What To Do With A Big Box Of Apples....

My friend was given a BIG box of apples and was kind enough to share them with me!
I peeled, cored and sliced, then peeled, cored and sliced, saving all the waste for the composter....remember, waste not, want not, besides, the garden has GOT to be organic!
After rinsing the apples I placed them in a deep stock pot...
and added brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt and lemon zest..
...before pouring in the apple cider and turning on the heat.
Oops, someone's at the door! Oh, it's my best buddy Elizabeth! She brought me this sweet little honey pot. I guess she doesn't like that cute little plastic bear my honey is in. Imagine that!
The apples simmered while we visited, and the wonderful fragrance drifted throughout the house, smelling better than any candle I've had in a heck of a long time!
They slowly thickened as they simmered. S - L - O - W - L - Y is the key word here...
Gettin' there...finally, but it still needs to thicken some more. The instructions say it should 'heap' on the spoon, not level out. Better give it a little more time...
...while I wait I think I'll take Jack out of the garage and put him on the porch. Not in honor of Halloween but, rather, to celebrate the harvest and also fall, my absolute favorite time of year. Jack looks pretty happy to be out of that box!Time to bottle up the apple butter and place it in a cool place for a week to let the flavors blend and mellow. Nite-nite. I'll show the finished product in the morning....
Here it is, pure organic apple butter. I'm thinking this may make a nice little gift for someone around the holiday season. Maybe tuck a jar into a pretty raffia filled basket along with a hand crocheted dishcloth and perhaps some other hand made goodies...candy, a crocheted book mark, a nice aroma therapy candle...the ideas are infinite.