I have a grand total of 110 pounds of apples in my kitchen right now. You know what this means don’t you? Yes, it means that by the end of this week my fingers are going to look brown and dirty. And they’ll stay that way for about two weeks until the brown wears off. It’ll be really cute and not at all embarrassing (as long as I keep my hands stuffed into my pockets while out in public).
Oh, and if I don’t wear an apron while I’m working with all of these apples, the front of my shirt will also be covered in brown splatter stains, which will never come out. I learned this the hard way a few years ago when I made applesauce all day, while wearing a cute Disney shirt, before going to a soccer game. I completed the task of making applesauce, ran it through the water bath process to can it and put the jars away in my pantry. I didn’t look down at my shirt until I was at the soccer game that night cheering for my boys. It was then that I noticed that Eeyore was completely covered in ugly brown specks. (Of course, it had to be Eeyore.) I was by far the most pitiful looking mother out at the soccer field that day. Of all days to leave my jacket at home.
So now you know: While you peel, core, slice and chop apples – the juice will spit and splatter everywhere. If you work on 110 pounds of apples, everything around you, including every crevice on your hands, will turn brown for days. There’s not much you can do about this, so just embrace the fact that you’ll look like you’ve been working under the hood of your car. To avoid answering any difficult-to-answer questions from the powers that be, remove all school papers, bills, library books, and photos before proceeding. And for the love of Eeyore, please wear an apron.
My 110 pounds of apples await, and I guess it goes without saying that my apron is ready for action. Here’s what I’m looking at doing this week:
I’ll start by making and canning as many jars of Applesauce as I can make before I get sick of making applesauce. I will probably be using a slightly different method than the one described here, so I’ll give an update on that sometime during the week.
If, in fact, I still have a few pounds of apples left after making applesauce, I hope to then make a few Mini Apple Pies. These are great to have in the freezer for a quick breakfast or dessert.
I may also can a few jars of Apple Pie Filling. This is great to have on hand to when throwing together a quick apple crisp or of course, to make a big apple pie. Here’s my Whole Wheat Pie Crust recipe if you’re interested.
I may also use my Excalibur Food Dehydrator and make Apple Fruit Leather and/or dried apple rings. When you have 110 pounds of apples, you can just keep going with the apple preserving until you’ve got a wide variety of apple goodies, or until you faint onto the floor of your kitchen – whichever comes first. Don’t worry – I plan to get my boys busy helping me with these projects this week. They are great applesauce makers.
We also plan to simply eat a bunch of these apples. I love having so many apples on hand for snacks. If you haven’t tried making Caramel Apple Dip, I highly recommend it. It’s one of my favorite ways to eat apples.
Throughout the week, I’ll be snapping pictures and sharing my apple preserving progress. Prepare to get sticky around here. I might even experiment with Apple Butter like several of you requested last week!
What is your favorite way to eat apples? Ever ruined an Eeyore shirt with apple spatters? This is why aprons were invented.
I am curious to hear what your new applesauce recipe is?! Guess I will be staying posted ;-) here at our house we make our applesauce by 1. Wash apples. 2 cut into chunks (with peels on) 3. steam apples with a dash of cinnamon on top for about 15ish minutes maybe 20ish if they are super firm or if I threw some pears in there too 4. Put a bunch with some of the steaming liquid into the blender and blend. Then you are done… but the specks still appear, so check your shirt before soccer :)
I have a tip for you…don’t know if it works for apples, but for other fruit stains (huckleberries, blueberries, etc…), pour boiling water over it until it comes out. Sometimes it needs to be treated with a little oxy and then left to sit a few minutes and then more boiling water until the stain disappears. I didn’t believe it until I tried it myself…but it really works :)
Wow! This sound like my kitchen. I have 1 and 1/2 bushels. I have all ready done applesauce, 5 quarts, apple pie filling today, 9 quarts ( your recipe ) and I have apple butter going in the slow cooker right now. Lots of apples for snacks and lunches. We have a orchard 20 miles from our house and usually go twice a year to pick the apples fresh off the trees.
I made apple butter before that turned out AMAZING(I will be making more next week). If you want to know what I did, I’m willing to share!
I would love to hear!
sorry…I didn’t mean to take so long to reply.
