My favorite thing about fall: apple picking.
Yes, I love the colors of this season but I'm not too fond of the weather getting colder and days getting shorter. At least to cope with this we get apple picking (and soup)! My favorite orchard in the Hudson Valley is DuBois Farms. They have peaches, plums, nectarines, apples by the truckload, grapes, pears, the most amazing tomatoes and pumpkins. I found myself at this orchard 3 times this year so needless to say I have an abundance of apples.
I picked so many apples that we couldn't eat them fast enough. These guys traveled back and forth from the city to the Hudson Valley with me at least 4 times- I didn't want to leave them behind to rot during my trips! I finally decided that it was time to turn them into sauce. I love this recipe for making sauce with the skins on because it cuts out all of that time and the tedious task of peeling the apples.
Apple Sauce
Makes: approximately 6 cups
12-14 medium sized apples (I used a variety of McIintosh, Gala and Golden Delicious)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
Wash, core and quarter the apples (leaving skins on). Place them in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the water, sugar and lemon juice; stir to combine. Over high heat bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cook partially covered until apples are very soft, approximately 40 minutes. In batches, remove apples from the pot and place in a food mill, grind until skins and flesh are completely separated and apple sauce is smooth. Transfer sauce into jars and refrigerate for up to a week.