Red Hot Applesauce + FREE Valentine You're Awesome Sauce Printables

I love Valentine's Day.  Not so much the sappy roses and romance part, but the part where really corny puns are an acceptable way to tell someone you like them.  I especially like the vintage food Valentines.  You know the really corny ones that depict an ear of corn saying "It's CORNY, but SHUCKS I'd like to EAR you say you'll be my Valentine."  Those were the days when you could be silly, trade Valentines with your friends and there were no strings or connotations attached. It's easy to come up with a simple little treat paired with a silly saying as a gesture of your affection or friendship.  In the past I've done String Cheese Valentines, with tags that say things like, "Don't STRING me along, be my Valentine" and Strawberry Brownies with  "Shooting for BROWNIE points Valentine" tags.  This year I had "Valentine You're Awesome Sauce" stuck in my head.  I thought about all of the kinds of sauces I could make.  My Aunt Louise's Homemade BBQ Sauce came to mind, or some kind of homemade ketchup or hot sauce.  Which could be awesome sauce treats for adults or co-workers, but elementary school friends may not think a homemade chutney ketchup is all that awesome sauce.  Then I remembered a childhood favorite: Red Hot Applesauce!  It's a very simple homemade treat.  Apples slow cooked with a little water and brown sugar and seasoned with Red Hots candies.  It's radiantly red with a cinnamon flavor.  Comforting and a little corny too.  The ideal Valentine treat!

Aren't these the cutest?!?

The color is so vibrant

Flavored with Red Hots Cinnamon Candies

A great gift with a cute little tag!

Only 4 ingredients and a few hours in the slow cooker.

Puree to desired consistency.

Here are FREE Printable tags
(without the To/From)
Click on the image to enlarge.
Right click and save to your computer.
Open with the software of your choice
and print onto cardstock.

Here are tags, perfect for classmates,
with the To/From added.
These images are my exclusive artwork.
Please be courteous when using these printables 
and remember they are for personal use only.

A really fun gift, and a great alternative to
the typical chocolate or other candy.

Speaking of corny vintage Valentines:
Here is a small sampling of my collection.

Please don't be offended by this cute little girl.
These Valentines are many years old.
Little Devil and I are Native American and
we think she looks like us.

I even have some "spooky" Valentines.
The puns are just too much!

Whether you're giving this applesauce to someone who
is Awesome Sauce or not, definitely whip up a batch.
Not only is it delicious, but your house will smell wonderful.
And you'll have a tasty snack worthy of sharing with
someone you love.

Homemade Red Hot Applesauce

20 apples, peeled and sliced (I used Granny Smiths that were about baseball-sized)
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup Red Hots candies

Peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices.  Place in a large slow cooker and add the water and brown sugar.  Cook on high heat approximately 5 hours stirring occasionally.  The apples are done when they are soft enough to be mashed with a fork or potato masher.  Adjust the slow cooker to low and add the red hots.  Cook approximately 15-30 minutes, or until the candies are fully dissolved.  You will need to stir often to keep them from sticking to the slow cooker.  Allow the applesauce to cool enough to place in a food processor or blender.  Puree the applesauce until smooth (or the consistency you prefer.) Ladle into jars and refrigerate up to two weeks.

Prep Time:  Approximately 25 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 5.5 hours

Yield: 8 (8 ounce) jars