Seasonal Potluck: Apple Picking & Slower Cooker Applesauce

I can’t believe September has almost come to an end! This month flew by way to fast, and I did not get to post nearly as many tomato and apple posts as I had planned for the Seasonal Potluck.  I am going to try to sneak in a couple more this week, but you’ll probably be seeing apple recipes into October since I picked about 50 pounds of them this past weekend!

I went apple picking with my mom and one of my sisters in Wisconsin, just outside of Milwaukee.  It was an easy trip from the Chicagoland area, just under two hours, so it’s perfect for a day trip.  I saw a write-up in National Geographic Traveler magazine a month or so ago about fruit picking, and they had a section on apple picking in Wisconsin!  We went to Awe’s Orchard, where you are able to pick them yourself.  We picked an assortment of Gala, McIntosh, and Jonagolds.  Our second stop was at Weston’s Antique Apples, where you can’t pick the apples, but you can go on a self-guided tour of the orchard.  It looked beautiful, but unfortunately we were there in the middle of a thunderstorm and opted-out of the orchard tour.  Weston’s specializes in antique varieties of apples, so you are bound to find something there that you’ve never seen before, and most dating back to the 1800’s or early 1900’s.

Now, what to do with all of these apples….?  First up, an applesauce made in the slow cooker.  Low in added sugar, this applesauce makes a great snack or topping for your pork chops.  It’s also great as a substitute for oil in baking cakes or muffins.  Plus it makes your house smell wonderful!

Slow-cooker Applesauce, adapted from allrecipes.com

8 apples – peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (use a variety of apples for the best taste)
1/2 cup water (or half water, half apple cider)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg & ginger

Combine the apples and water in a slow cooker; cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours. Stir in the brown sugar and spices; continue cooking another 30 minutes.

*Note:  I added 2 peaches to this sauce to give it a little extra flavor, so feel free to play around with different fruits.  i.e. nectarines, plums, pears.