Delicious Apple Pie Filling

 
This year we went apple picking at the orchard with some friends on Labor Day. I decided to make apple pie filling with the apples. I usually try to make applesauce, but we still have some left from last year, so I thought, why not try something new? Here's the recipe, and steps, that I used to make this delicious apple pie filling:

Heat water in a large canner-sized pot, or a canner. You will use this to process the jars.
Rinse jars with warm water.

To make approximately 7 quarts, you'll need about 6 pounds of apples. You may or may not get 7 quarts, depending on the size of the apples. I am not sure how many pounds of apples I had, so I just guessed. I got about 6 quarts, due to not having enough syrup, so I probably had more than 6 pounds cut up.

Peel, core, and slice apples. Put them in a bowl of cool water with some lemon juice, so they don't brown, while waiting to get all of the apples cut.

Mix together:

4 1/2 c sugar
1 c cornstarch
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 nutmeg

Add:
2 tsp salt
10 c water

Put this mixture in a cooking pot and bring this to a boil. Cook until bubbly and thick. Remove from heat.

Add: 3 Tbsp lemon juice

Pack the apples into warm jars.

Pour syrup over the apples, leaving about 1 in. - 1/2 in. headspace in the jar.
Remove air bubbles, by using a small spatula along the sides of the jar.

Put lids and rings on jars and put them in the large pot or canner and let them sit in the water bath for 20 minutes.

Remove jars and let sit on the counter. The jars should start sealing after starting to cool. If they haven't sealed after 24 hours, you can reprocess them with new lids.

Enjoy your delicious apple pie filling in apple pies, over ice cream, in turnovers, apple crisp, and other tasty desserts. Each quart makes enough filling for one pie. Enjoy!!!

Give Thanks

Give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

I have been especially enjoying the weather and beauty of fall this season. This is the first fall here at our new house and the neighbors in front of us have a big yard with huge trees that had bright orange leaves. It is so beautiful. It is amazing how different places have different types of beauty. God is so creative. When you think of all the places in the world and all the different landscapes with their own beauty it's incredible. Thank you, Lord, for all the beautiful colors and smells of your creation. Thank you that you are good and your love endures forever.... We serve an awesome God. No other "god" is like our God. He knows the stars by name and knows even the hair on our head x 6 billion+ people!!! We must be thankful. We take so much for granted, not even thinking about it. God really is so good.