Vanilly Rhubarb Applesauce

It's summer. Of course we are going to the local farmers' markets and enjoying every fruit and vegetable we can get!! Ahh...I hope it will be fruit season every day in Heaven. It brings me so much joy.

We found the most beautiful red rhubarb, and pink-kissed apples in Poland when we went there last week. Rhubarb applesauce it was then! Yep...a little taste of Heaven.

I made up the recipe as I went, so I'm not sure I can completely recreate it for a recipe, but I'll try!

Vanilly Rhubarb Applesauce

6 sweet apples (best if you mix varieties), peeled and thinly sliced
2 large rhubarb stocks, chopped (about 3/4 inch)
1 splash vanilla extract (about 1-2 tsp)
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
Brown sugar, to taste (or other sweetener of choice)
Optional (but delicious): add 5 strawberries, frozen or fresh

Peel and core apples, slice them thinly. Chop rhubarb. Add a 1/4 inch water to a heavy bottomed pot, and bring fruit to a boil (until fruit is tender). Lower temperature, and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer on low until it all looks like the picture above. Taste, and adjust sweetener. Have a big bowl-full, and enjoy it on a picnic blanket, or on your porch. Sigh with delight.

P.S. A sweet friend of mine introduced me to Picmonkey.com (thank you El!)- a photo editing site that is completely free. I'm loving experimenting with their different filters, word art, and such. Do you like the new look, or should I stick with plain pretty pictures with no text or decoration? I'd love to know your opinion!