Just Jan

I haven't made it in years so was looking online for a recipe. Someone else suggested brown sugar and a little lemon juice and slivered peel (without the pith.) Another said to use sweet apples and no sugar at all, just apples, 1" water and optional cinnamon. I remember my mom canned them plain, then when she opened them she baked them with red cinnamon heart candies. I'll try them your way. How much sugar to how many Gala (sweet)apples?

coopah

I make my own applesauce when I can get apples, but they sure don't grow in FL. Instead of sugar, I use the cinnamon candies. They're totally sugar and give a nice pink color to the sauce. I don't know how much candy to add. Just pour some in and taste...keep going if you need to.
A bushel of apples is dear these days, PMJ! We used to buy them in WA state and they sold them by the pound. The more you bought, the more the price would be reduced to a certain point. Used to buy 50 pounds and that was enough to carry us to the next year's crop. We don't eat the store applesauce. This is our first year in the last 20 to go without homemade applesauce.

JeanieG

Here is the recipe I found and have been using for years I use the apples off our tree, so often make much smaller batches as they ripen:

Granny's Homemade Applesauce

20-24 Granny Smith Apples, pealed & cored, then sliced into chuncks
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon (I cut this in half)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Put the apples in a large saucepan with the cider. Simmer for about 10 minutes over medium-high head, stirring occasionally to prevent the apples from sticking.

Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Continue to cook, stirring regularly to break down the apples, until you produce a chunky sauce.

Just Jan

Winn Dixie has Gala apples on sale this week for $1 per pound, and I figure one pound makes one pint. I don't know what the commercial junk costs now but I won't complain at $1 per jar of the good stuff. Mom canned hers plain, then added the candies and baked them. Can you still buy those cinnamon candies at the grocery store? If not, I'll bet Dollar Tree might have them.
Just read online that a bushel of apples weighs 48# so that would be $48 per bushel on sale! Says one bushel yields 15-18 quarts. Since I'm alone a few pints will do fine for me.

Just Jan

JeanieG... sounds good. I wrote it down. No apple trees here!

kwiltkrazy

I like lots of cinnamon in mine

paintmejudy

Ok, I need to weigh in with my vote on applesauce -- I like mine unsweetened with no cinnamon. Just apples cooked down until chunky. Anyone else like their's unsweetened?

Just Jan

Actually, that's what my grocer suggested! He said if you choose sweet apples you don't need sugar. As for the cinnamon, I prefer it without, too, but did love how Mom made her's with cinnamon candies. But actually that was apple wedges she canned for baked apples and pie filling, etc., not applesauce. Guess I'll cook them plain then do a taste test and decide then.

Are you baking cookies for the train tomorrow? Any kind will do, they don't have to be bells or Xmas trees and stuff, like I know you make in the North Pole. I love cookies! I'll be at the station on time tomorrow. C U soon.

paintmejudy

JAN -- since I have been elevated in status by my brother (Santa) he has allocated a few of the elves to do the baking. I am now in charge of mapping the route Santa takes. Every year is different, depending on weather conditions.

dotcomdtcm

I forgot that this train ride makes me hungry!!