Homemade Applesauce

picture courtesy of edupic.net

One of our favorite things to do as a family in the Fall is go apple picking. We always end up with tons of apples, sometimes more than we know what to do with. Apples can be used to make so many things from sweet to savory. My son loves apples and his favorite apple treat is homemade applesauce. It is super simple to make and very tasty, oh and did I mention cost effective? All you really need are apples, plus whatever you have on hand for extra flavor. Brown sugar, cinnamon, I've never tried it but I bet even some maple syrup would be delicious.

To make the applesauce:

1. Core, peel, and chop roughly 4* apples; you can use what ever kind you want but the sweeter varieties make for better applesauce.
2.  Boil until fork tender.
3.  Blend in a food processor with whatever flavorings you like (I just use cinnamon) until it reaches the consistency you want.

*This makes about a medium sized container full, obviously if you want to make more, use more apples.

Homemade Sloppy Joes

These are my husbands absolute favorite. I think he'd be happy if I made them every day of the week. I found the recipe in a magazine 5 years ago and I've tweaked it to meet my needs. These are so much better than the awful canned sauce you mix with ground beef and only take a little bit more effort. This meal is the best thing to make on a rainy summer day (you know those late summer storms Lugh is so famous for) when you want the flavor of summer but your stuck inside.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground Beef
• 1/2 Large Onion
• 2/3 Cup Ketchup
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp White Vinegar
• 1/4 Tsp Salt
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Mustard
• 1/4 Tsp Chili Powder
• 1/8 Tsp Ground Allspice

Directions:

1. Saute ground beef and onion until beef is browned and onion is translucent. Drain excess fat.
2. Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, salt, mustard, chili powder, and allspice.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thickened.
4. Serve on hamburger buns and enjoy!

This recipe actually makes quite a lot of Sloppy Joe filling so you can easily feed four and have enough for sandwiches the next day.