Lollappleooza Day 1: Ma’s Chunky Applesauce

One week.

Two people.

69 apples. (Hee. 69.)

Let the games begin!

As mentioned last week, today officially kicks off Lollappleooza, CHG’s week-long celebration of autumn’s, uh, reddest fruit. In its honor, I’m starting with one of my all-time favorite recipes: my Ma’s applesauce.

Now, Ma’s not a four-star chef, but she knows her way around a stove. And when it comes to her specialties (applesauce, sweet potato casserole, lasagna, and Christmas cookies), no one dares cross her. Partially because the dishes are hard to top, and partially because she might stab you. (*stares weepily at scar from Snickerdoodle Incident*)

Over the years, Ma’s applesauce has become a Thanksgiving fixture, ranking only below Pa’s stuffing on the Must Eat list. She spices it just right and goes easy on the brown sugar, since she’s fully aware that apples stand fine on their own. (Um, don’t challenge her on this. Again with the stabbing.) Plus, she doesn’t puree it (thank jeebus), just goes to town with the potato masher, leaving us with a chunky, funky-in-a-good-way compliment to Alton Brown’s Roast Turkey.

So, make Ma happy. Next time you're feeling like a quick sauce, a kiddie side, or even a topping for pork or chicken, give it a try. I promise - no stabbing.

Ma’s Chunky Applesauce
Make 3 cups – ½ cup each serving

9 medium MacIntosh or Cortland apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into chunks
2 T water
3 T unpacked brown sugar
Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to taste

1) Heat everything in a pot or dutch oven on medium for 30 minutes or until apples are mushy. Stir occasionally.

2) When time is up, mash to desired consistency with potato masher. Serve hot or cold.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
90 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.45

Calculations
9 medium apples: 540 calories, 1.4 g fat, $2.61
2 T water: negligible calories and fat, FREE
3 T unpacked brown sugar: 102 calories, 0 g fat $0.08
Cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to taste: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 542 calories, 1.4 g fat, $2.70
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 90 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.45

Lollappleooza Preview: All Night Apple Butter

Spurred by the changing of the leaves and a temporary onset of insanity, The Boyfriend and I (along with every four-year-old in Brooklyn) went apple picking last weekend. We spent two hours in the 85°F "autumn," and came home with head colds and almost six dozen pieces of fruit. Since there was no way we were going to finish them one by one (the apples, not the head colds), I had to start cooking. Fast.

Thus, Lollappleooza was born.

(Yay! Plays on words!)

Kicking off October 15th, Lollappleooza will be a five day hootenanny of apple recipes, links, and frugality strategies. It will be the ultimate apple guide, a convergence of the finest apple-related frippery the blogosphere has to offer. It will also help me use up 69 apples.

Which, speaking of…

Shortly after arriving home, I found AllRecipes’ All Day Apple Butter, which needs its title changed to Why You Should Always Read the Reviews Butter. The recipe called for five pounds of apples aided and abetted by a staggering four cups of sugar. Yoinks. Most AllRecipe commentors agreed this gave the spread a lollipop-like sweetness, much too cloying for the average bear. A bunch ended up cutting the sugar in half, to way better results. Increasing the spices and extending the crock potting time were suggested, too, and both turned out to be really good calls.

I followed all the advice, and in the end, my version was still sweet, but not gag-inducingly so. The apples shone through, and the cinnamon and cloves made it much kickier than store-bought apple butters. Though I might tone the sugar down even more next time, I’d happily spread this on toast or pumpkin bread. I might even lick it off my fingers. I would definitely do everything in this Chowhound thread.

P.S. Don’t forget! Lollappleooza starts Monday! I promise you won't need tickets, and don’t have to join Greenpeace (unless you want to). Hope to see you there.

All Night Apple Butter
Makes 2-1/2 cups or 40 Tablespoons
Adapted from All Recipes.

2-3/4 lbs MacIntosh or Cortland apples (about 10 medium), peeled, cored, and chopped into tiny pieces
Scant 2/3rd cup unpacked brown sugar
Scant 2/3rd cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Heaping 1/8th teaspoon cloves
1/4th teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/8th teaspoon salt

1) Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.

2) Pour all ingredients into 3-1/2 qt. slow cooker. Mix well.

3) Cook on high for 1 hour. Stir. Mash slightly with potato masher.

