Applesauce: an easy and moderately healthy fall must

I know I took a pretty long break from blogging, but that's what happens when graduation, moot court, bar studying, travels, and life gets in the way. Hopefully now that I have to be a grown up with a real work schedule I'll get to blog a lot more. People always ask for my recipes and i've made a thousand promises to post them but haven't. My apologies.

Taste. Anywho...As a childless adult the last thing I think of when it comes to snack time is applesauce. That's a mistake because as soon as i eat one little spoonful that child inside of me just comes skipping right out. IT IS SO GOOD!!! When and why do we ever stop eating applesauce? Why does it have to be left to the wee ones. Who made that rule because it is bogus. That being said I got this recipe from a mommy blog haha. (recipe is curtesy of mommymakesitbetter.com)

Smell. Homemade applesauce makes your house smell like fall. I didn't even want to turn off my crockpot because I didn't want to make the smell go away. And you still have a week and a half  before we start switching scents to fir trees, fire and snow! Take advantage of it!! But you also don't have to limit this recipe to the fall. It's good all year long :)

Ease. There is literally zero excuse for not trying this. A recipe doesn't get any easier than this. SO TRY IT. If you don't have a crockpot go buy one. Talk about convenience you can do literally anything in that thing. It's worth the whopping $30 you'll spend on one. You could even get one cheaper but I wanted a timer.

Oh and p.s...... it's only 1 a whopping 1 weight watcher point per serving!!

JUST TRY IT!! YOU'LL LOVE IT! :)

Cinnamon Applesauce

8 apples - any type but I like using honey crisp 

1 strip of lemon peel*

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 3in. cinnamon sticks

5 tsp. light brown sugar 

*I skip this because it makes it too lemony and you can't get all the rind out sometimes and I hate the way that tastes.

Step 1: Peel, core and chop the apples. What I do is peel it (I attempt to do it in one string it doesn't happen often. You can use a veggie peeler) then I make a square around the core cutting off the sides and then I chop those large pieces.

Step 2: Toss them in the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients

Step 3: Set your crock pot to low and cook for 6 hours. 

Step 4: Optional. blend your mixture if you want it super smooth or just use a whisk to stir and eat it chunky! I then put it in old jars like a pasta sauce jar or a salsa jar that's been thoroughly rinsed out.

AND YOU'RE DONE! Congrats on making the bestest, easiest recipe EVER! Don't be afraid to play with the proportions (adding things or taking things away to get the flavor YOU want) Let me know how it goes! 

xoxo Tanner

Cranberry Apple Pie

During all the Fall and Thanksgiving festivities I discovered I had a TON of apples left over. Not sure why I bought them in the first place...I think I wanted to make pumpkin fruit roll ups, but because those take 8 hours that didn't happen. Regardless, I needed another dessert for Thanksgiving dinner. So I thumbed through my recipes and found this one. It actually tasted really good...even though hardly anyone touched it :(

(Side note...I always have trouble spelling dessert I tend to spell it desert. I have to remember it has 2 s's because dessert is EXTRA special!)

This would be a great recipe for a Christmas family gathering too. Cranberries are a really popular winter food and decoration, so utilize them the next time you cook! I'll try to get some cranberry crafts and decorating out soon.

Cranberry Apple Pie
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice
1 1/2 cups cranberries (about 8 ounces)
2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
1 3/4 pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Butter Pie Crust Dough disks
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon milk
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Vanilla ice cream (optional but delicious!)

Directions

Step 1: Stir 3/4 cup sugar and juice in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cranberries; bring to simmer. Reduce heat; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 25 minutes. Cool.

Step 2: Toss all apples, flour, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl to blend.

Step 3: Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round. (You could also use a frozen pie crust here instead if you want) Transfer to 9-inch deep-dish glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. 

Step 4: Spread cranberry mixture over crust bottom. Top with apple mixture; dot with butter. 

Step 5: Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 13-inch round; drape over apples. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Press crust edges together to seal; crimp. Cut 1-inch hole in center. (I didn't do it this way I did more of a makeshift lattice pie crust). Feel free to do it however you want!

Step 6: Brush crust with milk. Mix remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and pinch of cinnamon in small bowl; sprinkle over crust.

Step 7: Bake pie 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until crust is golden, about 50 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool at least 2 hours.