Apple Pie Filling

I love the fall. All those apples and the millions of things you can do with them. One thing in particular is the smell of apple pie. It's a warmth and smell that just fills your house with goodness. It's also a great time to get all that canning done that you've been meaning to do all summer, but have put off until the last possible second!?! No of course not, we are all perfect housewives who get all the ironing, cooking, cleaning, laundry, watching the children, running errands and darning done in one day. And if you don't know what darning is... well, never mind then, you must be the perfect housewife if you never have to darn a thing!

So anyway, I just really wanted to post this recipe before I lose it again in my perfectly clean house. (you can't see me right now, but I'm rolling my eyes) This recipe has nothing to do with the season. In fact you won't be able to use this recipe for probably a good...well when fall comes around again. It is delicious when you bake it into a pie and it would even be great warmed up and served with ice cream. It is easy to can, even for the newbie!

Ingredients:

Apples

1 cup corn starch

dash of cloves

4 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

3 teaspoons cinnamon

10 cups water

Directions:

• Peel, core and slice your apples. Place into jars, filling the jar to just the bottom of the rings.
• Mix together the corn starch, cloves, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.Add 10 cups water to the dry ingredients and mix well.
• Boil the mixture until the sugar dissolves.
• Pour over jarred apples.
• Process for 20 minutes

Makes 7 jars

• Tips: Don't boil your mixture too fast. Gradually bring it to a boil. I think it gets too thick too fast otherwise.
• I like to use my apple peeler/corer. They aren't expensive and they make the job go so much faster. Then all you have to do is slice the apples.

source: Claudia Clayson via April Clayson