#it's just that... added pinch of spice that makes it great rather than good

[bragganhyl]

Once again I'm thinking about how Eothas relinquishes the Watcher's soul - who brought rebirth to the Dyrwood in Eothas' absence - right before he begins his final march to Ukaizo - so when he becomes Gaun completely

[tameblog]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[ramestoryworld]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[alexha2210]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[angusstory]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[tumibaba]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[romaleen]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[monaleen101]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[iamownerofme]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[shelyold]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[iammeandmy]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[januishstory]

Nothing compares to fresh, homemade applesauce. Can it, freeze it, leave it unsweetened, or add in some extras to sweeten things up. Enjoy it warm, right off the stove, or save it for later. Our recipe and tips give you everything you need to make this classic, homemade treat that everyone will love. For more apple goodness, try our delicious Apple Crumble and Homemade Apple Butter. Why Our Recipe Everything you need to know for making homemade applesauce, including slow cooker and instant pot options. We use a variety of apples for the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Optional add-ins if you want to make a flavored applesauce like cinnamon, or treat yourself to a dessert-style applesauce. This nostalgic recipe is the perfect sweet treat that your kids will love for an after school snack. While sweet and cinnamony applesauce makes us feel like a kid again, it’s also super versatile and can be used in many other recipes. This fresh, homemade applesauce pairs perfectly with your morning oatmeal or yogurt. You can even add it to cake batter or in homemade bread in lieu of oil or butter, making for a super moist and flavorful baked treat. Ingredient Notes Apples: For a balanced blend, use a variety. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up any bruised apples. Lemon Juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. Bottled lemon juice can be used, but it doesn’t have as bright of a flavor. Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown sugar works, though dark brown sugar will give a deeper flavor. Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor, but imitation also works. Ground Cinnamon: Use a high-quality cinnamon for best results. Cinnamon Stick: Don’t skip this step! This infuses the apples with flavor while cooking. Best Apples to Use While you can always just use whatever apples you have on hand, The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on variety. The best apples to use for applesauce-making are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Sweet Apples: Fuji, Golden Delicious, Gala, Honeycrisp, McIntosh Tart Apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, Pink Lady Balanced Mix: We recommend using a mix of both sweet and tart apples. If you prefer a naturally sweeter applesauce, lean toward Fuji or Gala. If you like a little tang, balance it with Granny Smith or Braeburn. McIntosh apples cook down very soft, making them perfect for a smooth applesauce, while Honeycrisp and Pink Lady hold a bit more texture for chunkier styles. Perfect Your Flavor When you make applesauce homemade, you get to make it exactly how you like it. Stick with our neutral base to keep it naturally sweet, or play around with some of our other options. We give you two within the recipe, but there’s more applesauce goodness to be had. Sweetened Applesauce: You have the option to add some brown sugar or you can use alternative sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. You can always start with 1-2 tablespoons and then increase based on your own personal sweet tooth. Rich and Desserty: We give you the option to add brown sugar, butter, more cinnamon, and a little vanilla extract for a dessert-like applesauce that is absolutely heavenly. Pear or Strawberry Blends: Can’t resist those fruity flavors at the grocery store? Make your own by adding some fruit. You can swap out up to half of the apples with ripe pears for apple-pear. For a strawberry blend, add 1 cup chopped strawberries during the last 10 minutes of cooking. The same concept works for other berries. Spiced Applesauce: Cinnamon is your classic spice addition to applesauce. We have you make the base with a whole stick of cinnamon for a subtle infusion of flavor. If you want to add more spice, you can add ground cinnamon. But wait, there’s more! You can go stronger spice with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. Or make it a total celebration of fall with up to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix. Smooth or Chunky Control your texture to make it as smooth or chunky as you like. It’s the beauty of homemade! For those who like things on the chunky side, use a potato masher to break up the apples and you’ll get super soft chunks throughout, or use a hand mixer to give it a slight blend. For a smooth applesauce, you’ll want to use an immersion blender to blend everything directly in the pot or transfer the cooked apples to a blender or food processor to blend until smooth. Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Instead of placing the apples into a saucepan on the stove, simply place the apples (along with the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon stick) into either a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Cook for 10 minutes at high pressure. For the slow cooker, add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Then, puree as directed. Canning This applesauce can absolutely be canned following safe canning procedures. It’s all about the science. Apples are naturally acidic, but their exact pH varies by variety so to be safe, you’ve got to add an acid. Add an additional 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart of applesauce. Once your applesauce is hot and ready, ladle it into sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean, secure the lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes for pint jars and 20 minutes for quart jars. After processing, let the jars cool at room temperature before storing them in a cool, dark place. Properly canned applesauce will last up to one year. Storage and Reheating Instructions Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. To freeze, wait until cooled and then put into quart or gallon-sized freezer bags. Put the applesauce in the freezer and store it for up to 2 months. Do not refreeze the applesauce once you have thawed it. Reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until warmed through.  Reheat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between each for even heating. More delicious Apple Recipes Source link

