Test Kitchen Thursday - Applesauce

My family LOVES applesauce!  When I was growing up I remember my mom would sometimes let me go down to the basement and pick out the fruit for supper.  I loved this responsibility - standing looking at the shelves of canned goods tasked with choosing just the right item.  Now sometimes mom would tell me no cherries - I loved her canned cherries - would have eaten them for every meal.  So, my second choice was her applesauce.  A close third were the peaches!

So what fun to make applesauce with my own little guys.  And eventually when they're old enough I'll task them with picking the fruit for supper!

Here is what I started out with - 12 pounds of apples.  I needed to use up the Red and Golden Delicious apples that we picked in Indiana.  In addition, (to add flavor) I bought some Fuji and Granny Smith.

I used the applesauce recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.  You can find the recipe HERE on Ball's website too!  

When processing I always used an approved recipe.  The ingredients for applesauce are pretty straight forward - apples, lemon juice and sugar (if needed).  I decided to just go with plain old applesauce since I can use it in baking this way.  Plus, I can always add red hots or cinnamon/spices to it before serving if we want something special.  Mmmm - warm cinnamon applesauce!

The boys wanted to help too (nothing new there - I'm raising a couple little chefs).  They were fascinated by all the tools.

Here's where my test kitchen piece comes in.  I've made plenty of applesauce but always the hard way.  This year I tested a couple different pieces of equipment.  Last year (after apple season) we bought a counter top apple slicer, peeler, corer.  It DID NOT work today - at least not for me.  What's worse after just a few apples the tines bent.  The only plus was the boys enjoyed turning the crank (and no, mommy was working it when it broke - not them).

So, I chucked in that idea.  Not wanting to waste time I decided to just chop the apples up, soften them up and run through the KitchenAid.  YES - that was the answer!  I did not core or peel - just chopped up.  After softening the apples on the stove and allowing a brief cool down I put them through the Fruit/Vegetable strainer attachment on my KitchenAid.  Perfect applesauce!

Mom and dad gave this to us last year and we used it for processing pumpkin (it was after apple season).  Worked great for pumpkin so hoped it would be perfect for apples.  Last year it took my sister-in-law and I HOURS of work putting all of our applesauce through food mills and even after all that hand cranking there were still bits and pieces of peel in the sauce.  Took me all of 20 minutes to process my applesauce through the KitchenAid strainer.  If you do a lot of processing, make your own baby food, etc and you don't have one of these it should be on your Christmas list!

Yes, I am very thankful to have my KitchenAid - my original was a wedding gift from mom and dad, later they upgraded me to the 5 quart and my sister inherited my original.  I can truly say we're a KitchenAid family - mom always had one (at least as long as I can remember) and so did my grandma.  In fact, we found my grandma's original in her basement when we cleaned it out - it had to be one of the first produced.  So yes, this family believes in our mixers (and I'm not paid a dime to say that)!

Back on task - the boys thoroughly enjoyed watching the sauce come out and the little fruit "poo" drop down into the second bowl (which the chickens later enjoyed).

In no time at all we had over 4 quarts of sauce.

I ended up with 8 1/2 pints.  We would have had 9 pints but we sampled some for lunch.  I only used 1 1/2 cups of sugar (rather than the 3 in the recipe) since the sauce was already pretty sweet.  Plus, I like my applesauce slightly tart.

Once I get the recipe officially typed up and filed in my 2011 ISF entry folder I can add one more entry to the list.  I'm on an apple kick this week - I think we need some apple butter and the recipe for cinnamon apple syrup just looks too yummy to pass up.  This family doesn't buy store bought syrup anymore.  We only use the fruit syrups we've put up - so much better!  I do buy a little pure maple syrup from Vermont because sometimes you still need a little maple goodness!

Give Thanks Banner

I am thankful that my Give Thanks Countdown Calendar is finished before Thanksgiving!  This pattern is from Everyday Celebrations by LeAnne.  You can also find lots of her super cute patterns at her Etsy Shop.

This was the first major project I did on grandma's Bernina since getting it back from the shop.  Wow!  The machine is so quiet and runs so smooth.  It treated the felt like it was no problem at all!  I really love this little banner and hope it will become a nice family tradition; maybe even heirloom.

