Let there be Jelly

My first batch of jelly, ever. Its not done yet, but about halfway. I have taken dozens of apples from my little orchard out back and cut them up, cooked them for nearly an hour and now they're hanging in a "jelly bag" that I made from some muslin. There doesn't seem to be much juice there, so I think I will have to let the apples hang all night and make the jelly in the morning. Its a very simple recipe, all natural. Apples, sugar and water. That's it. So I'm hoping it will turn out okay. If not, not big loss as I can try again...tons of apples out back yet.

When I was cutting up the apples, there were seeds flying all over, and you don't cut them out, but cook them with the apples. They add pectin to the jelly. Of course, seeds were flying everywhere as I chopped up the fruit. And I didn't think too much about it...vacuumed the floor when all done and thought that was the end of it. Oh no. Was cooking something just now and as the burner heated up, I discovered that apple seeds make a very large POP when they get heated, kind of like popcorn. Go figure. Sure scared the crap out of me though. So then I checked the rest of the burners for stray apple seeds.

Fresh apple pie for dessert tonight too. My friend Mel is coming over to share supper with me...steak, mushrooms, baked potatoes, glazed corn, and fresh bread is on the menu tonight...and of course, the apple pie.

Yum.