Let's go to the apple orchard!

(walking the aisles)

Apple picking is high on my list of favorite things to do. For the past few years, we have not lived anywhere close to an apple orchard (horror of horrors!), and because we were preoccupied with moving this summer, we were not able to go strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry picking this year. So you could possibly say that I was jonesing.

Our dear friends from our previous locale came to visit this past weekend. It was great timing because the fall leaves are amazing this year, and we live in a gorgeous river valley. The view looked like fall, the weather felt like summer, and we all had a great time together.

(our family)

I now have a couple large bags full of apples and so many things that I want to do with them (I may actually have to go back to the orchard for more ...). First on my list is Smitten Kitchen's Apple and Honey Challah. It looks so delicious that I have to contain myself from licking the computer screen.

We also have a lot of October birthdays in our family and I'd love to try out Smitten Kitchen's apple cake.

Other than that, I'd really like to find a good apple jam recipe. Last year we made so much strawberry jam that it lasted the whole year for us. We were also able to give some jars away for Christmas. With no strawberry jam this year, I'm feeling a little desperate. I haven't found many recipes for apple jam, but am thinking of trying this Honey Lemon Apple Jam recipe. Do any of you out there have any foolproof suggestions? I'm also interested in favorite apple sauce recipes.

Thanks!

(photos courtesy of my good friend Melissa)