Parenthood has made applesauce a staple in my kitchen. And I’ve bought my share of individual serving sized cups of applesauce for packed lunches. Then, I started making applesauce with the organic apples from our produce delivery, and guess what? The littlest chef now prefers a rustic (peel & all) homemade applesauce with a boatload of cinnamon in it to any anemic store bought variety. It really couldn’t be easier. We quarter the apples and take out the core with a paring knife, throw them peel and all into the slow cooker. Add any other fruits that need to get eaten (pears, blueberries, cranberries, etc.) and about 2 Tbs. of ground cinnamon. The slow cooker works its magic on low for about 6 hours, and then I use the immersion blender (AKA boat motor) to puree the whole mixture. It makes the house smell like apple pie, albeit in a much healthier form!
