The Best Applesauce

The dollars. You gotta have 'em. Cause this girl's got the LOANS (and a pretty serious grocery store addiction).  And while I contemplate whether I can afford to drink 5 large pumpkin coffees a week, I know I am the only one operating on this frequency. But I've never been one to be lavish, at all, ever. The last time I bought something that wasn't on sale was ... never. And I promise the meak consumerism isn't a side-effect of the amateur environmentalist in me, it is that I, lilly, cannot take any more than I need for myself (unless it is shirts from a 5$ and under rack). Can't do it. Don't want to.

So I've been working a lot. All the time. And then there is all the life stuff...laundry, dishes, bills. On top of that being present in your relationship, your work, your life. And I'm talking really being present. Not just when you want to and no matter how many coffees you have to suck it up and pay for. Because if I expect that of other people, I have to be there too. It's all well and good, but it makes you tired, too.

The Best Applesauce

Since I have the best job ever I got to spend the day picking these beauties at Windy Hill Farm. Picking is not really the word for it since the farm unfortunately lost all of there apple crop in the Spring. Instead we picked different kinds of apples from bins throughout the orchard. Colin wasn't all that into it, but I had a good time.

What will you need?
6 Large Apples, cored and quartered (you can use as many apples as you want, but 6 is a reasonable batch for a large pot)
1 c. water
1 small finger of ginger, sliced thick (optional)
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Cinnamon (optional)
Maple syrup (optional)

Core and quarter your large apples. I'm told if you want chunky applesauce, you can peel your apples and let them cook until they are soft enough to mash with a potato masher. But if you are looking for beautiful pink applesauce, leave those skins on! The process is lengthier but it does come out so nice.

Place your apples and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat (add ginger if you are using it - definitely use it!) and simmer for 20 minutes or until the apples are soft when you stick a fork in them. If you are lucky enough to have a food processor than by all means, break that out. But if your like me, you can put it in your hand-me-down blender, in small batches if necessary.

Strain the old fashioned way, or don't strain at all. Beware of stray ginger bits if you don't.

Return to the pot and add lemon, cinnamon and/or maple syrup. Honey is also a good sweetener, but it is pretty sweet on its own. Make a ton and put it in the freezer! Freeze flat in freezer bags for easy storage.