Criss Cross Applesauce!

Not much gives me a great sense of personal satisfaction than canning! I haven’t canned in quite awhile and was surprised and pleased that Feffie called and wanted me to teach her and help her can some homemade applesauce.

She managed to score a great deal on apples! That’s one thing I can say about her . . .if you want to know where the best price or deal oh anything is . . Just ask her!

I lugged over my old canner and supplies and off to her house on Sunday I went. We peeled, and smashed, and seasoned (cinnamon and nutmeg), and cooked, and smashe some more until the applesauce was cooked just right! Filled the jars and canned away. We managed to make 21 quarts and 7 pints of applesauce . . and then on to make 7 qts of apple pie filling.

It was fun to work together in the kitchen and what a sense of accomplishment – just to see all the jars lined up . . and knowing the family would have applesauce for several months.

Superman said that he could take it or leave it and wondered what would be done with all of that applesauce! Feffie opened the first jar to have with her meatloaf dinner. She had figured that a quart jar would probably last her family for 2 meals. Well . .the good news is that apparently it was a huge hit . . . Superman ate 3 bowls full as did Hallie and Nathan. They practically licked the jar clean! Nathan wanted Mommie to open another one! So it passed the family taste test with flying colors! (Feffie called this morning to see about getting more apples so we can make more! At this rate, they will empty all the jars and we can fill them up again without having to buy new ones!)

After that I helped her get started on some homemade chicken soup with some left over chicken she had. And when I left to go home, there was Superman in the kitchen with the pink Kitchen Aide tackling the machine to make some homemade noodles for the soup! I wonder if they will have applesauce with the soup!

Now I have the canning bug . .The jars look so nice in my kitchen all lined up on my new pantry shelving. I can’t wait to make some marmalade, strawberry preservers, tomatoes and salsa . . my list is getting longer!