[wispstalk]

Got any tips on adding your own pizzazz to stuff from the cookbook? The Stormcloak blend is wonderful, great on potatoes

Oh man I bet it is good on potatoes. I'm imagining some home fries with thick cut bacon and a runny egg....god.

In general I just have accumulated a lot of knowledge on cooking technique and spices over the years, which has become intuitive at this point and therefore hard to summarize, but I can show some of my thinking with a recipe from the book:

Imperial Mushroom Sauce, But Like, Good

I've never followed this recipe bc I make mushroom brown gravy all the time and there are multiple things I do differently.

Add a chopped shallot. Alliums are the backbone of the culinary world, and I like shallots because they give it that restaurant-quality flavor. And do it in a wide shallow pan rather than a saucepan. Mushrooms cook best when left alone and given room. There shouldn't be more than one layer or it'll turn out rubbery and gross, and you wanna let em sit and crisp up for depth of flavor. At most, stir twice over 10 mins.

This recipe seems to have forgotten that it calls for vinegar. I'm reasonably sure the intention was to deglaze your pan. When the mushrooms are done, splash that vinegar in so it bubbles and scrape all those tasty little bits of charred stuff stuck to the bottom. Be conservative with your splashes and let it evaporate before the next step. That'll also add a nice acid note to the flavor, and if the end result tastes too heavy, another splash will help mitigate that.

The recipe has you make a roux without explaining what you're doing and without accounting for the way mushrooms absorb oil. I'd push the mushrooms to the edge of the pan, add 2 more tablespoons of butter to melt in the middle, then add my flour to that. Stir it around for like, 2-3 minutes until it starts to smell fragrant and nutty. Raw flour taste in sauce is very unpleasant so it's critical to let it toast and give it your full attention. It's OK if some of the ingredients get mixed in with the roux.

Then add your liquid (the cream and broth can go in together) in a slow trickle, mixing it with the roux as you pour. Once it goes from "clumpy paste" to "bubbling runny sludge" you can just dump the rest of the liquid in and give it a few minutes of quick stirring until smooth. If it doesn't fully incorporate that's OK, you can keep stirring as it thickens and it will.

Add, like, a tablespoon of the spice mix rather than a teaspoon. Almost always you can add way more spice than a recipe suggests. It's always worth experimenting carefully, but a teaspoon basically amounts to adding a pinch of each individual spice and they won't shine through.

When it starts to thicken up, and is almost ready to serve, I add chopped fresh herbs. Parsley or sage would go well with the floral notes of the spice blend, and add a little herbaceous sharpness to complement the deep umami flavors you're getting from the mushrooms, roux, and broth. And fresh herbs only need a few minutes to incorporate their flavors into the sauce.

For the last step, taste and adjust. Salt may not be necessary at all--even low-sodium packaged broth is pretty salty and it'll be more concentrated as the liquid reduced. But go HAM on the pepper. Unless you hate pepper. But a little subtle bite really takes it to the next level. Red pepper flakes are nice if you like more heat, and those can be added at the end too, just bear in mind the heat will increase the longer it sits.

