The song starts out “I love you a bushel and a peck,” and while I know they’re not referring to apples, the lyrics always come to mind this time of year when there is an over abundance of apple varieties.

Gala, Golden Delicious, Rome, Macintosh, Granny Smith, Pippen and a host of others are there, just waiting to be picked (or picked up at the grocery).

Rather than bore you with lots of factoids, I thought I’d get down to the nitty gritty and give you some practical information that will help you make your choice of variety easier.

Here are some different types of apples and what they generally are used for:

Braeburn: These are usually orange/red on a yellow color. Delicious raw and great in salads. Also good in pies, sauces and baking.

Cortland: Sweet/semi tart red apple on green/yellow color. Delicious raw and great in salads. OK but not great in pies, sauces and baking.

Empire: A green and red apple that has a sweet/tart taste. Delicious raw and, pretty good for pies, sauces and baking.

Fuji: A sweet, red/pink apple. Delicious raw and great in pies, sauces and baking. Short shelf life. Use immediately.

Gala: Has pink stripes on a yellow background. A very sweet apple. Delicious raw and in salads. Also great for pies and baking, but I don’t care for it in sauces.

Golden Delicious: A sweet, yellow apple that is wonderful for just about everything you want to make.

Granny Smith: This is a very tart green apple. Terrific for anything you want to make, and it’s available year around.

Honeycrisp: This apple is best raw and OK to use in baking and sauces but not for pies; it breaks down too much when cooked.

Jonagold: A cross between the Jonathan and the Golden Delicious apple. Sweet and tart combined. Good for just about anything you want to make.

Jonathan: A tart red/green apple. Good for just about anything you want to make.

McIntosh: This is a green/red apple that’s mostly sweet with just a hint of tart. Best raw or in sauces.

Red Delicious: Sweet and popular and available all year round. Best raw; terrible for baking.

Rome Beauty: One of my favorite baking apples. Not too sweet and can be used for just about anything.

Best apple tip: When you slice an apple, it has a tendency to brown quickly if you don’t use it right away. The best way to prevent this and not use lemon juice (which tends to change the flavor of the apple) is to mix a quarter cup of apple juice with a cup of water and pour over the sliced apples. Drain and use when needed.

Apple and Broccoli Noodle Slaw

This recipe comes courtesy of my sister, Lois Rose of Glenview, Ill.

2 packages 3-ounce Ramen noodles

1 package 16-ounce broccoli or regular coleslaw mix or 3 cups cabbage and carrots shredded

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2 cups broccoli florets, cut up

3 sweet apples, sliced into thin slices

1 cup sunflower kernels, toasted

1 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Dressing:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried minced onion

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoons minced parsley

For dressing: In a jar with a lid combine the sugar, vinegar, olive oil, salt, garlic, onion, salt, pepper and parsley. Cover and shake to combine and set aside.

For salad: Crush the noodles and put them in a large salad bowl. Add the slaw mix, onions, broccoli, apples, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Toss to combine. Drizzle about 2/3 of the dressing over the top of the salad and toss to coat. Serve the remaining dressing with the salad. Serves 6 to 8.

Chicken and Apple Wraps

1 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup minced raw onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 to 2 dashes hot sauce

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 sliced Granny Smith apple

12 6-inch flour or corn tortillas, warmed

Assorted toppings such as chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and guacamole

In medium bowl, combine apple sauce, vinegar, onion, 1 tablespoon oil, oregano, salt, pepper and hot sauce; mix well. Place the chicken pieces and apple slices in a bowl and pour the marinade over the top. Mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least three hours, mixing once during this time. Heat remaining olive oil in large skillet. Cook the chicken and apples with marinade for about five minutes and then turn; cook until browned and cooked through, another 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon the chicken and apples into warm tortillas. Top with assorted toppings, wrap and serve. Serves 6.

– Modified from about.com

Cream Cheese and Applesauce Bread

Dough:

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups oatmeal

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 cups applesauce

2/3 cups whipping cream

2/3 cup oil

4 large eggs

Filling:

1 cup cream cheese

1 large egg

1 tablespoon honey

2 apples, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup powder sugar

1 tablespoon flour

Topping:

1/4 cup chopped pecans

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined and set aside. In another bowl, combine the applesauce, milk, oil and eggs. Whisk together until blended and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, egg, honey, chopped apples and vanilla; just mix until slightly combined. Add the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour. Mix cream cheese until it becomes smooth with the only lumps being the apple pieces; set aside. Add the applesauce mixture to the flour mixture and mix until just blended, do not over mix. Pour half the mixture into the two prepared loaf pans. Divide the cream cheese mixture in half and spoon half into each loaf pan and then spoon the remaining batter over the top.

In another bowl, combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the top of the two pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans. Let cool for an additional 15 to 20 minutes before serving.