4) Cook on low 9-12 hours. Stir. Mash with potato masher.

5) Cook an additional 2 hours with cover off. Stir. Mash with potato masher to desired consistency.

6) Leave overnight in the fridge for optimum taste.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
37 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10

Calculations
2-3/4 lbs apples: 600 calories, 1.6 g fat, $2.90
Scant 2/3rd cup unpacked brown sugar: 364 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
Scant 2/3rd cup granulated white sugar: 511 calories, 0 g fat, $0.21
Heaping 1 teaspoon cinnamon: negligible fat and calories, $0.03
Heaping 1/8th teaspoon cloves: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
1/8th teaspoon salt: negligible fat and calories, $0.01
TOTAL: 1475 calories, 1.6 g fat, $3.80
PER SERVING (TOTAL/40): 37 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10

CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
SAHMmy Says
The most horrifying, hilarious essay I’ve read in awhile is SAHMmy's "Don't Bite the Boob That Feeds You." I’m gigantically glad there was no accompanying picture. But beyond her mangled melons, this Stay-at-Home-Ma (thus, the title) is a clever, take-no-prisoners writer with solid, creative ideas about running her California household. In particular, her Mommy Wars post is darn provocative, and the GYOB (Get Off Your Butt) challenges are killer.

Cookbook of the Week
Lighten Up
At first glance, this Ginny Clark book is underwhelming. A paltry five inches tall and seven inches long, it’s illustrated by hand in black-and-white, and doesn’t seem to reach for the culinary stars in terms of fancy prep or mysterious ingredients. However – be ye not judgey, lest ye be judged (or something). The recipes contained within are simple, quick, tasty, and healthy. It’s a … um … quadfecta? Yeah. That’s it.

Deals of the Week
Amazon: Fast Food Nation – 50% off ($2.65 used)
Emerson House Coffee: Free sample
Sears: 40% off Tableware sale

Organization of the Week
The Society of St. Andrew
A Christian-based program awarded a four-star rating by Charity Navigator, SoSA focuses on the distribution of healthy, inexpensive food (with an emphasis on produce) to hungry kids and families nationwide. The Potato Project alone would make any spud-lovin’ Mick proud. Privately supported, they can always use donations, volunteers, and/or folks who’ll spread the word.

Quote of the Week
“You better cut the pizza in four pieces, because I'm not hungry enough to eat six.” - Yogi Berra

Tip of the Week
Have a half-used can of chicken, veggie, or beef broth on the brink of moldiness? Use it to boil pasta. The noodles will benefit from the extra flava, and you’ll save your fridge from the perils of Stinkonia.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Florence Fabricant’s Fettucine with Mushroom Ragu from Wednesday Chef
Have you ever read a foodie blog and wanted to ask the writer to come cook for you? I feel like that every single time I browse Luisa’s posts. For the fat-conscious, I bet you can halve the olive oil in this and still be fine.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“Brown Sugar” - Rolling Stones
We’ve gone a little under-the-radar the last few weeks, so here’s an oldie-but-sweetie from the Greatest Rock and Roll Band in the World.

(Except Radiohead.)

(And U2.)

(And Pearl Ja…okay, let’s face it. The Stones are pushing 90. They’ve got to slow down sometime.)

(Right?)

(RIGHT?)

11 Things Dwight K. Schrute Taught Me About Food and Frugality

Hardworking. Alpha Male. Jackhammer.

As a renowned beet farmer, volunteer Sheriff’s Deputy, and Assistant to the Regional Manager at the Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company Scranton branch, Dwight K. Schrute embodies all these enviable qualities, and then some. (He’s also merciless and insatiable.) Yet, the bear-bating, martial arts-trained Schrute makes cultural contributions that go far beyond his multiple jobs.

Of course, I refer to his insights.

Our lives can only benefit from Schrute's somewhat obtuse, yet priceless aphorisms. Especially the ones about food. And cooking. And saving money.

So read on, dear … uh, readers. Learn from our fair farmer, and one day you, too, may join the DWIGHT ARMY OF CHAMPIONS.

DWIGHT SAYS: “Michael always says ‘K-I-S-S. Keep it simple, stupid.’ Great advice. Hurts my feelings every time.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Fresh, simple ingredients are the best way to a cheap, healthy meal.
In other words, eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, dabs of dairy, healthy fats and lean meats are the building blocks of delicious dinners and happy digestive systems. In the long run, they cost less and taste better than pre-packaged stuff, too.

