Expanding Info and Yumminess

 Howdy all.  Hope this finds all well.  Another chilly morn here.  It is warmer according to the thermometer, but it feels just as cold.  The wind is blowing, and it will get much worse tonight.  They are saying 45MPH wind gusts.  Tomorrow is to be the coldest day this season so far!  THEN it starts warming - back close to 50 this weekend!  Crazy stuff.  Heck it isn't even 'winter' yet - we are still in fall!!

Yesterday I was talking about the loaf pans.  They cost me 2.99 each at Ollie's.  Very heavy and pretty.

Lots of goodies will go in them.  I also do reusable grocery bags - you can sure get some pretty ones now a days.  And then there are the youngsters - many are old enough to want their own goodies.  They get a bag as well (although smaller).

Here is a view of the pans!  Just some items for various people that will go in holiday gift bags.  I listen to the things they say they like and supply them.  Just because I like something, doesn't mean I buy it often - others do that too.

I have a nephew in law that looks forward to his container of orange slices every year (in their bag).  A grown nephew (in his 50's) also wants & expects his Bottle Caps to be in his basket!!  LOL.  Beef sticks are a fav of the teens.  My brother loves Horehound candy, and his wife loves cream chocolates.  Crazy straws for one of the littles - along with Pop Rocks, and giant Fruit Loops!!  LOL

Mushroom growing kits will go in 4 baskets - they all love doing stuff like that and love mushrooms.  This is just a small sampling - but you can see what I do.  It is fun to find all these little items and they get excited to see what is in their bags each year.  YES, even the adults get excited.

Have fun with it.

Yesterday was apple butter day!  I cook down the apples in the crockpot, while I spent much of the day sewing.  Then I canned the apple butter.  There were some scrapings in the bottom of the pot, and I ate it warm with some cornbread.  Oh my gosh, it sure tasted good.

This was while cooking down - this was about 1 1/2 hours in.  It cooked down about half at this point.  The apples were soft at this point, but it cooked for another 3 hours on high.  So pretty and brown and yummy after.

I ended up with 8 half pints and one pint.  All sealed immediately.  All this from 5 lbs. of apples - which were already in my crisper.  All kinds mixed together.  

Noticing I need to wash down the jars!!  I added vinegar to the water - guess not enough.

Most of this will be gifts.

I did not have cardamon - so didn't add that.  I had everything else right here in the pantry.  I also did not pack the brown sugar - just to cut back a little on sugar - not that it made any difference.  I still had some cider in the frig.

It turned out yummy and couldn't be easier.

Thanks to whomever I got the recipe from!!!!

**The peels and cores went in a bag in the freezer to make jelly at some point

Peeling apples takes time, and I just used my paring knife (not the rotating peeler).  Kind of made a game of it to pass time - seeing if I could peel the apple in one piece (strand)!  It went quickly and I got pretty darn good at doing it all in one piece.  The things I do to amuse myself!

All while listening to Christmas music.  

NOTE - if you have Direct TV there are music stations.  There are a couple that are all Christmas music - 24/7.

I am off for another busy day - Santa's workshop has much to get done.

Hope you have a wonderful and magical day.  Make it fun and special!