Recipes

APPLE PIE

Submitted by Mary Beth D. of Chester, New Hampshire, this is the best apple pie we've ever tasted:

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

9-12 Cortland Apples (depends on size of apples and pie plate)
Peel, core and cut apples into thin slices.

I use ready made pie crusts in dairy section of market when I am busy (lazy), but there is nothing like a great homemade crust.

Fork bottom of of pie crust.
Place half of the apples into plate.
Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar.
Put rest of the apples on top.
Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon and 1/4 cup of sugar.
Put dabs of butter around the top.

Place crust on top.
Trim edges.
Cover crust with milk and lightly sprinkle sugar on top and on edges.
Fork top.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.
Then reduce heat to 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes more. (I use a turkey pin to test to see if the apples are soft)

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CHUNKY PEAR SAUCE

Submitted by: Jack R. of Shenandoah, VA.

Do you like apple sauce - who doesn't? Well, you are really going to love Jack's chunky pear sauce.

Use a combination of Seckel and Kieffer pears - about 5 pounds of each.
Wash fruit, core, peel and cut into 1" cubes (snits).

Soak for an hour in a gallon of water with 2 tablespoons of sale and 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to prevent browning.

Cook the snits on the stove top with ½ cup of water at low heat to allow the pears to pulp up. Stir regularly. Remove from heat when the pulp is soft and still chunky. About 45 minutes.

Mash while hot with potato masher. Combine the mash with the following ingredients per quart of mash:

½ cup of sugar
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon of grated lime rind

Bring to a gentle simmer on low heat and cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently.

Canning and processing:

Fill sterilized pint jars to within ½" of top, add 2 teaspoons of lime juice to the top of the pears and cap. Process in boiling water for 15 minutes.

If you have any questions about processing, please refer to the following helpful site: Canning and Processing.

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