Applesauce

It appears to be a year of abundance for apples of many varieties. This recipe uses a large slow cooker and a food mill. The apples cook down in the slow cooker. This is a convenience but must be timed to your schedule. The food mill removes the skin and seeds. One year I made this and the food mill was grinding up the seeds. Most food mills come with different blades. So I adjusted the blade size. If you leave the skins on, the applesauce becomes dark. We love applesauce, served cold, as a side dish to pork (pork roast or pork chops)

Ingredients:

Apples, a variety of 20

Unsweetened Apple Juice, ½ cup to 1 cup

Lemon Juice, 5 tbsp

Cinnamon, to taste

Pint canning jars with lids, 5

Preparation:

Wash the apples. Cut into quarters, leaving the apple skin, core and seeds. I chose to remove the bottom end of the apple, where the blossom has dried. As you cut the apples, place them directly into a slow cooker. Add the unsweetened apple juice. Close the lid and set on the low heat for all day. When cooled slightly, I ladled portions into a food mill to process and remove the skin and seeds. Add the processed applesauce into a large bowl, stir in the lemon juice and cinnamon. Water bath process for 20 minutes. As an alternative, you can add to containers and freeze. Use within a year. When refrigerated, use within a week.