THE CHEF FROM HELL

Homemade applesauce brings back memories of Massachussetts for me.  My uncle Andre had a farm we used to visit during apple harvesting time.  After bringing home a bushel of apples, Gran'ma would make some apple pie, apple butter and one of my favorites, applesauce!  Here's how you can make a batch of your own applesauce:

Ingredients:

3 TBS unsalted Butter

3 lb Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored & sliced thin

1/3 cup White Sugar

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 pinch Ground Nutmeg

1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice

Cooking Procedure:

Melt the butter in a medium sized heavy saucepan over medium heat

Add the sliced apples

Stir well to coat the apple slices with the butter

Cover the pot & cook for 10 to 15 minutes, while stirring the apples occasionally to prevent scorching the pan

By this time the apples should be soft

Add the remaining ingredients (EXCEPT for the lemon juice)

Stir well & reduce heat to low

Simmer the apple sauce uncovered for 30 minutes

Stir the applesauce from time to time to prevent sticking

Remove the applesauce from the heat, stir in the lemon juice (to prevent the applesauce from taking on a dark shade of brown)

Taste the applesauce, add more sugar if you've got a serious sweet tooth (sometimes I'll stir in a little honey)

Place the applesauce in a container & cover it tightly

Place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill before use