Applesauce

We had an overabundance of apples, so we decided to make applesauce this week. Also, my mother-in-law needed to downsize when she moved to a smaller apartment, so she gave us a handy masher, which made it considerably easier. Here is the recipe we used:

3 to 4 lbs apples
4 strips of lemon peel - use a vegetable peeler to strip 4 lengths
Juice of one lemon
3 inches of cinnamon stick
1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
up to 1/2 cup of white sugar
1 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt

We used a variety of apples, but I think it's always good to include some Granny Smith in the mix. We didn't peel them, because the masher takes care of the peels. It's healthier that way. To squeeze the lemon, we used the citrus squeezer from Pampered Chef.

1 Put all ingredients into a large pot. Cover. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.
2 Remove from heat. Remove cinnamon sticks and lemon peels. Mash with potato masher.
Ready to serve, either hot or refrigerated.
Freezes easily, lasts up to one year in a cold freezer.

Adapted fromSimply Recipes http://www.simplyrecipes.com/