Hi.

Welcome! I'm a new Pittsburgher and mom who is untrained in both life and cooking, but that just makes them both more exciting!

Pear Applesauce

Pear Applesauce

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Well, friends, I'm joining the 3-spinal-surgeries-under-30 club this week.  Which sucks because it seems like every time I have a surgery I convince myself that it will be the last one, so when my doctor looked at me with concern in his eyes and said that I have to get into the operating room for his first available time slot it's a pretty devastating feeling.  But this time he's doing a fusion on my spine, and it should be the last one for real this time.  Please keep your fingers and toes crossed for a safe procedure and recovery!

This all also means that recipes will slow down a bit around here while I recover, but luckily there are a couple of fun giveaways to look forward to, including the signed copy of Ina Garten's Foolproof one which is already open.  But before I step back a bit, I had to get one last post up from Turnips to Tangerines for the Secret Recipe Club swap.  It's nice because it gives me one last chance to get an apple recipe in this year. Apple picking is a required rite of passage before fall can transition into winter, and I'm so glad that we got to go with Allie and Darren while we were in Boston.  Lily loved climbing the trees and eating apples two at a time.  Luckily, Jake was around this weekend to help prepare this recipe and take pictures.  The recipe is simple enough that he could handle it among the million other things involved in caring for a bed-bound wife, a 3-year-old child, and a prototype due at work this Friday, so you can definitely whip it up with any apples and pears you having hanging around the house.  The recipe is very flexible, so have fun with it!  Here's a picture of Jake playing food blogger, and Lily doing her best to help, too:

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Pear Applesauce

~12 apples, peeled, cored and sliced ~4 pears, peeled, cored and sliced Juice from 2 lemons 1/4 cup apple cider 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp ground ginger

Place apples, pears, lemon juice, and apple cider in a large saucepan.  If you want your sauce to be sweet, add a couple of tablespoons sugar to the saucepan at this point.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender.  Using an immersion blender or a traditional blender, puree the apple mixture to desired consistency.  Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Source: Adapted from  Turnips to Tangerines

In lieu of an apple recipe...

Giveaway: A SIGNED Copy of Foolproof by Ina Garten

Giveaway: A SIGNED Copy of Foolproof by Ina Garten