When my husband and I went to Parkville's Days two weekends ago, we bought a bushel of apples for $5.00. They were #2s and recommended for making applesauce. I remember the fun my students had in Springdale, AR when I taught second grade and we made applesauce in the Crock Pot to celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day. The classroom smelled so good with the scent of cooking apples and cinnamon and the kids loved the applesauce.
I didn't have the kids to help me this time but it wasn't too hard using my apple corer. I didn't peel the apples since there are so many nutrients in the peeling. I just used the apple corer and put the chunk (the apples were small) in my slow cookers with a little water (1/4 to 1/2 cup) and cooked them most of the day.
I started out with the temperature on High and then when I left for the afternoon, I just turned the temperature down to Low and left them cooking. That is what is so great. I guess you could burn them (?) but you would have to cook them a really long, long time. Cooking 7 or 8 hours won't.
I didn't add any sugar or cinnamon this time. If I want to eat any of the applesauce, I can add some stevia or sugar and cinnamon if I wish. I had three different slow cookers cooking (a bushel of apples is a lot). One of them I put the apples in the blender and "chopped" them after they were done. I ended up making applesauce for a baby. I measured 1/2 cup servings and froze it in a sandwich bag inside a gallon freezer bag. When I make something that calls for applesauce, I will take a bag out and let it thaw and then use it. With the other two pots I just used my masher and made a chunky applesauce.
Here are some pictures of my day.
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| A bushel of apples |
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| Love my apple corer! |
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| One slow cooker full |
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| All done |
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| Chopped in the blender (mainly to chop the peeling) |
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| Using my trusty masher (sorry the picture is blurred) |
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| Chunky applesauce |
I don't use any water or sugar when I make applesauce...I start apples in slow cooker on low and let cook and it makes it's own water, no use to add water.....
ReplyDeleteAlso, you can cut apples into quarters and add to Vitamix and grind into applesauce, no use to cut apples into small pieces, or mash them later....Vitamix does it all......no adding sugar either.....they will be sweet enough unless of course you would use Granny Smith apples, then you would have to add something sweet when you ate them, honey would be better than sugar....babies under a certain age, maybe a hear, isn't suppose to have honey...so then you probably would want to use sugar.....
You are right about the water. I only added a little bit because I was starting the slow cooker out on High. The apples I used had a lot of water in them too. I don't have a Vitamix but it sounds like a handy gadget. I like the natural sweetness from the apples also. Thanks for your input.
DeleteSorry should have been a year, not hear.........
ReplyDelete