If You Like Apples...

While we're finishing up our school day, and waiting for Daddy and big sister to come home so we can go vote (We always go vote as a family!) I thought I'd post a little of what I did this week-end. It, of course, had to do with apples because I didn't want them to ruin.
I canned Apple Pie Filling! I haven't canned since I was 19. **I'll try to make this quick -- Sweet hubby and I had been married for 2 years; we had a 3 month old baby and were struggling, financially. I thought that I might make gift baskets for our families, to match their kitchens, with homemade things, inside. I was excited to learn to can and thought that apple jelly would be good? This all went over like a lead balloon, as both of our families prefer store bought and by the time we bought all the supplies to can the jelly, we could have bought them something from a store! Well, it just broke my heart, and I haven't canned since... but I hung on to my canning pot for almost 20 more years!

There are several recipes out there on the internet, on some great blogs, and in Mary Jane's book. I took many of them, wrote them down, and tweaked, a very little, here and there. Here's what I did:
Washed, peeled, cored, & sliced about 7 lbs. small Granny Smith apples. (I used our new gadget for the peel, core, slice business AND I didn't use the whole 7lbs apples for the canning.) If I had to guess, and I am.... I would say that I used around 5 lbs. of the apples, for the canning. Then I put them in a bowl of water and 2 Teaspoons lemon juice.In a large boiler, over medium heat, I combined: ~ 9 cups water ~ 3-1/2 cups white sugar ~ 1-1/4 cups brown sugar ~ 1 cup cornstarch ~ 3 tsp. cinnamon ~ 1 tsp. nutmeg ~ 1 tsp. salt ~ together and started simmering. It started getting thicker, even before it came to a boil.When it's boiling like this and the caramel colored sauce becomes thick and pours slowly from the spoon... Remove from heat and stir in 3 Tablespoons of lemon juice.I filled 6 jars with apple slices and brought the sauce over to them - to fill. There was only enough sauce to fill 5 of the quart jars, however. After filling the jars, to just under the lip; screw the lids on tightly, very tightly! Then immerse them in your canning pot -- making sure there are a couple of inches of water covering the jars.Let the water come to a full boil; cover; and process for about 25 minutes. Then I removed them from the canner & placed them on a towel on the counter to cool. As they cool, the lids will start to "pop"! After they're done cooling, check the lids, by pushing down on the center, with your finger. If they don't move up or down, then it's sealed. (Or so I've read!)

**These are supposed to last up to a year. I don't think we'll wait that long, though. I don't want to push it. It's been almost 20 years since I've canned.....

Meanwhile, hubby came home and I had LOTS of sliced apples sitting in a lemon juice bath. I had told the children that I'd make some caramel apples (or rather, a caramel apple dessert.) so I unwrapped a bag of caramels and added about half a can of evaporated milk. Put them into a saucepan, over medium heat, started to stir -- then hubby took over! When he wouldn't give it back, I threatened to take a picture..... and so.....
This is similar to what I looked like when we were shopping for the vodka!

Since he wouldn't give it back, I spooned the sliced apples into bowls, melted chocolate in the microwave, and opened a bag of pecans. When the caramel sauce was done, I spooned it over the apple slices, then added the chocolate, and finally, sprinkled on the pecans! We had our dessert before our dinner, that night. We sometimes do that.....

Many Blessings to you and our America, Julie