Bubble, Bubble, Toil and ....

Cinnamon Sticks!

We decided to try our hand at homemade applesauce yesterday. We won't stop at anything to enliven the dready homeschooling days of October. It was official a month in to homeschooling yesterday, so i was pining for something fun to do with Ri. I feel like we've been all about the book work--not that she doesn't like that part of it, but i had invisioned more hands-on projects.

So with a few inspiring web recipes i found, we ended up working this out, all on our own. That seems to be the beauty of applesauce--you can't go wrong with apples and spices to your liking.

Ri in her adorable apron thoughtfully made by Patti (of Osage Bluff Quilter fame!)

This was Ri's first time using a "knive", albeit a butter knife. Let the "that's not a knife" joke fly. :o)She said she really loved this "chopping apples" duty. We left some of the skins on, in hopes that our applesauce would turn pink, like the peel and core sauce made by the ladies of Little House in the Suburbs fame; alas i think we needed more peel. And i don't think the chickens would have been to happy with that. ;o) (boy did they sure love their apple trimmings with oats, millet, and oyster shells yesterday!)

So with 3 lbs. of apples chopped, 1/2 cup of h2o, two cinnamon sticks, and a squeeze of 1/2 a lemon, we set to boiling. 5 minutes in, we turned it off to tend to some serious business with our dear friend, J---visiting at the local health food store bakery. We came home, and turned up the heat again--for 15 -20 more minutes. Then we turned off the heat and let it stew for a couple hours with a lid on while we went to dance class and religious ed. Last night, i tried it...and i love it! The only addition i made was about 2 tbsp of brown sugar--i suppose you could use honey too.

Nummy, nummy!

I can't wait for breakfast this morning!!!