Mike and Johnny got some “guy time” on Monday, while Emma was at a super-princessy birthday party and Lily was napping. They decided to make applesauce – a skill Mike learned from my dad when we visited my family two years ago. It’s so neat to see him teaching the next generation to make this yummy treat!
The apples we had were soft enough for Johnny to slice them with a butter knife. He carefully diced them, and added them to the pan:
Then we added some peach and white grape juice (just enough to cover the bottom layer of apples), brought it to a boil, and let it simmer (all with the lid on) for 20 minutes. Mike mashed it up with a potato masher. Delicious!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
Fun idea! My son loves to help cut stuff with a butter knife. I have a ton of apples in the fridge so this may be our project for the day!
Yum! I made applesauce yesterday without the luxury of helpers. I’ve never thought of boiling them in juice!
Yum! I can’t believe we still haven’t made any this fall. I am excited to cook up a batch. Thanks!
That sounds yummy. I’ve seen a recipe for crock pot applesauce that looked fun too!
Boiling it in juice is a good idea.
That was my dad’s idea. Easy way to add some extra flavor (and sweetness, if you are using tart apples like we were) to your applesauce!
Looks like Mike & Johnny had fun! Did everyone get to taste the final product? The last 2 years I’ve done applesauce in the crockpot, it’s SO easy! 8 apples, 1/2 cup water and some cinnamon. Done in 6-8 hours! It makes the house smell so good too!
I’ve thought of trying it in the crockpot sometime, but the stovetop is so fast, speed always wins me over =)
I think my kids are the only ones in the world who do not like applesauce. They are very weird.
Actually, Johnny does not like applesauce. He’ll eat a little if he makes it, but not much. So he AND your boys are very weird =)
It is so fun for a kid to be able to make something like that and realize that it is even better than the store bought stuff. Yum! I am a new follower from the Educators Spin on It Link Up. Vicky from http://www.messforless.net
What a fun and yummy activity! We have one of those IKEA apple corer/slicers, too, and it has made apple and pear enjoyment so much easier.
I love this “guy activity”. I am sure Johnny will grow up to be a terrific Dad, just like Mike :)
I love that they were soft enough that he could help cut. Homemade applesauce is the best!
That sounds so good. We usually can applesauce but didn’t this year. The last year we did it we canned over 100 pints. I have fun doing all of it except picking the apples. ;)
100 pints! I’m impressed!!! How wonderful to enjoy homemade applesauce all year round!
Yes, it took the ENTIRE day and I can’t even speak of the mess, but that many pints lasts forever. It made wonderful Christmas gifts, too, and I like to use it as a substitute for oil in recipes and also warmed over vanilla ice cream!
Applesauce is a great oil substitute! I’ll have to try it warm with vanilla ice cream!
And we picked these apples from a local farm with Johnny’s grandma (my mom) and his great-grandmother (my mom’s mom). We used McIntosh, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, and Macoun. It was a lot of fun! Make sure you don’t add too much juice—I think I added only about an inch of juice to the pot.
Sounds very tasty! I love peach and white grape juice.