Homemade applesauce makes a great compliment to any holiday meal this season. Not only is it easy to make and store, but is also a delicious way to use leftover apples. Nothing beats a healthy and sweet side dish of hot, homemade applesauce on a cold day. It can be spiced up with cinnamon and brown sugar, or can be eaten plain, as nature intended.

Most apples will work, but certain types work better than others. Some of the best apples to use include: Braeburn, Pink Lady, Johnathan, Jonagold, Macintosh, Granny Smith and other cooking varieties. Using the apples in combinations of different varieties can provide the best applesauce due to balance and compensation for flavor, appearance and texture, so be creative when making this applesauce!

How to make:

Rinse apples and set to dry. Peel, core and quarter apples, putting the slices into a medium to large stockpot depending on the number of apples used.

When done, fill stockpot with water just until water covers tops of apples. Set pot on stove and bring to boil.

Boil apples on medium high heat, stirring occasionally until hot through middle and tender to forking.

Using a slotted spoon, remove some of the apples and put them into a blender. With the blender on highest settings, liquefy the mushy apples, adding small amounts of liquid from the stockpot as needed to achieve desired consistency.

Dump contents into a heat-safe and freezer-safe storage container and continue processing soggy apples through the blender until all apples are done mixing. If mixture is too thick, add more leftover juice from the stockpot into the blender and mix with remaining apples.

Add in small amounts of lemon juice, cinnamon and/or brown sugar to adjust for taste and mix into container thoroughly before serving hot.

Applesauce can be stored in the refrigerator up to one week and in the freezer for up to two months.