Grandma's Applesauce

My Grandma is one of the best cooks I know. Every time I visit my grandparents on their farm, my grandmother, without exception, prepares a beautiful feast. She always jokes that her food "isn't any good," but my family knows better, reassuring her once again that no one can cook like she can. She's a humble cook, but knows her way around the kitchen.

She's never one to shy away from butter and cream, knowing that sometimes you need a little butter to get cubed potatoes perfectly browned. She knows how to cook a mean roast which falls apart at the mere sight of a fork. At the holidays, she makes some of the most brilliant German food I have ever eaten (or will ever eat). If I could be half the cook my grandmother is, I would feel satisfied for the rest of my life.

My Grandma encouraged me to experiment in the kitchen when I was younger. No culinary thought or idea that popped in my head was too ridiculous to give a try. In some ways, she was the first person to help me realize that I loved not only eating food, but preparing food.

I remember one wintry, blustery day in particular. My sister and I were staying the weekend and it was too cold to venture outside. For a mid-morning snack, my grandmother often made us chocolate chip muffins from a stash of box mixes she kept in the pantry. On this particular day, as she brought out one of the familiar mixes, I had a wild idea. I felt the urge to make a few batches of muffins to see which brand was actually the best—a side-by-side taste test, if you will. Without hesitation, my grandmother agreed it was a brilliant idea.

My sister, my grandma, and I each tackled a brand on our own. Though we ended up making 36 chocolate chip muffins for just the three of us, there was, without a doubt, a clear winner. Pillsbury brand had the most chocolate chips (an important muffin trait for me), required less ingredients to make, and tasted the moistest and lightest (and now you know too!).

Though I'm afraid many of those muffins were never eaten, my grandmother taught me that it was okay to try something new, that no idea (in the kitchen or otherwise) was too crazy to give a shot, and that sometimes it's okay to make 36 muffins for 3 people.

This applesauce is one of her tried and true recipes. I grew up on this applesauce, eating it both warm and cold, loving everything about it. It seems only fitting to share my grandmother's applesauce wisdom with you.

My Grandmother's Applesauce is chunky, soft, and tender, with just a hint of spice. Using only four ingredients, she proves that it's all you need to create a masterpiece. The apples are thinly sliced and cooked on the stove until tender. I love the chunky nature of this applesauce; it gives the finished product a beautiful, soft variation in texture. However, the applesauce can be pureed if you want a smoother texture. This recipe is simple, easy to follow, and creates homemade applesauce you can be proud to share.

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Apple Cinnamon Cake

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so says the old proverb. I've been on an apple kick lately, eating my way to dozens of apple cores in the last month. I ate apples with sandwiches instead of chips. I ate apples whenever I had the inkling for a snack. I ate apples before I sat down to meals, and then after. I'm an apple nut.

Though I haven't been sleeping as much as I should, I've stayed healthy and well. So does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? To settle the age old question, I'd have to say yes. Who knew it was actually true?

The first awkward bite into a ripe apple makes my heart sing. The wide open mouth, the loud crunch, the sweet juice rushing to light up the taste buds—it's a marvelous experience. I love trying different varieties of apples simply to discover their own unique qualities. When I'm looking for a sweet apple, I choose a Golden Delicious. I'd argue Gala apples are the most balanced—slightly sweet, slightly sour, neither virtue overcoming the other. However, one apple has captured my attention in a way no other apple has before. Every year, I anxiously await the moment when the produce department of my local supermarket gives them a seasonal home.

I am talking about the glorious, almighty Honeycrisp apple.

I don't even care that they tend to be the most expensive apples in the store. I've gladly handed over my pocketbook for a dozen of these and I'll do it again. They are worth every penny.

My mother warned me to stave off my apple cravings until my grandmother's apple tree ripened, but I couldn't help myself. Every year, after the apples have been picked, my grandma sends out boxes of apples to the entire family. We picked up ours a week ago and I've been planning ways to use them ever since (my grandmother's tried and true applesauce recipe will be coming your way soon. Keep your eyes peeled!).

However, this Apple Cinnamon Cake was on this year's list long before the the apples on my grandmother's tree turned red. I've made this cake every fall for the last three years and it's quickly become an autumn tradition in my home. I hope you give this cake a chance to become a tradition of your own.

This Apple Cinnamon Cake is layered with beautiful depth of flavor. A nutty, sweet whole wheat cake is interrupted with layers of cinnamon-coated apples. The apples give the cake an unbelievable moistness and density you have to taste to believe. A light dusting of powdered sugar really sets this cake off right. This is a good cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee and a fall afternoon.

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Ants On A Log

In my effort to keep it simple this week, I give you a simple, but delicious snack. Spreading a bit of peanut butter on celery or apples and sprinkling on a few raisins is all the trouble this treat will bring you. I don't know about you, but I don't think that's any trouble at all.

I grew up on this sweet, simple snack. Affectionately referred to as "Ants on a Log," the raisins (ants) sit a top the celery (log). It's a silly name, but it adds a little fun to an otherwise rustic snack. If a silly name is what it will take to get your child to eat a snack that isn't stuffed full of sugar and god knows what else (just like me when I was younger), then embrace the beauty of the silly name. For kids who don't like raisins, chocolate chips may be used with the same effect.

The combination of raisins and peanut butter has a special place in my heart. As an adult, I've made ants on a log more times than I can count. In fact, I've even tried to turn it into entire meals, where I will eat vast amounts of peanut butter, raisins, celery, and nothing else. As a snack, ants on a log is healthy and delicious. As an entire meal? Not the case. Though unbelievably enjoyable, I don't recommend it. Eating too many vegetables if your body isn't used to it will make your stomach upset. It will cramp. You will feel pain.

Every single time.

I've thought it "must have been a fluke" at least 5 times and went back for more. It's not a fluke. According to Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is doing the exact same thing over and over again expecting different results.

I'd like to pretend that doesn't apply to me.

The moral of the story: a simple sandwich with a side of ants and logs will solve your stomach woes. Or eating more vegetables on a daily basis. I should probably do that.

I think I could happily get down a few ants on a log every day...

Ants on a Log are a simple and healthy snack. These are perfect for after school or evening treats. Ants on a Log are a snap to make and require only 3 ingredients you already have in your cupboard(!). Raisins and peanut butter together are magical. Combined with the crunch of a fresh stalk of celery or a crisp apple, these snacks also sport a good dose of texture. You'd be silly not to give these a chance.

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