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applesauce

Homemade Apple Sauce

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Crock Pot Apple Sauce

A blast from the past!

I’ve been blogging for over 5 years now!  I can’t believe it.  This is a very old post . . . my old camera, my hesitation to share my love of cooking, and being so clueless on how to have a blog that inspires!  Enjoy the walk down memory lane.  (and make some apple sauce–so insanely simple, so good for you and no sugar.)

[Tweet “I just learned how to make insanely simple, sugar free, super yummy apple sauce! “]

 

 

 
organic gala apples
One of my ideas for 1012 is to share one crock pot recipe a week.  I found a great deal on organic apples and thought that I would buy 15 pounds.  My first batch of applesauce is 5 lbs of apples cut into chunks with just enough water to cover the bottom of the crock pot.
 
 
 
 
 

All of those apples cooked down to this amount.  I added cinnamon once they were finished cooking.  During the cooking process I stirred the apples and they broke into chunky pieces and I sort of like that.  The kids love it.

I plan to freeze the rest of this recipe and the other 10 pounds of apples bound for sauce.

Thank you God for Aunt Clara Broda who made applesauce for me as a kid.  It amazes me how you intertwine people, ideas, and outcomes.

Today I’m linking up with Countdown 2012.

Top 10 After School Snacks (#4 is my favorite)

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When I have kids in “school” I pick them up and bring them home–no bus service–so I like to have snack on the table when they come home.  If it is a year that I am homeschooling than we usually end our day with a snack and tea or juice from our juicer!

These are my top ten after school snacks:

  1. Leftovers from their lunch box!
  2. Veggies and Dip
  3. Apples and yogurt or another dip they like
  4. Pretzels with either mustard or chocolate dipped
  5. Cheese and crackers–I use cookie cutters to make flowers with the cheese–too cute–sometimes I even put a raisin in the middle of the flower!
  6. Celery and cream cheese
  7. Build your own nachos
  8. Mini cheese tortillas
  9. Muffins (just out of the oven before I go and pick them up)
  10. Cookies and milk!

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I find that the kids like to do a little “food network” and build their own things as much as when I have it ready, so I like to mix it up a little bit.

If I have a later dinner because of practice or other commitments I start the crock pot at 3 for dinners to be ready at 7. 

TIP:  I also set the table before I leave.  When I come home I just need to plop the crock pot on the table, and by the time everyone is finished washing their hands dinner is ready!

Lent, already?

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I can’t believe that this Wednesday is Ash Wednesday!  How did this happen?  I get it–I really do understand how time keeps marching on but . . . I don’t always feel a sense of accomplishment that comes with time marching on.

I digress.

So these are my Meatless Lenten Meals.

  1. Pasta (or Polenta made in the rice cooker) with Red Sauce with veggies, garlic bread and salad.
  2. Homemade Pizza–I have the kids make their own pizza–that way they get the veggies they enjoy.
  3. Meatless Chili–this is really bean soup–I make it like a traditional chili or use black beans and sweet potatoes.
  4. Breakfast for dinner–French Toast Bake, Quiche, or scrabbled eggs/hashbrowns, pancakes with fruit.
  5. Baked Potato Bar–sour cream, leftover meatless chili, cheese, broccoli, roasted veggies.
  6. Tacos with refried beans, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce with rice.
  7. Macaroni and Cheese in the crockpot.
  8. Soup in a mini bread bowl (roll)–I made my recipe for chicken pot pie and serve it in a roll–it can be from the deli or the frozen type–I’ve used both with success.

Do you eat a meatless meal during Lent?  If you have a favorite could you please share it in the comments?

Be Blessed.

I’m linking up with Craftastic Party, motivation monday, create with joy, mindful mothering, and with Ann, The Better Mom, Rediscovering Domesticity.