DWIGHT SAYS: “My grandfather left me a 60-acre working beet farm. I run it with my cousin Mose. We sell beets to the local stores and restaurants. It’s a nice little farm ... sometimes teenagers use it for sex.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Buy local.
Not only does it support neighborhood farmers (who need security to keep randy kids away), but food that’s shipped from nearby tastes better, is better for you, and is easier on the environment. See here for more.

DWIGHT SAYS: "First rule in roadside beet sales, put the most attractive beets on top. The ones that make you pull the car over and go, 'Wow, I need this beet right now.' Those are the money beets."
DWIGHT MEANS: Knowing how food is marketed is vital to saving cash.
There’s a reason grocery stores put expensive, good-looking food at eye level. It’s the same mentality behind placing pricey victuals in gigantic, showy displays. When you go food shopping, don’t forget to look at the top and bottom shelves - beyond what’s immediately apparent. You’ll spend less. (Also: Stick to the perimeter of supermarkets, shop from the circular, only use coupons for stuff you’d buy anyway, keep a price book, etc.)

DWIGHT SAYS: “Studies show that more information is passed through watercooler gossip than through official memos, which puts me at a disadvantage because I bring my own water to work.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Bottled water is a big, wet gyp.
Packing a thermos from home, using the cooler at the office, or simply gathering H2O from the tap can conserve up to $600 per year, depending on how often you buy bottled. (See here, here, and here for more.)

DWIGHT SAYS: “Yes, I have decided to shun Andy Bernard for the next three years, which I'm looking forward to. It's an Amish technique; it's like slapping someone with silence. I was shunned from the age of 4 until my 6th birthday, for not saving the excess oil from a can of tuna.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Save leftovers, or suffer the terrible consequences.
Whether it’s excess mashed potatoes or those last two slices of pizza, try to pack your extras away. It’ll keep your portion size down, make a delicious office meal the next day, and put your lunch money back where it belongs – in your pocket.

DWIGHT SAYS: "Oh you know that line on the top of the shrimp? That's feces."
DWIGHT MEANS: Don’t play around with food safety.
Yeah, I think this one's pretty self-explanatory.

DWIGHT SAYS: “In the wild, there is no health care. In the wild, health care is, ‘Ow, I hurt my leg. I can't run. A lion eats me and I'm dead.’ Well, I'm not dead. I'm the lion, you're dead.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Eating smart and modestly will save your money and your life.
Obesity contributes to heart disease, diabetes, and cancer – all difficult and expensive illnesses to treat. (See Get Rich Slowly’s The High Cost of Being Fat.) Plus, it makes it very difficult to run away from lions.

DWIGHT SAYS: “Whenever I’m about to do something, I think, ‘Would an idiot do that?’ And if they would, I do not do that thing.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Find a food anti-idol.
Imagine your most extravagant friend. You know, the high roller - the one that doesn’t think twice about his finances. For what does he dole out the most dough? If he’s anything like my big-spender buds, it’s food. Learn from his bad example and try to use good judgment when buying groceries, ordering out, or settling down for a restaurant meal.

DWIGHT SAYS: [to Toby's daughter] “Hello, tiny one. YOU ARE THE FUTURE!”
DWIGHT MEANS: Teach your children well.
When it comes to eating and budgeting, kids learn largely from the examples set by their parents. Whether it’s having dinner together or serving more vegetables, changing a bad habit or starting a few good ones will benefit them for life.

DWIGHT SAYS: “When you are ready to see the sales office, the sales office will present itself to you.”
DWIGHT MEANS: Honest change can not come until one is truly ready.
If you’re looking to cut costs or make a switch to simpler foods, you must first commit yourself to the idea, and then be ready to follow through on the behaviors. Think of it like smoking: every single person on Earth can warn you to stop, but until you want to, there’s no chance.

DWIGHT SAYS: “I do not fear the unknown. I will meet my new challenges head-on, and I will succeed, and I will laugh in the faces of those who doubt me.”
DWIGHT MEANS: You don’t know unless you try.
So you’d like to make more money, cook more wholesome meals, lose a few pounds. What’s stopping you? Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from reaching your dreams - gastronomic, economic, and otherwise.

(Catch more of Dwight on The Office every Thursday on NBC.)

