Food Friday: Homemade Apple Sauce!

Tis the season for apples. Apple orchards, caramel apples, apple cider, bob for apples, apple pies, and yes do not forget homemade apple sauce.

My family makes a trip to the apple orchards in Wisconsin every year. Our day traditionally is full of Fall activities surrounding our trip to the orchards. The leaves are often turning bright shades of red, orange, and yellow. Farmers are harvesting the golden corn out of the fields. And the Mississippi seems as blue as ever. Our day is usually complete after we taste tested and picked out some bushels of apples, finished the corn maze, and stocked up on some Wisconsin cheese. YUM!

Once at home, our leftover apples from pies and eating goes to making homemade apple sauce. We then stock the freezer full of the remaining apples into sauce for winter.

My first secret to cooking apple sauce is my choice in apples. Semi-tart, soft apples make the best sauce for cooking. For pies, I recommend Cortland Apples. These cook down to where they melt in your mouth. Cortland apples are also great for apple sauce. However, I typically use up whatever needs to be cooked before they go bad.

I peel and core the apples sometimes by hand and other times when the apple is still firm with an apple peeler. The kids love to watch the apple peeler. Many hands make this process light work.

I throw the pieces of apple into the pan to cook on low adding a little water. Next, I add my secret ingredient, a touch of cardamon, with plenty of cinnamon. I never need to add any sugar to my sauce. The apples continue to cook on on low until they have cooked down all the way.

Homemade apple sauce is made to serve hot. Store the rest into containers and stick in the freezer for a hearty winter meal. And enjoy.

Take advantage of cooking homemade apple sauce. Most family members are helpful for seasonal baking. Also, the smell of cooking apples and cinnamon make the house smell great for the Fall season.