By Stephanie Williams Dean

Bless Your Spoon

 

There’s no comparing fresh applesauce to store-bought. Simple to make, the delicious fresh sauce produces the fullness of apple flavor. Added to meat sauce, the sweetness of a cup of applesauce will lighten up any heavy sauce, also enhancing any dressing or stuffings. Once you make a batch of applesauce in your blender, you can use a cup in just about anything to produce a deliciously sweet and slightly tart kick to any foods. Bake your favorite breakfast cakes or sweet rolls with a spread of fresh applesauce.

No longer just for desserts, try the fresh sauce in vegetable cream soups or with sweet potatoes, yams, squash, or carrot casseroles. These diverse recipes demonstrate the versatility of fresh applesauce.

FRESH APPLESAUCE

8 peeled, cored, sliced Granny Smith Apples

1 cup apple cider vinegar

Juice from 1 lemon

½ cup light brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

In a large pot, combine all ingredients and cook for 25 minutes over medium heat. Strain cider vinegar from apples and store in a separate container for later use.  In a processor, process cooked apples just enough for chunky applesauce or puree until almost smooth. Refrigerate.

PRIZE BUTTER RUM APPLESAUCE DATE CAKE

4 beaten, fresh brown eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. soda

½ tsp. salt

2 cups fresh applesauce

1 tsp. butterscotch schnapps

1 tsp rum extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cloves

6 pitted, chopped, fresh Medjool dates

1 cup chopped walnuts

In a mixer, beat eggs. Add sugar and oil. Mix well. Add flour, soda, salt, and mix well. Add applesauce, schnapps, extracts, and spices. Fold in dates and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into two greased and floured cake pans. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until done.

MAPLE CARAMEL ICING

1½ stick butter

¾ cup light brown sugar

¾ cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup whole milk

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. maple extract

½ tsp. lemon extract

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and sugars. While stirring, bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Add milk, and while stirring, bring back to a boil, then remove from heat. Add confectioner’s sugar and extracts. Beat until smooth. Should be used immediately while warm. If icing hardens while using, place back over low heat and stir until soft once again. Will frost a 2 layer cake.

FRESH APPLESAUCE MUFFINS

1 beaten eggs

1 cups sugar

1 stick softened, salted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 cups fresh applesauce

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

In a mixer, beat eggs. Add butter, sugar, and mix well. Combine flour, soda, and spices. Add to sugar mixture alternating with applesauce. Fold in pecans, raisins, and mix well. Fill greased and floured muffin tins ¾ full. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 13 minutes or until done.

CORNBREAD APPLESAUCE STUFFING

1 stick melted butter

½ cup minced onion

1½ cups fresh applesauce

¾ cup chicken broth

6 cups crumbled cornbread

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1 tsp. powdered sage

½ Tsp. freshly ground pepper

Salt to taste

In a skillet, cook onion in butter until golden. In a mixer, combine butter, onion, applesauce, broth, cornbread, parsley, sage, pepper, and salt to taste. Stuff any bird with stuffing and cook meat according to directions.

APPLE KRAUT

1 14 oz. can sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained

1 cup fresh applesauce

½ cup light brown sugar

½ tsp. caraway seeds, optional

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup apple cider vinegar

In a mixer, combine the sauerkraut, applesauce, sugar, seeds, pepper, and vinegar. Mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve as a side dish to pork sausages.

APPLESAUCE BRAISED RED CABBAGE

1 Tbsp. sunflower oil

1 chopped onion

1 lb. shredded, red cabbage

2 cups fresh applesauce

2 slices of fresh ginger root, peeled and grated

Pinch of ground cinnamon

¼ pint vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion, red cabbage, and applesauce. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Add vegetable broth, ginger, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and most liquid has evaporated. Season to taste.

SWEET SOUR APPLESAUCE SLAW

1 shredded green cabbage

1 chopped green pepper

1 chopped white onion

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh applesauce

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

In a mixer combine shredded cabbage, pepper, and onion. Pour sugar over mixture. In a saucepan, combine applesauce, vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, and mustard, and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil. Pour hot mixture over cabbage and mix. Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

APPLESAUCE CHUTNEY

1 ½ cup light brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 ½ cup apple cider vinegar

½ Tbsp. mustard seed

½ tsp dry mustard

2 Tbsp. peeled and minced fresh ginger

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp mace

¼ tsp ground cloves

3 cups applesauce

1 cup chopped yellow onion

½ cup black raisins

½ cup yellow raisins

In a saucepan, combine sugars, vinegar, mustard seed, dry mustard, ginger, cinnamon, mace, and cloves. Bring to a boil while stirring. Stir in applesauce, onions, raisins and return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover saucepan and cook 30 minutes or until liquid is thick like syrup. Cool. Refrigerate 24 hours. Serve with vegetables, beans, and meats.

APPLESAUCE CRUMB CAKE

1 beaten egg yolk

½ cup applesauce

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

2 egg whites

TOPPING

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup light brown sugar

3 Tbsp. softened, salted butter

½ tsp. cinnamon

In a mixer, beat egg yolk. Add applesauce, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Add flour, sugar, powder, soda, and salt with the mixture and mix well. Beat eggs whites until stiff peaks form. Fold whites into batter. Pour batter in a greased, floured 9-inch cake pan. For topping, combine all ingredients and sprinkle over batter. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Cool.

BACON APPLESAUCE PASTA SALAD

½ lb. pasta shells

1 ½ cups ranch dressing

½ cup fresh applesauce

½ cup grated carrots

½ cup cooked peas

¼ cup diced red pepper

¼ cup sliced green onion

½ cup diced tomato

7 slices of crumbled, crisp bacon

Cook pasta following package directions. Rinse and cool. In a mixer, combine dressing, applesauce, carrots, peas, red pepper, onion, and tomato. Add pasta and mix well slowly. Blend in crumbled bacon.

GRILLED CHEESE APPLESAUCE SANDWICH

4 Tbsp. olive oil

Salted butter

8-1/3 inch slices of artisan white sourdough bread slices

8 thin slices of prosciutto

16 basil leaves

4 Tbsp. fresh applesauce

16-1/4 inch slices Asiago cheese

½ tsp red pepper

4-1/3 inch slices of tomato

Butter one side of all slices of bread. In a cast iron skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Place 2 bread slices, buttered side down. Top with 2 slices of prosciutto slices, 4 basil leaves, 1 Tbsp. applesauce, 2 slices of cheese, a slice of tomato and sprinkle of red pepper. Cover with bread top. Cook at medium heat for 4 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Turn sandwiches over and cook 4 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Repeat process.  Makes 4 sandwiches.

APPLESAUCE DUMPLINGS

2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls

18 Tbsp. fresh applesauce

2 sticks salted butter

1 ½ cups light brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 ½ cups Mountain Dew

Place 1 ½ Tbsp. of fresh, chunky applesauce on each crescent roll. Roll up from the long end. Partially seal corners but not completely. Place dumplings in a greased, glass baking dish.  In a saucepan, melt butter, Stir in sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. When thickened, pour over dumplings. Then pour the Mountain Dew around the rolls, but not on top of them. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve for breakfast or with ice cream for dessert. Substitute the Mountain Dew with leftover apple cider and serve as bread with a hearty meat. A sweet and salty combination is so good.

Hints: The Buttered Rum Applesauce Date Cake with Maple Caramel Icing won first place at Center Fair in the applesauce category. The eggs were purchased from Tommy and Ronnie Speer at the Mocksville Farmers Market.