bellevett

canned crockpot applesauce and more- a few instructions.

 

i am really into my crockpots right now.  i actually have 2.

and i use them both all the time..... several times this season i have used my crockpot to slowcook something that i was going to preserve for the winter. 

it really does seem too good to be true.

but it isnt.

 i use the slowcooker on the high setting, put everything in, as the canning recipe specifies, and i walk away for a few hours or 5, come back, put into hot sanitized jars and can in the water bath for the specified amount of time. 

there was a time in my life when i was able to stand in front of the stove stirring a big pot of applesauce, tomatoes, or strawberry jam.   this season of my life, with an active 18 month old and a husband who is currently remodeling our home, does not include leisurely stirring a pot of strawberries or apples to put by, and i am learning to accept that. 

but, that doesnt mean i gave up on my food preservation efforts. 

i have learned to take advantage of what i have, which is an 18 month old who is eager to help for small periods of time and a husband who is eager to let the 18 month old help him hammer nails in to the wall until he looses interest. i have an amazing apple peeler that was 20.00 that might have been my best investment yet.  it peels and cuts the apples into rounds and takes about 15 minutes to peel, core, and cut 30 apples.  seriously, it is no kidding amazing.  its similar to this one, but mine is from mast general store. below are my recipes for applesauce and apple butter.  if you have come into some apple wealth and not really a whole lot of time, this recipe is made for you.

 

slowcooked applesauce

25-30 apples

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

a half of a vanilla bean, cut down the middle to expose the beans *optional!

1/2 cup of water or apple cider

peel, core, and chop your apples.  (alternately, you could skip this step and just chop the apples, core, peel and all and then put through a food mill or sieve before canning.) place in crockpot until completely and totally packed full.  my slowcooker is a 6-qt and i can fit anywhere from 25-30 apples in it.  adjust your spices if you can fit less or more.  after its full of apples, i add the lemon juice, cinnamon, and water/applecider.  i tuck the vanilla bean down into the apples, if using.  i turn my cooker on med/high, and cook for about 5-6 hours.  after about 4 hours, i usually take of the lid and mash the apples for good measure, but its not that necessary!  once the consistency is right, i turn off the slow cooker and get my water bath going if canning.  (if making applebutter, see below)  if you havent canned before, check this website out!  ladle into sanitized pint jars and process in a waterbath for 20 minutes. you could of course just put this directly in the fridge as well! this recipe makes 5 pints of applesauce. 

here are some good resources on canning. please consult a book like the ball blue book of canning if you have never canned before!  i am by no means an expert.

 

to make the applebutter:

slowcooked apple butter

25-30 apples

1 1/4 cups of sugar/ maple syrup/honey

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 tablespoon lemon juice

a half of a vanilla bean, cut down the middle to expose the beans *optional!

1/2 cup of water or apple cider

peel, core, and chop your apples.  place in crockpot until completely and totally packed full.  my slowcooker is a 6-qt and i can fit anywhere from 25-30 apples in it.  adjust your spices slightly if you can fit less or more.  after its full of apples, i add the lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and water/apple cider.  i tuck the vanilla bean down into the apples, if using.  i turn my cooker on low, and cook for about 15 hours or over night. alternately, you could cook on high for 8-10 hours.  after about 4 hours, i usually take of the lid and mash the apples for good measure, but its not that necessary! put all of the apple butter through a sieve to get a nice buttery consistency and return to the slow cooker.  if it taste right, then i turn off the slow cooker and get my water bath going if canning.  you might want to add more sugar if you think it needs it. if you havent canned before, check this website out!  ladle into sanitized pint jars and process in a waterbath for 20 minutes. you could of course just put this directly in the fridge as well! this recipe makes about 8 half pints. 

 

 so if canning or crockpotting isnt really your thing, try dehydrated apples. (last picture) i assure you they will be your thing!  dehydrate your apples at 130 in a dehydrator or the lowest possible setting in your oven.  just place on racks and let them go for 5-6 hours.  they last for several months, but i never have found out how much longer beyond that, because they are always gone before i know it.

 

 

long hot summer.

 

we spent a fair amount of time on the road this summer. 

we visited so much family for extended periods of time.

we backpacked.

we canned 75 pounds of roma tomatoes.

we swam.

we wrote, and wrote some more.

we picked berries.

we visited friends.

we made friends.

we played farkle.

i knitted a few sweaters.

i sewed a few shirts.

we tore out our bathroom.

we built half of a new one.

we i are am forcing ourselves to be ok with unfinished projects.

we read books.

and more books.

and we went to the library on days when the heat was unbearable.

we now have a walking, talking, book reading, song singing, art making, train loving little boy.

summer happened, and now i am ready for fall.

as a matter of fact, i have a few bushels of apples on their way to me right now. fall is almost here.

