The last applesauce recipe you'll ever need...until I tweak it some more!

So, in preparation for miss Lyla's arrival I've taken to doing some major bulk cooking and then freezing so it's less prep and work once she's here.  Today's prep?  Aside from the start of some frozen fruits for smoothies, tonight was applesauce night.

Because my midwife has told me I need to get more protein in my diet, I've been eating cottage cheese lately.  As a kid I remember my mom cutting up apple slices and dipping them in the cottage cheese, sometimes she'd put some banana in too.  So, when the need came for more protein I took up my mom's habit (which I later discovered her mother-in-law taught her).  Problem is, when you're eating an apple a day (which when you're pregnant does not, in fact, keep the doctor away) you can only eat so many red delicious apples before they just lose all appeal.  As a kid I was only introduced to red delicious and granny smith...the latter of which I couldn't stand.  As an adult I discovered there's way more out there for apples and decided that so long as I have to eat one a day anyway, I might as well start testing out the various types available at my local grocery store.  After a few weeks of apple testing, and armed with my new knowledge of apples, I decided to mix it up and make my normal applesauce recipe with something other than my tried and true red delicious.  The result? A mouth watering blend of amazing flavors and a house that smelled like fall should.  ...A house that might have given my grandma's a run for her money!



So, here it is.  That's not to say I may not tweak some more now that I have all these new apple flavors out there, or maybe even try adding some other fruits during the slow cooking process to soak up their flavor but remove them before the mashing.  But for now...here's what I've found to be beyond delicious.  Though if you favor a granny smith apple I might suggest using 3 granny smith, 4 honey crisp and then the other individual's.

1 Macoun apple peeled and diced (if you don't have one available, use a McIntosh as a Macoun is a hybrid of a Mcintosh and a 'Jersey Black')
1 Empire apple peeled and diced
1 Gala apple peeled and diced
4 Fiji apples peeled and diced
3 Honey crisp apples peeled and diced
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp imitation vanilla extract (if you're using pure vanilla extract half this)
1 tsp nutmeg

Put all the apples in a slow cooker (though you could do this in the oven too I suppose if you don't have a slow cooker, just put it in a large enough glass baking dish)  Cover with the spice ingredients and stir.  Cook on low for 3 hours, and then turn to high for 1 hour.  (I like my applesauce a little chunky so you may need to leave it on high for 2 hours, and it will all vary with how your slow cooker works as well).  If you're cooking it in the oven (which is what I used to do before I discovered how much tastier it is slow cooked) I would say cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or so to start (less if you don't use 10 apples).  Check it after 40 to see how well it mashes and extend your cooking time from there if desired.

Once apples are soft you can either mash them with a potato masher, run them through a food processor/blender, or use your kitchen aid/hand mixer.  Food processors and blenders will give you a finer consistency without as many chunks so be aware of that depending on how you like your applesauce.  A kitchen aid and hand mixer will take a little more effort as they're not designed to "smoosh" apples, but it will work if you need it to.  And the potato masher, while perhaps a little time consuming, gives you the most control over the end consistency of the apple sauce if you like it barely mashed or somewhere between spiced apples and mush, lol.  It is best to try and mash them while they're hot though, so PLEASE keep in mind while mashing that they are hot and if it splatters at your face it'll probably suck.  Likewise, if you're looking to let your kid help you can certainly let them cool down a little so it's not fresh out of the oven hot but...certainly stress to your child that if they're mashing with a potato masher to be easy so they don't get splattered and accidentally burn themselves.  The longer you let them cook the easier they'll be to mash so consider letting them go a little longer if you're looking to have the kiddo's enjoy the mashing process.

As a side note, you could also probably stand to reduce the sugars by half if you're concerned with how much sugar is in there.  Because this recipe already uses some flavorful and sweet apples to begin with, the sugar is just an extra indulgence...one I haven't gotten around to tweaking yet because I forget every time until after I've made it.  And obviously if you like yours more tart then you could use the granny smith apples I previously mentioned, or some McIntosh and use less sugar to give you a different flavor.  Honestly, this comes out as more of a dessert applesauce, or a great side dish with pork applesauce.  Also, this is pretty fantastic to add to your oatmeal in the mornings if you're not a fan of plain oats but hate that for almost double the price you get less oatmeal for your $$'s when buying the flavored stuff.