Wow. That's a buncha jars!

I usually can peaches to save freezer space for beef and pork, which we raise ourselves, but I freeze a few for cobbler and pie as Iike the texture better, canned peaches seem softer when baked into a pie, etc. I blanch the peaches, peel them and put them into a solution of water with a couple of Vitamin C tablets broken open and dissolved in. Far cheaper than Fruit Fresh and it keeps the fruit from browning. Slice them, put them into a single layer on a sheet tray and freeze. If they stick just a few minutes will allow them to thaw just enough to release. Into a ziplock bag and into the freezer, and the individual slices let me take out just enough for a smoothie for the grandkids, a small batch of turnovers, some ice cream, topping for pancakes, whatever. I never use any sugar or syrup when freezing this way and even if I'm making scones or muffins the frozen slices still are easy enough to cut into smaller chunks. I've also done as Donna states and put all filling ingredients in a ziplock bag ready for use. The only thing I do differently is that I freeze the bags right in my pie plates, so they are the right shape to just plop into my pie crust for pie or into the pan to thaw and get ready for cobbler or crisp topping. When they are frozen they can be removed from the pie plate and stacked up for later use and the pie plate goes back into the cabinet for future use. Annie

Well then, that must have been my problem because I did double the recipe!! I didn't realize you couldn't! I know you're not supposed to fool around with amounts in recipes so you keep the acid ratio correct, but where this was just strawberries and sugar and nothing else in the recipe I figured it was ok! I guess not! And I measured out 4 quarts of whole strawberries. The recipe was 2 quarts of strawberries and 6 cups of sugar. It didn't say to cut them or mash them before measuring - in fact (I'm remembering off the top of my head here as I don't have the book with me) it said to crush the strawberries one layer at a time and then to mix with the sugar, so it sounded to me like you measured the whole strawberries, then crushed them and that's what I did. I'm not going to fuss with what I already made - as I said, it won't go to waste as hubby will use it as pancake topping - we've even been known to plop a spoonful of jam in a bowl of oatmeal, so this stuff will work for that as well. But I'm glad I spoke up because for future adventures in jam, I wouldn't have known any of this and would probably have given up on it if I kept failing! And I thought it was weird that the jam recipe that used the pectin used an extra cup of sugar from the one without pectin. I've learned so much from just this thread - thanks so much guys! I want to take my next adventure into the realm of peaches! Peach jam sounds yummy and if I fail again, hubby does like peaches, so he'll have more pancake topping than he knows what to do with lol!! Lisa

I've never frozen applesauce but only because if I can it, I can use the freezer space for other things like fresh garden sweet corn. I have frozen apple pies, though it's been a while. (I freeze lots of pies, just don't make apple pies very often.) I think the thickener makes a big difference. I didn't have good luck with flour. It broke down and the filling was watery. I think if I were doing it again, I'd lightly pre-cook the apple filling and use tapioca or a tapioca-flour or tapioca-cornstarch combination. I use ClearJel, but not everyone has that on hand. I do freeze uncooked pies all the time. It actually seems to tenderize the crust and increase flakiness. Line the plate with pastry, put in the filling (cooled if pre-cooked) and cover with the remaining pastry dough. Don't cut vents. Freeze on the shelf unwrapped. Then, once the pie is frozen solid, wrap well. I double-wrap, first layer aluminum foil (which can be re-used many times) then secondly a bag. When ready to bake unwrap the pie, cut vents and place on the lowest or second-lowest shelf of the oven still frozen. I usually bake 20 minutes or so at about 375 then lower the temperature to 325 for an additional 40+ minutes. How much time depends on the density of the filling. Basically I watch for thickened juices to begin bubbling through the vents. I haven't had any problems with soggy bottom crusts. Carol