Baked Apples

Another time-tested recipe from Kitchen Parade, one of my very oldest recipes, a favorite of my mom's dating way back to my childhood! Years later, Baked Apples remain a fall tradition here. I just love how small apples soak up the luscious, rich apple-flavored brown-sugar sauce. Utterly addictive!

COMPLIMENTS!
"... tasty :) ... essentially an apple pie without the pie." ~ Anonymous

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BAKED APPLES were my mom's favorite. She loved to bake apples (and other sweets) when supper was what she called "a little skimpy".

At a young age, I copied Mom's recipe onto my own 3x5 card just to make them myself – and I still do! Baked Apples are a fall tradition here, that's when the local apples are just-picked, the selection and freshness so good. But thanks to imports and new storage techniques, apples are available year-round so apples can be baked year-round on a whim.

In the oven, the apples turn dark and soft. The real attraction? The simple brown sugar sauce takes on sweet apple flavor: utterly addictive! Less sauce would do, but then again, the apples are small. :-)

So if your supper is a little skimpy tonight? Add hot, rich baked apples to the menu and your family will leave the table with big smiles. Try Baked Apples with a bit of vanilla ice cream – or a splash of cream. Delicious!

ALANNA's TIPS Look for small apples in three-pound bags in the produce section. They're less expensive, too! An apple corer makes quick work of removing the cores but a utility knife and a serrated grapefruit knife are good substitutes. Are "dashes" of cinnamon and nutmeg enough? You bet, even if I always feel tempted to add more. But small dashes are perfect, allowing the delicate apple flavor to infuse the sauce without competition from the spices.

BAKED APPLES

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total preparation time: 1 hour
9 servings

SAUCE
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Dash cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 4 tablespoons butter

• 9 small or medium apples

Heat oven to 325F/160C.

COOK THE SAUCE In a large saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and spices; stir together with a wooden spoon to remove any obvious lumps. Add water and stir. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add butter. Cook until thick, stirring occasionally.

WHILE THE SAUCE COOKS Rub a 9x9-inch glass dish with butter. Wash and core the apples, arrange the apples right side up in the dish. Pour the hot sauce over the apples, be sure to get some sauce inside the apples.

BAKE Bake for 45 minutes, about halfway through baking, remove from the oven and spoon the hot sauce over the apples again. Return to the oven to complete baking.

Serve hot or cold with a drizzle of cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Serving: 268 Calories; 5g Tot Fat; 3g Sat Fat; 13mg Cholesterol; 49mg Sodium; 58g Carb; 4g Fiber; 51g Sugar; 0g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS WW Old Points 5 & WW Points Plus 7.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite apple recipe from your mom that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook!

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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE

It's so-so easy! For delicious homemade applesauce, try blending varieties – sweet and tart, firm and soft, for example. When apples are plentiful, make extra batches for freezing. Here's how you make it.

Just wash and core some apples, I usually do three or four pounds at a time, 1 pound of apples yields about 1 cup of applesauce. If you like, peel the apples – just know that it’s unnecessary and adds texture to the end product. Besides, applesauce turns a very pretty pink when cooked with the skins on!

Chop the apples into small pieces and drop them into a saucepan, it should be big enough to allow room for a little swelling and stirring. Add a bit of water, the apples will secrete additional cooking liquid, you don't need much water.

Over medium heat, ook until the apples are soft, stirring occasionally. Leave the apples "au natural" or turn smooth with an immersion blender.

Add honey if additional sweetness is desired, I rarely do. f you like, for a little more dimension, after cooking the apples, stir in the zest and juice of a small lemon and a half teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger.

That's it! That's how you make Homemade Applesauce!

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More Apple Recipes, Perfect for This Year's Crop

(hover for a description, click for a recipe)

~ My Best & Favorite Apple Recipes ~

~ still more apple recipes ~

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~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
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