 

I stopped writing and updating this blog after crosby's 1st birthday, mainly because i was spending so much time on the computer, and i needed a limit.  i officially deleted my facebook account and it turns out that i think that was more of a problem than writing a few sentances here on ye old blog. 

facebook never made me feel good like writing a blog post does. 

writing is good for me.

onward and upward.

 

 

 

weekending x 2

 

 

 

so the past few weekends have been just the sort of weekends i have needed most.

both were made up of relaxation and productivity.

truth be told, i have been a bit preoccupied with a project here in my little land.  and that project is a new quilt for my boy for his first birthday.  which is coming up next week. on valentines day.  also known as my baby boys first birthday.  so, i deemed it fit to begin sewing him a quilt 2 weeks before, cause that's just what i do.  so, the knitting has been put down and all other interests have been put on hold until this quilt is finished.

except.........

we did find our way out doors 2 weekends ago when the weather got to a point where it should have been considered a sin to stay indoors.  it was still a bit cold, but the sun.  oh the sun.  it was quite nice.  seeing as though this winter has been unseasonably weird and totally unpredictable, seeing sun after months of overcast and rain and 50 degrees with no snowflake to be found, the sun was a welcomed player.

i dug up my beets and one lone carrot, just to see how it was doing.  i planted some arugula and some french breakfast radishes, just for kicks.  who knows, we may not get below 40 degrees at all this winter.  i am proceeding forward with my plans.  after all, the farmers almanac does seem to back up the claim that we will most likely not have any substantial winter here in the valley. 

i pulled up some spinach and re-mulched the kale. 

i turned all of our cover crops on our other two beds.

crosby took the whole garden bed terminology to heart and took up residence laying and rolling in the bed like it was his personal space. 

sourdough bread was made.  and....... meeeh. it needs some work i tell you.  i wont give up yet..

last night i made a giant salad and i used some pickled beets that i canned last summer.  they were by far one of the tastiest things i have canned ever.  and i now remember why i always plant so many beets.  also, the miniature beet eater in the family had some fresh beets last night roasted in the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil.  yes. they were Tasty.  capital t.

the truth is, i have begun my new pinboard on pinterest for my future farm. and i am seriously craving some fresh foods right now.

but, before i get into all that, i have a few days left to finish a quilt that i spent all last night seem ripping out the border after i saw a mistake that i just couldn't ignore.  so, the farm talk will have to wait for a few more days. 

happy tuesday.

on december 7th.

yesterday it did this:

i began to believe my dreams were finally coming true of an early december snow.

but, alas, it stopped.

inside i was finishing up this:

now i am officially casting on for a few confidential christmas gifts.

also, i finished letting these dry:

 

they are all packed up in a tin, waiting to be dipped into some white chocolate.  which will happen this weekend. if they last that long.

 

december 2

last night we spent some time elfing....

in the form of bottling some homebrewed beers. 

 

as the bottlecapper, i spent some of my time knitting, while beers were being filled. which seems like a way that i would like to spend all of my days: knitting until a full beer comes my way in need of a cap.  i could really spend all day in the kitchen with cody, endlessly making, and brewing, and cooking up new and more awesome consumable goods that bring us even further into the land of self sustainability. 

yes. that sounds like a good plan.

although here is the truth, it is that i was tired, and crosby was finally asleep, and my mind was telling me to finish a few projects around the house and curl up in the bed with a few more things checked off my christmas to do list.   BUT that list is gone my friends, for december is for living.  and i am glad for it.

 

which brings me to my last post, and my resolution "list". 

like i need another list really.

most of it was blank.  i went through and wrote down a few things that were my most memorable holiday traditions and things that i sometimes dont seem to make time for and then i spent a few days thinking.

and living.

and i realized that what i really wanted and what i was really trying to verbalize was that my true resolution was to live in the moment for the last few days of 2011. 

to snuggle and nap.

to read.

to knit.

to slow down.

to enjoy time with family.

to make cookies with my friends.

to stop thinking of things that need to be done.

to bottle beer at night with my husband.

 

and in one week, i will sit and drink one of those bottled beers. 

modeled after the terrapin brewery's wake and bake.

and i will be happy that i bottled these beers with cody late into the night.

 

so, the moral of this story is that i have a blank sheet of paper numbered 1-31. 

and i am filling it in as i go along.

and that feels right.

 

ps. i am so inspired by Heather.  this post and this post were truly heart opening.