I cooked the apples and made applesauce. I then put the applesauce back into the pot instead of canning it. I added, to taste, some sugar (sucanat), cinnamon, cloves and a little bit of nutmeg. Keep cooking it down until it becomes a butter consistency. I water bath cann it after that. it was SUPER YUMMY!!!!
For your hands, try rubbing with half a lemon. Works for getting rid of onion and garlic stains too. (Hmmm, smelly stains? Going with it…)
Soooo great to know. I will definitely try this!
I also love the fact that most apples stay good in the fridge for 3 months for fresh eating (if you consider 3 months fresh). However, hard lesson to learn is that if any have bruises or damaged flesh, they will spoil the other apples.
Wish we had orchards or Azure Standard in waaaayyyyy south Alabama.
I have already done 1 bushel of apples so far. I made applesauce as well. I also made apple crisp and apple butter. I have a second bushel of apples in my kitchen right now and am working on more applesauce and more apple butter. I made a pumpkin applesauce that was really good (although it has sugar in it, I typically don’t use sugar in my applesauce, but this recipe is specifically for gifts).
I enjoyed your post!!
I just finished 80lbs of peaches and 60lbs of apples in 3 says, I am a worn out preggo mama! I was running out of yummy preserving ideas, but we’re set on applesauce and apple pie filling for the year!
We also had 120 pounds of apples. We made apple sauce, apple butter, apple jelly and apple pie filling!! Good thing my husband helps me,and we bought an apple peeler too this year! I have about 50 pounds left a friend suggested we add a couple hand fulls of red hots to the apple sauce and it gives it a great flavor and beautiful coloring for Christmas gifts. So we will be trying this out in the next few days! Oh did I mention I’m due in 10 days! Haha better get on it! :-)
I’ve taken the lazy way over the years with apples… cut into halves or fourths, steam, then into the Squeezo. Dump into one of my giant pots to simmer with some lemon juice and add a little sugar, and then the canning into the night commences. I can usually get at least some hard labor out of the kids (like 30-45 minutes?) with the Squeezo since it’s such a fun diversion for them.
I just finished canning a bunch of applesauce and I discovered an awesome way to get a lot done in one shot. 1st of all, an apple peeler/slicer is AMAZING! 2nd, use a roaster and just let the apples sit in there and cook up. Stirring ocassionally. It Still takes time to cook but you are finishing many quarts in one shot in the roaster. Plus, you could even stick the roaster in a garage or somewhere outside the kitchen if your kitchen is getting super hot.
That is wonderful that you have so many apples! I do love my home-canned applesauce. I make an applesauce bundt cake and the flavor seems so much more rich with the home-canned applesauce than store bought. I am looking forward to seeing your new process.
Sometimes I think I can never get enough fall apples. I try to use applesauce in baking whenever I can, and it makes a great snack/dessert when I’m running low on fresh fruit.
We dried apples for the first time last year and did a huge batch again this year. My son requests them for his school snack and his bedtime snack every day. Yeah, we go through them pretty quickly.
I’d love to make applebutter, but it seems that we don’t have enough apples left over to experiment.
I just made applesauce this weekend as well. I made 3 varieties and with all I never peeled just threw into the blender after I cored them and away we went. I made regular, apple – raspberry and apple – raspberry – blueberry. All of which were awesome. I also made some apple butter which the hardest part for me was waiting for it to cook down. Oh and I just turned off my dehydrator that is stocked full of apple chips. Whew, glad this preserving season is almost over.
I know exactly what you mean. We have been apple picking three times already this season and I have been making tons of apple sauce and dried apples. This week I am making organic baby apple sauce for my three month old for when he starts being able to eat it this winter. I am also making up some apple pie filling and canning that. My pantry is on its way to getting filled up and turning from an office to a pantry! i am so excited and can not wait to show it to you.
Wow! That’s a lot of work! You’ve probably been told this before, but you REALLY need a Victorio for apples and tomatoes!! I’ve been using my Kitchen Aid sauce screen for years, but got a Victorio last year. Nothing compares. (it’s bigger with a huge hopper, therefore faster)
To use a Victorio- wash and quarter your apples (no peeling or coring), cook in huge pot with a little water (the 22 quart ones are great), allow to cool a bit (I usually pour into 13x9s), run it through the Victorio food strainer, reheat it (add sweetener and/or spices as this point), and can it.