Basically, the key takeaways are 1) it's worth learning the deceptively simple actions behind fancy-sounding cooking techniques and 2) don't be intimidated by spices. I made this sound so complicated bc I blathered on in detail but after you try my method once you'll find it can be done as an afterthought while you work on the main attractions.

[happys-crazy-queen22]

The Lady Of The Night

Gif credit by @runabout-river.

Requested on wattpad

Hope you all enjoy.

Happy reading dollies.

Taglist @nocturnalherb16 @jesseswartzwelder.

Requested by AmberBatterton. I hope you like it. Sorry for the long wait. Thanks for the request.

Warning: polygamy relationship. Smut!  

"Come on out, Y/N. I bet you look great". Antonio called from his desk. The whole team waiting for you to come out from Voights office. You were changing into something rather sultry and seductive. You might have volunteered to help with the John patrol, playing a woman of the night on the streets.

"I'm nervous". You yelled, covering yourself up with your coat.

"You'll be fine. We'll be right there with you. You could be saving a lot of girls by doing this". Voight calmly spoke reassuring you.

"Alright. Here I come". You took one deep breath and opened the door. Slinging off your coat and strutting into the room. Your hands on your hips. Feeling quite fierce.

"Holy shit". Antonio's mouth dropped as he seen you in the tight little dress that didnt cover much and leave nothing to imagination. Your heels clinked as you twirled around.

"So"? You asked shrugging your shoulders. Before you could get a answer Antonio hit the floor with a thud. Everyone rushed over to check on him.

As you bent over to see if he was okay. Everyone heard another thud behind them. Voight had taken Antonio's queue and fainted as well.

"Maybe this dress was a little to much"? You bit your lip as Adam called for a ambulance.

"You think? You just had two men faint over you. All their blood rushing to their cocks. So I think you'll do great tonight". Alvin assured, shaking Hank to wake up.

After the ambulance got there you decided to stay out of Antonio and Voights sight so you rode with Gabby and Shay. They were laughing and joking around the whole way. You felt bad that that happened with Antonio and Voight. Not meaning to look this sexy.

"Hey, Y/N". Kelly, Herrmann and Otis came in just as y'all pulled into the bay.

"Hey". You said with a frown.

"Why so glum, chum? Herrmann asked.

"Voight and Antonio fainted. It was my fault".

"Why? What did you do"? Kelly asked confused.

You were about to open your coat when Gabby jumped in front of you screaming.

"NO"!

"This isn't happening again. She's wearing a dress thats extremely sexy. No you may not see it". Gabby told them. They stood there with a what has gotten into Gabby today face.

"Okay. Geez. Calm down. Don't want you to have a heart attack". Kelly chuckled and walked away with the others.

Gabby turned to you. "I think you shouldn't show anyone else until you go to work and that's all. I hate to have to travel around Chicago bringing people to life because of your dress and sexiness". She giggled.

"Yeah. I should be getting to work anyways. Got a bet going that I can't get tons of John's with this dress. I'll show them". You giggled.

"You show them girl". Gabby and Shay cheerfully cheered. "She's going to give them all heart attacks". Shay whispered to Gabby.

"Oh yeah. We have our work cut out for us tonight". Gabby huffed with a laugh as they went back into the building.

The captain of the undercover unit put you on the corner of 5th and main. It was a hot spot for walkers and John's. You knew most of the girls were undercover just as you were.

Soon as it got dark the street lit up with cars more than usual. Of course you got picked first and when you got into the car he fainted so it was a easy arrest.

Luckily the whole night was easy. The John's were coming out of the wood work. Maybe someone spread the word that a hot new young thang was working and they had to get a taste but you were glad to get some of these guys off the streets. They were pure creepy.

It was around three in the morning when the van came around to pick you up. You were exhausted. Antonio said he would give you a ride home when you got to the station. You didnt know why he would have waited that long for you but you thought it was a nice jester.

"How many did you get"? Antonio clapped as you walked up the stairs.

"Seventy five guys and surprisingly four women. One had her husband with her. They were trying to spice up their marriage. I was tempted". You laughed as you plumped into your chair.

"I heard. Sorry I wasn't there".

"No I'm sorry. I shouldnt have picked out the dress that would send men into cardiac arrest".

