Monday, October 4, 2010
Applesauce w' Pork Chops
Seasoned comfort food cook, April Poirier, from Auburn, Washington, shares a story about "Changing Times" and her recipe for homemade applesauce.Recently I served my 10-year old granddaughter, Stephanie, some of my homemade applesauce. I'd seasoned the apple slices with sugar and cinnamon and added a dash of nutmeg. The fragrance wafting through the house hinted of autumn as the aromatic sauce bubbled away on the stove. It was chunky and thick, exactly the way I'd always made it for her dad when he was growing up.
Stephanie took an eager bite, and then she looked at me as though she was going to be sick, "Grandma I have to chew this applesauce before I can swallow it!" I was floored. Were kids today unfamiliar with the taste of old fashioned, made-from-scratch applesauce?
After some thought it occurred to me that Stephanie was accustomed to eating school lunches where they served strained, pasteurized, and basically tasteless applesauce.
In no time Stephanie began asking for "Grandma's" homemade style applesauce, and today she looks forward to my blend of apples and spices served with Grilled Pork Chops.
April's Classic Applesauce
6-8 Gala apples, peeled, cored and quartered
1/2 to 1 cup apple juice or cider
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Place all ingredients into a large pan in the order given. Use less apple juice for thicker applesauce, less or more sugar according to desired sweetness, and adjust spices according to your family's taste. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower heat; simmer for 20 minutes. Use a hand potato masher to "mush" the apples once they begin breaking down. Simmer on low for 10 to 20 minutes longer, stirring and mashing periodically to prevent scorching. Yield: 6 to 8 cups
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Bumper Crop: Beginning with Apples
My e-book, Bumper Crop: Beginning with Apples, is published as a multi-formated e-book at Smashwords. As many of you know, the book is a collection of 31 apple recipes beginning with Curried Apple Soup as a starter, Cornish Game Hens with Apple Onion Stuffing for the entree, and A Twist of Fall Apple Cider Cheesecake for dessert.
Get your Free copy of Bumper Crop at http://tinyurl.com/36yjzhh when using coupon code ZR25F. E-copies are available in PDF, digital LRF, PDB, RTF, Epub & more, including Kindle. Offer is good through October 31, 2011. Regular price is $1.99.
I hope you'll help me spread the word. This is a great book for autumn that offers you and your family many delightful ways to enjoy America's favorite fruit-the apple.
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Labels: applesauce, grilled pork chops, made from scratch, old-fashioned, pork chops applesauce
# posted by Cynthia @ 12:53 PM 
