The Harvest

Fall is my absolute favorite season. The cool, crisp air; cute sweaters and scarves and boots; and of course the harvest! I've been harvesting crabapples, rose hips, and currants to put away for the winter. The crabapples were made into applesauce, rose hips dehydrated for medicinal purposes, and the currants for jam. The house has smelled absolutely divine while preparing all this lovely bounty. Brings me back to my childhood sitting in the kitchen with my mom and Granny while canning and preserving for winter. Below is my recipe for crabapple applesauce, how was your 2012 harvest? What have you been putting away for the winter?

Crabapple Applesauce

1. Peel, core, and slice the crabapples into quarters

2. In a large pot, add water until it almost covers the crabapples as well as some lemon juice

3. Add a little cinnamon and brown sugar

4. Cook the apples on medium high heat until tender

4. After the apples have cooled, use a slotted spoon to put them in a blender or food processor

5. Process until smooth (you may need to add a little of the liquid from cooking the apples)

6. Add more cinnamon, brown sugar, honey, etc. to taste

7. Put in mason jars and refrigerate

8. Enjoy your tasty, preservative-free crabapple applesauce!