Microwave Applesauce

I finally remembered the apples I've had hidden in the freezer... the bruised ones were on sale for the equivalent of 6¢ a pound last week, and while everyone else passed them by, I thought: "applesauce!" Here's my recipe.


Microwaved?

I've been making applesauce for months since we moved here (it's not in stores), but always end up with burnt gook on the bottom of the pot that I have to scrub out. One day I wondered, "can I make this in the microwave?," started clicking around online, and found several ideas. However, I like mine low- or no-sugar, so I've adjusted a combination of several recipes I found to result in this one.

The Ingredients

This is a per-apple recipe, so it's simple to multiply it times the number of apples you have:

* 1 medium apple
* 1 Tbsp water
* ½ tsp brown sugar (optional)
* ½ tsp butter
* ½ tsp cinnamon

The How-to

1 - Peel, chop, and core the apple
2 - Combine everything in a glass, microwave-safe bowl
3 - Microwave for 5 minutes, stir, and repeat til liquid's absorbed (about 10 minutes for the first 2 apples)

If you like it chunky, you're done! If you'd prefer smooth:

4 - Blend in a food processor until your preferred consistency

Uses?

I usually bake with applesauce replacing half the fats/oils in the recipe. Today I'm baking Apple-Raisin muffins. Of course, applesauce is a healthy snack too: one cup of homemade applesauce counts as a one-cup serving of fruit!

Your turn!

Try microwave applesauce, adjusted as needed (I've found applesauce in general to be very picky about humidity), and share what you think.

OR, share your favorite uses of applesauce: links to your blog posts or photos are welcome!