The farmer's markets every provide a living calendar as weekend markers of our steady march to Thanksgiving and the holidays. Just this last Saturday, I realized that the harvest is now truly over and so was drawn to the apples on brilliant display. If I wanted applesauce (and cranberry applesauce) it was a good time to stock up. Apples (and sauce) figure big on our table, where condiments are king. It's about the easiest thing to make in a crock pot, and if you nix the sugar and use a mix of tart and sweet apples, it's also one of the healthiest snacks around. Sometimes I toss in a few crabapples for snap or a handful of cranberries to tart things up. Just core and slice into chunks (leave the skins on) and toss everything into the slow cooker with a little apple cider and a whole cinnamon stick, cover and cook on high for an hour or two. The skins will become so soft that when it's done,
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you can whizz it in the blender or Cuisinart. Don't add sugar or sweetener until after you've tasted it. If your apples are fresh and local, you may not need any at all. Leaving the skins on increases the fiber content and turns the sauce a pretty rosy shade of pink. This applesauce is terrific on top of pancakes (for Thanksgiving breakfast); served as a sidedish and condiment; it's also great in applesauce muffin and bread recipes. It freezes nicely, but it will keep nicely in the refrigerator until Thanksgiving.