Thanksgiving Memories

I have fond childhood memories of the holidays.Living close to my Grandma and then living on family property and a lot of that within my Grandma's house, she and my Grandpa gave me my earliest memories of food and cooking during this festive time. Several dishes that she used to make me not only on the holidays but also year round, I still make today. One that is most simple is a recipe called Red Hot Apples. Each year, even when I became an adult I would ask for that and her kicked up fruit salad to be served at the dinner table. So it being that time of year and feel nostalgia for those days creep in as they always around now, I decided to cook up a batch. 

First thank first core, peel and rough cut apples, any kind except Granny Smith...too sour, I used "Jazz" . I used four medium sized apples. 

Buy a box of the old fashioned "Red Hots" ...I got mine at Wall Mart as that was only place I could find them. Add about half to three fourths of the box...though I must admit, I added all the box, just for a bit more of a kick. Pour in a half cup of apple juice, or even water will do. I used a bit extra to have a syrup left over. 

Cook on medium heat with lid on, stirring every few minutes to incorporate candy and melt it. Then lower heat, leaving lid off if you wish fluid to cook off more. I left lid on, but came back every few minutes to stir and keep from going dry or burning. 

Nearly there, still a lot of liquid left, but apples are tender and getting that pretty reddish orange hue. 

Wala! Hot steaming sweet and cinnamon flavored apples! Really only took about 15-20 minutes as my apples were a softer variety. The key is to keep stirring and keep checking the doneness of the apples.

This is the liquid left over...you could cool it and put in an air tight jar...it makes a great syrup for candy apple martinis or in a glass of bubbly! 

I toss in a cinnamon stick, bring to a boil, stirring constantly less you will burn it and ruin your pan and fill the place with smoke...I know, have done it! When it cooks down and starts to look a bit thicker than when you started you have a lovely drizzle for over the apples ...perfect if you put the apples over ice cream or a dense cake and then drizzle it over. I skipped all that this go around, so no pics...I just drizzled over the apples and had an afternoon snack.

Do you have a childhood Thanksgiving memory? Would love to hear about it!