Apple Pie Filling

I decided to repost this recipe on the blog because my freind Glenda at work wants to try it out.  I originally got motivated to try this recipe out after my freind Elena in Pennsylvania had told me that she had made a bunch of peach pie filling.  I'm sure Elena might save some to bake pies with, however, I know Elena and her husband love ice cream and this is how they enjoy eating it the most.  Ernest is addicted to sweets and he loves this on ice cream.  I am not as into sweets as he is but even I love this on ice cream!

One thing I will share with you is I do slightly cheat when I make this recipe.  I use (and highly recommend) an apple slicer.  I own two of them (one for little cabin kitchen, the other for the house) and it sure saves a lot of time and does a nice job of getting the core out of the apple too!

Another thing I do is when I put the apples in cold water with lemon juice, I put a little more lemon juice in the water than the recipe calls for because I think the amount the call for isn't enough to stop the browning process that fruit goes through when exposed to air. 

Hope you enjoy it, happy canning!

12 cups sliced peeled cored apples (after cutting them put them in cold water with lemon juice in it to prevent browning), 2 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup liquid pectin, 3 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1 tsp. ground cloves, 1 1/4 cup cold water, 2 1/2 cups unsweetened apple juice, 1/2 cup lemon juice. In a large pot of boiling water, blanche apple slices for one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a covered bowl. In a large stainless steel saucepan combine pectin, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, water and apple juice.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly and cook until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Add lemon juice, return to boil and boil for one minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat, drain and add apples into mixture, mix until apples are coated well with mixture. Ladle hot pie filling into jars leaving 1 inch headspace.  Put lids/jar bands on filled jars and put jars in canner making sure jars are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 25 minutes. Remove canner lid, wait 5 minutes and remove jars, cool, and store. By the way....I usually double or triple the recipe when I make this. Enjoy!!!!