Canned Apple Pie Filling

Place jars in the dishwasher to heat them up. They need to be hot when you put the filling inside.

Slice, peel and core apples. Set aside.

Combine 1 3/4 cups sugar and 4 1/2 cups of water together in a large pot; bring to a boil and make sure sugar is dissolved.

While it’s heating, combine 1/2 cup cornstarch, remaining 1/2 cup water and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in a bowl until no longer lumpy.

After sugar and water are boiling, whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Keep whisking to make sure lumps don’t form. Add in remaining ingredients (except apples) and bring to a boil to thicken.

Pack hot jars with apples. Ladle liquid into jars, leaving a 1/4 inch headspace. Remove bubbles and adjust 2-piece caps. Process in a water bath for 20 minutes (additional time may be needed according to your altitude—use standard canning practices). This is where a large pot is filled with water to completely cover the jars. This is done so that all the bacteria is killed and the jars are sealed and can sit on a shelf instead of in the freezer.

Makes 7-8 quarts (each one is enough for 1 pie).
Calories per quart: 400.