Easiest Apple & Plum Sauce

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   * I picked 5 pounds of each type of fruit because it is more manageable than the 10 pounds of each that I normally make. My 5 kids love this stuff in their lunches. Really, any 50/50 weight ratio works.

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   Wash all the fruit.

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   Halve and pit the plums. Throw plum halves into a large heavy-bottomed stock pot.

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   Quarter the apples . Throw (seeds, stems and all) into the stock pot.

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   Crush the 5 vitamin C pills (use good ones with no additives, the ones from the health food store). Add crushed Vitamin C to the pot (prevents browning).

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   Cook, covered on low until the apples are tender and 'mashable.' Stir occasionally to prevent burning. (This should take about 30 to 45 minutes.)

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   Set up your food mill over a large bowl. Mill the warm fruit in batches and the best applesauce in history will come out the bottom. Really amazing sauce.

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   It keeps (covered) in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, so it could be a week's worth of snacks, without any canning.

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   To can or preserve it (the abridged instructions):

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    Place the still warm apple & plum sauce back in the stock pot. Carefully bring to a boil. Stir a lot, because it can burn.

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    Ladle into hot, sterilized jars, cap with 2-piece lids. Process in a hot water bath.

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    For pints, process at a rolling boil for 15 minutes (use the Ball Blue Book Canning times table if you live in the mountains).

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    For quarts, process for 25 minutes.

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    (Why so long? Two reasons: the first, I add no sugar, so it isn't there to act as an extra preservative; and the second, applesauce is dense, so you have to make certain it is heated through.)

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    Canning results: I did 10 pounds of each fruit and yielded 7 quarts canned plus another quart for the fridge.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.