Apple Sauce

3 large apples
1/2 cup water
2 tbls sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon, optional

Peel and core the apples then slice them into slices or chunks. Put them in a pot with the water, sugar and cinnamon. Cook for 30-45 minutes, till very soft. Mash with a potato masher.

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I originally made this as an ingredient in another dish. I'm not sure how that dish has turned out yet, so I figured I would just post this by itself in case I don't post the other thing since this part turned out really well. Mysterious enough for you? Heh. Anyway, apple sauce. Here is how you make it.

What I've got here is one golden delicious and two fuji apples. Braeburns would be good too, but I just love braeburns so I might be biased. You can really use any good cooking apple and it will turn out fine. You want to cut, peel and core them. I don't really have a lot of pictures of apple prep, since it wasn't the main focus of this post originally. Sorry about that. But here is how I do it. Cut the apple in half, then the half in half. Then those halves in half. Then just cut a V shaped notch around the core to get it out. Then just run the knife under the peel. You can kind of see how I took out the core in this picture. And this one makes it look like I do a much better job peeling than I really do. My old scout leader would be freaking out if he saw me cutting toward my hand, but I have never been able to peel an apple slice with a knife without holding the end with my thumb. It always slips away from me. Besides, he's not watching and even if he was I am using a pseudonym. Ha! Take that Ron! Uhm, anyway... cut up and peel the apples. You could always use a peeler if you wanted or some kind of fancy gadget. I like to live on the edge, myself. While making apple sauce. Yeah. So, put the apples in a pot. Put in the water and sugar and cinnamon if you are using it. I like cinnamon with my apples. A pinch of nutmeg would be good too. Now this sauce won't be wicked sweet, like jarred applesauce is. You can add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Or less if you want it less. Helpful aren't I? Heh. This sauce also came out pretty thick for me, which is good since that's how I like it. If you want it thinner use a little more water. Now cover it and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer till there isn't really any resistance when you try to cut them with a spoon. This should take a half hour or forty-five minutes, depending on how small your slices are. You could also cut it up really small and have it cook even faster. I wasn't in a rush and it made my apartment smell really good. Once the apples are soft turn off the heat and mash them with a potato masher. And there you go. Apple sauce. Feed it to you favorite child, sick loved one or anyone who just likes apples.