If only I could duplicate Motts' label...

Dear Andrew & Abby,

Today, I am going to tell you about Mommy's wonderful new obsession - homemade applesauce.

Your mommy likes to watch the Food Network. Sure, I don't get the chance to watch very often, but once in a while, I manage to luck out and the channel stays on this station long enough for Mommy to see something interesting. This is usually when Daddy (aka Controller of the Remote) is not at home and you two have tired of cartoons. Recently, I watched Dave Lieberman make his grandma's strawberry applesauce and I was inspired! You both LOVE strawberry applesauce. I am required to have individual cups of strawberry applesauce on hand at all times in order to satisfy your desire for strawberry applesauce. AAANNNNDDD...I always always buy the natural kind of applesauce that does not have extra sugars and preservatives in it...just like homemade! So of course, if I made strawberry applesauce at home, you would both LOVE it and I would never have to pay for pre-packaged applesauce again. It would be healthier, cheaper, and it would win me Homemaker-Mommy-of-the-Year. Right? Right?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

So I made the strawberry applesauce. And was amazed at how easy it was. Including peeling and chopping, about an hour after I started, I had turned 3 pounds of apples into beautiful pink strawberry-flavored applesauce. I tasted it while it was still warm and it was heavenly. I used a potato masher to mash it up so it still had chunks of apple in it to give it texture...and that is just the first place where I went wrong.

First, I tried to get you both to taste it while it was still warm. GAAA! What was I thinking? Applesauce is not served warm! It should be cold from the refrigerator or room temperature from the pantry at the warmest! Andrew ran for cover when I approached him with the spoon. Abby isn't quite as fast, so I managed to get to her and when I got a tiny (and I do mean tiny - think smaller in circumference than a pencil eraser, and only a third of the depth) bit on her tongue, she refused to let the tongue re-enter her mouth until the dot was wiped off with a tissue. And because I tried to resist the wiping with a tissue and told her to just taste it, she gagged and almost threw up on the living room floor. Yes, that's just how much Mommy loves you both - I tried to kill you with homemade strawberry applesauce.

So the next night at dinner, I tried again. The applesauce had sat in the refrigerator chilling for over 24 hours. Neither of you saw where the applesauce came from when I put it on your plate. I should mention that I took applesauce to work with me that day, shared it with some grown-ups (who LOVED it) and gobbled up my own serving. Mmmm...it is good! So at dinner, Andrew was clever enough to ask "Is this the stuff you made?" I dodged the question. He asked again. I conceded. He tried it. Abby tried it. It was deemed acceptable. Until the chunks were discovered. Andrew thought he had stumbled across a strawberry and said he didn't want to eat the berries. I told him it was an apple chunk - it's yummy! He gave me the "What are you, crazy?" look. And that was the end of the applesauce. Abby ate another bite or two, that was it. She was siding with Big Brother.

Sigh. So Mommy has eaten - and loved - the chunky strawberry applesauce all to herself. But I refuse to give up. I questioned Andrew "If it didn't have chunks, would you like it?" He said yes, he would, but there had to be no chunks (you know, like it comes from the store - DUH!). And would I please make cinnamon applesauce instead because it is his favorite. Really? News to me, but whatever.

Last night, I borrowed my friend's Pampered Chef apple corer/peeler/slicer. Oh, what a fun toy! Within minutes, we had peeled, cored, and spiral-sliced 3 pounds of apples. 45 minutes after that, there was cinnamon applesauce. After I put it through the blender to remove the chunks, of course. I thought it was quite good (but I am still partial to the strawberry). You were both already in bed, but I had promised Andrew he could have cinnamon applesauce for breakfast. This morning, he ate TWO BOWLS!!! Victory, thou art mine!

Tonight, strawberry applesauce redux. Sans chunks. And maybe I should put it in individual cups...

love,
Mommy

P.S. Andrew, you lost your third tooth last night! It was one of the top front teeth. And yes, the Tooth Fairy came. But you should know that this inflation is making the Tooth Fairy crazy - $1 for a little ol' tooth?!? It's highway robbery! Or so she tells me. You have already lost your two bottom front teeth. And you actually LOST the second one before you could get it home from school. Luckily, the Tooth Fairy accepted a note explaining the situation and STILL left you money. See what I mean, highway robbery! love, Mommy