Applesauce

Since I went to town today and was unsuccessful in getting a few things I thought I would need in Houston, I won't bore you with that story.But I will show you what I did on Monday.

A few weeks ago, my husband picked all the apples and pears and then pruned the trees. Well, that was when I was rather busy with a micro-teach in my teaching training course. We quite like pears when they are still crisp, so they went fast. But, the bag of apples just sat there. Monday, I decided I better pick them over and cut some up before the fruit flies took over the house. I put the ones I thought would keep in the fridge and the ones that had spots, etc. I cut up and used the good parts for stewed apples. (I just put a bit of salt to bring out the flavour, like you would veg and that's how we like them. No sugar.)

Then, I decided to make a chicken stew in the slow cooker. I knew it would be too much for the two of us, but we have some friends who had moved house a few days earlier. Their house needs a lot of fixing up, so I thought it might save them from making a meal or two. So I took most of it to them.

Anyway, while I was cutting up stuff for the stew, the apples turned rather into mush. So, we have applesauce instead. I have been saving pickle jars...in theory so I can put dye in them, but so far that day has not come! So, while the apples were hot, I put most of it into 2 pickle jars. I thought, if they seal, good, we can have it later in the winter. If not, we can have it now. And lo and behold a while later I heard the satisfying click of one and then the other jar lid sealing! Cool. I had 2 labels left from ages ago when I used to do this sort of thing more often. I think I might get some fruit like plums from the market when I get back from Houston and cook up a few more stewed fruit jars. I can make fruit crumble for a pudding now and then in the winter.

Tonight the clocks go back. As it is less than 2 weeks til Bonfire Night (5th November), they are now selling fireworks. And of course, people are already letting them off. So, my not-so-little friend is in here hiding under the ironing board. I told her that wasn't very safe, but she didn't believe me. Here Pepper is in less worrying times.