"You're all good, Y/N. You should take it as a compliment".

"How are you and Voight"?

"We're good. Voights in his office now".

You nodded and headed to his office to see what he thought about tonight's events.

Knocking on the door he told you to come in.

"Great job. We heard it all. Excellent work". Hank proudly said.

"Thank you sir. I appreciate it". You spoke with a huge smile on your face. He was proud of you and you couldnt be more happier.

"Let's celebrate". Voight pulled out three glasses and a bottle of whiskey sitting them on the desk. Three, who else was joining us?

"Don't start the party with out me". Antonio came jogging up to the office, and closing the door behind him.

Hank poured the glasses and handed them out. "Cheers to great police work and great company". Hank winked at you. Sending your cheeks to cherry red.

"You must be tired? Why dont you take your jacket off and sit awhile"? Antonio suggested, sitting on the edge of Hanks desk. Looking you up and down as he sipped his whiskey.

"I'll leave the coat on. After what happened today I dont want that again". You shook your head.

"We're fine now. We just got a little excited that's all".

"Are you sure"? You were hesitant at first but they seemed fine now and you slowly took off your coat laying it across the back of the chair.

"You look incredible". Hank mumbled into his glass.

"Fucking hell". Antonio did the same. All eyes were on you and you felt your center become moist. You pushed your thighs together. Shooting the rest of your drink down your throat.

"Another"? Hank offered.

"Sure". You held your cup out and Hank poured you a double.

"Are you trying to get me drunk"? You snickered at the thought of Antonio and Hank getting you drunk and having their way with you. Oh God the thought made you moan deep inside. It was your biggest fantasy. No one knew but you had the biggest crush on them both. You couldnt act on it because for one Hank was your boss and Antonio was married. And I say was because now he's divorced.

"No. Just celebrating. Unless". Hank looked at Antonio.

"Unless"? You hiccuped as you finished your second drink, wipping your mouth with the back of your hand.

"We've seen the way you look at us. Undressing us with your eyes". Antonio came closer to you, bending down beside the chair that you were sitting in.

"I'm...I'm...I'm". You started to stutter. Trying to think of something. Antonio smirked and pressed his index finger over your lips.

"Shhhh. You're not the only one that has been looking and undressing". Antonio looked at Hank.

"So what shall we do about this, Y/N"?

"What do you mean"? You asked nervously.

"What I mean is, how would you like to have us. We both want you and we've came to an agreement that we'll share you if that is what you like. Is that what you want, for us to share you"? Hank got in your face licking his lips.

Yes! Yes! Yes!  Your mind and body screamed. But you really had to think this through. Would it effect your job? Your friendship? What will the others think if they found out?

"Well, I uh. Yes. I want you to share me". The words shot out of your mouth without thinking for long.

"Who would you want first? We've got all night long". Hank kissed your lips, his hand tangled in your hair as he kissed your roughly. His tongue dominating yours. Antonio's hand wondered up your leg, to your thigh.  Squeezing it, making you gasped into Hanks mouth.

Antonio took that as a sign to travel further up, until he could feel the heat from your mound on his fingers. He could smell your juices.

"She's not wearing panties". Hank chuckled. "That's why I fainted. I was fine until she bent over and I saw that pretty little pussy. Those puffy little lips, hiding that suckable little clit. God, you make me so hard". Hank growled as he devoured your lips once more.

Antonio gulped licking his lips as he brushed over your pussy lips. Sliding his middle finger between your slit. Your juices covering his finger. He so badly wanted to taste you but your wiggling and moaning made him keep going.

He guided his long finger into your tight little hole, wiggling it around.  Until he found the spot that made your legs tremble. His thumb pressed again your clit. Rubbing it slow and gentle. Teasing you because you liked it rough.

Hank released your lips and went to your neck, sucking and licking along to your collarbone. Your breast were bulging out of your dress.

"Do you like this dress"?

"Yes". You gasped out as Anontio added another finger to your wet hole.

