Homemade Applesauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

20 to 30 lb. apples (Jonathan, golden Delicious and Rome Beauty are favorites)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 to 3 c. granulated sugar
nutmeg
cinnamon
red food coloring (optional)

Preparation

Rinse apples and cut each apple into about 6 pieces.
Do not peel.
Remove the core and seeds.
Place apple slices in 1 or 2 large pans with 1/8 inch of water in the bottom of each pan. Cover and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until apples are soft.
Pour off extra liquid.
Press apples through colander.
Add sugar.
Put mixture into 1 or 2 saucepans.
Reheat so sugar will dissolve and add a scant tablespoon of lemon juice per saucepan.
Then sweeten with sugar and season with nutmeg and cinnamon to taste.
If you like pink applesauce, add some red food coloring.
Put applesauce in quart jars, leaving 1-inch air space at the top of the jar.
Let cool several hours and freeze. This keeps well for 4 to 6 months.