Apple Core, Who's it For?

Chain Gang.

To state the complete obvious, Australia is different from the United States.  I know this shouldn't come a shock to some of you, but there are so many things we take for granted in the United States that when you arrive in another country, is a complete culture shock.
Let's take grocery shopping for example.  First off, you're only buying for the week, which is a hard habit to get into for someone who basically went once a month. And because Shawn's 'thriftiness' has invaded my mind, I refuse to pay to get a grocery cart.  Yeah, you pay for one.  You put your little coin in (like a dollar or two dollar coin) and then you get to use the cart.  Want your little coin back?  You return the cart.  It seems a little uncivilized to me, but maybe that's because I'd never actually steal a grocery cart, because I am a rule follower, and thoughts like stealing grocery carts do not enter into my mind. (does that enter anyone's mind?)  Also, it does not matter to me that I get the coin back.  it's the PRINCIPAL. So mostly, I just use the baskets (which you DON'T have to pay for) and pretend I am working on my muscles by lugging around pounds of meat and litres of milk.  (I will be ripped and I will call them my milk muscles)

Another thing I've taken for granted is the ability to get foods I like.  You think, oh yeah they're going to have new foods (I'm talking to you Vegemite) but they are totally going to have things like hot dogs (rare) grape jelly (yeah that's not happening) and apple sauce.  (WHAT?  NO APPLESAUCE?).  Okay, Australia, I will give you the first two, but applesauce seems, i dunno, universal? 
In my inability to create the first two items (no, I am not making my own hot dogs lest I never eat hot dogs again and let's be honest, I don't even think grape jelly is made from normal ingredients <----pretending hot dogs are....) I decided I was going to make some applesauce.  The fact that it NEVER OCCURRED to me that I could make my own applesauce just goes to prove, I am a lazy, lazy girl.  I also figured I'd need a food mill to do this, and then I realized me and my super hand blender (seriously, it's my favorite thing) can accomplish anything together!

My Lovely Apple Purchases.

So at the Farmer's Market, I got approximately a dozen 6 million gala apples for $2.  Since Shawn sometimes eats fruit (re: only fruits that contain the word "apples") and sometimes does not eat fruit (re: every other fruit in the universe and sometimes apple-fruits), I started to worry about my growing fruit collection.  But I felt like using one apple was boring, and besides, I also have a bag of granny smith apples, and applesauce seemed like a better idea than me trying to make an apple crisp or apple crumble (it's FALL here!!) because of all my oven drama.  (STUPID STUPID OVEN.)

Anyway, I found a recipe online and doubled it because I wanted to make SO MUCH APPLESAUCE.  I also took out the sugar (yeah stop judging) and replaced it with Splenda.  That box was approximately $45.  I am not kidding.

Yes, I used a knife.  All by myself. 

I prepped all my little apples and y'know, I think granny smiths are very pretty.  That's sort of a weird thing to think.  But I don't think I ever realized the inside of granny smiths were that different in color to a red skinned apple.  Whatever, it's my blog, if I want to think they're pretty, I will.    

I added the apples, some cinnamon, the $17 of Splenda and some water. Then into a pot to simmer with a lid.

Cauldron of delicious apples

Sufficiently mushed.

BLENDED Y'ALL.

All in all, I think it came out pretty good.  I think Shawn does not like it, because of the cinnamon (and because it's still in the fridge) so if I make another batch for him, I'll leave it out.  But I think it's tasty, if not a bit too watery.  So less water next time and probably make it chunkier.  Because just like peanut butter, applesauce with chunks is better.  (is that a controversial statement?)

This realization that I could make my very own applesauce has empowered me.  Yeah, it's just applesauce, to you non-applesauce making noobs.  But, I'm like...I'm like....like A PIONEER WOMAN!  I AM FORDING THE RIVER.  I AM NOT DYING OF DIPHTHERIA!  MY OXEN ARE STILL ALIVE!  I MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO OREGON AUSTRALIA!   

Somewhere, I'm sure Martha Stewart is very proud of me.  Well, she's probably not, she's probably rolling around in a pile of money or something, which is what I'D be doing if I were Martha Stewart (rolling around in a pile of money in a homemade, decoupaged money bin, FYI).  I really do wonder if I could make grape jelly though.  Maybe I can get Jesalyn to give me some tips since she's the Jelly Queen.  I'm not sure that's a flattering monicker.  But I like it.