Hank chuckled, taking his hands and running them down your chest. Taking your dress along the way. Your nipples were hard as rocks.  Hank clamped on them and squeezed and tugged on them. Making you purr. By now you were a panting withering mess under their touch. Antonio played with your pussy while Hank tongues you down and playedwith your nipples.  You were so close, they could feel it.

"Aww, is baby girl going to cum for us"? Hank cooed.

"She's clenching the hell out of my fingers". Antonio grunted, he squeezed his cock through his pants.

"That's it princess. Cum for daddy". Hank attached his mouth to your breast. Suckling at your nipple while his hand pinched your free nipple.

From Antonio fingering you and rubbing your clit to Hank sucking your nipple, you couldnt take it anymore. Your knees buckled, your heart face and your body trembled as you came. Your head fell back along with your eyes. They made you come so hard at that moment. You felt your soul leave your body during your orgasm.

"Such a good girl". Hank released your nipple from his mouth with a pop and kissed your lips.

"She soaked the chair". Anontio licked his fingers as he stood up. His cock just begging to be released.

"We'll clean after she comes down. How does she taste"? Hank asked Antonio as he greedily sucked on his fingers.

"Like heaven and peaches". They both chuckled.

"Fuck. Mmmmm". You moaned, your head spinning.

"I dont think she can move. We should take her home and make sure shes okay". Antinio suggested with a smirk.

"I think that as well. You take her to the car and I'll clean up".

"Up you go little one". Antonio picked you up bridal style and walked you out the back way. A smile on your face and your body wanting more.

Hank gathered your things and cleaned up your little mess. He wanted to sneak a taste but stopped himself. He wanted to enjoy the real thing. Very soon.

Turning off the lights and heading out the door. He hopped in the car with Antonio and you. You were coming off your high.

"Let's head to my place. You're not finished with me yet. Theres so many things I want to try with you two. So many". You fell back onto the back seat with a satisfied sigh.

"We have all the time in the word". Anontio and Hank high fived each other. They didnt know you were just as freaky as they were. This was going to be the best three way relationship ever.

[pancakes-discourse]

Peanut butter-chocolate cookies (Issaddaa Ekanis)

Rich, chocolatey, peanut-y, these fancy cookies surprise by getting by entirely with no flour and yet are extraordinarily quick and easy to make, if you can get all the ingredients.

This recipe is flexible and made by sight, so don’t worry about not having the exact amount of most things, your cookies will likely turn out great regardless.

R E C I P E

2 eggs

peanut butter

chocolate cream or spread, enriched with nuts or not

white sugar

salt

(optional: spices like cinnamon, vanilla or ground coriander seeds )

(optional:

Utensils:

pot or bowl for mixing

spoon or mixer

baking dish

baking paper

oven

fork or toothpick

Directions:

1. Crack eggs into a pot or bowl, mix in the peanut butter and chocolate cream. The exact amount can vary a lot, just make sure to add enough peanut butter to have a good, viscous dough at the end. Use a spoon or mixer.

2. Add plenty of sugar (at least four-five tablespoons) and mix it in well. The amount will naturally vary based on how much peanut butter and chocolate cream you added in the first step. If you added a lot, increase the amount accordingly.

3. Add salt (a pinch or two), and spices (ideally mix with an equal amount of sugar first)

4. Pour onto a pan, attempt to leave enough space between the cookies since they will likely expand horizontally. But you can also try to make one giant cookie.

5. Bake in an oven at about 180 °C or alternatively 375 °F until the edges start getting crispy and a fork or toothpick comes up clean.

H I S T O R Y

One thing I didn’t realize how even among neighbors such basic things as hospitality can differ greatly.

In Lufasa, owing to Jutic heritage, anyone receiving guests is supposed to display “restrained generosity”, i.e. to provide a warm welcome and provide enough and good food, but to avoid embarrassing or overwhelming guests it’s meant to be a limited amount more akin to a weekday dinner rather than a feast.  And in turn, guests are expected to bring food to share, too, in the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

A big shock for me when moving to Gfiewistan was that if anything the visitor is the one expected to bring food, especially when visiting someone of high status, apparently originally justified as needing to honor them and showing appreciation for their "generosity", which was of course often more a claimed rather than a real thing, like the “generosity” of the Gfiewish monarchs and priests in in Lufasa during pre-revolutionary times.

