I love the fall.  I truly do.  I wait all year for this weather, and then it seems like it is over in a flash.

I love back to school, the cool crisp mornings, the pumpkins on everyone’s porch, the beautiful leaves.  I love every single fall thing.  Including the food.  How can you say no to things like pumpkin pie, peach crisp, and of course anything apples.

I buy apples by the bushel (yes even in New Jersey we can get apples fresh from the orchard!).  I love it.  I bake and bake and bake.  And then I make the rest into applesauce.

My grandma always had home made applesauce in her freezer.  Her’s was the kind that was so sugary it was like biting into apple pie filling.  We seriously used to use it as ice cream topping.  It was (and ps at 86 she is still making it) and still is amazing.

I make that kind.  I must admit I do.  I put a big old sharpie “SUGAR” on the freezer bag so I know.  My kids?  Those poor guys, they do not get that kind.  They get plain old mushed up cooked apples.  There is no sugar for them (ok a pinch and seriously just a pinch).

I know it’s not hard, but for those that have never done it here is the low down on making applesauce and being able to preserve some of that great apple flavor for the whole winter.

Choose what apples you like.  I use whatever the orchard is picking.  These pictured are galas (LOVE) but last year I used mainly empires and they were delicious too.

Invest (what $25 or something?) in a peeler/slicer.  The first year I did this I did it all by hand and it took forever and a day.  My mom took pity on me and bought this for me.  Heaven.  Peels, slices, cores.  Makes it a snap.

Don’t they look beautiful?  Apples really shrink when cooking so I really stuff the pot.  And then I usually add more for a while (my motto continues go big or go home).

Put the apples on medium to low.  Let them just sit, stirring them every 10 to 15 minutes.  Really try to make sure all of them have time at the bottom.  Once they start to cook you can just mash away.  I have mashed by hand (very chunky), used the food processor (smooth for the fussy ones) and this year I used a hand held blender (like the kind for smoothies).  I’m sticking with the hand held from now on.  It worked really well.

Want to make a flavored applesauce? Check out:

Slow Cooker Dessert Applesauce

 Strawberry Applesauce

I do admit that I add a healthy dose of cinnamon and a healthy dose of vanilla.  YUM.  My boys gobble this up!  I do add a pinch of sugar just to take the tart off, but not enough that I don’t feel it’s a treat to eat.  It’s a good for you good tasting take the fall with you for the winter kind of food.

Home Made Applesauce – Falls Best Treat!

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Ingredients

• 60-70 Apples, cut, cored, peeled
• 2 T cinnamon
• 2 T vanilla
• 1/2 C sugar (white or brown) OPTIONAL

Instructions

1. Place apples in large pot with lid and turn burner on low
2. Stir (especially at the beginning) every 20 minutes or so
3. After an hour stir in cinnamon and vanilla
4. Once apples begin to break down and become soft, blend until your desired consistency
5. Store in refrigerator or freeze in zip lock bags

FYI – peaches go great in applesauce and they are also in season so go crazy!

Bonus?  My house smells amazing!