When you have apples...

Make applesauce.

We did the week after returning from North Carolina and our apple-picking adventure.

I wanted a crock-pot recipe, so that we could enjoy the smell all day...and for the ease during that post-vacation return to normal.  I found several recipes online, combined a few of them, and this is what I came up with.

Hearty Spiced Applesauce

10 apples, I used a combination of Pink Lady and Granny Smith
1/4 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. raw sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1 cinnamon stick

1.  Wash all apples well.  Slice apples and cut into bite-size pieces.  I used an apple corer/divider and left the peel on, to create a chunkier applesauce, but if you prefer, you can peel the apple.  Place apples in the bowl of a crock-pot.

2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small mixing bowl and pour over the apples in the crock-pot. Stir to coat, making sure to cover the cinnamon stick with apples.

3. Cook in crock-pot over low heat for 6-7 hours.

4.  Remove cover from crock-pot and test apples; they should be soft and breaking apart.  You can serve as-is, or use a potato masher to break the apples down further.

5.  Delicious served warm or cold.  Keeps refrigerated for one week.