Apple Pie Filling for the freezer

Got more apples?  Use this recipe to save them for the middle of winter when a nice warm pie sounds delicious or you need a quick homemade dessert.  This is one of the few recipes I'm going to post that I have a not try and never will.  I don't like cooked fruit, especially apples.  My boyfriend wanted to use some of the apples from his apples tree for pie filling.  Sounds like a challenge for me to find a way to freeze pie filling for future use.  This recipe is also very easy to cut down to the amount of apples you have.  The ingredients are all easily divided in to fourths.

Yields: enough for 4 piesIngredients:

•           16 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced

•           4 tablespoons lemon juice

•           4 cups white sugar

•           1 cup cornstarch

•           4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

•           1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

•           1 teaspoon salt

•           8 cups water

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice and set aside.

2. Pour water into a Dutch oven over medium heat. Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Add apples and return to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes.

4. Ladle into 4 freezer containers or gallon freezer bags, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cool at room temperature no longer than 1 1/2 hours.

5. Seal and freeze. Can be stored for up to 12 months.

6. You can also make pies right away.