Though I am always sad to see summer go, one of the things I love about September is the abundance of apples. I have always associated apples with the start of school in the fall...many a home packed school lunch ended with a juicy red apple! My dad loved apples and nuts so that was also a common snack in our home.

As you may know, Washington State is still the largest producer of apples in our country. Just drive across the Cascades and you will see many acres of apple trees, ready for harvest. I love the roadside stands around the Cashmere and Wenatchee areas...some even still operate on the honor system. One stand I love to go to near Peshastin has bins of many apples varieties with a sign, $20 a box! For all you fellow apple lovers out there, it's hard to beat that deal!

Apples are not only delicious, but are packed with healthful benefits for you. They are full of fiber, Vitamin C, phytonutrients, and antioxidant compounds which may lessen the risk of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and even cancer, according to an article in Medical News Today. At only 95 calories a pop, apples are good for curbing your appetite in between meals too.

Of course, one of the fun ways to eat apples is to make a caramel apple....I know, I know...there goes the low calorie benefit! The only bummer about caramel apples is that they are hard to eat...with your teeth getting stuck in the caramel, apple juice dripping down your chin....you get the picture. So, I was delighted to see caramel apples being served in a bowl at a County Fair in the Midwest. Why I hadn't I thought of that? You get all the delicious flavor, with almost none of the mess!

Just get yourself some fresh apples of your favorite variety, some caramel dipping sauce (warmed) and your nut of choice and wallah...an easy, yummy fall dessert!

Some of you may even be fortunate enough to have apples growing in your back yards...time to get out that old ladder and do a little picking! I'm going to share some other apple dessert ideas as September unfolds so stay tuned. How about you...what's your favorite way to eat apples? Happy first day of school everyone!