Chunky Applesauce

On my long days at school, when I have to be there all day, I always bring chopped up apples sprinkled with cinnamon and a little sea salt along with my lunch.  My classmate tried them once, and then she got hooked.  Now she, too, brings them with her lunches on our long days.

She and her family often visit an apple orchard in Flat Rock, NC called Sky Top Orchard.  The last time she went, she offered to bring me back a bushel, and of course I accepted!  This bushel (not actually a bushel, it was "1/2 peck"... a bushel of apples weighs 42 pounds) contained at least 15 little Pink Lady apples.

Of course I enjoyed some of these little apples sprinkled with cinnamon and sea salt.  But yesterday, the idea came to me to turn some of them into applesauce.  So I did, and oh my is it delicious.

I chopped up 6 or 7 of the apples, leaving the peels on a few of them.  I wanted to include some of the peels because that's the part with all the fiber and antioxidants!

Then, I called my mom and asked her how to make applesauce.  She said to just fill the pot with enough water to cover the top of the apple chunks, bring to a boil, simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  Then mash.

As it simmered, I sprinkled with cinnamon.

Did some mashing with a wooden spoon.

Turns out, the bites with pieces of apple peel in them are the BEST bites of the batch.  So I would have totally left all the peels in if I had known this would be so.

 

Homemade Chunky Applesauce

-Apples

-Water

-Optional: Cinnamon

Chop up as many apples as you want.  If you like chunky applesauce, leave the peels on.  If you like smooth applesauce, peel the apples first and use no peels. Put the apple chunks in a pot.  Add water, enough to cover the top of the apples. Bring to a boil, uncovered.  Reduce to a simmer and cover.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Then mash.  Your final product will be so sweet and delicious!