I've considered putting together an Advent Calendar but I think I'll do that project next year.  We have the Fisher Price Little People Nativity Advent Calendar that works well for a 1 and 3 year old.  This year when we visited the Mall of America we stopped by the LEGO store and picked up the 2010 LEGO Advent Calendar too - so, I think we're set for this year.  But, I'm filing all those cute Advent Calendar ideas I'm starting to see on-line for the 2011 season!

Looked up the Iowa State Fair entry list (2010 list) and there is a class for Sewing for the Home - Holiday Decoration.  Unless I put together something I like better this fits the class (and makes #3 for November)!

Autumn Wreath and Centerpiece

Decided that it was time to make a nice autumn wreath.  Usually we are so busy prepping for Christmas wreaths my Thanksgiving/Autumn decor is overlooked.  I am more used to working with live materials but artificial items also have their own unique bonuses (easy to remove and relocate or fix stems and flowers, can stay outside in bitter cold weather, not necessarily as costly as live floral supplies).  

Below are some of the materials I use for putting together artificial arrangements.  Dry foam, needle nose pliers/wire cutters, pliers, floral wire, floral tape, floral pins and a glue gun.  I keep all of my supplies (except the foam) in one of those handy see through totes (I also keep my live floral arranging materials in there).

For the wreath- started with a grapevine wreath (pretty cheap at Hobby Lobby) and added the large features first.

Then filled in wreath with flowers.  I like to put all of the floral items that I will consider using in a large bucket and set on a stool - this way I can see them easily and they are at a nice height for cutting.

Finished off by making the bow.  I like to make the bow to match the size of the wreath but ready made bows are easy to use too.  When making my own bows I prefer to use wired ribbon - this allows some play with the fluffing and arranging of the ribbon.

Ah, this wreath makes me smile - it also counts as an Iowa State Fair Entry!  

This will go in the Creative Arts Department.

Total Cost: ~ $15 (most of the items bought on sale or clearance)

Moving on (coincidently to Iowa State Fair Entry #2 for the day) - an artificial floral arrangement.

I liked the shape of these two pieces but not the finish.  Really can't stand the bamboo teapot, plus it has a chip in it.  It was one I picked up at an auction to use for the 2010 ISF (part of my teapot quest) but ended up finding something better.  I now have lots of teapots thanks to help from many people :)

So - spray paint!  I love Rustoleum's Oil Rubbed Bronze!  These are much prettier.

Cut my floral foam and put in the pot (be sure to leave at least a 1/2 inch above the top).  Wrapped with moss to cover the foam.

Secure moss to foam.  I start by gluing it to the base and then wrapping it more securely with floral pins.

Repeat similar steps as for wreath and VIOLA!

I also made up some mini arrangements.  These are super cheap and easy.  I have prepped a tutorial for these that will post tomorrow - get your faux leaves ready!

Here is what I did with all the leftovers - pretty much threw them in my second container (no foam or glue) and arranged them until I thought it was a pretty mix.  Although after looking at the arrangement from my chair last night there is one flower that needs removed - sticks out like a sore thumb.

Now it's starting to look like fall in my home!  Starting to feel like fall too - it was 57 degrees in the house this morning so we broke down and finally turned the heat on.  For the grandparents' piece of mind - Grant had a space heater to keep warm at night.

I'll be linking up to:

October Parade of Entries for 2011

OK - here are the completed entries DONE in October 2010 for the 2011 Iowa State Fair.  You can also view the photos on the State Fair Challenge Flikr Group.

Here we go:

Heritage: -- an old pencil with ISU on it.

Heritage: Milk Glass (maybe not this exact piece but definitely some milk glass.

Fabric & Threads: little squirrel and pumpkin.  No, it isn't completely finished in frame yet; however, after some comments from the 2010 ISF I think I will have all of my stitched pieces professionally framed (so I am waiting for Micheal's or Hobby Lobby sales on framing).

Foods - Spritz Cookies

Foods - Caramel popcorn

Grand Total:
4 Food exhibits (both fit in two classes) 2 x 2 = 4 exhibits
2 Heritage exhibits
1 Fabric & Threads exhibit
7 Total for October

If anyone else has entries they have ready and want to show them off join the Flikr group and play along!