Homemade Applesauce

The air has turned crisp here in the Midwest.

And, that is the signal that fall has arrived. Which means we'll soon be making trips to the apple orchard, crunching leaves underfoot, and scouring the pumpkin patch for the perfect pumpkins to carve.

Don't you just love this time of year?

It also means that the apple displays in the grocery store will be brimming with fresh apples on sale for less than a dollar a pound.

Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh - I love the names of apples. So happy. So fresh.

So fall.

So, it's at this time of year that I stock our freezer full of gallon-sized bags of homemade applesauce.

If you've never made homemade applesauce, it is so much more delicious than what you buy pre-made in the store. It's wonderful served warm, next to a roast and some potatoes, or alongside your favorite sandwich (which for me happens to be a BLT!) And, it's a great snack for kids.

So, I thought I'd post my recipe for homemade applesauce - so that if you haven't ever tried making it before, maybe you'll be inspired to try it yourself this fall.

Here are a few tips:

1. Buy a box of gallon or quart-sized freezer bags. Triple or quadruple this recipe. Place the applesauce into family-sized portions into the freezer bags and save for the winter. Or give away to family and friends!

2. The type of apple you use will determine how much sugar you need. The amount or sugar I have listed should work great for three pounds of any type of apple, but you many want more or less depending on how sweet you like your applesauce. Honeycrisp apples are very sweet, and require less sugar than Granny Smith's - which are much more tart. If you'd like to control the amount of sugar, start out with half, and add sugar to your liking as the apples cook down.

3. Have it the way you like it. I love chunky applesauce. But, many people prefer it smooth. If you want smooth applesauce, place it into a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. This is also a perfect way to make applesauce for baby food - just eliminate the lemon peel and sugar.

4. This is a great activity for kids. They can wash the apples and add ingredients to the pot. My kids love to use measuring cups to help scoop the applesauce into the freezer bags. And, tasting as they go along is part of the fun!

I hope you'll try to make homemade applesauce this fall - even if only once. It's such a delicious treat to have ready in your freezer all winter long.

Enjoy!

Homemade Applesauce

3 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
4 slices lemon peel
2/3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
pinch salt

Wash, peel, core and chop apples. Place in a medium stockpot.

Using a potato peeler, remove four sections of peel from a lemon. Add lemon peel to stockpot. Add sugar, water, cinnamon, and salt to pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and have broken down. Remove lemon peel and discard.

Using a potato masher or whisk, bring applesauce to desired consistency. For smooth applesauce, place applesauce into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. For chunky applesauce, leave applesauce as is.

Serve warm or cold. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon when serving, if desired.