Making Apple Cider

Family and friends gathered at my brother and sister-in-law's Achorn Farm last weekend for a cider pressing party.We brought about five bushels of apples from various trees around our little place and the neighbor's trees. (Our neighbor was very gracious, allowing the boys and I to carry away nine five-gallon buckets full of apples for apple butter several weeks ago.) The weather was perfect for an autumn day - sunny and warm.I think it is safe to say that everyone had a great time talking, playing, eating good food, and yes, sampling mason jars of fresh cider. We went home with about 6-1/2 gallons of sweet cider, some of which I froze for Tess and Mary's return at Christmas. I will probably siphon some off from the large carboy to make homemade vinegar - far superior to the vinegar we are used to from the grocery store. The rest we are hoping to ferment into hard cider. Many thanks to MM and CG for their wonderful hospitality.

Oktoberfest Dinner

I am ashamed to see that I have posted nothing since last April. The busy spring and summer months have now become the slower days of autumn, and at last I have time between gardening, schooling, soccer games, and canning to post a recipe or two. The following Hillshire Farm recipe, with only minor changes, is a family favorite, one I have been making for nearly fifteen years or more. The flavors of apple and sauerkraut blend beautifully with the sausage in this hearty dish - perfect for those cool autumn evenings.

Oktoberfest Dinner

1-2 lbs. kielbasa or smoked sausage, cut in 3-4 in. pieces
1-2 tbs. butter
1 med. onion, cut in wedges
1-2 16oz. packages of sauerkraut
2 apples, cut into wedges
4-6 medium potatoes, cut in large pieces
1 c. apple cider

Lightly cook onion in butter in a deep dutch oven. Remove from pan. Brown sausage in butter, and remove from pan. place potatoes in bottom of pan. Cover with lightly cooked onions, apples, sauerkraut, and then sausage. Pour cider over everything. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes until potatoes test done with a fork. I avoid stirring this during cooking to prevent the apples from falling apart, but it does not affect the flavor if you choose to stir.I have also done this in the crock pot, browning the meat and slicing it before hand. If you are rushed for time and want to bring this casserole to a pot luck, I've had success in lightly cooking the potatoes in water prior to adding them to the crock pot. This speeds up the cooking time of the potatoes, but still allows for them to absorb some of the flavor from the cider. Serve with lots of apple cider or a good German beer. Enjoy!