Fun for U of M football fans on fall Saturdays, and fun for kids of all ages anytime – blueberry applesauce! Grand Traverse Pie Company apparently gets rave reviews for their blueberry applesauce, so I gave it a try, and indeed it’s a winner. And with this year’s bumper crop of Michigan apples, this easy recipe is perfect for local food lovers.
10 oz frozen blueberries
~ 3 lbs apples ( a combination of sweet and tart apples is best)
1/2 cup water or cider or apple juice
Optional: 2 T brown sugar
pinch of cinnamon (or ginger or allspice)
Peel, core and dice the apples. Combine frozen blueberries with apple chunks and ½ cup of water/cider in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Optional additions: 2 T sugar, pinch of cinnamon or ginger or allspice. If you use all sweet apples, sugar might not be necessary; if you use tart apples, go ahead and splurge with the sugar. Cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes. Monitor moisture – either add water if necessary or remove cover to boil off water. You can leave the applesauce chunky or shmoosh the apple chunks with a potato masher (my favorite), the back of a spoon, or for a really smooth texture use a food mill, food processor or stick blender.
