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.
Halloween was different this year…but still fun and safe!
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.
A cheerful Thanksgiving Turkey.Blessings in a cornucopia. I love my silk table runner from Hong KongHomespun Angels make me feel so cozy.A Thanksgiving tree greets visitors in the entry hallA giant Pumpkin experience! How many pies do you think it would make?
A Day of Small Things... 
