The Apple Haul!

R7 was the only brave child ready to pick apples Saturday afternoon after spending four hours at the soccer fields that day. One of our favorite varieties had been picked through already so we are trying out a few new varieties this year. I'm looking for firm, tart apples to make pies and crisps. One woman with a small handful in a bag couldn't figure out how I kept all those apples nice when I broke it to her that we freeze them and sauce them. Another family laughed at how much "canning" was going to happen at our house.

Yes, I laughed back and said that I had a wagon full of work! I'm not a canner, but I will process all the apples pictured above by putting them through our Pampered Chef corer/peeler/slicer and freezing by the gallon bag. Throughout the year we'll pull them out for pies and crisps. I'm hopeful that the firmer textured apples will be less watery when thawed. We picked crispins, empires (for snacking) and Ida Reds (these will make our apple sauce nice and pink!). We had to buy the Jona Golds already picked since the trees were empty.

We'll make one more apple run later this week for some seconds for sauce. I usually get a bushel for $8 near the end of the season and I try for two bushels. We'll process those through our food mill (the big Squeezo kind) and make applesauce. All I have to do is quarter them, partially cook them, and throw them into the mill. The kids love to crank the handle and out one side come the yummo sauce, out the other comes the peel, core, seeds, etc. Very fun day of sauce making! We scoop it into containers and put outside to cool. We don't add sugar or anything, but this year I may try for a few containers of cinnamon/sugar sauce. I'm also going freeze a bunch in one serving containers so we can have snack sauce throughout the year.

Need a good apple crisp recipe? This one is absolutely the BEST!!

Apple Crisp

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp shortening
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
6 medium apples (or I just fill the pot!)

Peel and core the apples. Cut into slices and place in a saucepan with sugar, cinnamon, and water. Cook about ten minutes. Place in a deep greased pan.

Cream together shortening and brown sugar. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture (with pastry blender) and sprinkle over apples. Bake about 35 minutes at 350.