Homemade Applesauce

I'm not kidding. This stuff is like eating apple pie without the crust. 'Rich' is not normally a word one would use to describe applesauce, but, baby, 'rich' is the word for this sweet and deletable treat. More of a dessert than a healthy snack, that's for sure! It would make a great cake filling. This is an original recipe.

3 pounds Granny Smith apples, unpeeled
6 tablespoons apple cider
1 (12-oz) jar "Trader Joe's Apple Cider Jam"
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter, sliced
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Core each apple and cut it into 8 pieces. Throw the apple pieces into a large saucepan, along with the apple cider. Cover and simmer over low heat for 25 minutes.

Stir the jar of apple cider jam into the apples in the saucepan. Then, pour contents of the saucepan into a food mill set over a large bowl. Use the food mill disk with the largest holes to process the apples. When only a little pulp and the skins of the apples remain in the food mill, remove the food mill from the bowl and stir in the sugars, butter, and allspice into the apples.

Can be served warm or cold. Tastes incredible when served alongside vanilla ice cream.

Apple Cider & Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

This is a favorite recipe of mine. I've made it for every Thanksgiving since Michael was a baby. It needs to chill for 24 hours before you serve it, so plan accordingly!



1 (12-oz) bag cranberries, fresh
1 whole cinnamon stick (or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 cup apple cider
1 cup sugar

Place apple cider over medium heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add cinnamon stick and sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to near-boiling. Add cranberries. Turn down heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until about one fourth of the cranberries are burst, approximately 10 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Chill at least 24 hours to allow flavors to blend.

Kara's Krunch Munch

This is a recipe I'll often make when I have company. I'll leave a big, covered bowl of it out on the counter for guests to grab a handful when they pass by. Be forewarned, it's addictive!
Courtesy of Kara Breit.

8 cups “Crispix” cereal

8 cups “Golden Grahams” cereal

1 cup coconut

1 cup slivered almonds

Mix above ingredients tougher in a large bowl; set aside.

1 cup butter

1 cup light Karo syrup

1 cup sugar

Bring butter, syrup and sugar to a boil while stirring with a wooden spoon. Keep at a rapid boil for 2 minutes. Pour over cereal mixture. Combine to coat. Spread out on baking sheet or kitchen counter to set.

For a printable version of this recipe, go here.