I've Got Lots of Crab Apples

Last year I blogged about crab apple roll ups. Again this year my in laws were kind enough to bring us a box of crabs!(Thanks mom and dad! :) I thought I should show the process I use.

Crab Apple Sauce

First, I take my large pot and fill it almost 3/4 full of washed crab apples, I don't core, stem or deblossom them. Add a bit of water, just a bit. I don't add any sugar because they are oh so yummy without any sugar!I put this on the burner on medium and stir occasionally. It takes 15-20minutes to nicely steam them. Then I put them into my applesauce masher(thanks again Mr. Mike!) and using the wooden masher, I mash and mash them!

 This is the yummy result. Immediately a gang gathers with large bowls and spoons. I go back and put another batch on the burner. :)

 I pack them into square containers(square is the best for space conservation! :) and we look forward to warming them up for breakfast or snack on a cold morning!

Harvest time!

This time of year means lots!! Lots of fruit in our neck of the woods! Since moving to the Okanaganthere was a lack of crab apples! In Alberta my neighbors had a tree and loved when we'd help them out by picking them. My aunt taught me to make wonderful, sugar free crab apple sauce! Well, it turns out my mother-in-law has these same beautiful red crab apples! I made sauce and then hubby said..what about fruit leather. So here's the finished product..isn't it pretty?! Good thing I took a picture as it's disappearing fast!

The cost? The dehydrator was bought used at a garage sale and the apples were free, so the electricity to cook the apples into sauce and the electricity to dry the sauce would be the total cost! Thanks mom and dad!