Applesauce will vary in texture and flavor depending on the variety of apple used. All-purpose apples such as Granny Smith, Rome Beauty, Fuji and Jonagold (as well as many others) produce good results.

8 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into thick slices
1/2 cup water
2 lemon slices
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine apples, water and lemon slices in a large saucepan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until apples are part sauce and with some chunks of apple left. Watch closely and stir often to prevent burning. Applesauce should be thick; add more water if necessary. Leave sauce chunky or put apples and lemons through a food mill or coarse sieve. Stir in sugar to desired sweetness. Add cinnamon and nutmeg. Serve warm or chilled. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to one week. Yield 5 to 6 cups.

To make unsweetened applesauce: omit added sugar and select a naturally sweet variety such as Golden Delicious, Red Delicious or Gala.

To Freeze: Increase spices to twice the indicated amount, as they lose flavor during freezing. Refrigerate until chilled. Pack cool applesauce into rigid freezer containers to within 1/2-inch from the top and seal. Use a container size suitable for your family's needs. To use: thaw in the refrigerator overnight or in cold water for 3 hours. Can be frozen for up to one year at 0°F.

To Can: Pack hot applesauce into clean standard canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal with 2 piece canning lid and screw band. Process jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Remove jars, cool, check seals, label and date. Store sealed jars away from sunlight in a cool, dry place for up to one year.

Spiced Apple Cider

Always read the label and make sure you are purchasing pasteurized apple cider. Raw, unpasteurized cider may contain harmful bacteria.

1 gallon naturally sweet apple cider
1 cup brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 Tablespoon whole cloves
1 Tablespoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon mace (optional)

Tie cinnamon, cloves, allspice and mace together in cheesecloth or use a coffee filter tied with string. Combine cider and brown sugar in a large pot. Add spices. Bring mixture to a slow boil. Then turn heat down and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove spice bag from pot. Serve hot cider in mugs. Spiced Apple Cider may be kept warm in a crock-pot (slow cooker) on low setting. Yield 18 servings.

The Frosty Apple

1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 quart naturally sweet apple cider
4-6 scoops vanilla ice cream (optional)
Freshly ground nutmeg

Let a pint of vanilla ice cream soften at room temperature or microwave for 20 seconds. Put ice cream and cider into a blender or food processor and blend until frothy and well mixed. Stir in nutmeg. Pour into tall glasses and top with a scoop of ice cream, if desired. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Yield 6 one-cup servings.

Apple Cider Baked Beans

Slow cooked in a flavorful sauce, the wonderful aroma of these simmering beans will warm hour heart and your kitchen. Beans are winter comfort food. They are naturally low in fat and high in vegetable protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Remember that one cup dried beans will yield slightly more than 2 cups cooked.

2 cups dried white navy beans, picked over, washed and soaked (May substitute canned beans by using three 15 ounce cans of navy beans or great northern beans. Drain and rinse. Proceed with recipe.)
1 small onion, diced
4 tablespoons molasses
8 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 tespoons salt
2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small bay leaf
1 teaspoons cider vinegar
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/3 cups apple cider, boiling
Boiling water

To prepare beans:

Pour beans onto a flat surface (countertop) in a single layer. Pick out rocks, dirt balls, off colored and broken beans. Discard. Wash beams in two changes of cold water. Cover with 3 inches of water and allow beans to soak overnight or 8 to 10 hours. (Quick soak method: Cover cleaned beans with 3 inches cold water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 10 minutes, turn heat off and let stand for 2 hours or more. Proceed as directed below.)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Drain beans, reserving liquid. Bring liquid to a boil. Pour beans into a deep ovenproof casserole or bean pot. Add all the ingredients, stir and add enough reserved boiling to cover beans. Cover the casserole with foil or the lid. Bake 6 hours, adding a little more water if necessary afte 3 hours of baking. Yield 6 servings.

Apple Pancakes with Spicy Yogurt and Cider Syrup

Cider syrup is simply an apple cider reduction. The apple cider is cooked down to a thick amber syrup, which concentrated the natural sugar and rich apple flavor. Because this recipe starts with a pancake mix, it is quick and easy. Purchase a whole-wheat mix that requires adding eggs and milk, not the complete just-add-water type. Use homemade applesauce or the chuncky commercial style. Great for a weekend brunch!

