Applesauce, and Cinnamon Almond Applesauce Bread

I am in Los Angeles. We don't really have seasons. Sometimes that's kind of a bummer. Other times it's nice.

Boyfriend Unit's family is from New England, where autumn is a regional obsession. Sweaters! Scarves! Hats! Boots! The leaves change color! Everyone drinks Dunkin' Donuts coffee (oh wait, they do that in summer too)! Also, there is apple picking.

One day last week, I came home to find that Boyfriend Unit's aunt had gone apple picking and picked us some apples, which she mailed here.



It was exceedingly nice of her to do so, and I'm sure they were lovely apples when picked. They did not, however, survive the journey without severe bruising. I let them sit on the counter for a few days while trying to figure out what to do with them. They were McIntoshes, so pie was out of the question. The apples grew increasingly fragrant. Finally, when the entire apartment began to smell of New England Fall (minus the damp leaves), I made applesauce.







I made a lot of applesauce. Consult your Joy of Cooking. Don't put in as much cinnamon as I put in. I also added ground cloves and a bit of nutmeg (because clearly, applesauce should taste like apple pie). This is 3x a Joy of Cooking recipe. I had a lot of apples.

Then I realized that I had a lot of applesauce, which I eat but Boyfriend Unit doesn't.



"You COULD let me eat the applesauce," said Gromit. "Or you could stop taking pictures of me and give me a cookie. You're probably just going to make the applesauce into bread anyway, and for some reason, I won't be allowed to eat any of it."



My dog is pretty smart.



"But why can't I have any? IT SMELLS GOOD AND I AM SO CUTE."



Cinnamon Almond Applesauce Bread
Mix:
1 cup applesauce, preferably homemade
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed (adjust according to sweetness of applesauce; mine was pretty sweet to start with, and this turned out about right)
1 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves to taste, if applesauce is unspiced (I'd go for 1 tsp, 1/4 tsp and 1/4 tsp, respectively)

In another bowl, sift together:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup almond flour (seriously, this is my favorite discovery of the year--it makes things awesome)
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until blended. If desired, stir in:
1/3 cup chopped, julienned, or sliced almonds

Pour into greased loaf pan. I chose to garnish the top with some sliced almonds. A streusel topping would also be highly appropriate.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until done.



Refuse to share with dog, thus making him pouty.

Media Pairing: I got fourteen apples, but that's a big number (I'm in the humanities). We should start with ten.