Here’s a link to a youtube video showing it work (I tested the link just to be sure it took you to the right video)-
http://youtu.be/I9b4wF4Du5Q
Oh, and for home canned apple pie filling, the apple peeler/corer/slicer is a must!!! http://youtu.be/H4BZQfyTcV4
Those can be found for $20-$30, and I recommend getting one that has the 1/4 inch slicing shaft (some have only the 1/8 inch shaft, and some have both) In my opinion, the 1/8 inch is too thin for pie filling, and the 1/4 inch is perfect.
And the Victorio is about $50 on Amazon.
How do you make the cute little apple shaped crusts on top of the pie? They are adorable, I would like to do that (if I can ever get my crust to turn out right!) : )
I have a tiny little apple cookie cutter – can’t remember where I got it, probably Michaels or somewhere like that. :)
I think I’ve got you beat this time! I have 3.75 bushels waiting for me today. I will be saucing and then saucing some more. I share your pain regarding learning the hard way. For me, it was my favorite “Eat Organic” T shirt. I had no idea it wouldn’t come clean. Regarding the apple/peeler/slicer, I discovered with a bushel last week that my husband is faster than using the contraption!! Unlike the gadget, he can do any size or shape. Yeah! Happy Canning!!
THinking about you today. I had two big days of applesauce doing 8 bushels! We got a really really good deal on honey crisp apples that were hail damaged. They were nice big apples and we sauced them all. Maybe I won’t have to do more next year ( : Then a few days later we juiced 2 and 1/2 bushels of mixed apples. So fun to have all the apples to use! Have a fun day!
I’m working on apples this week too – 1 bushel, to be exact – which I’ve never done before, so this should be an adventure … just waiting for my apple peeler/corer/slicer to arrive in the mail Wednesday =) Planning on crockpot applesauce, crockpot apple butter and apple pie filling … all of which I’ve read can be frozen too. This makes me happy since I don’t have canning equipment and wanted to keep some of this for during the winter.
We just put up a bushel of apples – once I actually started, it went pretty quick, especially because the children like to use the peeler! We made applesauce on the stove for canning, in the crock pot for eating right away, and for the first time ever I have fruit leather in the oven. After I see your new recipe I may be tempted to get another bushel of apples!
Our apples come in 3 weeks. We also do apple muffins, breads and cakes along with all the ideas you mentioned. We also store a few cases (25 lbs) in a cool dry place for fresh eating. My kids love fresh hot applesauce for a snack in the afternoon.
I still haven’t gotten out to get apples, but I just came across THIS applesauce recipe and it’s right up my alley. I knew there was a way to make chunky, easy applesauce. LOL
http://naturalparentsnetwork.com/canning-applesauce/
You should try wearing disposable vinyl gloves these gloves are thin and fit close to your hands and are not bulky like rubber gloves you can pick them up at walmart or dollar general a box of 50 for 3.50 and they work great I use them all the time in the kitchen and outside.
I am still trying to process the 80 pounds of apples we picked last weekend. I peel and dice my apples before putting them in the dehydrator and they go very well in oatmeal all winter (if I can keep my kids from eating them all before then).
I did 13 quarts of applesauce which is nowhere near enough, but I got sick of making applesauce. I know I will regret it later, but for now, that will have to be it. I froze some chopped apples for apple muffins and some diced apples for cobblers as well.
I got two bushels of apples and have spent the last two weekends preserving them for the winter! I work full-time, so the weekend is when I have the time/energy to cook. I canned 30 quarts of applesauce and 3 quarts of apple pie filling, plus made one apple pie for us to eat last night, you know, as a reward for my hard work :)
Forgot to add that I don’t peel my apples (too much work, plus why waste all that good apple peel). I slice and core, then boil on the stove until it’s a big apple-mush. Then I run it through my grandma’s old food mill, add some cinnamin and can it! Yum! My kids love applesauce, so I’m sure we’ll have no problem eating the 30 quarts I made.
