There are certain foods that will take me immediately back to childhood. The smell of a filled trick or treat bucket, the sight of ice cream with chocolate sauce, the sound of popping corn…and this, the taste of a spiced apple ring fresh from the jar. It was a pretty fancy meal when these showed up on the table. They haven’t shown up on my table lately, even with a fancy meal. I could hunt them down I suppose at a local grocery store but in my mind, homemade is better…and I have an abundance of apples from an apple picking adventure. I gave it a shot. I think I hit a bullseye.

The Usual Cast of Characters

2 pounds apples, MacIntosh – Granny Smith – Honey Crisp – any firm fleshed apple that holds its shape when cooked

3 cups water

2 cups cinnamon candy, Red Hots or Cinnamon Imperials – any hard cinnamon candy

1 tablespoon whole cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 cup of lemon juice

The Steps to Glory

1. Add the lemon juice to 2 cups of water.

2. Peel and core apples – slice into 1/2 inch thick rings.

3. Drop the apple rings in the lemon juice as you finish each one.

4. Heat 1 cup of the remaining water and the cinnamon candies in a saucepan.

5. Stir often until the candy is completely melted, adding water as needed to keep the syrup from getting thick.

6. Add the whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

7. Drain the apple rings and pat dry.

8. Gently stir the apple rings into the syrup. Cover and simmer, occasionally stirring gently, for 15 minutes or until apples are tender.

9. Add the rings to a storage container and cover with the cooking syrup.

10. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, or about 8 hours. Remove the cloves and cinnamon sticks before using.

11. Store unused apple rings in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze for longer storage.

Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. Inspire me Tuesday . Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Keep in touch. Beautifully made. Party in your pjs. Wednesday blog hop. Your whim. Share your style. Home and garden. Waste not. Grandma’s House DIY. Vintage charm. Friday features. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at Home Thursday favorites. BFF open house. Morning Cup Of Joe. Home matters. . Create bake grow. . Snickerdoodle. Happiness is homemade. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Over the Moon Creatively crafty Senior salon. Turn about Tuesday Wednesday Aim Home style gathering celebrate your story Little cottage Saturday Sparks Farmhouse Friday All About Home Flaunt it Friday Pink Saturday encouraging hearts and home fresh farm Wednesday Centerpiece. Dare to share. Doodle-buddies. Simple homestead what’s for dinner

Senior Salon@Esme salon.com

I have always liked Thanksgiving, that little holiday squished between Halloween and Christmas that always seems to be forgotten in that push for a bigger and better holiday. Christmas trees are in the stores, holiday catalogs are in my mailbox, but I’m slowing things down to enjoy the beautiful fall holiday of Thanksgiving…then I’ll rock out the Christmas decor.

Inspire me Monday. . Inspire me Tuesday . Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Keep in touch. Beautifully made. Party in your pjs. Wednesday blog hop. Your whim. Share your style.Waste not. Grandma’s House DIY. Vintage charm. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at Home Thursday favorites. BFF open house. Morning Cup Of Joe. Home matters. Create bake grow. Snickerdoodle. Happiness is homemade. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Over the Moon Creatively crafty Senior salon. Turn about Tuesday celebrate your story Little cottage Saturday Sparks Farmhouse Friday All About Home Flaunt it Pink Saturday encouraging hearts and home fresh farm Tuesday. Wednesday Centerpiece. Dare to share. Doodle buddies simple homestead hearth and soul party

The afternoon is rainy and cold, most chores around the house are completed and the season is fall…let’s make some applesauce. The recipe is simple, almost embarrassingly simple, however nothing beats the taste and smell of homemade applesauce. Especially if you just enjoyed an apple picking weekend! I make a large batch, it freezes beautifully.

The Usual Cast Of Characters

1. Ten to twelve medium sized apples. I use a variety of sweet and tart apples. Granny Smith and Macintosh work well together.

2. 1/2 cup sugar brown or white. Brown adds a deeper flavor. 3. 1/2 cup Red Hot Candies.

4. 3 Tablespoons lemon juice.

The Steps to Glory

1. Slice and core apples. Yes, I keep the skin on. Tough peels will float to the top and are easily scooped out. The rest will be blended in with the immersion blender at the end.

2. Layer apples in the crockpot along with the other ingredients.

3. Cool on high for 2-3 hours or until the apples release the juice. Switch to low for another 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.

4. Blend apples in crockpot with an immersion blender until you reach desired texture. Cook for another hour.

5. Cool and enjoy warm or refrigerate if you enjoy cool applesauce. Freeze in containers to enjoy all year.

Don’t you just love the fall, even the rainy lazy days staying cozy inside?

With memories of beautiful fall weather

Inspire me Monday. Tuesday at our house. Inspire me Tuesday . Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Keep in touch. Beautifully made. Party in your pjs. Wednesday blog hop. Your whim. Share your style. Home and garden. Waste not. Grandma’s House DIY. Vintage charm. Friday features. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at Home Thursday favorites. BFF open house. Morning Cup Of Joe. Home matters. Sweet Inspiration. Best of the weekend. Create bake grow. . Fresh market. Faith and family. Snickerdoodle. Happiness is homemade. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Over the Moon Creatively crafty Senior salon. Turn about Tuesday celebrate your story Little cottage Saturday Sparks Farmhouse Friday All About Home Flaunt it Friday Pink Saturday encouraging hearts and home fresh farm Tuesday. Wednesday Centerpiece. Dare to share. What’s for dinner. Heart and soul

Celebrate Your Story@The zucchini Sisters

Saturday Sparks@Pierced Pastimes

Keeping The Faith Heart and Soul party@21st Century Housewife

By Elsie N. Brady

How silently they tumble down
And come to rest upon the ground
To lay a carpet, rich and rare,

Beneath the trees without a care,
Content to sleep, their work well done,
Colors gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air

Till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
To wait, like children, for the snow.

And shiny red apples just in reach!

Inspire me Monday. Inspire me Tuesday . Metamorphosis. You’re the Star. Tuesday with a twist. Wonderful Wednesday. Keep in touch. Beautifully made. Party in your pjs. Wednesday blog hop. Your whim. Share your style. Home and garden. Waste not. Grandma’s House DIY. Vintage charm. Friendship Friday. Funtastic Friday. Grace at Home Thursday favorites. BFF open house. Morning Cup Of Joe. Home matters.Create bake grow . Snickerdoodle. Happiness is homemade. Silver pennies. Create with joy. Over the Moon Creatively crafty Senior salon. Turn about Tuesday celebrate your story Little cottage Saturday Sparks Farmhouse Friday All About Home Flaunt it Friday Pink Saturday encouraging hearts and home fresh farm Tuesday. Wednesday Centerpiece. Dare to share. Doodle buddies. Simple homestead