Cutting Apples - The Easy Way

I was cutting away at an apple the other day when my friend stopped me mid slice and said, "why are you cutting them like that"?  I didn't realize I was doing anything out of the ordinary but it turns out she had never seen an apple cut that way, and she really liked it.  So, now wondering if I was the only one who slices apples like this, or if she alone had been blissfully unaware, but just in case you haven't tried this, I thought I would pass it on.

I know you've all seen Martha Stewart, with her little pairing knife cutting the peel off an apple in one perfect long thin strand, then lovingly slicing the apple in half, trimming away the seeds with a little "V" shaped wedges, blah blah chorus.  Ok so I don't have that kind of time.  I've got kids who want apples NOW and they don't want that yukky peel either.  Or sometimes I'm making a big ol' apple crisp in a family sized pan and it's going to take all day to slice up all those apples.  Here's a time saving tip:

First, peel the apple with a vegetable peeler.  It's quick, it's easy, it's just like a potato.  Take off the stem to get as close the the top edge as you can.  Once the whole peel is off, stand the apple up right and place the knife slightly to the right of the stem, and make your first cut

Next, lay the apple down the the flat side you just created, and slice again (narrowly avoiding the stem area)

Next, keep flipping the apple down on the flat side you just created

and... one last side

All that remains behind are these wacky, but fun square cores.  If you need a fun activity for the kids using these cores, check out our amazingly unexpected apple art here.

Now you have a perfectly flat, SEEDLESS surface to make even slices from

It makes quick work for the rest of the sides

Next, toss the slices in a bowl of cold water to wait while you finish cutting up the other apples (this will help them from turning brown too fast) and without having to use lemon juice.  

Look at these lovely even apple slices!

When ready to use, drain off the water and start your baking engines.  I'm thinking of making a crisp with these, so I will post that very recipe soon.