Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Writing
  • Contact

Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Homemade Applesauce

September 29, 2008 · Narrative

Maddie Likes Mom's Homemade ApplesauceThere are some things that, after you’ve made it at home, you’ll find yourself swearing that you will never buy store-bought again.  Vodka sauce is like that for me.  Bottled just doesn’t compare once I’ve made it at home.  Straight marinara sauce is another, with this Ragu Bolognese being a favorite.  And now, the newest thing I can add to my list of never-buy-store-bought-again?  Applesauce.

After our apple picking expedition a week ago, I set off to find creative ways to use the apples we had brought home.  Or that was the plan.  We had picked enough apples that I could have made a bunch of recipes, but I made the applesauce recipe first, and that was the end of that.  I liked it so much, I made it again the next night, this time quadrupling the recipe.  Between me, Nicholas, Madeline, my niece Sophie, two neighbors’ babies and my mom, I knew it would get eaten up fast.  So now apple picking is on the schedule for this weekend again … The Husband loves apple cobbler, and Nicholas has yet to be introduced to it, so that’s as good excuse as any to go spend another sunny Fall afternoon at the orchards.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you my recipe for homemade applesauce, and hope that I can make a convert out of you.  For only 15 minutes of your time, I can nearly guarantee you’ll add it to your own never-buy-store-bought-again list.

Hungry for more apple recipes?

  • Everyday Food (Martha Stewart’s magazine) Editor Deb Puchalla totally hooked me up with an awesome article filled with apple recipes.  Just another reason for more apple picking this weekend.  Thanks, Deb, you rock!
  • Sweetnicks’ reader Maris took apples in an unusual direction with her White Bean and Apple Chili.
  • The Perfect Pantry puts buttermilk to use with an Apple Spice Bread recipe.
  • The brilliant food photographer, Bea, at La Tartine Gourmande gives us a behind-the-scenes look at making Artisanal Apple Juice.

Cate’s Homemade Applesauce

5 apples, peeled, cored and diced
3/4 cup water
1-1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
splash of lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a medium pot, add apples, water, sugars, lemon juice and cinnamon. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Turn off heat.  Once cool, mash with potato masher or other tool.  Refrigerate.

Print Friendly, PDF & EmailPRINT

Posted In: Narrative

Comments

  1. betsy says

    September 29, 2008 at 11:46 pm

    I’ve never made applesauce before — time to change that. Have a question. How much sugar does the abve recipe ask for? It says 1/4 cup. Did you use only 1 tablespoon.

    Thanks. Great blog.

    Reply
  2. Cate says

    September 29, 2008 at 11:49 pm

    For the white sugar, measure out 1/4 cup and take out 3 tablespoons. Need to work out another way of saying that. :) For the brown sugar, use 1 T. Thanks for stopping by.

    Reply
  3. Sara says

    September 30, 2008 at 12:16 am

    I’ve been making a ton of applesauce and freezing it – I add dried cranberries to mine,

    Saras last blog post..A weekend at the beach

    Reply
  4. Darius T. Williams says

    September 30, 2008 at 7:56 am

    That comment about making something at home and never buying it again – I bet your’e sooo right about this applesauce. i’m going to totally need to try it.

    -DTW
    http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com

    Darius T. Williamss last blog post..Rearranging The List

    Reply
  5. Annie says

    September 30, 2008 at 8:14 am

    I thought 4 Tbsp = 1/4 of a cup??

    Reply
  6. Cate says

    September 30, 2008 at 8:15 am

    Annie – just googled it, and right you are. Updated recipe. Thanks!

    Darius – totally.

    Sara – how well does it freeze? The cranberries addition sounds great!

    Reply
  7. Maris says

    September 30, 2008 at 10:02 am

    Love these recipes! I’ll definitely be stopping by the Perfect Pantry for the Apple Spice Bread recipe also!

    Mariss last blog post..White Bean & Apple Chili

    Reply
  8. Patsy Kreitman says

    October 1, 2008 at 9:41 pm

    I have GOT to go apple picking… gonna have to carve otu time this coming weekend!

    Patsy Kreitmans last blog post..L’Shanah Tovah!

