It's Apple Time!

Yum!

The trees are bending and begging for relief.  Apples by the box in the kitchen and WHAT TO DO???  My dear neighbor, Alenda, messaged me, begging for my soon to be famous apple butter recipe.

Here's a solution that is easier than you might think...

Oven Baked Apple Butter
Get the largest roaster pan that will fit in your oven.  Wash, remove stems and blossom ends then cut apples into pieces, no need to peel or core if you have a food mill. Fill up the roaster with the cut apples.  Add the following for each 4 cups of cut apples:

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or to taste - some people like it up to 2 cups!)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon (I like twice this much)
1/2 to 1 cup cider or apple juice (you can always add more as it cooks if you need to).

Stir then cover and place in a 300f oven.  Bake until thick and the apples are falling well apart from 3 to 6 hours.  If you do this over night then lower the temperature of the oven to 275f.

Cool a bit then run the apples through your food mill to remove the peels and cores.  Return to the pan then heat in a 350f oven stirring often - about 1/2 hour to 1 hour, depending on how thick it is.

To test for doneness, place a teaspoonful on a chilled saucer.  It should stay smooth and mounded.

Pour into hot, sterilized pint jars to within 1/4 inch of the top.  Place sterilized metal lids on jars and screw metal bands on securely.  You may choose to process for 5 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Let cool overnight then put in your pantry.