Susans Blueberry Applesauce Bread Recipes

BLUEBERRY APPLESAUCE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, eggs and applesauce.
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until fully combined. Fold in the blueberries.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely on wire racks.

SPICED BLUEBERRY APPLESAUCE

Steps:

• Place the apples and blueberries into a heavy bottomed pot large enough to hold all the ingredients and allow room for stirring.
• Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pot-about 1/2 inch of water on the bottom or so.
• Put the pot onto high heat and stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
• Turn heat down to medium, and stirring continually, cook until the apples are all soft and some are beginning to break down, thickening the released fruit juices.
• Stir in the sugar and spices and keep cooking until the sugar is well combined.
• Turn off the heat, but keep the pot on the stove in order to keep the applesauce hot.
• Using an immersion blender, a food processor or food mill, grind the fruit up into a slightly chunky puree-or, if you wish, grind it down to a perfectly smooth puree.
• Stir in the lemon juice thoroughly, then pack into hot pint or quart jars.
• Try to get any visible air bubbles out with a spatula; this is very difficult with very thick foods like applesauce, but try anyway. Wipe off the rim of the jar with a damp cloth, then center a lid on top and screw on a band.
• Do not tighten the band-just screw it down until it is closed, but not at all difficult to unscrew.
• Put into a hot water bath canner, making certain that water covers the jars completely.
• Bring to a boil, clap the lids on top of the canner and process the jars for 20 minutes-the processing time is the same for either pints or quarts.
• When they have processed for twenty minutes, turn off the heat and open the lid to the canner.
• Allow the jars to sit in the hot water for five minutes, then carefully lift up each jar and set it on a folded dishtowel in order to keep the counter from possibly cooling the glass too rapidly, causing the jar to crack.
• Check the seals on the lids-they should be concave and very tightly adhered to the jar rim.
• If after 24 hours the lids have not sealed, either use up the food that did not seal, or re-pack using new jars and new lids.
• Recipe makes eight pints or four quarts.

BANANA - APPLESAUCE - BLUEBERRY AND WALNUT FAT-FREE QUICK BREAD

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350.
• Spray two 8 x 4 loaf pans with non-stick spray.
• In large bowl, blend together bananas, lemon juice, applesauce and brown sugar. I use a hand-held blender, which purres everything quickly and evenly.
• In another large bowl, wisk together dry ingredients.
• Add to dry mixture blueberries and nuts and toss until flour coated. This helps to prevent the berries and nuts from settling to the bottom during baking.
• Add flour-berry/nut mixture to the moist-banana mixture. Mix together by hand folding contents until all is moistened being careful not to overmix.
• Divide final mixture into the two loaf pans, spreading contents evenly. Place in oven center for about 35 to 40 minutes, until tooth pick comes out clean and the tops are lightly golden brown. I've found the tooth pick test happens first but wait about 5 or so more minutes for the tops to brown.
• Remove from oven and cool. Even better when served the next day. I cut the loaves into 1 inch thick slices, serving 2 per person.
• I've also substitued coarsely chopped sweet cherries (1 cup) and cinnamon (1 tsp) for the blueberries and cardamom. Very, Very good too, for all those cherry lovers out there!