Canned Apple Pie Filling!

Once again, it's fall and that mean a LOT of apples!  and what to do with all those apples you ask?  well there are so many choices, but, being new to the home canning world, I decided to can apple pie filling!  It was a little bit of an experience but I ended up doing 4 batches, learning more along the way.
First, you need a ton of apples and a ton of patience to peel and core them all.  perhaps I should have invested in one of those nifty apple peelers but I didn't.....
So.....it's easy if you have the time and equipment.  You'll need:
Enough apples to fill 7 quart jars (about 50-60) if I had to guess....i didn't count
7 quart jars
a water bath canner
lids
rings
jar puller

10 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 cup cornstartch
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinmamon

This was the recipe i found and it worked for me.  Feel free to tweek your spices and sugar to your liking.

First-you have to peel and core all those apples.  Put them in water with lemon juice to keep them looking nice while they wait to be processed.

When you're about half way through you apples, you can start your "apple pie goo" and your canning stuff.  i washed my jars and put them in the water to boil and sanatize.  meanwhile I put the goo ingredients in a large pot and slowly bring to a boil to thicken.  Caution- sprinkle and stir the cornstartch in or you get a large blob.  continue to stir every few minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom!

Once all the apples are peeled, cored and sliced and your jars are boiled and your filling is bubby and thick you're ready to go.

After trial and error this is the best way i found to do it.  Remove one jar at a time and "layer" the apple and goo, kinda shaking it down after each addition.  i did about 6 layers per jar, trying to incorporate as many apple slices as possible since you want your pie to apple, not goo pie ;).  the first batch i just added all the apples and tried to get the filling in the nooks and crannies and i ran out of filling.  the next time i layered but didn't shake and ran out of filling.  third times a charm and it worked perfectly!  top it off with a hot lid and tight ring and put back in the water.

Repeat on all 7 jars.  Hopefully you had enough apples and filling to do them all, if not, you learn something along the way.  Boil in the hot water bath for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, either lift them straight out and place on the counter OR leave them in the pot until they cool then remove.  i learned if you tip them, even a little bit to get them out of the pot, they will spew hot apple pie filling everywhere.

place in a cool dry place for quick apple pies all year long or put a cute ribbon around the neck and give them away as presents!

Homemade Candy Apples

so it's Fall....my favorite time of the year.  Usually I'm all about pumpkin everything.....but apples rank up there too.  This year i'm discovering new things in the kitchen and experimenting as I go.  A few days ago, I layed eyes on a candy apple but wasn't about to shell out $4 for it.  So i decided to make some.

After scouring pinterest and reading several recipes and methods, i decided on the one that seemed most simple, as i'm not an experinced "candy" maker.

And, I had to buy a candy thermometer.  Walmart brand was a $4 investment.  I decided i skip so many recipes that call for one that i might as well just invest in one.

It was a lot easier than anticipated but still requires some fast skills....but luckily not numchuck skills or computer hacking skills...(lol Napoleon Dynamite).

Ok, so I acquired free apples.  And they weren't maintained, so don't judge their misshapen figures.  They taste just fine and free is free.

Recipe:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
10 drops red food coloring
10-15 apples (depending on size)

Sticks for the apples, i used bamboo skewers cut in half since i forgot to stop at the store and hunt down popcicle sticks.  make sure they are strong enough, whatever you use, they are important in the coating process.

Spray a tray or something flat with cooking spray.  Wash, dry and twist off your apple stems.  Put all your sticks in your apples.

Put the ingredients (except for apples) in a medium pot and bring to a boil.  Insert your candy thermometer (don't let it touch the bottom of the pot) and boil until temp. reaches 300 degree.  (for me, this took longer than i expected.  maybe it was my cooktop or whatever, but it was like 20 minutes.  i don't think this is typical).  When it reaches 300 degrees take it off the burner and WORKING QUICKLY dip, spin and let the excess drip off.
Quickly is the key!

I had baseball sized apples and this batch did 15.  I barely had enough time as i was on the last two the coating was already getting hard.  I planned on dipping them in a variety of toppings like sprinkles and nuts but i had no time.  You'll need an extra pair of hands if you plan on adding extras!  By the time i was done dipping the last one, the first ones i did had already dried!

The coating immediately got hard but i left them on the counter and by the next morning it had gotten tacky again.  so either put them in the fridge or consume them right after eating.  They still tasted good even though they were tacky. ;) 

Nutella Peanut butter zucchini wheat muffins

Nutella.....yes I said it.

ok, so I originally saw this on pinterest....but I altered it so much, I can't hardly call it the same recipe.  Nutella.....yes nutella.  but you can't eat it alllllll the time, right?  but you can if it's in small quantities and in relatively healthy muffins....like these! 

mmmmmmm.....they have been tested (by the locusts I work with) and approved.  I actually would eat them all myself but I'll share......

