Lake Lady Makes Applesauce!

This recipe is from my sister, who just happens to post under the Title: Lake Erie: Daily Visits to the Greatest Great Lake. http://lakeeriedaily.blogspot.com/ Go Visit! It's fascinating how the water changes every minute! Baked Applesauce   This has a lovely deep rich flavour that only baking can give.   Ingredients:      - 4 – 6 medium sized apples – I used my favourite Cortland apple. It’s an apple that is great for eating out of hand – especially when it’s just picked but is a wonderful cooking apple with its tart-sweet true apple flavour. - ¼ cup brown sugar - for me the darker the better but use what you have. White sugar will work too. ¼ cup seedless raisins ¼ cup dried cranberries (optional or use dried cherries or chopped dried apricots instead)  ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves 1 tsp butter 1/8 cup water   Method:   1.    –core and chop the apples. You can peel them if you must but I never do. They cook long and slow enough for the peels to be quite soft and why throw out all that fibre and nutrients?      2.    –put ½ the chopped apples in an oven-proof bowl. I grease it with a bit of butter because it adds flavour and it’s so much easier to clean.   3.    –add all the dried fruit and ½ the brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves      4.    –add the rest of the chopped apple and top with the rest of the brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves and the butter.      5.    –add water – just a splash, an 1/8 cup or so. It just keeps things juicier.   6.    Bake in 350 degree oven for about an hour – maybe more. Stir to mix thoroughly after about ½ hour. This keeps the top from burning. Cooking time will depend on how fresh the apples are. It’s done when the apples are quite soft.   7.    Stir it around to break it up a bit if you want it to be more applesaucy.      8.    Serve hot along side most meats. Great with Mac and cheese. It’s good cold and it re-heats very well. I’ve even had it warm on vanilla ice cream.

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