Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Squeezo Strainer Apple Day

When our dear friend, Eileen Owen, moved to Minnesota and was downsizing to a small apartment, she gave me one of her treasures: a Squeezo Strainer! This fall I got a bunch of apples and I was able to put the Squeezo Strainer to good use. Two Mondays ago, the children and I made applesauce and applebutter. It was the easiest apple day we have ever had!
All we did was wash the apples, remove stems, cut apples in quarters, and cook for about 20 minutes in a covered pot with a little water. Then we put the apples through the Squeezo Strainer and turned the handle. Out one side came all the seeds and skins. Out another side came applesauce! I measured it and added sugar and cinnamon, cooked it a little longer and canned it.

Lincoln Brown was being babysat by Beth, as he usually is on Mondays, so he learned all about making applesauce too!

We always try to get everybody involved, even Jason!



Jason stirred the sugar in so that none got scorched.

When I made the second batch of applesauce into applebutter, I did it differently than I ever have before. Usually I use the big electric roaster oven to cook the applebutter down, but I really didn't want to get it out. It takes so long, is so hard to clean, and ties up the whole counter. So I put the applesauce, sugar and spices into a very large roaster pan in my oven to cook. I left it in there 1.5 hours and stirred it occasionally and it was done. Then I put the applebutter into jars and sealed them in the oven also! (250 temperature and 20 minutes) It was faster and less mess than waterbathing them.

Finished products: 8 quarts of applesauce and 19 pints of applebutter.

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