I was recently gifted with a bag of Cortland apples and two 1/2 gallons of cider. First, I froze one 1/2 gallon of cider – just make sure you leave enough breathing room for the cider to expand. I got thinking that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I could use some of the apples and cider to make some recipes I could freeze. This included Sage and Apple Cider Gravy, Cranberry Sauce with Apple Cider and Maple Syrup , and a new recipe Magnolia’s Fresh Applesauce, recipe below. For many, many apple recipes just seach apples, applesauce, apple cider and so on.
Sage and Apple Cider Gravy…
Perfect thickness – cooled and ready to freeze for Thanksgiving dinner…
Cranberry sauce just starting to cook…
Right consistency; cool and into the freezer it went waiting for the big day!
MAGNOLIA’S FRESH APPLESAUCE:
It’s no secret I love apples and all the recipes you can make with them. My annual processing and canning of cortland apples has been a 50 year tradition for me – a favorite of Gene’s, nephew Denny and my sister Marna. Unfortunately, all three are gone and the demand is not as much now so I process smaller quantities and freeze the applesauce instead of canning it. Hard to put 20 quarts of applesauce in your freezer! It’s a day long process as it cooks down – no spices or sweeteners added; just the natural flavor of the apples and skins. The beautiful red skins provide the color and the long cooking intensifies the apple flavor where no sugar is needed or spices for that matter.
There isn’t enough apples to make my Grandma’s applesauce so I decided to make Joanna Gaines fresh applesauce recipe from her Holiday Recipes cookbook. This is the third dish I prepared using these apple gifts that I could freeze for Thanksgiving. Love it when I can make anything ahead of time…
Magnolia's Fresh Applesauce
I did cut the recipe in half…
- 4 lbs. cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into eight pieces (I used Cortland)
- 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (optional, to taste)
- 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon (optional)
Combine all the ingredients in a lare saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until apples are very tender. Stir occasionally.
Use an immersion blender (I love my Viking immersion blender) to carefully puree the applesauce to desired texture. Or you can cool and transfer to a food processor or blender and process until you reach the texture you want. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Once the applesauce is cooled, place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or freeze up to 6 months.
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
The ingredients – sugar and cinnamon to taste (optional)
Prepared apples just starting to cook…
They look yummy!
Fresh applesauce from Cortland Apples on the left with some sugar and fresh lemon; my Grandma’s applesauce from Cortland Apples on the right – no sugar or spices. Obviously, you notice the color difference! I use the applesauce on the right for recipes and spreading on toast. When a sister was undergoing chemo this applesauce was the only thing she could eat with her pills.
I’m with you Judi when it comes to apples. Our local apples have all been harvested, and I made apple sauce a few weeks ago. But, I omit the sugar, cider, and cinnamon and then just bake the apples and then run them through my food mill.
I freeze mine in cupcake tins, and after freezing, I pop them in a zipper bag and back into the freezer.
Thanks Ron – Michigan is apple country and it’s such a versatile fruit for sweet and savory dishes. It freezes exceptionally well… Apples are sweet enough for me so I rarely add sugar or spices – healtheir too (if I am making applesauce)! I never use my food mill – I will have to remember that 🙂
Both options look so tasty! Applesauce can be used in so many ways.
I haven’t tried freezing applesauce, but love the idea. I’ll give this recipe a try soon. 🙂
I love my homemade applesauce and use it often in recipes or just to eat on toast. I have to be careful of what I freeze as I don’t have as much space any more – I always make room for my applesauce 🙂
I can see why! 🙂
Great ideas! I have a product called boiled cider. It’s probably just reduced cider, but there it was in a bottle, from amazon of course, and I’ve always used some in my Thanksgiving gravy. So handy!
You can use boiled cider in many recipes see https://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2015/11/06/homemade-boiled-cider/
for some ideas and you’re right it’s reduced apple cider – so easy to make 🙂 Here’s another recipe https://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2015/11/01/homemade-apple-cider/
a great idea to make your own, Judi. I like to buy apple puree in baby food form if i need some in a hurry as it is 100% apples! or actually we can buy tins of apple slices which have nothing but apple – no sugar or anything else! But baby food is a good ‘un!
Never thought about using baby food – good idea except the jars are so small! I still enjoy making my own as it’s been a tradition for me that I am not ready to break. It’s so good and healthy too 🙂