No Recipe Applesauce

Hi Knitters,

First of all I have randomly selected a winner for the Never Not Knitting printed pattern set. Congrats to Jan! Here is the winning comment:

Jan said...

I listen to Never Not Knitting podcasts regularly and just drool over her completed projects, patterns and designs on Ravelry. I have never won a giveaway but maybe my luck would change on this one!


October 23, 2010

On with the baking and baking and baking that has been going on around here these days. Along with my usual weekly cookie baking I have been apple baking up a storm. It all started with the two enormous bags of apples we picked at the farm. I didn't know if I would ever be able to use all of the apples we had picked that day. I easily have used them up and then some!

On a related note, TC had fallen in love with the apple peeler at our neighbor's house. I had always wanted one of these so she gave me the nudge to see if I could find an apple peeler online. I looked it up and sure enough you can get one for twenty bucks right here:

Click here to see the Back to Basics Apple & Potato Peeler!

That's what we did.
It is easy to use. This particular peeler has a suction clamp to hold it down. Sometimes it takes a few times of moving the suction lever to get it to adhere but eventually it works.
Not only does it peel the apple is also cored and thinly sliced into a long continuous ring. Notice the French horn player in the background. That photo was not planned, she really was just standing there next to me playing while I peeled apples. She is getting very proficient at her scales and Hot Cross Buns! Here's to progress.
The kids love the apple rings. It's fun to use and fun to eat the apples after.
I don't ever remember baking as many apple dishes as I have this fall. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have made around 10 pans of applesauce this fall. I have given applesauce away and my son brings friends over and serves huge bowls to everyone. I have had to buy more bags of apples to keep up.

I used to make applesauce on the stove in a big pot and I used a recipe from my sister. However, last year I thought I would try baking the applesauce instead. I love this method so much more than the stove top method.

Here is what I do. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Fill up a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with sliced apples. If you are using an apple peeler like mine I break up the rings before putting them in the pan.
Here is TC showing you the rings.

Next, after my pan is filled with apple slices I add enough water so I can just start to see the water mixed in with the apples at the bottom of the pan. I'd say maybe add water to about half of the height of the sliced apples in the pan. There's no measuring here!!
Next, I generously sprinkle sugar over the top of the apples. You can skip this if you don't want to add sugar or you can modify the amount to get sweeter or barely sweetened applesauce.
Lastly, I give the pan a generous sprinkling of cinnamon. You can leave the cinnamon out if you prefer. I happen to love cinnamon and it makes your house smell even better when baking.
I leave it in the oven for a long time, at least an hour and usually more like 90 minutes. I give it a good stir every 15 to 20 minutes. It is ready when the apples have softened and the applesauce is bubbling around the edges. We like the applesauce to be chunky but you could keep baking and stirring until it gets pretty smooth.

Let me know if you try it! I also have a super easy and old family recipe (with actual measurements) for apple crisp that I have been whipping up in between the baked applesauce. Let me know if you are interested in me sharing that recipe, too.

There is a really wonderful giveaway going on right now on Spud says! (my other blog) if you are interested. I don't want you to miss out! Please, if you enter, make sure you leave a comment on the Friends of Spud & Chloë forum thread and not on the Spud says! blog post.

best, susie