Saturday, October 16, 2010

...Free Fall Apples...

...I know I've mentioned before how nice it is that people bring their surplus produce to the church...

...last week there were bags of apples...so I took one...and I'm just now getting around to doing something with them...

...that something - for this bag of apples - is going to be applesauce...so I scrubbed the sink and then scrubbed the apples - these were probably not sprayed - as I've never heard of anyone up here spraying apples - but I'm scrubbing and peeling just in case...

...I set up the peeler (I love that thing) and got crankin'...

...I usually have a fun helper for this part - but he's at a sleepover birthday party...oh well - more fun for me...

...then I 'eighthed' them...you can say 'eighthed' the same way you say 'quartered'...right?...

...put them in a pot (or crammed them in as the case may be) with just a few tablespoons of water - they'll make a lot of juice of their own...

...and cooked them over low heat for a while (couple of hours)...

...I just stirred them when they were soft - and really this is the way I usually make applesauce if we're just going to eat it right away - we like it sort of chunky...

...then I scooped it into my handy-dandy strainer...

...let the juice drain off - this is what we'll use to make a couple of jars of apple jelly - we don't really need any more - but I'll use it up anyway - I'm just all frugal like that...

...once the juice is done draining - I start forcing the sauce through the seive...

...this part is fun too...

...of course if you'd left your skins and seeds on/in - they wouldn't come through the little holes...

...you could also use a food mill for this part...

...there you have it - for very little time and trouble another couple of pints of applesauce in the freezer...

9 comments:

  1. One of my favorite childhood memories is the smell of the house in the fall when my mom would make applesauce and apple butter. I had a friend who's parents had a bunch of apple trees and my mom would come home with boxes of them.

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  2. I have one of the 'press down to make segment' gadgets. I would LOVE an apple peeler thingy, just love one!

    What do you use all your applesauce for?

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  3. I use apple cider in lieu of water; makes the flavor POP! I'm getting ready to hang clothes on the line then ready some more apples for the dehydrator. I love autumn!

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  4. Such a coincidence! I just blogged about our apple orchard trip this morning, and read your applesauce post immediately after making applesauce...what are the chances?!

    Happy eating!

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  5. Love the handy apple peeler ~ that makes quick work of the prep for applesauce!

    I usually make applesauce with the skins on to give it a hint of pink color. Your applesauce looks delicious :0)

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  6. Oh I love it. I didn't know you could freeze applesauce too! Oh sweet. How do you make your jelly? This is something I have never tried.
    Peace, Angela

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  7. ooooh, I love your peeler. I still use an old fashioned one, and after this year's huge harvest, (we're onto the apple pie making/freezing now) I really want one of those!!

    In a blink, apple season will be past us and you'll have all that yummy applesauce to look forward to:-)

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  8. Anonymous8:38 PM

    I remember peeling apples with a peeler like that as a kid! So fun!

    And, yeah, I want to know how you got a picture of yourself "eighth-ing" the apples when I see both hands!? ;)

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