It's that time of year again, Bishops! Fall is in the air, and though the weather is cozy, you might find yourself needing some stress relief as the semester ramps up. We took a look at some of the favorite activities of students around campus during the fall, and even have recipes for brown sugar buttered apples AND apple cider below!
First up, Junior Gabrielle Magid says that hiking in the woods is their favorite fall time activity. The cool weather allows for a lot more walking than when it was 90 degrees out, and heading down to Hickory Woods Park or Mingo Park after a tough day of classes is a fantastic way to clear your mind and de-stress, Magid says. If you're the outdoorsy type, or wish you were, give this a go!
Apples are perfectly ripe right now, and pumpkins aren't far behind. Stephen Kraizel's favorite fall time activity is picking both! It's always more about goofing around with friends when you go apple picking, so if you want a fun, unique (even if that includes hitting each other with apple-picking sticks) experience to have with your friends, or you just love apples, definitely check out the orchards near campus! Cherryhawk Farms is the closest.
Junior Hannah Green says drinking apple cider is their favorite fall time activity! Their favorite is the spiced cider from Coffeeology, but they also enjoy making their own! It's super simple to make, and makes whatever room it's simmering in smell amazing, so if you want an extra-comfy fall time drink and a way to to lure in new friends, check below for a recipe!
Lastly, Joe Sperry, an alumnus, says that his favorite fall activity is baking! While almost an excessive amount of many fall recipes, including the aforementioned ones center apples, brown sugar apples must still be mentioned! Baked apples are a lost dish to a lot of people these days, but it's definitely an OWU tradition worth bringing back! Recipe also below.
Brown Sugar Spiced Apples
-2 Apples, cored
-¼ cup brown sugar, unpacked
-2 tablespoons butter, softened
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
-⅛ teaspoon cloves (optional)
-Sprinkle of salt (optional)
-1 cup water
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Wash the apples, then core them. If you're skilled with a knife, you can try digging it out with a spoon, but I'd honestly recommend an apple corer. Leave ½ to 1 inch of apple at the bottom.
Mix together the spices, butter, and brown sugar until thoroughly combined
Fill each apple up to the top with the mixture, sprinkling salt on top if so desired.
Put apples in an oven safe dish, then pour water into the bottom of the dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until apples are soft without giving way.
Serve with a spoon and enjoy!
Cozy Cinnamon Cider
-10 apples, quartered.
-4 cinnamon sticks
-2 oranges (Peel on for more zest, off for less)
-1 tablespoon whole cloves
-1 whole nutmeg (optional)
-15-ish cups of water
-½ cup maple syrup or brown sugar
Combine all ingredients in a crockpot, except for the brown sugar or maple syrup.
Turn the burner to high until it hits a simmer, then turn it to low and let it simmer for two hours. The smell is amazing.
Mash the apples and oranges with a spoon or spatula, then simmer for another hour.
Strain it as hard as you possibly can, then throw away the gnarly (but super nice-smelling) solids.
Add your sweetener to taste.
Serve RIGHT AWAY, or at least warm. Not that it's not good cold, it'll stay good for a month or two, but it's amazing when fresh!