It's Apple Time!!

   Apples, Apples, Apples everywhere!! And what better way to fix apples is applesauce. Unless it's apple pie. Or apple butter. Or apple crisp. Or fried apples. Well, okay, applesauce is one of the better ways to fix apples.
      I decided to try making my own applesauce this year and can it. I've canned fruit spread in the past so I have a handle on the basics. Since I don't have a lot of time to spend preparing what I'm going to can I decided to give crockpot applesauce a try. I searched online for good, easy recipes and I found one from The Kitchn.

Ingredients
6 large apples, any variety (approximately 3 pounds)
2 cinnamon sticks or about 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt

Makes just over 4 cups

Peel and chop the apples: Peel the apples with the vegetable peeler, then cut them into quarters and slice out the cores. Roughly chop apples into 1- to 2-inch pieces, depending on how chunky you prefer your applesauce.
Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of the slow cooker, and close the lid.
Cook the applesauce: Cook on high for 4 hours, stirring twice during cooking.
Puree the applesauce, optional: If you like chunky applesauce, you can skip this step altogether. But it you prefer a more smooth texture, remove the cinnamon stick, then mash the applesauce until it reaches the consistency you like.
Cool and store: Cool the applesauce, then divide between several containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

      I made my applesauce a little different. I cooked on low for 8 hours. Instead of using a regular slow cooker I used my Ninji 3-in-1 Cooking System. What is really great about this system is after the time elapses for the slow cooking, the buffet mode kicks in and will keep food warm for up to 12 hours. This feature really works great for making applesauce for canning because I cook my apples overnight then kept them warm through the day while I'm at work. When I get home from work, the applesauce is ready to be canned. I didn't want to get up super early before work to peel and cut apples for cooking so the overnight cooking and day warming solution worked perfect.

     We peeled over three pounds of apples for the first batch we made and expected to have quite a bit of applesauce to can. We were wrong!! The apples cooked down and all we got was two pints and one half pint.

 

 

     The next day we made more applesauce only this time we peeled enough apples to fill the Ninji's pot to the top. This definitely had a much better output as we got five pints out of that batch.

     










 I still have quite a few apples left and my plan is to do more applesauce. And apple butter. And fried apples. And apple pie filling. And . . . Well you get the idea. Let me know what all you've been doing with apples this season. I would love to hear from you.

Thanks for visiting with me at "Down Home at Dee's"

Deana

October has a lot to Celebrate!!

     October is a month of celebrations. Not only does October kick off the Holiday season by being the time of year for all of the Harvest Festivals and, of course, the fun dress up time of Halloween, October is also national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Chili Month, National Dessert Month, National Pasta Month, National Roller Skating Month and Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month. Whew!! That's a whole lot of reasons to celebrate.
      Three years ago this month I celebrated Adopt-a-Shelter Dog Month by bringing home my very beautiful Pit Bull mix Rosie. She has been a wonderful addition to my household. I can't remember what my life was like without her. She brings so much love and fun into my life.

Rosie's favorite thing to do is lay with her head in my lap.

Rosie loves playing Frisbee and ball. I'm not quite sure how she knows where she's going. Lol.

The Rose is not a morning dog. I can't get her out of bed in the mornings.

Lochlan & Rosie catching bubbles.

Rosie & Me

     My plan this month is to celebrate as many of the monthly events as possible but this past week has been very hectic and I've not done anything. My mother was staying with my daughter while she recuperated from surgery but my daughter had a virus hit her household so my mother came to stay with me. To make a long story short this week has been physically and emotionally draining. I'm taking her home tomorrow so I am hoping that I can get back on track with my plans for the Holidays.
      I have begun to decorate the outside of my house for Autumn/Thanksgiving. I'll make a few changes to show my Halloween Spirit next week. I have to get a couple of items and I'll have my outside complete. I have to take the pool down and I'm sad about that. Doing that makes it more real that summer is over. But before I know it, the warm weather will be back again.
      Stayed tuned for the ways that I'll be celebrating all of the great things this month. I have some good plans to carry out. I hope you'll share with me some of the ways you plan on celebrating October. 

Thanks for visiting with me at "Down Home at Dee's"

Deana