Recipe: It's Applesauce Season

Right now is the perfect time to head to a farmer's market or orchard and buy lots and lots of apples. Sure, you can make pie with them, but applesauce is healthier, easier to freeze, and yummiful. Plus, it's really easy to make. My kids love it. I love it, too--especially with plain Greek yogurt and a bit of maple syrup!

The best apples for sauce are the ones that are tart, and too mangled to make good regular eating. Once, Eve and I found an old apple tree on our property from which we got a giant basket of the ugliest apples you ever saw--but it made the best sauce!

Here is my recipe for applesauce:

Maria's Applesauce

Ingredients:

4 cups water
24 (or so) apples
Juice of ½ lemon
6 whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
½ cup sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Put about 2 inches of water in the bottom of a saucepan (4 cups or so). Put the pan on the stovetop and turn the burner on low.
2. Peel the apples, cut them into pieces, and add them to the water. Make sure to cut out any bad spots!
3. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the mix to stop the apples from turning brown.
4. Add the cloves and cinnamon.
5. Cook on medium to low heat until the apples turn to mush--maybe a half hour to an hour.
6. Taste. If it's too tart, add sugar.
7. Pick out the cloves and cinnamon, and serve!

If you want to freeze it, put the applesauce in a container and stick it in the freezer. It tastes just as great when you thaw it.