicious and Pippin make excellent pies, but Granny Smith, Jonathan, Winesap, Jonagold and Gravenstein are very good.

For sauce:

Try Gravenstein, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Pippin or Macintosh.

For baking (whole):

Rome Beauty are considered best, followed closely by Golden Delicious, and Jonagold. Used often in salads and desserts, apples provide entrees with delicious flavor, too, as these recipes attest.

• Chicken Braised with Apples and Leeks

  Prep time: 5 minutes, Cooking time: 30 minutes, Serves: 2

  If recipes could talk, this one would speak French. Borrowing from the traditions of bistro cooking in the Normandy province of France, this dish features a classic mixture of chicken, apple, leek and a small bit of cream. All of which translates into a quick meal that is magnifique!

  1 tablespoon butter

  1 chicken breast, halved with bone and skin

  1 Gala apple, cored and finely chopped

  1 large leek, trimmed, cleaned and chopped

  1 14-1/2 ounce can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

  1/4 teaspoon salt

  1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  3 tablespoons cream

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)

  In a 5-quart pot or large skillet, melt butter over high heat. When butter turns a toasty golden color -- no brown -- add chicken breasts, skin side down. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook just until skin is crisp and golden brown -- about 3 minutes. Set chicken aside.

  Reserving about one quarter of the apple pieces, add remaining apple and the leek to pot; saut 2 minutes. Stir in broth, salt and prepare; heat to simmering. Arrange chicken breasts, skin side up, in mixture; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Uncover. Turn breasts over and cook 5 minutes longer. (Chicken should be cooked through.)

  Set chicken aside. Increase heat to high and boil mixture about 6 minutes or until liquid is reduced by more than half -- it should just cover the bottom of pot. Remove from heat and stir in reserved apple pieces and the cream.

  To serve, spread half of leek, apple and cream mixture in center of two serving plates. Place chicken breasts, skin side up, on top. Spoon remaining mixture over chicken and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

  Nutrition information per serving (with parsley): protein - 51 grams, fat - 35 grams, carbohydrate - 19 grams, fiber - 3 grams, sodium - 757 milligrams, cholesterol - 47 milligrams, calories - 606.

• Herb-Crusted Pork Chops with Sauted Apple Ribbons

  Prep time: 15 minutes, cooking time: 25 minutes, Serves 4

  Sliced Fuji apples have a unique ability to cook up tender but still retain their shape, making them an ideal variety to use for creating "ribbons."

  4 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

  4 6-ounce center cut rib pork chops

  1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

  1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

  2 tablespoons butter

  1 small onion, chopped

  2 Fuji apples, cored and thinly sliced

  1/4 cup orange juice

  2 tablespoons cider vinegar

  Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard per pork chop along outside edges. Combine parsley and rosemary; spread herb mixture over mustard to coat.

  IN large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add two pork chops and cook until browned -- about 2 minutes. Turn chops to brown other side; transfer to baking pan. Repeat to brown both sides of remaining two chops; transfer to same baking pan. Place chops in oven to finish cooking -- about 10 minutes.

  Meanwhile, add remaining butter and onion to skillet; saut over medium heat 3 minutes. Add apples; cook 3 minutes. Add orange juice, vinegar and the remaining tablespoon mustard to skillet; simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and apple slices are tender, but still hold their shape.

  To serve, place pork chops and apple ribbons on platter or individual plates.

  Nutrition information per serving (with parsley): protein - 41 grams, fat - 26 grams, carbohydrate - 13 grams, fiber - 2 grams, sodium - 214 milligrams, cholesterol - 127 milligrams, calories - 455.