Pear Applesauce with Cinnamon

There are some things that are instantly recognizable.  Take the Nike logo or Taj Mahal.  It takes only one glance and you know what you are looking at.  I would argue the same for Albert Einstein's hair, but that's getting us off track.  There are other things that are not immediately recognizable, like a delicious apple for example.  An apple's outward appearance can be incredibly deceiving.  Even when an apple has a shiny and vibrant red or green exterior, there is no guarantee of a hard, juicy, and satisfying interior.  How many times have you been misled by an apple's appearance only to find a disappointing soft, mushy, and/or grainy inside?

This recipe was the result of disappointing apples; a bag of apples that no one in my family wanted to eat, but I did not want to let go to waste.  The same soft apples that did not satisfy us when raw were delicious (and gone instantly) once cooked.  Along with our stash of not-gonna-to-be-eaten-apples, I used a couple of overripe pears that were left in our fruit bowl as well.  The addition of pears amped up the taste of this applesauce and even the picky eater in our family enjoyed their inclusion.  I used what apples and pears I had on hand, which is often the case when using overripe or imperfect fruit.  Any variety apple or pear would be acceptable.

INGREDIENTS:

4 apples, cored, peeled, and cubed (I used Honeycrisp and Fuji)
2 pears, cored, peeled, and cubed (I used Anjou)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Put apples, pears, water, sugar, and cinnamon in medium sauce pan and stir to combine.  Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.

2.  Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes, or until apples and pears are extremely tender, have extracted their juices, and started to break down and thicken.

3.  Mash until all cubed fruit is at the desired consistency you prefer.  (We like ours more lumpy than smooth.)

4.  Transfer into serving bowl and allow to cool.  Serve.

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