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This recipe is from Karen Danielson's kitchen. This and others like it will be found in her up and coming cookbook.  She dedicates this dish--

"--for my Nevada grandsons Brian and Ian Danielson-- their joy and enthusiasm for 'Mimi's' cooking keeps me on my toes!!"

(Except for Halupkies, right, Karen?)  

This dish is a great way to use up that autumn apple bounty.  It can be prepared on top the stove or conveniently done in the microwave, where it's less likely to scorch if you get called away or distracted.   

Mimi's Applesauce

6 large apples, peeled and cored (Note #1)
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cinnamon  (Note #2)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg  (Note #3) 
1 cup white granulated sugar -- or to taste
1 can whole cranberry sauce (optional:  Note #4)

STOVE TOP PREPARATION:

Slice apples into heavy sauce pan or Dutch oven. Add the 3 tablespoons of water and cook, covered, over medium-high heat until apples are soft and mushy. Stir frequently to make sure apples don't stick to bottom of pan and scorch. Add more water if apples seem dry and do not seem to be releasing a lot of juice while cooking.

When apples are done, remove from heat and mash with a potato masher for chunky sauce, or mix with hand-held immersion blender if a smoother sauce is desired.  Add sugar and spices and return to heat.  Cook, uncovered, on simmer, until sugar is dissolved.

MICROWAVE VERSION:

Slice apples into micro-safe cooking dish (not plastic, please).  Add 3 tablespoons of water and microwave on high, stirring occasionally, until apples are soft and mushy. Add more water if apples seem dry and are not releasing a lot of juice while cooking. 

When apples are done, remove from microwave and mash with potato masher for chunky sauce, or mix with hand-held immersion blender if a smoother sauce is desired.  Add sugar and spices and return to microwave.  Cook covered, on high, for 1 or 2 more minutes or until sugar is dissolved.

Serving Ideas:  Serve warm or chilled, however you prefer.  It's delicious served warm, right off the stove, spooned on top of a bowl of vanilla ice cream or on frozen yogurt!!

Note from Bess:  I like it  on plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt, too, or on gingerbread, graced with a little reduced-fat whipped topping.  Mmmm!

Note #1:  Granny Smith, Yellow Delicious or Cortland apples make the best applesauce.

Note #2:  You can replace cinnamon with a handful of red cinnamon heart candies.  Add them with the sugar and spices and cook and stir until they are mostly dissolved (remove any pieces that have not dissolved, before serving).  This tastes great and they make the sauce a pretty pink color.

Note #3:  Freshly grated nutmeg tastes the best.

Note #4:   For variation, add 1 can of cranberry sauce, the kind with whole berries, at the time you add the sugar.  The cranberry sauce is pretty sweet so you may want to reduce the amount of sugar you will be adding.  Cook and stir until sugar is dissolved and the cranberry sauce has melted and is mixed in well.  This works great for Thanksgiving.   Kids will eat this even if they turn their nose up at plain cranberry sauce (another "Sneaky Kitchen" trick).