Monday, August 24, 2015

Not Your Grandma's Applesauce.



Making Apple Sauce is easy-peesy.  My garden has three full grown apple trees.  That's a lot of apples folks.  This time of year (August/ September) I'm constantly looking for things to do with them.  In the end, apple sauce seems to be a family favorite.  We all love to eat it and the kids even love to help with the making process.  It all starts with fresh apples--and, home made apple sauce is a completely different animal (bad analogy here) than store bought, really, there is NO comparison.  

On a day like today, when I don't have much planned and the kids feel like doing some apple picking, I send them out to the yard with a large bowl.  They always come back with it full to the brim with apples.  Henceforth, apple sauce making commences, . . . yummo!

Ingredients: (sorry for the undefined ingredient amounts, that's just kind of how I roll with some things--a pinch of this and a handful of that)

-Apples, lots of them, I'm talking a large bag/bowl full, enough to fill up my large dutch oven
-Brown sugar, about 1/8 cup
-Maple Syrup:  A nice 3 second drizzle
-Water 1/3 cup
-Salt 1/2 Teaspoon
-1/2 Tsp of Cinnamon
-1/4 Tsp of nutmeg
-2 Tbs of butter
-(Optional, and probably not for the kiddos--for a little zing, throw in a pinch of cayenne!)

Steps:

1.  Chop apples.  Some people like to peel the apples, but I don't have time and it still tastes yummy, so why bother.  It does make the color look a little more like "poop" according to Serafin, but she still eats it, so I guess that's not a bad thing!  Generally I like to cut the apples small, as pictured, but when the kids feel like cutting too, I include them in the process.  If you blend the mixture in the end, then whatever size you cut them doesn't matter, but if you like chunky apple sauce, then consider size when chopping.

2.  Throw them in the pot!  Add all the ingredients accept the butter!

3.  Stir, and bring to a simmer, cover and let cook for about 10-15 minutes stirring every once and a while.

4.  Throw in the butter and cook for another 10 minutes or until wilted down enough to mash with a masher (it should be easy).  




5.  If you want to, use a potato masher and go to town!  The kids like to get involved with that part too!  If you are in the mood for something smooth, throw it all in the blender and voila--you have pureed apple sauce!  You can also use this as a recipe to make fruit leather if you have a dehydrator.  Enjoy!




Kid approved!


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