Ginger ale complements this apple-cranberry sauce

By Jim Bailey
theyankeechef.blogspot.com

This has got to be one of the easiest and uniquely delicious apple sauce recipes that I can give you.

My son sat down to this for dessert and ate the whole bowl. Don’t worry if any of the apple tidbits are slightly firm by the way. That adds character, bite and its own uniqueness.

The taste of golden ginger ale is the perfect complement to applesauce, but you can use other flavors such as cherry, root beer, orange, lemon lime or even Moxie. I think I just lost you, didn’t I?

Apple cranberry ginger ale sauce

6 large sweet apples, peeled, cored and diced fine
3 tablespoons maple syrup
3 tablespoons whole berry cranberry sauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) can golden ginger ale*

Add everything to a large saucepan with lid. Over medium heat, bring to a boil, lay the lid on askew and continue cooking, intermittently stirring for about 20 minutes or until apples have dissolved into even smaller pieces.

You can mash the apples at any point once softened as well, to help the cooking along. Once soft, you will notice the liquid has evaporated and the apple sauce has thickened substantially. If need be, add more soda, but a very little at a time.

When done, remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. I want you to taste this before you cover with film wrap. Remember how it tastes now, refrigerate overnight. In the morning you will notice the applesauce has thickened even more. Now taste it again. Remember how it tasted last night? Quite a difference.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

*Or use ginger beer, but either way, you want the spiciest true spicy flavor of ginger ale without being overly sweet. I find that Polar brand is one of the best and the flavor of ginger comes to the tongue. Bear in mind that ginger beer will contain up to 10 percent alcohol.

Schiffer Books of Pennsylvania has released Jim Bailey’s new book The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen. It contains more than 550 traditional New England comfort-food recipes tweaked for today’s palates with hundreds of kitchen tips and food facts. The hardback book is 312 pages and contains 200 color images. Its ISBN is 978-0-7643-4191-5 and the cost is $34.99. The book can be ordered through Misty Valley Books, 802-875-3400.