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Cooking Tip of the Day
Applesauce is a delicious, easy to make dish that can be enjoyed plain, or brightened up with natural flavors without added sugars and preservatives found in commercial applesauce.
Homemade applesauce is also an excellent food for babies because it can be prepared without added sugar and salt.
Statistics show that apples are one of the top, most often uneaten, discarded foods. Instead of throwing them in the compost pile, or worse, the garbage can, make applesauce.
Applesauce can be made with any type of apple, but baking-type apples, like Granny Smith and Jonathans, are recommended to make the best applesauce.
Applesauce is easily and quickly made by cooking 4 pounds of peeled, chopped apples in 1 to 1 1/2 cups water for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. A little salt will enhance the natural sweetness and apple flavor. Be sure no seeds are included. Seeds will make the applesauce bitter.
Apples can also be cooked in apple juice instead of water for an even sweeter applesauce.
If additional sweetness is desired maple syrup or honey can be used instead of sugar.
Applesauce can be eaten plain, sweetened, or flavored with spices, herbs, and dried fruits.
Vanilla extract, beans, or paste can be used to sweeten applesauce without sugar or other sweeteners.
Lemon juice added to applesauce adds zip and tartness with or without other spices.
A multitude of spices can be added to add zest to applesauce. These include: Grated fresh ginger, powdered ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, cloves, fennel seed, black peppercorns, star anise, and Chinese five-spice. Any of these spices can be used alone or in any combination desired. Even a tea bag from a favorite spiced tea can be used for a specially flavored applesauce.
If a pink apple sauce is desired, leave the skins on the apples and add 1/4 cup lemon juice.
Homemade applesauce should be kept in the refrigerator and will remain fresh for 4 to 6 days.
Other uses for applesauce:
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Author Marilyn Pokorney
Copyright Marilyn Pokorney 2023
