ONE PROJECT AT A TIME - APPLESAUCE

From tree to tummy

We went apple and pear picking the other day and ended up with 15KG of fruit.  That's a lot of apples and pears. They will keep for a while, but even in a month we couldn't eat all of these apples.  I have a few different plans for these apples, but our first project was to make applesauce.  I know store bought applesauce is relatively cheap, and most of you can even find sugar free applesauce (not an option here in NL).  But the taste difference between store bought and home made applesauce is significant, and it's worth a try at home.  I resisted for a long time, but my kids always prefer my applesauce, so I'll continue to make it as long as I have room in my freezer.

The hardest part about making applesauce is slicing and peeling the apples.  For reals.  If you have one of those fancy pants apple corer/peeler things, then you really have no excuse.  But even without one, all you need is a little time.  And before you throw all those peels and cores away, stick around for tomorrow's post on another super easy cooking project.  Look at me, a regular domestic goddess.

Ok, now for the nitty gritty:

1.  Peel and slice apples.  Any amount is fine - just depends how much you have on hand and how much you want to make.

2.  Cover with water.















3.  Simmer on stove.  You know they are done when you can easily pierce them with a fork.

4.  Drain water.  You can always add some back in if you think it's too thick.







5.  Puree.  I use an immersion blender, but you could just use a potato masher if you would like chunky applesauce, or a blender if you want it uber-smooth.

6.  Sprinkle with cinnamon (optional).

I don't can, so I store mine in the freezer.  It keeps beautifully and tastes super fresh.  I also combined apples and pears in the same batch; they cook in about the same amount of time, and it adds a subtle flavor difference.  You could use just pears if you would rather.

That's it!  Easy peasy, right?  Have fun, and make sure to stop back tomorrow to find out what to do with that pile of peels and cores.

 I'm linking up with A Bowl Full of Lemons for her project Tuesday.  Come on over and check out all the great things people have been doing.