Crab Apples

Sherri asked me about Crab Apples....there is alot you can do with them. Crab apple butter, pie, conserve, jelly, pickles..where should I start?
How about pie? Its about my favorite thing to bake...remember Men in Black? "You look like you need pie" one of my favorite Will Smith lines....

Rosy Crab Apple Pie

1 c. sugar (you can use Splenda)
1 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
6 cups finely chopped unpeeled crab apples (use the reddest ones you can find)
pastry for a 2 crust pie
1. t. vanilla
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
1/3 c. water
1 T. butter
Combine sugar, flour and salt. toss together with the apples. Pour apple mixture into pastry lined pan. Sprinkle with mixture of vanilla, lemon juice, and water..dot with butter. Bake in a hot oven (450) 10 minutes, reduce heat to 375 and bake an additional 45 minutes......

I also have a recipe for Plum-Crab Apple Conserve...a conserve is like a jam with a mixture of fruits, plus nuts...I like it better than jam myself....

Plum-Crab Apple Conserve

2 c. diced crab apples
2/3 c. crushed pineapple
1 qt. pitted red plums (they're in season right now)
5 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. shredded almonds

Dice unpeeled cored firm crab apples into about 1/4" cubes. Add them and the crushed pineapple (drained) to the plums.Heat the mixture to a boil.
Add sugar, stirring. Cook to the desired consistency, be sure to stir constantly or it might burn (its happened to me) Remove from heat, skim off any foam and add the almonds. Pour into hot jars, seal. Makes 7 half pints. I always water bath can jam or conserve...figure if we go to all the trouble of making it..want to make extra sure it stays good....we process this for about 10 minutes to be safe.

These recipes come from the vintage "Freezing and Canning Cookbook" put out by the Farm Journal circa 1963

We still have apples so I am going to make another pie this morning, plus a apple cake..lots to do..Alan is feeling a bit better, although his finger is still painful....getting back on his meds makes a difference...he rested and slept much of yesterday and is taking today off too....he and our oldest son will be going to Calexico tomorrow for a lock out..its the furthest we ever gone for work....the bank has agreed to pay us additional funds as its so far....Calexico is right on the border with Mexico....and about a 3 hour drive from here one way..I don't know how to re key or I'd go....Alan's finger makes it difficult for him to drive and then re key so our son Don will be pitching in....

The ladies at GooseBerry Patch sent me a $50.00 gift certificate so I ordered two cookbooks off their site plus will be getting whatever one they publish my recipe in...I ordered a Christmas one and also a slow cooker one..there are just too many to choose from, it was a difficult choice! If you've never checked out their web site..please do...

Tomorrow I will start a giveaway so please check back. I plan on giving away some stitchery and other assorted goodies.....