APPLE PIE IN A JAM

How do you like that title?  Are you wondering what I mean by it?  Well, let me tell ya.  It is a taste of apple pie made into a jam.  If you like apple pie you will love this jam.  I have been making this for several years and my sweet daddy loved it.  He is gone now but I am still making it.  I have no clue who will eat but Scott brought home some apples that were going bad and I just did not have the heart to throw them out.  

I normally use Stayman apples but this batch was made with all kinds of apples.  Since they were on the verge of going bad I tasted each one to make sure they were not milly.  Not sure if that is a word but sometimes apples go to tasting like pebbles in your mouth.  Once they taste this way they are really no good for any type of cooking.  

I know a lot of people are scared to make jelly or jam.  I have mentioned that before.  Please do not be scared.  Jelly and jam are some of the easiest things to can.  Normally all you need is fruit or juice, sugar, maybe some lemon or lime juice and pectin.  It really is simple.  I think what scares people is the fact you really HAVE to go by the recipe or your product will not set up.  Even then sometimes if you do not go by the time frames your jelly will not set up and YES I have had that happen before.  In that case, you have to reprocess or use it as a glaze or syrup. 

With Christmas approaching, I always enjoy making friends and neighbors a special basket.  I try to make them per the person's taste.  I have given homemade canned marinara, fresh made Italian bread, and gourmet pasta as baskets.  I have given pepper jellies and crackers, freshly made sourdough with homemade jam or jellies.  Scott has made summer sausage and we have combined that with homemade course ground mustards.  I am thinking just maybe this would be a nice addition to some of this year's baskets.

Start with peeling, coring and chopping 4 cups of apples.  You can add some lemon juice to keep the apples from turning brown.

Next, you add apples, water, cinnamon, allspice, a box of sure jell and a 1/2 teaspoon of butter to a pot. 

Once the mixture is at a boil add sugar and bring back to a rolling boil for 1 minute.

Pour into hot sterilized jars. Place lids and rings on and turn to figure tight.

Add jars to a boiling water bath.

APPLE PIE JAM

Ingredients

• 4 cups of chopped apples
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice to put on apples 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1 box of sure jell
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar

Directions

• Chop apples.  Use lemon juice to keep them from turning brown.
• Put your chopped apples into a large pot and add water, cinnamon, allspice, and sure jell.  Stir well and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add white and brown sugar and bring back to a rolling boil.
• Pour into sterilized jars.  Add lids and rings and put into a water bath.  Half pints (jelly Jars) process 10 minutes.  Pints 15 minutes.  

What a pretty jam this is!!  Now go make some buttermilk biscuits, apply butter and this jam.  Now that is yummy goodness!

ENJOY!!

*Rolling boil means that you can not stir the boil away.