Gluten Free Apple Pie Filling

When the farmers market, the U-pick farm or your own apple trees are loaded down and you need to do something with all that yummy fruit, make some of this pie filling to put away in your pantry.

Use it for pie, turnovers, sauce for ice cream, topping for pancakes or waffles or just eat it out of the jar. Best of all, you made it!

For seven quarts of filling ( one canner load ):

6 quarts of apples
5 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 Tb cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 cups water
5 cups apple juice
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
1 pkg powdered pectin

Make sure you only prepare enough apples for each canner load otherwise they will turn brown on you.

Peel, core and slice your apples 1/4" thick. Hold them in a large container of water where you have added 1/3 cup lemon juice to keep the apples from browning.

In a large stockpot, place the sugar, spices, water, juice and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Add the apples to the mix and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute then add the powdered pectin and stir in well. Simmer for another minute. Turn off the heat.

Fill quart jars leaving 1/2" headspace ( that glass ring around the top edge is 1/2" from the top of the jar). Place on rings and lids and process in a boiling water bath canner for 35 minutes at sea level. Add five minutes more for elevations up to 3000 ft and 10 minutes more for elevations to 5000 feet.

When the time is up, carefully remove from the canner and allow to cool on the counter overnight. Check the seals, clean the jars, label and date and put away.

Makes 7 quarts enough for 7 pies.

*Note: When you open your jar of pie filling, check to make sure it is thick enough for you. If not, take a tablespoon of cornstarch along with 4 tablespoons of water and mix thoroughly. Place the pie filling in a saucepan, add the cornstarch slurry and heat up to thicken.