I’m a little ashamed to admit that I picked a mere 16 lbs of apples on Saturday. My roommate picked double that amount. Sigh.
Nevertheless, this year’s harvest was both beautiful and plentiful, and I am super excited to put these guys to use. First up–applesauce!
Applesauce is actually ridiculously easy to make. The hardest part is coring and peeling the apples; everything after that takes very little effort on your part. Not only did it smell FANTASTIC when it was cooking, but using my grandmother’s recipe and calling on my mother for advice made me feel like the women in my family were right there with me.
Core, peel, and thinly slice enough apples to fill a large pot. Add a little water–just enough to help steam the apples. I used 1/2 cup for the medium pot and 3/4 cup for the large pot. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the apples cook down. Mash the apples with a fork, potato masher, or food processor to your desired consistency. Add sugar (the amount depends on how naturally sweet your apples are–I used only 1/2 cup), a smidgen of butter, and spices to your liking (I threw in a healthy dash of cinnamon and some freshly grated nutmeg).
And there you have it–you’re all finished! It freezes well (just fill up a freezer bag or two), so you can make up a big batch and be set for a good while. I used a little more than a dozen medium-sized apples and came up with enough applesauce to fill a large plastic yogurt container and a quart-sized freezer bag. I love the thought of having a little piece of autumn to last me well into a gray Chicago winter.
