finally, applesauce

i've been thinking about canning applesauce for weeks now. i had the apples. but was looking for a canner to borrow. and when i got shy about asking the person i always ask, i started looking for a canner to buy.

because it had been taking me so long to get around to making the applesauce, we kept eating the apples. so i kept buying apples. i ended up stocking up on apples three different times.

so the canner arrived last week, and i finally got around to making applesauce. i made two batches -- a chunky, cinnamony one for mr. pike and me and a smooth, non-cinnamon batch for baby girl. (it was hard to buy baby applesauce when i knew i could make that pretty easily.)

i love, love, love my new canner! i know it may be a funny thing to get excited about. but it really makes the canning process a whole lot easier. we got a steamer canner -- it's the kind my mom uses. so, i'm use to it. but, it also uses a whole lot less water, which means less time heating the water and sealing the jars.

not to mention the last time i used a water bath canner (remember the peaches), i decided to fill up the pan before i put the jars in. i thought i had calculated enough room for displacement. but as i added the jars, the water level got higher and higher, and i found myself scooping out water with a measuring cup so it wouldn't spill over with the placement of the last jar.

so i ended up with six quart jars for me and mr. pike. and three pints and one quart for baby girl. (her's is the light golden applesauce. our's is the darker.)

yummy satisfaction!