A Sentimental Side Dish
Do you have a dish or a meal that takes you back to fond memories of your childhood? A time when the little things in life could bring such joy.
I do! For me, it's homemade applesauce. I literally have eaten my entire weight in homemade applesauce MANY times over!
My mom used to buy a bushel of apples (that's 40 pounds of apples!) each fall and spend days cutting them up and cooking applesauce to freeze so that we could pull it out in batches until the following fall.
My mom and her mom both made applesauce for me when I was a kid. However, they had slightly different methods/recipes.
My recipe is a combination of them – a way to combine two of my favorite women in a dish that always makes me think about both of them every time I make it.
This is an easy dish to make, and it's equally good served either warm or cold!
I prefer using Granny Smith apples because they hold their chunkiness (texture) better than softer, less crispy apples.
I quarter the apples, cut out the seeds and core, and cut off the skin. Feel free to leave the skin on if you like it. For me it's a texture thing. Plus, my kids love to eat the skins as I peel the apples – it's a win-win!
Cut the apples into bite-sized pieces.
Fill your pan with the cut apples and add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan so the apples don't burn. Put the lid on the pan and cook on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes, until the apples are soft. This is essentially like steaming the apples.
How to cook to create that chunky texture
Stir only occasionally, because you don't want to release all that steam very often or the apples won't cook correctly. Once the apples are soft, remove from heat.
You have the option here of stopping once the apples are just soft or continuing to cook until they are even mushier. Since I prefer the texture and firmness of the chunks, then I stop cooking when I can just easily poke the apples with a fork.
My mom didn't add additional applesauce. And it isn't necessary at all to do that. I add about 1 cup to 1.5 cups of organic unsweetened store-bought applesauce to the cooked apples. I do it because my gramma did it, and it makes me think of her.
Next add brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. My mom never added the cinnamon or nutmeg, but my gramma always added both, so I do it too.
Stir it all together until it's all mixed. Serve immediately or put in refrigerator until cool.
Enjoy!
Please leave a comment below and let us know…have you ever made applesauce before?
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- 10 apples Granny Smith apples are preferred
- 1/2 - 1 cup water Just enough to cover the bottom of your pan
- 1-1.5 cups Jar applesauce optional - organic, unsweetened, if possible
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp nutmet
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Quarter, take out the seeds and core, and peel (if desired) the apples. Then slice them into bite-sized pieces and plan into a stock pot. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pot.
- Cover the pot and cook on the stove on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the apples are soft. The steaming process is key, so stir the apples once in a while if you want, but not often. Opening the lid lets out the steam.
- Once apples are soft, they are done. I like to stir them around a little bit to break them up while keeping some of the chunks.
- Add the jarred applesauce, if you are using. Stir to combine.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Serve immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers for up to 10 days.
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