    Reply
  9. farida says

    October 28, 2008 at 12:00 am

    Great recipe! There was a referral to it on another blog. Homemade applesauce rocks:)

    faridas last blog post..My New Blog is Here with Chocolate Banana Bread

    Reply
  10. Pam says

    July 27, 2009 at 10:53 am

    Recipe looks great! I have a 2 yr old grandson that is just going to LOVE this! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  11. Wayne Baker says

    October 18, 2010 at 5:56 am

    Enjoyed making this applesauce and the kids loved it. Thanks for the delicious recipe!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

Storytelling…
Through photos.
Words. And recipes.

Archives

Categories

Instagram

Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!

Pinterest

Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to ca Happy #NationalPuppyDay to these two. I used to call Clifford an asshat, because he basically was. But there’s a new asshat in town… 🙄 Clifford is now a freaking rockstar. His tumor and age have slowed him down a LOT and he virtually never misbehaves, and we are seriously so proud of him. Lola, on the other hand, is still full blown PUPPY. Tonight I’m assembling a gate to replace the wooden one she ate through. 😂 Berners love wood and she is OBSESSED with being in the kitchen. So one new metal gate coming right up as soon as I can figure out how to put it together.
Last week when I met the owners of the new French Last week when I met the owners of the new French bakery in town, I told them how happy I was that they were opening … because now I had an endless source for gifts for my mom’s future birthdays and Christmases. She was born in Paris and we’ve grown up with a healthy appreciation for French things … starting with their pastries and baguettes, but so much more. My daughter took her first trip to Paris last year and thoroughly enjoyed the croissants there and she deemed the ones at @chocolatinenj just as perfect. No surprise there since the owner is a French pastry chef! If you’re local and haven’t been, do make a point to stop in and visit. They’re open Wednesday through Sunday and have a wide selection of sweet and savory items and a few French retail selections as well. We’ve tried the macarons, the Croque Monsieur, the croissants, the tomato tarts, the baguette … basically we’re working our way through their display case in due time. Don’t miss this one - enjoy!
People complain about how much time is spent on ph People complain about how much time is spent on phones sometimes, but if it wasn’t for phones. I wouldn’t have these awesome little snippets of them growing up. I only wish I had more. Appreciate and document the little mundane things, for they are the very fabric of your life.
happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’v happy Spring, friends! Y’all know how long I’ve been waiting for the seasons to change and I’m so excited that Mother Nature was on board today! ☀️ There is nothing like the energy from the sun and it makes me happy. Hope you got some today!
Weekend photos in review, old school style. Contex Weekend photos in review, old school style. Context: 1) saying goodbye until Easter, 2) sending him back with good bagels, 3) sunlight charging station, 4) the sun was out all day yesterday and it was glorious, 5) hitting the farmers market for my favorite garlic butter, 6) make a wish, 7) sun patterns, and 8) my sous chef
I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I I don’t eat French fries often, but when I do, I’m going to make it count. Doo Wop Eats opened a few months ago in downtown Denville and their fries are LEGIT. They are hand cut and taste the way fries should … like potatoes! I add a sprinkle of salt and dunk them in a side of their special sauce and they are pure perfection. You can order a small bucket or a large one (better for sharing!), or as a side item with one of their other delicious menu items like their cheeseburgers, fried chicken sandwiches or cheesesteak. I do believe they’re the best fries in town. I said what I said. Doo Wop’s menu celebrates all your favorite Jersey shore boardwalk treats, including Fried Oreos, clam strips and milk shakes and has a fun vibe for kids and families. 😍
The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that The Grinder Salad, a recipe I found on tiktok that takes all of your favorite ingredients from a grinder (or sub) sandwich and makes it into a delicious chopped salad. It’s as easy as putting everything in a bowl and chopping it up. Perfect for busy days and lazy nights, light meals and warm weather choices. Ingredient list below. Enjoy!

One bag or arugula
One container of cherry tomatoes 
Quarter pound of hard salami
8 Oz of fresh mozzarella
One small red onion
1/3 cup banana peppers 
Handful of fresh basil
Half cup Italian salad dressing
3 T Kewpie mayo
2 T red wine vinegar 
Sea salt and black pepper

Chop it all up, add a half box of ditalini pasta, cooked. Mix to combine.

Recipe from GrilledCheeseSocial.
We had a fun little board party this week and the We had a fun little board party this week and the delicious whipped Brie I shared earlier was front and center. If you haven’t heard of board parties, it’s when every guest makes a different type of food board and brings it - so much fun noshing ensues! With toasted baguette slices, cornichons and local honey, this was mostly a French-inspired board. So simple to pull together and totally my kind of meal.

Copyright © 2023 Sweetnicks · Theme by Vicki Harrison Design