What I did with a bushel of apples

I didn't know before today, but a bushel of apples will make around a dozen quarts of applesauce and a dozen pints of jelly. I know because that is roughly what I just canned. I had the container pictured below and a large mixing bowl full of applesauce and a gallon of apple juice.

It took several hours, but I was proud to preserve all of the apples. I was even more proud that my sister and daughter-in-law came over the night before to help me peel apples. That was the hardest job and I am so thankful for the help. I could not have gotten so much done without their help. The canning wasn't that hard compared to the peeling.

The juice was easy to turn into jelly. I added 3 cups of sugar to 4 cups of apple juice. After it came to a rolling boil for 1 minute, I poured in fruit pectin and cooked it for another few minutes, then poured it into my jars, cleaned off the tops, put on the lids and waited for them to seal and the jelly to harden.

The jelly on the left is regular apple jelly. On the right, I tried something new. I found some packages of low or no sugar fruit pectin. I was able to make jelly using about half the amount of brown sugar. You can use Splenda or honey, but I like the taste of brown sugar with apples so I decided to try it.

I am hoping to try making some jam with the no sugar pectin. I think it is very interesting. I usually buy the all fruit version of jams in the grocery store and I am hoping to make some all fruit jam of my own -- but not today. I think I have done all I can today.