Last weekend I went apple picking in Media, Pa. and brought home a huge box of Golden Delicious apples. Since I couldn't possibly eat all of those apples in the time before they would go bad, I decided to preserve them.

Turns out finding mason jars on this side of the country this time of year isn't an easy task. So if you're going out in search of jars, I would call ahead first.

Ingredients:
Apples (whatever kind you have)
Mason jars for canning with seals and bands (enough to hold your apples)
Sugar


I peeled a pot full of apples. Then I used a corer to get them sliced into pieces and cored. I cut the chunks in half to make them fit into the jars easier.

I boiled a pot of water and added about two cups of sugar. I brought the water to a boil and then added the apples. I have a pot that includes a colander part that fits inside so I was able to remove and drain the apples without having to fish them all out.

The water should just cover the apples. They will float in the pot.

Boil the apples for about 15 minutes, until soft all the way through. Stir regularly to let all of the apples have time in the water.

Spoon the apples into the mason jars, filing each one entirely by pushing down on them with a spatula a little.

Wipe the rims of the jars to make sure they're clean and then snugly fit on the lids and tightly screw on the rims. You should do this while they're still hot.

Put the jars in a boiling water bath for 10-15 minutes. When they're done the lids shouldn't pop anymore.

I used the double boiler again by putting the jars into the strainer part and them dropping into the boiling water.

-Ginger