Welcome!

The Family Recipe Box contains our large collection of recipes from many sources. Some were scribbled long ago on notes and cards by family, friends, and colleagues. Others were clipped from newspapers, magazines, and food packages. All of them were filed away in the dark kitchen cabinets in file boxes, notebooks, and folders. Many have become favorites and are frequently requested by family members who request them by phone or e-mail. One day I wondered: What if we’re not home or our computer crashes, and they need the recipe ASAP?

I wanted a way to make these recipes easily accessible to everyone else in the extended family — but how?

And so, The Family Recipe Box was born. There are many more recipes waiting to come out into the light, so check back often to see what’s new. My hope is that those who visit will keep the recipes going for many more years to come. And there’s always room for more in the box, so feel free to submit a favorite of your own.

If you try a recipe and you like it, please post a comment and let us know!

Happy Eating!

~ Jen

Chunky Applesauce

I offered to take applesauce to serve alongside the pork loin my mom served for Thanksgiving dinner this year. She suggested a chunky applesauce and I thought it would be nice to make it myself for this special dinner. Having never made it before, I did my usual on-line recipe hunt and also checked a few of our cookbooks on the shelves. Finally, I decided to create my own recipe. I chose apples on the sweet side to eliminate the need for added sugar, but I added just a little brown sugar for flavor. The result was delicious! It was a big hit and a perfect side for the delicious pork loin.

I plan to make it again and experiment with different types of apples and amounts of sugar, just to see how they affect the outcome — however, I think this recipe is a winner just as it is.

In addition to being a delicious side dish for pork, applesauce also makes a delicious topping for pancakes or hot oatmeal, or served warm over vanilla ice cream. For low-fat baking, it can be substituted for equal parts fat in any baking recipe (example: replace 1/2 cup oil with 1/2 cup applesauce). And when it’s done cooking, strain the remaining liquid for a delicious glass of apple juice!

Makes 4 cups

• 8 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Fill a large bowl with water and add the lemon juice.

Peel, core, and chop the apples into bite-size chunks. As you chop each apple, put them in the bowl of water to prevent browning. When all the apples are chopped, measure out 1/2 cup water and set aside. Dispose of the remaining water.

Put the apple chunks into a crock pot. Add the 1/2 cup water, and sprinkle the brown sugar on top.

Set the crock pot to HIGH setting and cook for 2-1/2 hours.

Remove the apples with a slotted spoon, preserving the liquid in the crock pot. Mash the apples with a potato masher until they are the desired consistency. If you want a chunkless applesauce, continue mashing until there are no chunks.

Add the cinnamon and mix well. Allow to cool, then refrigerate or serve immediately.