Frozen Assets

A friend of mine shared this recipe for make-ahead apple pie filling that I plan on using when the apples ripen later this year. You might want to keep it in your recipe files until apple season, too!

Make-Ahead Apple Pie Filling

• 18 cups peeled apple slices

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• 4 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 cup cornstarch

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 10 cups water

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice; set aside. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch. cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add water; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add apples; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until the apples are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Ladle into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cool at room temperature no longer than 1-1/2 hours. Seal and freeze; store up to 12 months. Yield: 5 1/2 qts. (enough for about five 9-inch pies).

~Debi