For the best taste and texture, use a variety of apples—such as Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Gala—when making applesauce and apple pie. Stir in a little chopped rosemary, and serve this applesauce as a side dish with pork chops or hash browns.

Ingredients
12 large apples, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
1⁄2 lemon, sliced

Directions
1 Cook all ingredients in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, 20 minutes or until apples are tender and juices are thickened.

2 Remove and discard lemon slices.

3 Serve applesauce warm; or let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Makes about 6 cups.

Variation: Spiced applesauce
Substitute 1⁄2 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar for 1 cup sugar. Omit lemon slices, and add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves; prepare as directed.

Excerpted from Southern Living Comfort Food: A Delicious Trip Down Memory Lane. Copyright © 2009 by Oxmoor House Inc.  Published by Oxmoor House Inc., a division of Southern Progress Corporation.