I successfully tried Strawberry Applesauce for the first time this year. I made applesauce as usual, and added pureed strawberries (frozen or fresh). Then I canned it the same way I would do plain applesauce. So delicious and my kids (ages 3 and 9 months) loved it!!! :) I’m thinking about trying blueberry next year. It’s a great way to get more variety in your diet!
Ooh, love this. If I can bring myself to make more applesauce, I’m going to add strawberries to the next batch.
I learned as a kid when pitting cherries every year for canning that if I put lotion on my hands beforehand it helped greatly with the staining. You think apples leave stained hands – try cherries! lol
I just finished with all my apples. Made applesauce, and apple pie filling. I froze the rest, cause I got tired of canning! Here is a simple way to freeze and they won’t turn brown. I got this off of http://www.southernplate.com. You need a gallon of water, but start off first with a cup of warm water and 1/4 cup of salt. Stir that together then add rest of water. As you peel, chop, slice submerge them in the salty water, drain, then freeze immediately. Worked Great!
I grate my apples with a cuisinart before I cook them. Then they can go from pot to jar to water bath and I don’t have to mess with hot apples in the blender.
What a timely post. I was eating an apple as I read of all the great things to do with 110 lbs. of apples. I too have ruined two of my favorite tank tops for slicing apples. I tried so hard to get those stains out before I finally gave up and accepted their fate. They make great work shirts now though.I since then have started wearing aprons while working in the kitchen.
I am wishing I knew of a place to go apple picking with my boys in my neck of the woods. Somewhere with whole food/organic practices.
Have a blessed day,
Stephany
Stephany, check the Pick Your Own site. http://www.pickyourown.org/statelist.htm
She also has great canning info.
One of the best investments we ever made was to purchase the sauce attachment for the kitchen-aid mixer we received as a wedding gift. All you have to do is quarter the washed apples then cook. Dump the cooked apples into the top of the saucer (we purchased a tray attachment to fit more in, too) and run the mixer. It spits out junk (seeds, seed area junk, skin, stems) on one end and fills a bowl with sauce underneath. We can process two bushels a night, easily, without it being a big deal. It has saved us HOURS of time and we get so much more sauce into the freezer. Such a blessing.
This year I made applebutter in the crockpot (then froze) and apple pie filling which I froze in my pie pans and then popped out so that all I have to do is drop it in a pie crust and bake-no thawing needed.
DON’T PEEL YOUR APPLES!!! When you make applesauce with the peel on, not only is it so much healthier and easier, it actually comes out SO creamy and smooth and delicious! You’ve never had applesauce like it, it’s absolutely wonderful.
My hands are brown right now from the black walnuts. We were moving some furniture and i chuckled b/c my hands were the same color!
I told my hubby this must have been one of the reasons ladies used to wear gloves in public back in the old days :)
We are going apple picking again on Thursday and will spend my weekend canning.
Enjoy your apples.
I have another batch of dried apple rings in the oven right now! delish!
i also ruined a pair of pants and shirt the first time i did apples, i now wear both old clothes and an aprin! :) i swiched it up this year and made chunky sauce, and added some chopped apples to cinnimon rolls! yum!! :) i also made fresh juice, wich i’ve canned in the past, but just froze this year (with 2 young boys freezing the juice was much easier!)
Of course, it would happen to Eeyore! :)Your mini apple pies look fun to try. Apples do like to stain things, but it is certainly a good feeling to have fresh applesauce in the freezer!
Looking forward to seeing what you do with your applesauce….I was thinking about canning some applesauce soon…if I can find a good deal on apples. :-)
Oh, all thoses apple goodies look wonderful!!!
Love eating them fresh! Also, our family loves a recipe from my late Aunt called ‘Apple Pudding Cake’. I have modified it to use sucanat sugar. Have also made fruit leather, apple crisp, crock pot apple butter, and applesauce. Love your posts and recipes! Thank you very much for sharing.
Hooray! I didn’t even click on the Caramel Apple Dip the first time I read this, b/c my brain is just so used to dismissing caramel as a completey inedible food option for our family. But I just read through your apple ideas again (while trying to figure out how to avoid making any more applesauce but still use up my 160 pound order of apples from Azure) and I realized this is the Heavenly Homemaker blog, how can she have caramel?!? It must be made of real food, and YAY!!! We are eating Apple caramel dip tomorrow. My kids will love you.