6 cups apple cider
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
6 tablespoons chuncky applesauce
2 cup wholewheat pancake mix
2 cup skim milk
2 egg, slightly beaten (or 1 whole egg plus one egg white)
6 tablespoons chuncky applesauce
Canola oil
Extra cinnamon for Garnish

Start by making the syrup; pour the cider in a pot that is large enough to be no more than half filled. Place the pan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, very slow boil, and cook for about 30 minutes. Cook until the cider is reduced to one cup. Set aside. (Syrup can be made in advance. Keeps for about one week in the refrigerator. Warm or bring to room temperature before serving.) Next, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 6 tablespoons applesauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve. In a large bowl, combine milk, eggs, and 6 tablespoons applesauce. Stir in pancake mix. Mix well enough to moisten, do not over mix. If the batter is too thick add a little water. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. When skillet is hot, lightly grease. Add batter, making medium pancakes, about 1/2 cup batter per pancake. Cook until tiny bubbles form on top, peek under the edge, turn when panckae is golden brown and continue to cook. Place on a platter and keep pancakes and 4 serving plates warm in a heated oven. To serve; fan (slightly overlap) 5 pancakes on a warm plate. Drizzle Cider Syrup over the pancakes (about 1/2 cup) and top with a dollop of spiced Yogurt, garnish with an additional sprinkle of cinnamon. Yield 4 servings.

Apple and Pumpkin Tart

Although pumpkin pie is traditional, you may want to start your own tradition with the simple but elegant dessert. Serve it chilled or warm with a dollop of whipped cream. It's sinful, and so delicious! Canned pumpkin will work for this recipe, but you may want to cook your own, see Pumpkins and More for making a pumpkin puree.

1 8-inch frozen pie crust, thawed (Instead of using a frozen commercial piecrust, you can make your own tart shell and chill before adding the filling.)
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
3 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
Page 3, Apples and More Recipes
(Granny Smith, Jonthan, Cortland or your favorite variety)
1/2 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs plus 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
1/2 cup currants
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt

Thaw crust and press into an 8-inch fluted tart pan. Use a rolling pin to roll over the edges, making crust even with top of tart pan. Place in the freezer while assembling tart filling. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine all the tart ingredients and mix well. Scrape the filling into the prepared tart shell. Smooth evenly around the pan. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool before serving. Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Apple Chicken Salad

1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup apple jelly, melted
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 cups finely sliced celery
3 apples, unpeeled and diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

In a large bowl, mix yogurt, orange juice, melted apple jelly and lemon juice. Add chicken.

Celery and apples. Toss gently to coat all pieces. Season with salt and chill until ready to serve. Sprinkle with pecans and serve on a bed of romaine lettuce. Yield 8 3/4 cup servings.

Apple Cranberry Crisp

Use firm cooking apples for making apple crispRome Beauty, Baldwin, Jonathan, Braeburn, or Jonagold. These apples will hold their shape during baking so you do not end up with something that looks like applesauce or puree.

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup each, granulated sugar and brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) chilled butter or margarine cut into small pieces
7 cups peeled diced apples (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons apple juice or cider
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat eight-inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil and set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended. Cut in chilled butter using a pastry blender or clean fingers until the mixture is crumbly. In another bowl, combine apples, apple juice and cranberries. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Yield 9 servings.

Apple Cheese Topping

Use this spread on bagels, toast, crackers or apple slices.

8 ounce package of cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 medium-size peeled cored Granny Smith apple
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme, basil or oregano

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and lemon juice. Grate apple directly into cheese mixture. Sprinkle with black pepper and dried herb. Cover bowl and chill approximately 1 hour.

Yield 2 1/2 cups. Serving size 2 tablespoons.

Red Cinnamon Apple Rings

Serve chilled as a side dish or in salads or use hot as garnish around roast turkey, ham or pork roast. These delicious apples will keep in the refrigerator for up to tw weeks.

5 medium or large cooking apples
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring
2 to 3 sticks cinnamon, about 2 1/2 inches long

Wash, and peel apples. Use an apple corer to remove cores or remove seeds and cores after cutting into rings. Cut each apple into 1/2-inch thick rings. Combine sugar, water, food coloring and cinnamon sticks in a large skillet. Stir over moderately low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook 10 minutes over medium heat. Arrange apple rings in syrup. Cook, basting frequently with syrup in skillet, until apples are tender, about 6 to 10 minutes. Remove apples from syrup and use as garnish or serve in syrup as a side dish. Makes 15 apple rings. Serving size two-apple ring.