Baked Applesauce -- A Quiet Sunday Before the World Finds Out

Valentine's Day Friday. Dave made pork chops. Gayle ate with us.

Drove Tuesday.

Book two publishes Tuesday February 18. I am nervous.

Gayle stable.

Sunday: roast chicken.

Between Dave’s Valentine’s Day pork chops and the Sunday roast chicken, I needed something soft and uncomplicated to fill the gaps — something that asked nothing of me while I held my breath waiting for book two to hit shelves on Tuesday. Baked applesauce was exactly that: the whole house smelled warm and sweet while it cooked, and for a little while the nerves just… settled. Sometimes the simplest things are the most steadying.

Baked Applesauce

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 medium apples (such as Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and quartered
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup apple cider or water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking dish or a deep casserole dish.
2. Prepare the apples. Arrange the apple quarters in a single layer in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Drizzle the lemon juice evenly over the top, then pour in the apple cider or water around the edges.
3. Add butter. Dot the apple pieces with the small pieces of butter distributed evenly across the top.
4. Bake. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, until the apples are completely tender and collapsing. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes until the edges are lightly caramelized.
5. Mash and finish. Remove from the oven and mash the apples to your preferred texture — rustic and chunky or smooth and silky. Stir to incorporate the baking juices. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 130 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 5mg