After the republican revolution and the nominal abolition of titles of nobility and transition to a more openly socioeconomic class-based society this became more a display of the visitor’s status: You showed your wealth and amount of self-reliance by not relying on the food of the host, but bringing your own food with more than enough to spare for the host

The host in turn showed off their wealth by providing an impressive location, with fancy furniture, tablecloths and the food they were eating (a comparison I think would be the way you can signal your status and the kind of person you want to be seen as by ordering specific things in a restaurant)

One of the most popular foods to bring were and are cookies: easy to transport and more shelf-stable, but can be stuffed full of expensive ingredients such as eggs and flour (mostly restricted to the nobility until the industrial revolution), butter, spices, fruits (especially in the south)

As the industrial revolution cheapened flour, the ratio of flour to other ingredients changed and cookies became fattier and richer.

Peanut butter when it arrived in the 19th century from Cananganam first had the reputation of being a subpar butter replacement, but became hugely popular as ingredient once it was discovered that it worked perfectly in cookies, and so-called Cananganam Cookies (Enkananganamkos Ekanis, or short Enkananis) are still a staple of any bakery or home-baker, as peanut butter is easy to transport and supremely shelf-stable, lasting for years if properly stored, is rich and fatty, flavorful (and in an exotic way) and due to its relatively high carbohydrate content can also be used to reduce the amount of flour in cookies.

As a result, fancy cookies came to be distinguished by their relatively low flour content – even today those described as "bready" and having a lot of flour typically still might seem unusually fatty. They are popular as gifts, snacks and breakfast or travel food. The most popular cookies are buckwheat-peanut butter cookies ("Cananganam cookie") and the traditional "Juniper" cookies. 

Even fancier than these peanut butter cookies are chocolate-peanut butter cookies (Issaddaa Ekanis) that do away with the flour entirely and replace it with a kind of chocolate cream, often further enriched with nuts and exotic flavoring like vanilla. They are also my favorite treat, easy to make at home and delicious to eat with friends in cafes, too.

[srose-foxfire]

Damirae Week 2021 - Day 3

A/N: Happy Damirae Canon Anniversary Day!!! 

Whoo, day 3 is upon us! I hope you don't mind this prompt being particularly longer than my last two, I couldn't get myself to ‘cut-off’ some parts since I want to keep this AU storyline with the Week’s prompts. Some of the next prompts will be long as well to fit everything that needs to stay in the AU to make it run smoothly. Enjoy and see you all tomorrow for Day 4! ~~ Simona

“Joyfulness before Despair” Day 3:  Holidays

It been years since the castle had ever felt alive. The end of the year celebrations had arrived at the castle. Raven busied herself to get the parlor ready to spend the New Year’s Eve with Damian and his family. After her little incident two months ago, Damian seemed to have changed and Raven had done the same. Since he has revealed himself to be a beast, Damian allowed her to venture outside the castle, and the spirits, which turned out to be Damian’s family were allowed to talk with her and not keep distance.

Dick Grayson, the eldest of all of them had explained to her what happened. Centuries ago, when Bruce had just appointed his youngest son; Damian would be the one to take his throne as the next king. A witch came to their door. Damian who had been studying and groomed by Bruce allowed the witch to rest in their castle as an honored guest. The witch thanked him and gave Damian her blessing, it wasn’t uncommon to allow visitors to take refuge in the Wayne Castle. Though the witch had another agenda, when everyone had retired to their chambers, the witch entered Prince Damian’s room, she was to slay him in his sleep. The witch didn’t count that the young prince was a skilled swordsman and so Damian easily bested her. Furious that she failed, she shrieked and announced she had been hired to bring the prince and his kingdom to ruin. Words of an ancient language spouted from her old weary lips. She cast a curse on Damian and his family. His half-siblings became spirits, binding their souls to reside forever inside the castle. As for Damian, she cursed him into a beastly form so that whoever laid eyes on him would be repulsed.

