Pantry Building...

So far, I've got 19 pint jars and 5 quart jars of applesauce. I made cranberry applesauce (just throw in a good handful of frozen cranberries while cooking the apples), spiced applesauce (with pumpkin pie spice added...don't ask me why I don't add apple pie spice...pumpkin is just better....trust me on this one), and plain applesauce. For the last two big batches I've made, I've left the skins on and blended them right up with the apples...it adds both flavor and nutrition to the sauce, and makes cooking it immensely easier without all that apple peeling.

Here's a close up shot that shows the little pieces of peel and the lovely colors. Food in jars is just so beautiful, isn't it...or maybe that's just me...


Here's a group shot...smile everyone!


And...I need to confess to you all that I am slightly addicted to roasted pumpkin seeds. It's really becoming a problem as pumpkins are not as readily available around these parts after Halloween. I was extremely excited to find out that roasted acorn squash seeds are just as good (okay...maybe even slightly better) after becoming desperate...er...I mean....researching alternatives to pumpkin seeds! So, here's my coveted jar of pumpkin & acorn squash seeds, roasted, with a touch of salt and pepper for flavor!


I've got one more 8 lb. bag of apples to can...what's YOUR favorite way to preserve apples? Apple butter? Apple pie filling? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.....I'm off to dig out that yummy apple butter recipe...it's around here somewhere!

Fall is my favorite canning season!!

Because Fall is when the apples are on sale at our local grocery. Final count...18 jars of applesauce! One batch each of cranberry applesauce, chunky apple pie spiced applesauce, and skinny applesauce (applesauce with skins included :)



Chunky Applesauce:


Cranberry Applesauce:


Skinny Applesauce:

Applesauce crisis...

We were down to two jars of homemade applesauce...not good...but yesterday I came across apples for 53 cents per pound! I got 15 pounds and made up some applesauce to replenish our supply. Crisis averted.

Discoveries made during the process:

I have discovered that crockpot applesauce has a brown color even if you add lemon juice, but stovetop applesauce will yield a color more like store bought applesauce. My kids don't seem to care either way, but it is nice to know in the case of making applesauce for other people.

I also discovered that I prefer to use pint jars because I feel like I've accomplished more when there are more jars sitting there cooling on the towel and pinging to tell me they're sealed. How silly is that??? I decided to use quart jars because the girls will finish a pint jar in one sitting, but was a bit disappointed in the number of jars I got from 15 pounds of apples. I may have to go back to the store and get another 15-20 pounds...at that price, it's hard to pass up!

I've also discovered that I like wide-mouthed jars best because they stack more easily.

I wonder what all of you do with your empty jars. How have you found to store them? I was putting them back into my pantry, but really would prefer to find a better place. After all, full jars are so pretty, but empties just take up space.