Putting up

Isn’t that pretty?  I have seven jars of beautiful cranberry-raspberry-applesauce cooling on my counter. I keep going into the kitchen to admire those jars!  It is so satisfying to do a bit of canning.  Simple honest ingredients like cranberries, frozen raspberries and apples from our own garden, organic sugar and fresh water, and a little care and time make something lovely and oh, so yummy!
Years ago, when my boys were little, I added raspberries and apples to a basic cranberry sauce to sweeten it up a little bit.  It was so popular, I was often asked to make it for big family dinners.  This autumn for the first time in several years I got the urge to can again.  I love seeing the colorful, sparkling jars lined up neatly on the pantry shelf.
I’m grateful that I don’t have to can as women once had to do, but I know that later this winter when I open one of those jars for my family to enjoy, I’ll feel the same sense of pride in my handiwork as my grandmother did.

Want to make some sauce?

For 7 to 8 pints you’ll need:
9 cups clean cranberries (toss out the mushy ones and white ones)
4 cups raspberries, usually frozen at this time of year
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples (I usually use a firm cooking apple)
2 cups water
2 to 3 cups sugar

Into large kettle put cranberries, water and sugar.  Heat to a boil, stirring occasionally.  When the berries start to pop, add raspberries and apples.  Heat back to a gentle boil and simmer for 10 minutes.  Ladle into clean pint jars, leaving 1/2″ of head space.  Clean off jar rims if necessary and add seals and lids.  Place in hot water bath and process for 15 minutes.  Remove from bath, tighten lids, and allow to cool.  Next day check to make sure all jars have sealed, before putting away to store.