One More Apple Day...

It was all hands on deck to can the last of the apples we got ten days ago. I decided that the bulk of what we had left would become apple pie filling, with the remaining apples going toward a couple more jars of applesauce. I had already prepared the apples for the pie filling, and Handsome was cutting up the rest to go into the Nesco™roaster to cook down.

While Handsome was doing that, I was making the apple pie filling. It was gorgeous, and already tasty as soon as the ingredients were all mixed and heated in my Kilner™ pot.

Rather than heat up the kitchen with a roaster and the water bath canner, I set up a little outdoor kitchen on the porch. Once the jars were filled, and had the lids secured, it was into my trusty electric canner.

Twenty five minutes later, the quart jars were finished processing. I turned off the canner and removed the cover to let the jars stand in the water for about fifteen more minutes to avoid siphoning the contents. It worked like a charm. 

It wasn't long before the apples in the roaster were sufficiently cooked down to be able to put everything through my dear mother-in-law's chinois to separate the pulp from the seeds and skin. By that time, my cooking pot was washed and waiting to ready the applesauce mixture (apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and a wee bit of sugar) for the jars.

When all was said and done, there were six sealed quart jars of apple pie filling, a partial pint for using in the next few days to make homemade apple tarts or hand pies, and two more quarts of applesauce. All the jars are already cleaned, rings removed, labeled, and placed on the pantry shelf well before bed time. 

Tomorrow, I'll share photos from our Saturday Craft Day in Portage. I must say it was a lovely and productive weekend, indeed.

Weekend Update...

Brynwood Needleworks - Apples From Our Old Tree

 

Much of last weekend was spent indoors. We did hit the yard tractors on Saturday afternoon to mow our yard before the rains came early Sunday morning, and it looks better outside because of our efforts. Before I could mow the side yard (I usually do the lower front and side yards, and Handsome does the upper yard and the huge mound for our septic system.), I needed to pick up apples.

The apples looked really nice, so we brought them inside, and planned to use them before the weekend was over. We actually collected another five gallon bucket on Friday, so I offered those to Shelly. I think she'll be turning them into applesauce.

Brynwood Needleworks - Homemade Focaccia

Late evening on Friday, I made up the starter for focaccia. It needs at least twelve hours before it's ready to use, so Saturday noon was my starting time. As I waited, I vacuumed through the house (man, those pups shed!), and then prepared the toppings that would go on the focaccia before I put them in the oven.

It took about two hours for the dough to settle enough to add the toppings, and then another twenty minutes resting. These two beauties came out of the oven at six o'clock (pm) Saturday, and then I headed out to help Handsome finish the yard.

When we came back in a eight pm, all I needed to do (besides a shower) was make a small side salad for each of us, and put a portion of the focaccia back into the oven to reheat. The rest was divided and frozen (except the portion we gave to Andy and Shelly). It will make for a great, quick dinner when we're busy outside most of the day, or I'm in the studio getting projects completed. 

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Farmhouse Sandwich Bread and Apple Pie Filling

 

Sunday afternoon, I made two loaves of Farmhouse sandwich bread and these jars of apple pie filling from those lovely apples. Handsome was eating his breakfast and said the apples were getting a little "strong" so I couldn't delay my canning any longer. That reminds me of another story...

When I was in the yard, picking up the apples, I came upon a strange sight. I could see something moving along the edge of the lilies under the apple tree, and thought it might be an injured bird. Once I got closer, I saw that it was a little, fat mouse.

Mousie would walk a few steps, slowly roll over, and then right himself. I thought, "Oh, great. I don't want to dispatch a sick mouse." So I stood and watched it for quite a while. It was surrounded by scores of apples that had rotted because I couldn't see them among my lilies. The mouse continued to tumble around as I watched and contemplated what to do.

All of a sudden, it clicked. Rotting apples = fermenting apples = drunk mouse! Sure! That was it. This silly little mouse had been eating his fill of the apples under the tree, and he was plowed! I broke out laughing, and then said, "Mouse, you're drunk. Go home!". Whereupon that small furball made his way to the base of the tree, where he quickly disappeared. I'm giggling all over again, just thinking about it.

Handsome always helps me with cleanup, even though I try to keep up as I'm making. It's nice to have most of the used utensils, pots and pans ready to put away, once I get the jars into the canner. When the bread and pie filling were done, so was most of the kitchen cleanup.

I had barbequed baby back ribs on the menu, so I went out and lit the grill. At the end of a long day weekend, we sat down to ribs off the grill, parsley-buttered potatoes, and a small side salad. I admit I may have had a celebratory beer, too.

Whew! That was a tiring weekend! I'm taking tomorrow off, and Tag will be back to regale you with another of his colorful tales. I'll be back on Wednesday with some news to share. The crew will be here any minute, so I'd better finish my coffee and get ready to swing into another week. I hope yours is a good one, too! See you Wednesday.