You'll need:

1 1/2- 2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 brown sugar

Nutella
Mini chips for the top (I used peanut butter)

Preheat oven to 350.

mix the wet ingredients by hand until combined.  add the dry and mix until combined.  the mixture will be thick and sticky.  it's ok.  as long as there is no dry clumps of flour.

spray muffin tins with cooking spray.  fill them half way with muffin mixture.  spoon a bit of nutella in the middle but don't let it touch the sides of the cups.  plop more mixture on the top making sure to cover the blob of nutella.  i kinda took a spoonful of muffin mixture with  my hands and pushed it on over the nutella.  top with chocolate or peanut butter chips if you want.  The muffins won't really expand too much while baking so what's in your pan will be about what size you get when they are done.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

Viola.

The original recipe called for an insane amount of oil and sugar.  and bananas....but i think the banana would have taken over the entire muffin.  I think my recreation is a good (and healthier) one!

Upcycle! Old door made into a corner shelf

Saw this on pinterest months ago and have wanted to tackle it.  I had a few old doors from when we remodeled the house.  somehow they got put outside for a few weeks and got rained on.....so they are even more distressed that they originally were!  To do this project you need:

Old door (six panel works best.  tried with a two panel and found out you need a solid panel up and down the middle to cut though or else it doens't sit together at a 90 degree angle)

Table saw

drill
screws
scraper
sandpaper
paint-if desired

Cut the door down the middle using the table saw.  you have to account for the thickness of the door.  so measure the door and then split that on the middle-example if your door is an inch thick, find the center and cut it a half inch bigger than that.  This was when you screw the two sides together, it's the same size.  i think this mithod is easier than cutting it exactly the same then installing hinges on it.

Sand or scrap away old paint.  In the first one I did, i scraped all the peeling paint and left it as is.  The second one I'm working on I painted brown then scuffed up the brown paint with sandpaper.  I'm in the process of adding shelves to that one.

Experiiment and have fun. There is no right or wrong here!

Homemade Pickles!

Homemade pickles.....mmmmmmm.  when your garden is producing massive quantities of pickling cucumbers (or you find a deal at the local farmers market) there is nothing better!  This is a simple recipe given to be by my coworker (thank you!) years ago....and I make them every summer!  I planted one packet of small cucmbers this year.  I only got three actual plants to survive but from that I got about 25 pickling cucmbers....enough to make 6 quart sized jars of delicious pickles!

What you need:
This is for a gallon sized jar or three quart sized jars or a large bowl....whatever container you're using (just needs to be glass and have a lid).  You can double or triple depending on how much you're doing at one time!

Cucumbers-picking, mini (doesn't work well with regular ones).  You need about 12 to start
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup suger
1/3 cup salt
Fresh garlic
Fresh Dill

Boil the water, vinegar, sugar and salt for 5 minutes.  LET COOL.

Wash and cut your cucmbers and put them in the jar.  I've done thick slices and thin slices-both work.  or do spears.  Whatever floats your boat.

Layer the cucmbers, garlic and dill in jars.  How much you use is personal preference.  Play around with it.  You can do just garlic or just dill if you want.  The longer you let the pickles sit, the stronger they are going to get!  I always do mine in quart sized canning jars (you are not canning these, but the jars work well).  in a quart i use about three cloves of garlic and one tall sprig of dill, bent to fit.

Once the liquid is cool, pour in the jars.  Put your lid on and put in the refrigerator.  Let them sit at least 24 hours.  They will last in the fridge for a few weeks....the longer they sit the stronger they get!

Birthdays "suck" gag gift/funny gift

Once again....an idea inspired by Pinterest.  My secretary was turning 30 and I wanted to try to recreate something like the variations of this project I saw on pinterest.  Basically it's a "cake" made out of lollypops with a sign on it that says "30 sucks" or "40 sucks" etc.  you could also get blow pops and have it say "30 blows" lol.....

ok, so I bought the required amount of lollypops (make sure you are buying enough....i was 2 shy when i bought two bags haha) and you'll need some kind of styrofoam base (dollar tree).  I got a ring shaped one but you could be creative with this.  I saw a lot of variations on this from a "cake" to just a box filled with pops.  Then you need some kind of sign.

Here's how mine tuned out....not exactly the picture I had in my head but after this go, I have more and better ideas for next time!

So overall, this cost about $5 to make ($4 for lollypops and $1 for the base.  I had the ribbon and wooden circle used to make the sign).  You could also use paper for the sign.  You can get cheaper/smaller lollypops (dumdums) if you're doing a high number birthday.  But I don't think you can skip on the styrofoam base or else you'll just get frustrated.  Unless your goal is just to thrown them in a small bag or box and not be creative at all ;)

Cleaning Gas Stove Burners

Sorry...before I start, I currently have no pictures but I'm eager to share my findings....

So you know how gas stove spider burners get GROSS....and they are almost impossible to clean?  Yea.....so I tried soaking....tried brillo, even tried oven cleaner to no avail....

So I went to youtube.  I watched too many video thinking they were for gas stoves only to find out they were for gas grills.  No, what I'm talking about it spider burners off a good old gas stove.  Mine were grey but after I had tenants in my house, they were black with cooked on food spillage.  It was gross.  This video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6PqgEsdKvc

showed me a method using ammonia.  Like usual, I was skeptical...until I tried it.  I did it exactly as she did and guess what, it worked like a charm!!!!!

I have no before pictures and the after would just show clean burners.....not too exciting.

But I must venture forth to spread the word.  Ammonia works!