Keepin’ It Simple

Saturday, December 08, 2007

I guess it’s obvious that the December madness is upon us.  Despite my best efforts to avoid the consumerist frenzy this month, there still seem to be many additional items (fun and otherwise) on my to do list.  A little bit of quiet time in the kitchen is just what I need when I’m feeling overwhelmed.  But if there’s no time for that...well, I’m glad that I have some goodies in the freezer and fridge.  I crave comforting foods that are simple and nourishing.  Bring on the applesauce! I’ve cooked up big batches of applesauce over the past couple of weekends using my Lancaster bounty.  Lots of it went into my freezer. Always a satisfying feeling.

I keep it really simple and throw some diced apples in a heavy pot with a few inches of water and a teaspoon or two of cinnamon.  I used Jonamac apples from my half bushel and they do all the work for you.  With a little time and a couple of stirs of the wooden spoon, they melt into a nice slightly chunky texture.

To one batch, I added a couple of handfuls of the tart local cranberries I had leftover from Thanksgiving.  Somehow adding cranberries makes the applesauce seem less like kids’ food and more like the kind of thing that is just perfect with a maple scone on a weekend morning before the hustle and bustle starts.  Of course, applesauce is also the quintessential kid food.  Even though the Bean eats more like an adult foodie than a toddler, she’s always especially happy to have applesauce served up at any meal.  In fact, I’m about to warm some up to pour over our overnight oatmeal pancakes for breakfast. If I add copious amounts of coffee, I might be able to tackle the tree, some decorating and a little online holiday shopping.