After Dick finished telling of their tale – he left out what had happened to Bruce - Raven now understood why Damian had been cold towards her. He had allowed himself to be open to a stranger, which then cost him his family’s life and his kingdom. Though she could never recall of ever hearing of the Kingdom of Gotham. Dick explained that it was a mystery as well, King Bruce Wayne was loved by many and an ally to the neighboring kingdoms. They could not understand why their people never came to their castle looking for the royal family after they been cursed.

Just then Jason, Stephanie, Cassie, Kori, and Tim came into the parlor with boxes filled with assorted candles and some golden decorations.

“I can’t believe we are doing this.” Jason grumbled as he set the old box down. It fascinated Raven to see them able to handle physical objects even if they had all a ghost-like form. Tim, who considered himself quite a scholar, believed the witch may had not said her curse properly. If they put their minds to it, they could lift and carry anything if they so wished. They could even open and close doors, though floating through it was easiest.  

Stephanie scoffed and placed her hands on her hips, “Seriously Jason? Have some holiday spirit, we haven’t done this in such a long time. I could almost recall when the whole castle smelled of cinnamon and spice, gosh how I miss Alfred’s cooking.”

Having heard the name for the first time, Raven couldn’t help but ask, “whose Alfred?”

Everyone became stilled and remained silent. Raven could sense that the mention of Alfred’s name had sadden everyone. Though these siblings jested and were always carrying a smile, Raven could always sense they were hiding their sadness. She could only imagine what the witch’s curse had truly taken from them. They all been so kind to her, Raven wished she could do something in return.

“A dear friend.”

Everyone turned their heads towards the doors, Dick was standing there with a silver platter, filled with assorted biscuits and brewing hot tea. He too seemed to be saddened at the mention of their friend’s name.

Raven didn’t know what to do to lively their moods, just then Jason who had busied himself to finish setting the last candles over the fireplace, cleared his throat, “I thought you were supposed to help Damian with the food?”

Shaking his head, Dick tilted hid head to the side and gave his brother a lopsided grin, “I thought I bring Raven some snacks she’s our guest-”

“Demon Spawn kicked you out, didn’t he?” Tim added while he fixed a small round table and prepared two seating arrangements. Raven couldn’t stifle a small giggle at the mention of Damian’s pet name.

“He did.” Dick grumbled.

Raven raised a brow at him. “Are you not allowed in the kitchen.”

Jason walked over and grabbed the silver tray from Dick, he then turns his gaze towards Raven. “After we were cursed, we tried helping out around the castle as much as we could, then someone had to set the kitchen on fire one morning.”

Dick was beyond annoyed and gave out a heavy sigh, signaling he was tired of being reminded of his faults. “What? I was trying to be a good older brother and prepare Damian a tasty breakfast.”

After placing the silver tray on the round-coffee table, Jason scoffed at Dick’s remark. “Tasty? You were practically cooking lumps of coal! If the curse wasn’t enough, Damian would also have to endure your horrible cooking!”

The two brothers continue to bicker, while their sisters went to complain to Tim, asking him to stop the feud. No one had noticed that Raven had left the room. She wanted to feel useful and believed she could lend Damian a hand in the kitchen. Walking down one hallway, Raven noticed the amount of work the Wayne family had put to get the castle ready for their little festivity. A week before the end of the New Year, everyone had pinched in and clean the castle from top to bottom. There were no more spiderwebs on every crevice, the walls that only appeared to held darkness were now illuminated by candlelight. Everything had been dusted off, revealing beautiful golden tapestries, vases, and marble statues of legends. The castle was truly brimming with light and happiness.

When she finally arrived at the kitchen, Raven cautiously entered. She peeked from behind the large wooden door and saw Damian moving some pans over a small fire. He looked almost as he was in his own small word. A world where only he existed. There were still things Raven wanted to speak to him about but didn’t know if she was allowed to ask.

“May I come in?”

Damian quickly turn around and his eye widen for just a moment. “Hello.” He nodded and turned around and tossed some ingredients in the air. “I apologize for the delay; I’m getting our dinner ready.”

“Let me help, just tell me what to do.”

