Because I grew up in southern California, I didn't discover the magic of autumn after I married and moved to the Midwest. Crisp fall days, colorful leaves, and apple picking were things I hadn't known before.

While I love apple pie as much as the next person, some years we have a huge harvest of apples from our little fruit orchard and I run out of ideas for using them all. After canning apple slices and making baked apples and apple jelly, I'm ready for more ways to enjoy them.

Here are several ideas that you might enjoy too.

Try these for a special weekend breakfast.

Use a mandolin to slice apples very thinly, then bake them for Healthy Apple Crisps.

This idea from The Hypertufa Gardener is sure to please kids and adults alike, and even if you eat the whole bunch, it's still good for you.

Apple cider vinegar is good for so many things: use it in vinaigrette, as an arthritis remedy, and as a hair rinse. 

Did you know you can make your own at home? It's just as healthy and it's kind of fun to make.

I feel "pioneer-y" when I make my own vinegar each year.

Even better, homemade vinegar uses the apple peels and cores that are left over from making other dishes. Get my FREE ebook about making vinegar here.

I can't wait to make a batch of this apple salsa. I love tomatoes but peach salsa is so much better than the regular stuff. I hope this apple salsa will be just as delicious.

You can even can this recipe so you'll always have some in your pantry.

With this best-ever apple pie latte, you can combine your love of coffee and your love of apple pie.

You'll save a fortune on specialty coffee drinks when you make your own in the comfort of your own home.

You can make this fragrant simmering potpourri from apple slices or from the peels and cores. Package it up in pretty bags tied with ribbons and tags and give them as stocking stuffers or gift tie-ons to friends and family.

Then add your potpourri to a saucepan of simmering water and fill your home with the fragrant scent of fall.

Did you know you can can apple pie filling?

Normally you're not supposed to add thickening such as flour if you're canning pie filling, but this recipe uses Clear Jel instead of flour, so it's safe to preserve the pie filling by canning.

Now all you have to do when you want an apple pie for dessert is to make a crust (here's how to make a pie crust the easy way), open a jar and add the pie filling, then top with another crust or crumble.

Delicious!

For more self-sufficient posts like this, subscribe to my weekly-ish newsletter "The Acorn", and join me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. I'd love to see you there!

This post has been shared at some of my favorite blog hops.


~~~~~

My hope is to inspire you, and to encourage your homesteading plans and your dreams of a simple, self-reliant, God-dependent life. You can follow me at:
  Facebook | Pinterest | Subscribe | Instagram