Tuesday Megalinks: The Puffs Plus Edition

Have you ever woken up in the morning positive that you had the Plague? That's today for me. I can hear my own face. It's really lovely.

ABC News: More Fish for Pregnant Women? Seafood Debate Rages.
If I was a fetus (which I was once … there are pictures), I think I’d want a fishstick. I’m just sayin’.

Mayo Clinic: 20 tips for permanent weight loss
Thanks to an cheeseburger-heavy summer, I’m back OP this week. (That’s On Plan for you non-Weight Watching folks out there.) This MC list is my mantra.

My Retirement Blog: Festival of Frugality #95
CHG's pork post made it in, and there's a whole SECTION on food. Neato.

Paid Twice: Plans to Buy in Bulk – The Readers Speak
Faboo post about strategizing for CostCo, BJ’s, and/or Sam’s Club trips. My strategy: I never buy more than I can carry. It hurts too much walking back to el subway.

The PB& J Campaign
Eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Save the world. (Thanks to Serious Eats)

Wired: Keep Your Food, Change Your Plate - The New Science of Eating
It's all about portion control, man.

`

The Nina, the Pinta, and the Sinus Infectionia

No post for today, since it's both Columbus Day (woo!) and Something Decided to Set Up Camp in My Face Day (boo). I sound like Patty and Selma after four packs of Lucky Strikes.

Please check back later in the week for a neat Apple Butter recipe and "11 Things Dwight K. Schrute Has Taught Me About Food and Frugality." Because there ain't no party like a CHG party.

Easy Peasy: Nigella Lawson's Easy Pea Soup

(Before we get started with today's recipe - a happy, happy "hi" to y'all coming over from Meredith's blog, Like Merchant Ships. She was extremely generous with her linkage, and for that, I'm way grateful.)

“Pea Soup” is a less-than-appetizing title for anything about to be placed on a dining room table. On the upper end of the intellectual spectrum, guests will confuse it with fog. At the lower end, your company may never stop giggling. Yet, this version, from Nigella Lawson (as interpreted by Serious Eats) will make friends, family, and pets forget all about the name.

Boasting a lovely, Kermit-reminiscent shade of green and a staggering prep time of 15 minutes (five of them spent doing dishes), Nigella's Pea Soup is one of the simplest, most rewarding comestibles I’ve ever had the pleasure of wolfing down (the other being Bobby Flay’s Parmesan Crusted Portobello Mushrooms with White Truffle Oil).

Fast dishes aren’t supposed to be this good. Cheap ones shouldn’t taste this classy. Peas legendarily suck. Yet, against all odds, Nigella won my heart. And possibly my Boyfriend. He loved it, especially paired with lasagna and a crunchy side salad.

Next time you have to prepare an upscale soup at breakneck speed, try it out. A few suggestions, though:

1. Puree the everloving heck out of it. Otherwise, you’re left with a slightly mealy texture that becomes less appealing with every leftover sampling.
   
2. Should you go heavy on the cheese, ease up on salt. Parm is kind of salty anyway, and its flavor shines through in the dish.
   
3. If you have an aversion to, allergy of, or deep-seated enmity toward peas, it might be best to skip the soup entirely.

P.S. I paid a ridiculous amount for both the stock and the peas (which I thought were on sale), so I’m thinking that a better shopper could make this cost about half the price that I did.

Easy Pea Soup
4 servings – 2/3 c each
Adapted from Nigella Lawson/Serious Eats.

2 cups vegetable stock
3 cups frozen peas
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons Olive oil
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese

1) In a medium saucepan, heat stock over medium-low heat. Pour in peas and cook until just tender.

2) In a blender, process peas and stock until totally smooth. When almost finished, add balsamic vinegar and mix a little more.

3) Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped off with a little olive oil and paremesan cheese (1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of parmesan per serving worked well for me. - Kris)

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
131 calories, 3 g fat, $0.71

Calculations
2 cups vegetable stock: 30 calories, 0 g fat, $1.09
3 cups frozen peas: 374 calories, 1.3 g fat, $1.43
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar: 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.07
Salt and pepper: negligible fat and calories, $0.03
2 teaspoons Olive oil: 80 calories, 9 g fat, $0.06
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese: 28 calories, 1.9 g fat, $0.14
TOTAL: 522 calories, 12.2 g fat, $2.82
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 131 calories, 3 g fat, $0.71