Family Favorite Recipe: Pink Applesauce

Two words: comfort food.

My grandmother used to make this for family dinners when I was very young, and my mom made it occasionally growing up after we moved away.  Now, my generation, my cousins and I, make this for family gatherings and for fun.  When I just need something deliciously comforting, this is the best easy thing to make.

The best part is that you can make it the easy way or the REALLY easy way.  For the really easy way, just use all store-bought applesauce and skip all the steps before adding the “secret ingredient!”

What you need:

1. 2-3 Apples (whatever kind you like best)
2. 1 jar of store-bought plain applesauce
3. cinnamon
4. sugar
5. 1 package of red hot candies
6. water

This is all you need!

Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces. Dump them into your pot with cold water to keep them from turning brown while you work.

 

 

Boil and simmer the apples in the water until they are very soft. Add cinnamon to the mixture and let simmer another couple of minutes to let the apples soak up the flavor.

 

Drain the water and smash the apples with a fork. I took them out of the pot I was using so I didn’t scratch it with the fork, but you don’t have to if you’re not using nonstick.

 

Mix the smashed apples, the jar of applesauce, and the entire package of red hots. Simmer on low, stirring frequently, until all of the red hots are completely melted and incorporated.

 

Add a little sugar at a time, to taste. You may not need to add any at all, it just depends on the apples you used and the kind of applesauce. Stir, and viola! Chill in the refrigerator until it’s cold, and it’s ready to serve!

 

This cinnamon flavored applesauce is absolutely one of my favorite things in the entire world.  I hope you enjoy, too!  Please feel free to comment with your favorite family recipes!