Gettin' Apple-Saucy

Friends, the apple issue is becoming tamer by the day.

One loaf of bread, one pie, and one giant vat of applesauce later, I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

If I'm not careful, you may start referring to my blog as "A Hungry Apple." I promise: I'll take a hiatus from the apple recipes after I leave you with this saucy little number.

When it comes to applesauce, nothing beats the chunky, loaded-with-cinnamon, didn't-peel-the-apples variety. If you haven't noticed, I love my food textured and filling--not much pureeing going on in this house. It's rare, if ever, that you'll find a fruit (or potato) peeled around here (three cheers for added fiber!).

In my haste to bake away my bushel of apples (and re-claim what used to be my kitchen counter), I went to work on a simple, satisfying applesauce last night. Perfect on its own, or as a mix-in to your morning oatmeal (think: oats made with vanilla almond milk; mix in a little applesauce, one chopped apple, some toasted walnuts, and a little cinnamon).

A quick note on the sweetness-level: I kept the amount of sugar in this recipe quite low (relative to the amount of apples) since it was designed to be my mid-morning snack at work, and not a dessert. However, if you've got the crave, feel free to up the sugar for a sweeter sauce.

Now, let's let loose, let our hair down, and get a little saucy tonight. Apple Saucy, that is.

Apple Sauce

(Recipe from Taste of Home)

This is a wonderfully simple and basic recipe, which you can build on to make your own. You may prefer your applesauce sweeter, tarter, less chunky, or with more cinnamon! Use this as a guide, and go creative with your bushel of apples :)

Ingredients:

• 8 cups chopped apples
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon (or more if you prefer!)
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups water (add more if needed)

Directions:

1) Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Cover and heat over low-medium heat until apples are quite tender (anywhere from 15 - 25 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed throughout the cooking process.

2) When apples have reached desired level of tenderness, remove from heat and use a potato masher (or other handy kitchen tool) to mash the apples.

3) Refrigerate before serving. Then, smile at your saucy self :)