Recipe: Homemade Applesauce - A one ingredient wonder

There are so many things that we buy at the store that are SO EASY to make that it literally makes you feel silly for buying it already made.  One of those things is: Applesauce.

We eat applesauce almost every day mixed with plain yogurt.  Several years ago when I started looking at labels I picked up a jar of your Big Name regular applesauce and it has several ingredients: Apples, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water and Ascorbic Acid.

Wait, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP??? 

That's on my poison list, we don't eat that.

So I pick up the store brand and it's the exact same list of ingredients.

I was able to find an organic applesauce at a health food store that was acceptable.  The list of ingredients was knocked in half: Apples, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C).  

Whew. 

Then in a pinch I decided to make my own with a bag of apples that we already had.  So I gave it a try and guess what:

Another recipe with only one ingredient:

Apples. 

One bag of sweet, organic Gala apples and some kiddos to help with our little creation and

YUM. Applesauce.

One Dozen, or more sweet apples like: Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, Honeycrisp etc)
Rinse them thoroughly. I soaked mine in a vinegar and water mixture for
15 minutes.

Cut and Core the apples, I used a Pampered Chef apple slicer. We didn't peel
the apples. Some of the skins may still be in the applesauce after you blend but we
don't mind a little bit of it. You can peel them if you want.

Cook the apples into the slowcooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours.  You
can also bake the apples on 350 in a covered baking dish for a couple of hours
in about a cup of water keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

When the apples are done they should be very mushy when poked with a
fork or spoon.  For added flavor we put a vanilla bean in the pot. You can add
cinnamon too!

Let the apples cool.  Blend them with a stick or stand blender.  If you don't
have one, you can use an old-fashioned potato masher.

Spoon the applesauce into jars with tight fitting lids. It will keep in your
refrigerator about 7 days.  It never lasts that long around here ;). 12 apples will
yield about 3 cups of applesauce.

They love it when it's still warm ;)

I hope you will try this simple recipe and then let me know how it worked for you!