Great Expectations and Little Applesauce Letdowns

Canning food is addictive.  After every batch I start imagining the next.  This morning I rose to make and can some sugar free applesauce.  The recipe called for 3 1/2 pounds of apples. That didn't seem like much to me so I peeled eight pounds of apples instead.  I anticipated getting a large batch of spicy, saucy goodness so I sterilized 7 quart jars with rings and lids, peeled and cored the apples, and set them on the stove to cook.  When the boiling apple concoction was "just right," I sprinkled in a little nutmeg and cinnamon and ladled it into the hot, sterilized jars. Guess how many quart jars of applesauce you can get from eight pounds of apples?  A mere 2 1/2.  What a let down.  After some internet research, I was able to determine that it takes three pounds of apples to make one quart jar of applesauce.  Now they tell me. The day was saved, however, when we shared the half of a jar of sauce with our pork tenderloin dinner - it was without a doubt the best sauce ever.  Everyone raved about it. "Putting food by" certainly comes with a steep learning curve.  I'm going to buy a few bushels of apples tomorrow morning and make a serious batch of yummy sauce this weekend.  I told you - I'm addicted.