Applesauce

Wash, peel, and core 13 1/2 lbs of apples. Place apples in a 10-quart pot. Add 1/2 cup water. Stirring occasionally to prevent burning, heat quickly until tender (5 to 20 minutes, depending on maturity and variety). Press through a sieve or food mill, or skip the pressing step if you prefer chunky style sauce. Sauce may be packed without sugar. If desired, add 1/8 cup cugar per quart of sauce. Taste and add more if preferred. Reheat sauce to boiling. Fill jars with sauce leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

Pints processing time in boiling water canner

0-1,000 ft above sea level 15 minutes

1,001- 3,000 ft above 20 minutes

3,001-6,000 ft above 20 minutes

above 6,000 ft 25 minutes

Apple Butter

8 lbs apples

2 cups cider

2 cups vinegar

2 1/4 cups white sugar

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp ground cloves

Wash, remove stems, quarter, anc core fruit. Cook slowly in the cider and vinegar until soft. Press fruit through a colander, food mill, or strainer. Cook fruit pulp with spices and sugar, stirring frequently. To test for doneness, remove a spoonful and hold it away from steam for 2 minutes. It is done if the butter remains mounded on the spoon. Another way to determine when the butter is cooked adequately is to spoon a small quantity onto a plate. When a rim of liquid does not separate around the edge of the butter, it is ready for canning. Fill hot into sterile half pint or pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Process times

0-1,000 ft above sea level 5 minutes

1,001-6,000 above 10 minutes

above 6,000 15 minutes

Apple Pie Filling

For 7 quarts:

Blanched, sliced fresh apple slices 6 quarts

granulated sugar 5 1/2 cups

clear jel 1 1/2 cups

cinnamon 1 tbsp

cold water 2 1/2 cups

apple juice 5 cups

bottled lemon juice 3/4 cup

nutmeg 1 tsp

Combine sugar, clear jel, nutmeg, and cinnamon in a large kettle with water and apple juice. Stir and cook on medium high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice and boil one minute, stirring constantly. Fold in apple slices immediately and fill jars with mixture without delay, leaving one inch headspace. Adjust lids and process immediately.

Process time in boiling water canner:

0-1000 ft above sea level 25 minutes

1,001-3,000 ft above 30 minutes

3,001-6,000 ft above 35 minutes

abvoe 6,000 ft 40 minutes

Pickled Beets

I was looking for something for the baby beets I received in our csa bag this past week and decided to pickled the beets. I love pickled beets and this is a very simple and easy recipe. It didn't cost much for my organic pickled beets.

From the Organic Cooks Bible

4 or 5 young red beets, washed and trimmed

1 medium onion, sliced thin and separated into rings

1/2 cinnamon stick

3 whole cloves

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

In a large pot, place a steamer basket and an inch or two of water, and add the whole beets. Steam the beets for about 40-60 minutes, adding more water as it evaporates. When the beets are tender but not mushy, remove them from the heat and let them cool so they can be handled and peel. Strain and reserve the liquor from the bottom of the steamer. Slice the beets into 1/4 inch thick rounds.

Place the beets, onion, cinnamon, and cloves in a 1-quart mason jar. In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, and 1 cup of the beet steaming liquor (add water to make 1 cup if you don't have enough). Heat over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves, then pour the liquid over the beets and onion rings. If it doesn't quite cover the vegetables, add more vinegar.

Screw down the jar lid to the point where the ring just begins to become tight but there's still the tinest bit of play, and process in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes, according to standard directions for canning aciditic foods. Or if you plan to use them quickly, simply place the covered jar in the fridge for a day before serving. These pickled beets will keep that way for 2 weeks.