Chunky Applesauce

Fresh applesauce is hard to beat. Here in Washington state, we have wonderful apples. One of the joys of fall, apart from visiting the pumpkin patch, is to go apple picking. We're lucky that we don't have to go very far; we have apple trees in our backyard. But it's still fun to make a trip to a local farm and pick apples there. Of course we always pick way too many, so we always make plenty of applesauce.

Ingredients:

• 6 medium apples
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Preparation:

Peel and core apples. Cut into 1 inch chunks. Place apples in a large saucepan or medium Dutch oven. Add lemon juice, water, sugar and vanilla (and cinnamon if using). Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, then on low for another 10 minutes, or until apples are soft. Mash with a potato masher.

For a smoother texture, puree in a blender, and add more water or a little apple juice to suit.

Makes about 2 cups.

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