Crock Pot Applesauce

Here is a super-easy recipe to try when you find yourself with an over-abundance of apples. It is a no-brainer that produces lovely results - - just the kind of recipe I like!

We live in a quaint little town (okay, technically it is a "city", but if you've ever been here, you'd agree that there isn't anything "city" about it) that is well-known for its orchards. Peaches, plums, apricots, apples, and of course, cherries. I can't tell you how many there are still standing - - I think we drove by 5 or 6 different orchards before settling on the Anderson Apple Ranch on Saturday. In the 8 years that I've lived here, I've witnessed the sad sight of orchard trees being chopped down and fruit ranches closing. Luckily, though, there are still a bunch in operation.

So, on Saturday, we headed out on a little drive, in search of some apples. It is late in the season, but we managed to pick 10 lbs. of red delicious. Camden had fun filling the bucket....

...and Griffin had fun running through the orchard trees...

The next morning, I washed a bunch of apples, and the peeling and chopping commenced.

I looked at some recipes on line, but quickly realized that I didn't need a recipe. I am one of those cooks who thinks I need a recipe that I have to follow to a "T" whenever I make something, but I am trying very, very hard to loosen up in the kitchen and be a bit more creative. While I wouldn't really call making applesauce in the crock pot being creative, at least I didn't freak out and start hyperventilating while I threw my ingredients in. So, progress is being made, my friends!

To the chopped apples, I added one cup of water, the juice from a half of a lemon, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and probably about a tablespoon of granulated sugar. I only ever buy natural applesauce, so I'm not sure what compelled me to add sugar - - next time I will leave it out. Live and learn.

Then, I threw on the lid, set the timer for four hours, and went about my business.

Next, I took my handy potato masher and did some mashing. The result: delicious, homemade applesauce. I think I used approximately 5 lbs. of apples to make this, but of course only ended up with about 3 cups of sauce. I used one cup of it to make some Apple Pumpkin Butter (that's a recipe for another day), so I'll serve the rest as a side dish during the week.

Please come back each day this week for a variety of recipes...it's "kitchen week" at Way Out West!