Mansanas!

When someone gives you a whole box of apples what do you do?

Say, "Thank You!" and then you think really hard of ways you can get rid of it. Hmmmm. Start making a list of people you can give it out to or brainstorm on how you can create a yummy snack or dessert for all to enjoy! Apple Bread sounds good. Apple pie? Nope! I'm not a pie maker. Apple juice? Nah. I don't want to waste the fiber. Apple sauce! Warrior 3 and the King loves apple sauce. Oh, I love apple chips and dried apples! Maybe, I'll make that! Yes, let's start with that.

I'm no Martha Homemaker and I don't jar things on a regular basis. I wish I did. I've only done it twice 3-4 years ago with Gramma Goo guiding me. This was when we went to Orem two summers in a row. They had a cherry tree, plum tree and an apricot tree. We made jams and apricot butter. Dat was good fun! Yummilicious with fresh homemade bread hot from the oven! So, what to do? What to do?

Well, times are hard and I have to do what I have do! What am I going to do? I've never made apple sauce before but was determined to learn. So, here is to another first time. I decided to make apple sauce and chips. I spent several hours peeling and slicing those apples to make applesauce and apple chips. I peeled 32 apples and was able to make only 4 jars of apple sauce. Plus, add another 20 apples for the chips. The peeling, slicing and coring I think was the hardest part.

This is going off to another tangent but it's what I'm thinking and feeling right now. You know, Heavenly Father watches over us. He knows our needs. Our pains and JOY! I am very grateful for my many blessings that my family and I have been blessed with. We have King, the great provider...which allowed me to stay home with all 4 gooey babes. We don't have much. We don't have nice things but we have each other. Being a S.A.H.M. (stay at home mom) helped me develop other skills and talents.

Our furniture have their own stories to tell. Our couch was free from Hawaii Kai. Some rich lady didn't like the color of her newly upholstered couch so she was just going to throw it out and buy a new one. So, the King who was connecting the lady's cable was quick to act and brought it home. Oh, I take that back...he King gave $50 to his co-worker for helping him haul the couch and for gas. The slip cover for that (now) old couch was from the King's old jeans sewn together. Our dining chairs are the old metal chairs from church which we bought for a $1 a piece. Anyway...I'm grateful for life and all the experiences I've encountered. Good and bad. pleasant and unpleasant. Joy and pain. No matter what.. it is a process. It is a test. Making room for growth. It is a journey. I just need to remember more often to live in the present moment.

Anyway..I've rambled on.

Apple chips dusted with confectioners sugar and cinnamon. Where's the cinnamon? Sorry, this batch was made plain.

Apple sauce was easy to make! I just dumped everything in the crock pot and 5 hours later it's done! I made one batch with cinnamon that's why the different color.

I still have a bucketful of apples left which I will turn into yummy apple bread!

So, if someone gave you a box full of apples what are you going to do?

Here are the recipes!
Cinnamon Apple Sauce
16 apples peeled
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar (too sweet for me but Warrior 3 likes it)

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

***For the regular Apple Sauce I just omitted the cinnamon. I decreased the sugar to 1/2 cup and it was on the bland side. That's okay. Next time I will use 3/4 cup or better yet make it plain....and just add your own sugar!