Applesauce

It has been more than a month since my Grandma passed away. She was such an important part of my childhood, my idea of what family and home means--I still can't believe she's gone.

But it's good to remember that one way she lives on is through the dishes she taught us all to make. Grandma was a fantastic cook and baker. A favorite easy recipe for a cold fall day (today is close--a cold spring day) is her applesauce.

This recipe isn't really a recipe because you can vary it any way you like. Wash, core, and cut into half-inch pieces four (or more) of your favorite variety of apple. Mix a few together--a sweet golden delicious and a sour granny smith, for example. Braeburn also are very good. I leave the peel on for color, but you could take it off if you don't like it.

Place the apple pieces in a heavy pan and splash in a few tablespoons of water. Next add spices to your taste: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, etc. Start with scant amounts because you can always add more. Leave out anything you don't like.

As for sugar, Grandma would always say she didn't like it too sweet, and I agree. The apples have so much natural sweetness, white sugar just overwhelms it. If you are used to commercial applesauce, this homemade version will taste much spicier (and more interesting, in my opinion). I wait until the end and add a dash of sugar if the sauce is too sour. Other options: honey or maple syrup.

Put your pan over a low heat and cover. Keep an eye on it, stirring every few minutes, and let it cook down slowly. Add a little more water if it gets too dry; boil some water off if too soupy. There's really no way to mess this up. Remove the pan from the heat when the texture looks right--sooner if you like chunky applesauce. And if you're really persnickety, you can puree it.

What can you do with this? Eat it out of the pan, hot. Pour over vanilla ice cream. Drizzle over pork chops. Stir into yogurt or hot oatmeal. And thank my Grandma for the treat!