Autumn.....Fall......Canning

Crisp, cool days, high of 62. Leaves are turning and apples are on sale! I have done a bit of canning over the years, always using a hot water bath. A couple of weeks ago Dave bought me a pressure canner. Have never been really comfortable around pressure anything, because was in a kitchen when a pressure cooker blew up, many years ago. But there are a lot of things I would like to try canning and a water bath just doesn't always work.

My friend Sine told me about a great way to make slow cooker applesauce so last weekend I made a batch and refrigerated it. It was not only easy but tasted great! So today I decided to make some more and can it! My day today was very busy in the canning department. I not only canned applesauce in the pressure canner, but also made and canned salsa and spiced apple rings in a hot water bath. Right now we used the last of the apples to start cooking apple butter. We used Gala, Golden Delicious, 1 Red delicious, and 2 Granny Smith. The apples need to cook on high (in the slow cooker) for 4 hours until soft, then I will use the new immersion blender that Dave got me to blend it smoothe and add some sugar (if needed) and cinnamon. The apples will continue to cook all night on low to reduce. Tomorrow, I will then pressure can pint jars of apple butter!

This year is just practice, am hoping to do a ton of canning next summer and fall. We want to take advantage of our local farmers market to keep us in lovely fruits and veggies through the winter. Will add some pictures tomorrow.

Happy Autumn!