7-6-2010 Tuesday - Apple Pie Anyone???

We have two espaliered Gala Apple Trees and boy did they do great this year!

We had so many we didn't know what to do -
(just like the old lady in the shoe)
While picking apples we sang, "I love you - a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck"

So Shera picked three pecks (or 3/4 of a bushel - about 42 apples are in a bushel. Wow! What we have learned!) and carried them to the kitchen.

Luke helped peel, core and slice the apples -
some thin and some chunky.

Then, using the outside gas burner, we blanched the apples for 1 minute - to help keep them white.

I made the sauce, filled the apples in hot just dishwashed jars and poured the sauce up to the top!

Then, we boiled them to seal the jars - only about 25 minutes for our elevation.

We pulled them out and we had apple pie in a jar!
First time and it worked!!!

The filling is delicious:
Per Quart:
3 1/2 Cups Apples (Sweeter are Better)
1 Cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Corn Starch
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Cloves
1/4 tsp Ginger
1/4 tsp Allspice
1 1/4 Cup Apple Juice
2 Tbs Lemon Juice

Combine Sugar, Spices and Apple Juice in a large pot until bubbling. Mix Corn Starch and Lemon Juice in small bowl and add to the pot. Boil 1 minute - it will be thick. Layer the jar with Apples and Sauce up to 1 inch below the top.
Voila! Now you go do it too!!!