Rosy Stewed Apples

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
1 cup water
½ tsp. cinnamon (more if you prefer)
10 drops red coloring (or whatever it takes to make apples pink)
3 -4 apples (about 1 ½ pounds)

Method

Place the sugar, water, cinnamon, and food coloring in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boiling over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.

While the syrup is cooking, peel, core, and cut the apples into quarters or sixth. Cortland apples hold their shape best, but other varieties, with the exception of tart green ones, are good as well.

After the syrup has cooked five minutes, add the apple pieces. Raise the heat so the syrup return to a boil, and continue to cook, uncovered, until the apples are almost tender (5 to 8 minutes). Stir several times during cooking. Remove from the heat.

The apples will continue to cook in the hot syrup. Serve warm or cold, in place of applesauce as a side dish, or with cream or ice cream as dessert.