Canning Part 2

After tasting the delicious Apple Butter and going through almost a whole pint, we decided to make more! Yes, more. It is that good. Now that I realize canning is not just a hobby for Scott, but that it is turning into more of an obscession that isn't going away anytime soon, I reliquinshed and let him purchase more appropriate tools for canning such as a funnel, jar lifter, magnet lid grabber kit. He was given a large pressure cooker from his aunt in her massive moving cleaning spree that has already been put to use. The only thing left to purchase was a food mill. I figured with Daniel eating us out of house and home with the expensive baby food, I would be able to use it to make baby food, too. That and Ashlynn will be getting braces in a few years, so she may need mashed foods, too. Anyway, after much research, we purchased a lovely food mill from Bed Bath and Beyond that is 100% stainless steel and dishwasher safe. My two favorite things when it comes to cooking. Now Scott is really set to can.

Today Scott went out and picked another 18 pounds of apples off of the small apple tree and we were good to can.  We tripled the original recipe so we could have lots for us (yummy!) and a few to give to lucky friends and family members. It took a but longer this time, but it was well worth it.  Scott got to use his food mill, his pressure cooker, and his new tools! I did, too. I was around to help with the canning process this time. Things I learned - the jars are hot when they come out of the boiling water, the water is hot, too, but the apple butter cools quickly when it "spills" on the counter and you have to "clean" it up. ;) It was good and now we have 20 jars sitting on the counter. And maybe a few more pounds around our wastes...