Baked Applesauce

Applesauce is a food that is so infinitely better when it's homemade, that it almost feels like it should have a different name than the store-bought stuff.

Perfectly sweet, cinnamony, chunky, and best served warm - straight from the oven.

I love to bake applesauce because it is so much less fussy than stovetop applesauce: No need to monitor the simmer, just mix the ingredients in a pot, and put it in the oven for an hour and a half.

By the time you take it out, you have perfectly soft apples. Give it a quick whisk to your desired texture. I love homemade applesauce to be a little on the chunky side, but if you're more of a pureed applesauce kind of person, use a potato masher, or even a food mill.

The very best part of homemade applesauce is that there's a place for it in just about every meal. Serve it with meat. Mix it in with your yogurt. Eat it for dessert.

Adapted from Ina Garten