Stocking up for the long winter.

There has been a 20 pound bag of apples sitting in my dining room for two weeks destined to become apple sauce or apple butter.  So here's my pot of apple sauce cooking away and making the house smell great.

Now we know why we've been seeing all these little gnats/fruit flies buzzing around the house.  Thankfully only two apples were spoiled.  

It still seems a little odd to me to take photos of things I knit or cook to be posted in various places.  But I'm starting to get into the spirit of the thing.  I just wish I'd remembered to take a picture of allll those apple that it took me two hours to peel and slice.

My next project will be making apple jelly with the peels and cores from today's apple sauce.  I've never canned before and I'm a little bit nervous.  I think there's a part of me that's always been afraid that I'd accidentally poison my family if I didn't do it right.  But thanks to those helpful people at  Ball  I think I'm ready to give it a try. 

I bought my first batch of cute canning jars, but now I realize if I want "clear" jelly I have to buy something called a jelly bag.  This brings all kinds of odd images to mind. 

So, a jelly bag I will buy and try making apple jelly tomorrow.  With the jars that are left my next plan is to try making pumpkin butter.  Cindy, a Ravelry buddy, sent me a recipe this summer.  I feel so house-wifey!