Lean pork and tart apples - a natural year-round combination

Our ancestors knew that pork and apples were made for each other. What they didn't know was that the hog meat, which was so much a part of their diet, would ever be so lean. Geneticists have worked to produce meatier and leaner hogs - about 50 percent leaner than in the olden days. Pork keeps well and knows no season, although autumn and winter bring a hankering for delicious pork and apple recipes.

Glazed Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing 1 medium-size apple, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 cup unseasoned croutons 3/4 cup apple juice 1 envelope onion-soup mix (not instant) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Mix apple, croutons, 1/2 cup of the apple juice, the onion-soup mix, and cinnamon. With long sharp knife, cut a deep pocket in each chop. Fill with stuffing mixture. Arrange chops in single layer in lightly greased shallow baking dish. Brush with some of the remaining apple juice. Bake in a preheated 400-degree F. oven 35 minutes or until brown and tender, brushing with apple juice 2 or 3 times. Serves 4.

Sausage-Apple Casserole 1 pound sausage 8 small apples, cored Cinnamon sugar 4 cups dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon minced onion 2 large sweet potatoes or yams, quartered

Shape sausage into 8 balls. Cook in skillet until brown. Peel apples halfway down. Fill with cinnamon sugar. Mix bread crumbs, butter, salt, pepper, and onion. Place in center of casserole. Arrange sausage, apples, and sweet potatoes around bread mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour. Serves 4.

Apple-Pork Steaks With Raisin Stuffing 6 1/2-inch thick pork steaks 2 tablespoons fat Raisin Stuffing 3 tart red apples, cored and halved Sugar

Brown pork steaks slowly on both sides in hot fat. Season well with salt and pepper. Place in shallow baking dish. Cover each steak with layer of Raisin Stuffing. Top with apple half. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover dish tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour or until pork is done. Serves 6.

Raisin Stuffing 3 cups toasted bread cubes 1 1/2 cups chopped unpared apples 1/2 cup seedless raisins 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped onion 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup condensed beef broth or 1 beef

bouillon cube, dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water

Toss together first 8 ingredients. Add beef broth and mix well.

Pork-Kraut and Apple Skillet 6 pork chops 3 tablespoons bacon drippings 2 medium onions, chopped 1 No. 21/2 can sauerkraut 2 large apples cored and sliced 1/2 cup sugar 1 heaping tablespoon caraway seed

Brown chops in drippings in heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Add onions. Cook several minutes. Mix sauerkraut and apples. Spoon over chops. Heat sugar in another skillet, stirring constantly, until rich caramel color. Pour over sauerkraut mixture. Sprinkle caraway seed over the top. Cover tightly. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Serves 6.