Apple Preserves

This is sure to get you a few pats on the butt from your honey and a couple of hugs from the kids. Whip up a batch of biscuits and put these preserves in a pretty bowl and call it breakfast. Make an omelet if you think you need it.

We only have about another month of really good local apples and I need a few more jars of these.

Apple Preserves
about 6 half pints
print recipe

6 cups sliced, peeled, cored apples
1 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 package powdered pectin
1/2 cup thinly sliced and seeded lemon (about 1 medium)
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons nutmeg (use less if using freshly grated)

Combine apples, water and lemon juice in a large saucepot. Cover; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in powdered pectin. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Add lemon slices and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove for heat. Skim foam if necessary. Stir in nutmeg. ladle hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.