“Very well.” Damian gave her a small yet gentle smile, he then pointed at some dough that need to be rolled out and portion to make garlic bread. They worked in silence, but every once in a while, Raven would catch herself side glancing and just admire Damian. For being a great and large beast, he was very meticulous with his work.  He grabbed a kitchen knife and perfectly thinly sliced some basil leaves. Which he then tossed into a pan that seemed to have crushed tomatoes and ground beef.

“That smells delicious.”

“I hope you enjoy it, it’s a dish an old friend would prepare every year. Beef Ragu.” Damian said proudly as he grabbed a small tasting spoon and handed it to Raven to taste.

“This friend wouldn’t happen to be Alfred?” Why… why did she allowed her mouth to run off on itself? Raven hated herself for letting the name slip from her lips.

“Yes, he is.” Damian added rather nonchalantly. He continues to stir the beef ragu, “Alfred Pennyworth was my father’s royal advisor. He been a friend to the Wayne family since before my father was born. He acted like a grandfather to me, once I came to live with my father.”

“Can I ask, what happen to him… and to your father?”

“The curse affected them differently… they were turned into stone. We don’t know if their alive or gone.” Raven could notice that this hurt Damian greatly, she saw that he was trying so hard to fight off his tears. All she could do in that moment for him was wrapping her arms from behind him.

Once dinner was prepared, Damian and Raven were seated in the small round table in the parlor, they ate in silence. Raven grimaced having his siblings just lounging in the parlor and not have a bite to eat. Kori explained that they never got hungry. They could however smell the food and that was enough for them. After dinner, Dick started rambling off some nonsense and twirled around the room. Tim whispered into Raven’s ears that Dick enjoyed acting like the court jester. Kori left the room and came with assorted instruments in her hands, she gave one to each of her future siblings-in-laws and everyone started to play off-key. Damian couldn’t help but grumble and sighed heavily in his seat as he tried very hard to hide in his black cape. Raven clapped and giggled as everyone gracefully floated around the room.

~~~~~

As the festivities continued to roar inside the castle, outside was slender-hungry harpy; her feathers a dark shade of bloody red, and her body a pale ghostly white. She silently watched the cursed Wayne family frilly and dance around the fireplace with an unexpected guest. She huffed an annoyed grunt and flew off into the dark night. She flew over treetops, meadows, and valleys; until she reached the side of a long lonely mountain. There near the top of it peak was a dark cave, she screeched and flew into it. Darkness enveloped her for a few moments, then green boiling water, erupted from an old black rusty cauldron. The harpy landed next to it, tucking her winged arms to her sides.

“Show us what you found, my pet.”

From the shadows two figures emerge. The old witch that cursed the royal Wayne family and a second fellow who shielded his face with a black and orange mask. The harpy screeched and plucked one of it feathers out, placing it the cauldron. The green waters disintegrated the feather, like it fallen in a pot of acid, and then it started to swirl revealing an image in it waters. It was of the royal family prancing and laughing with one another. Then at the corner of the room stands a raven-haired maiden who reaches for the paws of the cursed prince and bring him to stand next to her. She smiles at him and urges him to dance with her. They move to the off-key music and laugh all together. The witch curses under her breath.

The masked man, the one who employed for her services centuries ago, scoffs and crosses his arms over his chest. “Don’t tell me if the boy falls in love then the curse will be lifted.”

Just like her harpy, the witch screeches angrily, and points her boney-old finger towards the man beside her. “You peg me for a fool? Love is a strange power, but I made sure none of my curses to ever be lifted by ‘true love’s kiss’ or ‘sacrificing oneself for love’. No this is worse, that girl, she holds magic of her own. She is the daughter of a demon and of a sorceress from Azarath. Their magic is far greater than any witch’s enchantment, she could break the curse.”

“Well then, this changes things.” The man said as he hovers over the boiling cauldron and inspected the maiden more closely. She was very beautiful, he thought to himself.

“I can have my harpy go kill-”

“No. Don’t harm the girl. I find her to be quite interesting. Daughter of a demon, you say? Well now, wouldn’t that make for a most pleasant queen to be by my side?”