I've recently been experimenting with using my slowcooker for more than just dinner recipes. Here is a quick and easy way to make your own healthy applesauce. It's so very easy!!
For this batch of applesauce I purchased several pounds of Granny Smith apples which were reduced for only 99 cents for 3 pounds. I used about 5 pounds in this batch. Wash, slice, core and peel the apples. Add to your slowcooker. Turn on high. Simply let the apples sit for 3-4 hours and stir them occasionally. The apples will simply fall apart as you stir them and turn into sauce. If you don't like a chunky sauce, simply run the apples through your blender or use a stick blender straight in the slowcooker. These 5 pounds of apples yielded almost 2 two quarts of applesauce that is now in my fridge ready to enjoy. You can also can in pint sized jars using a water bath method for 10 minutes.
You could cook a little longer and add cinnamon and allspice to make apple butter. Just cook until it thickens considerably.
Applesauce Muffins
1 cup softened butter
2 cups sugar (I actually use 1 1/2 cups with no change in taste)
2 eggs, beaten
1 tbsp. vanilla
2 cups of homemade applesauce or natural unsweetened applesauce from the store
2 tsp. soda
2 cups unbleached flour
2 cups fresh ground whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
Cream sugar and butter; add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Sift flour and cinnamon together. Heat applesauce; remove from heat and add baking soda. The applesauce with puff up a little! Add applesauce and flour alternately to butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition. Place batter in greased muffin pans and bake for 15-20 minutes in 350 degree preheated oven. When done, roll in powdered sugar. This batter will keep in the refrigerator several days or you can freeze baked muffins. Makes 7 dozen miniature muffins. You can also make larger muffins and even bake it in loaf pans.
You can definitely leave off the powdered sugar, but kids really enjoy them with the extra sweetener and it makes them look extra special! If you decrease the sugar in the muffins perhaps you won't mind adding a little extra on the outside. : ) I get rave reviews and recipe requests when I take these anywhere. Enjoy!!
This post is linked to Raising Homemakers today. Head over and check out lots of great homemaking tips from other moms.
3 comments:
I have not tried to make applesauce in the slow cooker, just always done it on the stovetop. I will have to try this! I usually freeze mine. I have some thawing to make muffins this afternoon. I'll try your recipe!
Thanks, Anita. The muffins sound like something my kids would love, and with the powdered sugar would consider a dessert. I'll have to try them.
Wow! Thanks for sharing! I am definitely going to try this. I'll have to watch for a sale on apples. We do our oatmeal and chicken stock in the crock pot. We were making our granola there too but are rethinking granola as honey is so expensive.
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