Celebrating Life

**Quick Note: the recipe above is for 20 apples aka a large family portion!! Below I give you the portions that I used for 3 people. If you are interested in the above portion sizes, shoot me an email, otherwise I used my own portions to go with serving 3 people.**

My Grandpa Schupbach died a year ago March 7th. Mikey and I have had a whirlwind of life happening and so on the day, I wasn't able to take any time to thank God for the Grandpa that He had given me. I definitely had some tears of joy and remembering how my Grandpa lived but I wasn't able to really stop. and get away that day.
But yesterday my cousin Josiah came into town and so I decided we were going to celebrate my Grandpa's life together... in style.
With food.
To celebrate my Grandpa you can do one of the following: 1. eat a bowl of popcorn and an apple and call it dinner or 2. buy two quarts of Dairy Queen ice cream; one quart for your family and one quart for yourself... to be eaten in one sitting or 3. you can make a swiss dish

I opted for #3 and decided to make apel kuchli or "apple fritters".
My Dad explained to me that his Grandma used to make them once in awhile but he mostly remembers his mother (my Grandpa's wife!~ following this) making the apel kuchli for special occasions. He said they did not get them often but only on really special occasions.
I couldn't decide if I wanted to pass this recipe on... because to be honest, I'm feeling homesick and when I'm homesick, I get selfish.
But I know my Great-Grandmother the lovely Swiss woman that she was would want me to share this with you, as she shared it with the generations after her.
So this post, is in celebration of life... my Grandfather's rich life, the stories I've heard of my beloved Great-Grandmother Marie and their family... those who are with us and those who are waiting for us to join them.
To Life! (Mazol Tov)

I took 3 apples for three people (and that was puh-lenty!), peeled and cored them.
Now here is a little secret I'm going to share with you...

I do not know how to core apples. So in the midst of balancing about three knives, watching the hot oil heat up I decided to add in balancing my cell phone and I called up my Poppy asking him for directions on how to core an apple.
Needless to say he advised me to peel them after coring. Oops!
Guess I'll have to make apel kuchli again so I can practice. Mmmm

Whether you can core or not, take heart... they still taste good even while they look like alien babies... or something like that.

Speaking of aliens, this is my hand not a distorted, disfigured alien hand mixing the flour.
Now you take about 1 c - 1 1/2 c of flour
mix it with 1 tsp of salt, 1 egg and 1/2 of milk until you get the right consistency of batter. You make it thick and sticky!
My Great-Aunt Rosella said Great-Grandma Marie always used her hands so I forgo-ed the measuring cups and went by my feelings and eye-balled everything.

Hey! It's a Life Celebration... what better way then to seize the day and throw out your measuring cups, am I right or am I right?
Or am I right?

then, stir! stir! stir!

then coat the apples in the batter

drop the apples in the batter and allow to "float". I know we're all health-conscious and you don't want to use too much oil but listen to me, honeys, you don't want your apel kuchlis to stick to the bottom. no no no!!! you want them to float. So go ahead, use up your gallon jug of oil.
It's a Celebration of Life... I'm not saying you should eat these every day. But once in awhile we forgo (again that word) the oatmeal which keeps our hearts pumping and give our hearts something to really jump for joy about!
Apel Kuchli! Celebration of Life...
are you catching my helpful hints that somedays you just need to let your hair down and shake it loose? Live a little! Celebrate YOUR life!

Moving on.... keep flipping the apel kuchli, you don't want one side to get darker than the other.

This is my handsome cousin Josiah... my Grandma gave him the best "well-wishes" when he left Illinois... but that's another story for another day!

When the apel kuchli are golden brown have your handsome cousin take them out, place them on paper towels to drain (we want them to be semi-healthy, don't we?) and then while they're still glistening sprinkle some sugar on them.
Oh what the heck, we only eat apel kuchli once in awhile... really sprinkle the little cuties!!

and then bask in their loveliness.

Even handsome cousin is basking in their loveliness... and the warmth of California sunshine.

Then eat your apel kuchli somewhere fun... Celebrate your Life, celebrate the lives of your friends and family.

Mikey tries his first apel kuchli!

He's so glad he married a Swiss Miss!

I'm so glad my Grandma taught my Dad who taught me to make apel kuchli.
I'm really thankful for my family.
I really miss my Grandpa. I really hate death. But it makes me feel better that Jesus hates death too. I know death wasn't a part of His plan and that's why He gave us a way out.
I'm really thankful I have Jesus.
Micah 6:8