 

thankful five- day 3: indulgent foods

 

 

 

 

top to bottom:

homemade mozzarella.  a truly (incredibly easy and extra cheap) indulgent food item.  now that crosby eats dairy, i make this weekly.  and it never ceases to amaze me how good it is. 

ramps.  the first sign of spring. gathered locally.

pickles.  anything pickled.  most especially zucchini and beets.

chocolate covered candied orange peels.  cant wait to make those this season. best holiday indulgence.

****************************

yes, i am thankful for treats.

 

if you love your freezer.

if you love your freezer.

if you have anywhere from 8- 25 (or more) stray tomatoes.

if you arent into canning.

THIS is a good post for you to read.

here is how i make my basic roasted tomato sauce.

sometimes it's more like a paste, but ok. here we go.

 

you need:

a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil with about a tablespoon of olive oil spread around on it.

tomatoes

a knife.

a preheated oven to 325.

around 4 hours of time for cooking. (unless you leave your house when your oven is on, and in that case you may only need around 30 minutes or so.)

step 1: wash your tomatoes.

i use a produce wash with mine. 

step 2: core tomatoes 

 

step 3: cut tomato in half and use your finger to get out all of the seeds and juice from those tiny pockets.

step 4: lay your seedless, juice-less tomato down onto your oiled sheet with the skin side up.

step 5: put into oven and roast at 325 for around 3-4 hours.  turning your sheet every hour or so.

step 6: when your tomatoes are looking less juicy (see below.), and it's been about 3 or 4 hours, take them out of the oven.

step 7: after letting them cool, gently peel off the skins.  they should slip right off. or squeeze the tomato out of the skins if they are giving you any trouble.

step 8: optional! put into bowl, drain off any excess juice, and mash up with a fork. you have to do this in small batches.

now you are pretty much done.  you can put these into the freezer just the way they are and use them to make an amazing salsa, or pasta, or whatever.  you could put them into a pot on the stove and use an immersion blender to really puree them.  and then cook them longer on low reducing them to a delicious paste to use for a pizza sauce (try it with roasted garlic.  o my.)  skip the freezer and eat it that night! the world is your oyster at this point. 

for those of you who are interested, i filled up 2 baking sheets with tomatoes.  i ended up with a little over 3 cups of tomato puree.  i used a better boy tomato.  if you use a roma, polish linguisa, or other heirloom tomato with a saucy less juicy quality you will get quite a bit more.

go and make your freezer happy.

weekending with tomatoes.

this weekend was my last and final fling with the giant boxes of bright red tomatoes. 

around 3 o clock on friday afternoon, we were home, armed with around 75 pounds of bright red spotless tomatoes.

i started roasting, canning, freezing, and repeating.

by 7 o clock, the idea of eating tomato sauce from a bpa containing can that i could buy from the grocery store in the middle of december was looking pretty enticing and i was a little more than over these tomatoes. 

i was cheering to the fact that i would not be elbow deep in tomato juice again for at least another 10 months.

i started to get in that deep dark place.  why were we dealing with these blasted tomatoes when we should be out enjoying a beautiful brisk friday night?

i began lamenting in my head how its friggin september.  and you know what you do in friggin september?  you make apple butter.  applesauce.  start building fires.  making chili.  repeat.  and i was dealing with tomatoes.

so, i took a break.  and made a pizza. 

while the tomatoes were simmering on the stove and in the oven, we went outside and sat with the pizza.

i am pretty sure it was only 68 degrees out or something amazing like that.

it made me think about eliot coleman's mantra in this land is in your hands, during times of car trouble, compost issues, weather problems, etc.

as told by his daughter:

"how many son of gun's are this lucky."

(there are actually i think some choice words in that statement)

 

here i was, eating a delicious pizza. on a blanket. in 70 degree weather. and i am lucky enough to have 75 pounds of tomatoes in the kitchen to can, freeze, roast, and dry for the winter. 

 

so while i chugged on with an often hungry and eventually tired and fussy baby, 2 hungry dogs, 2 cats that want to go outside and come back in two seconds later- i could only think of the future when all of our kids will be grown and away, these animals will be long since gone, and it's just Cody and I in the kitchen. while i know that we will be old and happy and in love, i can only imagine that i will wish that i could see and feel this very moment for just a few minutes longer before it vanishes back into the memories of the past.  the moment of your tiny first born desperately trying to crawl on the kitchen floor just to reach the very end of a dog tail.  the two sweet cats that have various personalized theme songs and lounge about in front of any door you are trying to walk through. the two dogs that have seen it all so far:  love, marriage, tears, happiness, heartbreak, apartments, houses, and many mountain trails.

 

so with a giant to do list that has to be completed pronto, knitting that needs to be finished before the weekend, and a laundry pile that might actually over take me at some point, i am currently feeling like a lucky son of a gun.

 

linking with amanda.