Honey-Sweetened Applesauce

Applesauce. I love the stuff, especially when it’s homemade and deliciously spiced with ground cinnamon and nutmeg. My mom used to make it all the time with fresh apples from the trees we kept in our garden, and on weekends we’d serve it on top of hot pancakes or waffles with a dusting of powdered sugar.

 

It’s memories like that that make me realize how important food is in the makeup of very sweet memories. When I think of homemade applesauce I think of chilly fall or spring mornings where we would open the windows to let the sun shine in. We’d strip our beds to wash the sheets, and as the sheets were washing and drying we’d stuff our faces with pancakes and applesauce. After the sheets were clean I’d roll myself in them like a burrito on my bed until the hot sheets went cold, just basking in the sun with cool air on my face.

I hope that one day our children have experiences like that, where a forgotten flavor – or even a familiar one – brings back memories of sweet everydays. Where house chores and weekend treats culminate in memories of a beautiful childhood. We are already working on creating those fun memories of cooking together, although admittedly a picky toddler is holding back on the tasting portion so far.

 

All I know is that it makes my heart sing when he gets excited about cooking with mommy and asks for his “steps” so that he can stand up by the counter with me. We will have quite the pancake breakfast this weekend, though, and so begins the beautiful memories!

 

Y’all enjoy!

HONEY-SWEETENED APPLESAUCE

Makes about 2 cups of sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled
• 1/4 cup honey (local is preferable)
• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-low heat.
2. Stirring every 5-10 minutes, allow the apples to come to a simmer.
3. Cook for about 20-30 minutes, until the apples are tender; some of them will start to fall apart which is good for the texture!
4. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before serving, or serve at room temperature or cold.
5. This will keep for about a week in the fridge in an airtight jar or container.