Applesauce! Make Your Own

Our boys LOVE applesauce.  To hear my two-year old ask for it is a simple joy.  "Appuhsos"

As part of my make-my-own, save money kick, I've priced it out and it's more economical and more FUN to make my own applesauce.  Here's the recipe I follow:

Makes 4 jars.

15 medium apples (4 1/2 to 5 pounds)

1/4 cup water

1/2 to 1/4 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of the apples)

zest and juice of half a lemon

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

My helpful assistant juices the lemon.

1.  Peel apples if desired.  (I don't b/c I'm lazy and just scrub my organic apples really well.)

2. Halve and core the apples.  Cut into 4 slices.  (I use my apple slicer - much faster.)

3. Put sliced apples into a pot with a heavy bottom.  Add water, sugar, lemon zest and juice and cinnamon.

4. Cover and place over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender, @30-35 minutes.  Keep heat low at first to the apples don't burn. 

5. If peeled, simply mash them with a potato masher.  I just put them in my food processor.

6. Store applesauce in a covered container in the fridge for a week or two. (I repurpose applesauce jars from Trader Joe's.)