Quick and Easy Applesauce!

Applesauce? Who makes applesauce? It comes from a jar, right?

After apple picking, we have lots and lots of apples to eat. While some of these beauties will keep for awhile, this is a bit early in the season for true "keeper apples." So...lots of apple cookery! This recipe is a favorite when I run out of my home-canned applesauce (I make home-canned applesauce every 2 years - and later this month I will cover the whole process!) or when I just want something a little different. 

The best part of making your own applesauce? YOU control the amount of sweetener (if any) and the spice palate!

Quick and Easy Applesauce

• 1 large apple per person, peeled and chopped (to prevent browning, soak in lemon water if they have to keep for awhile before cooking)
• Dash of apple juice or apple cider vinegar - use just enough to keep the apples from scorching. Lemon juice or water work in a pinch!
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon (add more to taste)
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch cardamom
• Sweetener to taste (I like to use maple syrup - you may prefer another sweetener)

Put diced apples, juice/vinegar and spices into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and simmer, covered, on low heat until the apples are tender and can be mashed with a fork - depending on what kind of apples you use, this can take anywhere from 8-15 minutes. Take off cover, and allow any excess juice to cook off. Taste, and adjust seasoning to your own liking. If you have very tart apples, you may want to add a bit of sweetener at this point.

I like to serve this warm with pork chops - it is heavenly!  The wee ones like it stirred into their oatmeal on cold winter mornings (and so do I!) - sweetie things it tastes like apple pie filling (and who am I to argue with that?). 

I also enjoy playing with spices - sometimes adding curry powder if I am serving this with a savory dish...or I will melt red hot cinnamon candies into the bowls if I am making a treat for the wee ones. 

And this applesauce can be used to make Spicy Applesauce Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting!