Homemade Applesauce

I'm making applesauce today. Last time I needed applesauce I bought it. I thought if I bought a high-quality brand, it might be good. It wasn't. Well...it wasn't bad. I mean, it was edible. But bland! So yesterday I bought 12 Granny Smith apples and today is applesauce day. It's a lot of peeling and cleaning, but the result is so-o-o-o worth the effort.

I usually like to go to an orchard in the fall and select a variety of apples---lots of them. Then I spend a day making lots of applesauce and put it in the freezer. What a great treat to have all winter long. If you have never made your own applesauce, here's my recipe, or procedure:

CHUNKY APPLESAUCE

Apples (your choice and you can mix them up)
water
sugar (very little)
cinnamon

Peel the apples. Core them to remove seeds. An apple sectioner works great for this. Put in a large pot and add a little water. For a whole dutch oven type pot, I use only about 1/2 cup of water. The apples create their own juice so you only need enough water to prevent burning at the start.

Cook on low heat for about a half hour more or less. Stir them every 10 minutes. They will break down and get mushy. When they're almost all mush, turn off the heat. There will be some chunks which add to the yumminess. Add sugar to taste. With some apples you don't need any at all. Then mix in some cinnamon. Probably about 1 or 2 teaspoons, but this is also to your taste. Let it all cool. Place in containers to store in fridge or freezer. Enjoy at will!