Homemade Applesauce with Cranberries

Why do you make your own applesauce a friend asked last fall? The answer is very simple - there is nothing better than homemade applesauce spiced according to my family's taste. Every fall I start making batches of applesauce that I fill into large glass jars and store in the fridge. We eat it with oatmeal for breakfast or with yogurt as a snack. I use only organic fruit and spices as unpeeled apples, cranberries and spices go into one pot.

Use a variety of apples, wash them thoroughly and cut them into big chunks. discard apple cores. Add apples, a handful of fresh or frozen cranberries, 3 tbsp of brown sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 whole star anise, and 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and nutmeg to a large pot. Add about 1/2 cup of water.

Cook apples mixture stirring regularly to prevent burning until apples have cooked down and are mushy. If necessary add more water. When soft, remove cinnamon sticks and star anise.

Pour apple mixture into food processor and puree until you have achieved the desired consistency. Let cool, fill into glass jar and store in refrigerator.

Oatmeal, applesauce and pomegranate seeds

Cinnamon and Currant Granola

Ready for a delicious, but simple to prepare breakfast granola? Try my cinnamon and currant version, a delicious breakfast option when served with Greek yogurt and fresh berries or cut up stone fruit.

Ingredients:

4 cups of regular oats
3/4 cup dried currants (these dried red seedless grapes are often hard to find, try the bulk section at Whole Foods or order online)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tbsp clover honey
1 tsp vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 325 degree F. 
• Mix oats, currants and cinnamon in a large bowl. 
• Combine oil, honey and vanilla extract in a small dish and microwave for 10 seconds (this ensures that the oil and the honey mix nicely). Stir to combine and add to oat mixture. 
• Pour granola mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and place into the middle of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Rotate baking sheet by 180 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes stirring the mixture several times. 
• Remove tray from the oven and allow to cool (stir a couple of times so granola won't stick to baking sheet. 
• To store, fill granola into large sealable glass jar and store in a cool space (I actually keep mine in the fridge). 

Variations:

I like to add other dried fruit to the granola mixture - try dried blueberries or cranberries.

Peach Scones

I am a passionate tea drinker and love pairing different kinds of tea with various teatime treats. Scones are one of my favorites - I am always on the lookout for new recipes. While reading "Sweet Tea Revenge", the latest case in Laura Childs' Tea Shop Mystery series, I came across the following recipe for peach scones. Since this is peach season, I used unpeeled, fresh peaches which I diced.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp baking powder
6 tbsp butter
2 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup fresh or canned peaches, diced

• Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients using a pastry cutter.
• Mix eggs, sour cream and almond extract in a small bowl and add to flour and butter mixture.
• Gently fold in diced peaches.
• Line baking sheet with baking paper and drop roughly 3 tbsp of scone mixture on baking sheet spacing scones one inch apart.  Bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly brown.
• Depending on size, you will get about 12-16 scones.

I baked mine in a convection oven for 18 minutes as I like them a little darker. These scones are delicious and best eaten the same day.

Source: Sweet Tea Revenge - a Tea Shop Mystery by Laura Childs