Applesauce!
Posted by Amateur Teacher on Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Under: cooking
It's been a while... well, maybe only a week, but still. Y'all know how much I love my little blog so it naturally feels longer than that. I have been crazy tired. I mean, a nap a day tired. And naps are easy to take since Mister is on night shift. He's in the bed when I get home, so why not join him? Of course, this has its downside... such as the house being a wreck. A daily nap does not make the house cleaner. Figure that.
Anyway, my title says applesauce. Back to the topic. This week my sweeties and I ("sweeties" being my students) made some homemade applesauce in the crock-pot. And if a bunch of seven and eight year olds scarf it down when it's almost lawsuit hot, you know it's good.
Mister and I took a weekend trip to his uncle's cabin in Ellijay, Georgia. September through November is the time for apples in North Georgia. It's also the time of year when we study our matter unit at school and make applesauce to show how matter can change forms. Well, Ellijay = apples, apples = applesauce. How could I leave there without getting some bonafide Georgia apples for our applesauce?!
Tuesday found me sitting on the floor, crock-pot in front of me, surrounded by eager second graders. I peeled each apple and they looked at those peels with hungry eyes. "Do y'all want to eat the peels?" "PLEEEEEASE! We don't want them to go to waste!" HAHA! Before the peels could hit the napkin, they were grabbed and eaten! Same for the cores! And instead of throwing them in the trashcan when they were finished they asked if they could throw them outside instead. "Isn't that LITTERING?!" some asked. We had a lesson about what happens to organic matter when it's left outside and they learned that, indeed, that's not littering. It's quite the opposite!
We ended up peeling about four pounds of apples. We then mixed in a half of a cup of brown sugar, I let them all sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and we let it simmer on high for four hours. Every time we had to leave the room they would run straight to the back of the room to see what was happening to our apples. They were worried nothing was happening since they all still looked like apples and not like the applesauce they get from the store. Then, when it was time, I lifted the lid and reached in with a spoon to stir. Those apples were like butter! The kids oooed and ahhhed as each apple turned into creamy goodness.
Each child got a little cup of our creation to taste. They thought it was the best in the world! It makes me wonder if less kids would be picky eaters if they were in the kitchens helping their parents cook. Even one student who didn't like applesauce still wanted to try it.
Such a simple little activity, but filled with so many opportunities for learning!
So, the recipe:
20 small apples or however many will fill your crock-pot ;)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Peel and core apples. Cut into wedges. Place in crock-pot and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set on high for four hours or low for eight hours or until mushy. Stir and mash with spoon. Serve and enjoy!
I'm planning on making another batch tonight for canning! I'll let y'all know how that turns out!
Anyway, my title says applesauce. Back to the topic. This week my sweeties and I ("sweeties" being my students) made some homemade applesauce in the crock-pot. And if a bunch of seven and eight year olds scarf it down when it's almost lawsuit hot, you know it's good.
Mister and I took a weekend trip to his uncle's cabin in Ellijay, Georgia. September through November is the time for apples in North Georgia. It's also the time of year when we study our matter unit at school and make applesauce to show how matter can change forms. Well, Ellijay = apples, apples = applesauce. How could I leave there without getting some bonafide Georgia apples for our applesauce?!
Tuesday found me sitting on the floor, crock-pot in front of me, surrounded by eager second graders. I peeled each apple and they looked at those peels with hungry eyes. "Do y'all want to eat the peels?" "PLEEEEEASE! We don't want them to go to waste!" HAHA! Before the peels could hit the napkin, they were grabbed and eaten! Same for the cores! And instead of throwing them in the trashcan when they were finished they asked if they could throw them outside instead. "Isn't that LITTERING?!" some asked. We had a lesson about what happens to organic matter when it's left outside and they learned that, indeed, that's not littering. It's quite the opposite!
We ended up peeling about four pounds of apples. We then mixed in a half of a cup of brown sugar, I let them all sprinkle some cinnamon on top, and we let it simmer on high for four hours. Every time we had to leave the room they would run straight to the back of the room to see what was happening to our apples. They were worried nothing was happening since they all still looked like apples and not like the applesauce they get from the store. Then, when it was time, I lifted the lid and reached in with a spoon to stir. Those apples were like butter! The kids oooed and ahhhed as each apple turned into creamy goodness.
Each child got a little cup of our creation to taste. They thought it was the best in the world! It makes me wonder if less kids would be picky eaters if they were in the kitchens helping their parents cook. Even one student who didn't like applesauce still wanted to try it.
Such a simple little activity, but filled with so many opportunities for learning!
So, the recipe:
20 small apples or however many will fill your crock-pot ;)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Peel and core apples. Cut into wedges. Place in crock-pot and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set on high for four hours or low for eight hours or until mushy. Stir and mash with spoon. Serve and enjoy!
I'm planning on making another batch tonight for canning! I'll let y'all know how that turns out!
In : cooking