Third blog post in a week!!!

I’m at a mini retreat this weekend.  Does your guild hold these?  We meet at the clubhouse our meetings are at.  Start at 10 on Saturday, BYOL (lunch) and Pot Luck Dinner.  (I made tabuli!)  We quilt until we wilt (about 8:30 these days!!!)  Come back Sunday morning, Leftovers Lunch and quilt til about 4!  It’s great fun.

I’m working on the 2^nd “dog destroyed” quilt.  It’s my favorite Halloween quilt.  It was tied (tied quilts are so comfy!)  Most of the damage was on the back? 

I’m sure you remember my whining last year?!  THREE quilts returned for ‘repair’!  

I repaired my DSIL’s Cancer Survivor Quilt first – I’m superstitious!  This Halloween quilt was my favorite of the four I made.  So prep-work was: cut the ties; remove eaten back and batting.  There were a few chews on the front.  But not bad.  Replace one four-patch; slipcover one square I missed the damage on! 

Then there was the “Tie” holes.  I had some of the awesome orange “Maywood’s ShadowPlay”  I used in the alternate squares; so I fused and cut 2” squares to cover them.  So far so good – Now the checkerboard looks like Pluses!!  SCORE!!

You’ll see before, during and after pictures, I’m sure!  More to come!

Anyone out here use Instant Pot?  I found a recipe to make applesauce.  Umm, Umm, sure is good!  We like chunkier applesauce … so I revised the recipe a little!  (I'm getting braver about revising, as long as DH is my 'taster'!)

I have a good friend, U, who has two types of apple trees in her backyard.  Every year, about this time, she puts out the call:  “Help!  I’m up to my knees in apples, come pick!” And we come!!  I’ve been twice this week! Of course, I only pick half a Trader Joe’s bag at a time!  My body doesn’t like marathons any more.  Not cooking, not quilting, not walking – not even binge watching!! 

One tree is Delicious apples – planted by a seed by her father.  One is a tree transplanted from the family home – type forgotten.  SO  I didn’t use the apples the recipe suggested,  our apples must have been tart-er.  The recipe doesn’t call for sugar.  I added some quickly!

DH helped me peel the apples the first day.  Then he took to the couch and didn’t even go golfing that afternoon.  I thought I’d killed him!!  The second day, I started the applesauce after he left for the golf course.

With some trepidation … I have arthritis in my hands, especially my left thumb.  The apples are organic, small and gnarly!  I used that kitchen tool – the apple star.  Wear an apron – those things throw apple juice far and wide!!  

Then I peeled the eighths; cut them in half, put them in a 6 cup mixing bowl. 

When the bowl was brimming, I put them in the IP with my revised recipe.  

While that was cooking, I kept working with the apples.  Had the second batch ready when the first came out!  Cleaned up the kitchen while the second batch was cooking.  Done and cleaned up in 2 hours!!

A half Trader Joe’s bag makes 2 batches.  The finished applesauce is about 2 quarts – I freeze mine.

Here is MY adaptation of the recipe:

six cup mixing bowl brimming with cut up apples

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 a lemon)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup of Brown Sugar

Cook on high for 6 minutes – release early as described.

This year is the first time using an Instant Pot, but the applesauce is a big hit with the grandkids.  In fact, Miss P asked me over Labor Day if I could make some applesauce!  I said no – didn’t have my stuff.  But I’d make some and bring it next time! 

I'm sure it will be a hit!  And if not - well, more for us!!  Tee-hee!