Homemade Applesauce!

Bunch of soft apples in the bottom of the fridge? Make some applesauce before they go bad. It is so easy - you can do it on top of the stove, in a crockpot, in an oven and even in the microwave and your results will be splendid.

Homemade Apple Sauce

My way

Peel, core and cut in half enough apples to fill a Dutch oven. It will cook down, so a little overfilled is fine. Add about 1/2 cup of water or apple juice. Turn heat to medium and cover. Check occasionally that apples are not boiling. Cook until apples are softened, about 45 minutes to an hour depending on variety and how soft they were when you started. If you have a lot of fluid, leave the cover off during the last 10 minutes to cook some of that off. Add about 1/2 cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Mix well, turn down heat and leave cover off. Cook another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more sugar or cinnamon if desired.

Using a potato masher, mash up cooked apples. If you want chunky, don't mash as much. For smooth apple sauce, mash thoroughly. Eat warm or cold.

If baking in an oven, as you might do if you already are using the oven, check at least half way through cooking time that you have enough water or apples will scorch. Remove the cover about the last 10 minutes to cook out some of the moisture.

If you have extra, freeze it. Just put into a freezer ziploc or freezer safe container and freeze. Thaw and eat. I'm sure you could microwave it as well. Canning of course is an option if you have canning supplies (my sister makes great canned applesauce!).

We get our cinnamon from Penzey's - it is very strong cinnamon which is why I only use 2 teaspoons. If you buy your cinnamon from the grocery store, feel free to add an extra teaspoon. Too much cinnamon gives a bitter flavor, but applesauce is somewhat sweet, so it works fine. I love cinnamon!

Brownies!!!

My sister decided to try some brownies and they are oh so yummy. The recipe is from Taste of Home's 2004 Annual Recipes.



Maple Butterscotch Brownies

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons maple flavoring
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
confectioner's sugar, optional

1. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, butter and maple flavoring. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Combine flour and baking powder; add to egg mixture. Stir in walnuts.
2. Pour into a greased 9 inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired. Yield 16 brownies

Here's a link for a photo and nutritional info. Yes, they can be done in a square pan.