Peach Pie Anyone?

Today, anticipating a full but happy day with my daughter and granddaughter who stopped by on their way to her return to MUW, I had a phone call from my sister who wanted to verify a recipe for mock dehydrated peaches. She declares that that originally came from me, but that was so long ago that I really don't remember the origin. Wish I did. I believe her, though. This was timely, because I couldn't imagine what I wanted to do with the peach crop we had by some sort of miracle through this weird spring and dry summer.

I do plan to give this a try and see what gives:

Mock dehydrated peaches for pie filling

2 gallons peaches, washed and cut away from the seed in moderate size slices
1/2 cup vinegar
6 cups sugar

Combine and keep in a stainless steel or enamel container for 12 hours. Cook carefully, stirring to avoid sticking, until the consistency you want for pie filling. Put in sterile jars and probably wouldn't hurt to process in a hot water bath, although I bet some don't do that. I probably will.

This is great for "fried" peach pies or as a double crust pie you have baked in the oven. If after I have done this and think of something I've left out, I will add an addendum.

(IMPORTANT ADDENDUM) After cooking this ALL morning in a stainless steel stock pot, and its beginning to stick/burn, I called my sister-in-law, the best-cook-in-Prentiss-County, and asked her how much longer I was going to have to watch the pot. She asked, "Are you doing that in stainless steel?" I replied that I was. She said, "That's the trouble! You have to use heavy aluminum." I know the jury is out on cooking in aluminum, and I had thrown out a wonderful, heavy, aluminum Mirro cooker/canner just the right size but which had lost its handle and was too old to find a replacement. What to do. I decided to scrub out my larger Mirro canner that I have canned veggies in all summer (it holds 7 quart jars I think), and that worked wonderfully well. Just right for "cooking off" the rest of the fruit. At this time, I have canned 12 pints apple pie filling and that much or more of peaches. Wish I had more peaches. I will do more apples from the pitiful little tree that fell over from the rain and heavy fruit this spring.

My SIL is doing this with apples. As I remember, apples didn't yield the same results, but it might be worth a try. Since the peel of an apple is different from the peach, one needs to peel the apple before cutting into slices/chunks. That tough apple peel simply won't cook down, the peach peel will.

Guess what we're having Saturday when the kids are home........

PS: Father, daughter and granddaughter are transporting her to MUW but are retrieving her belongings her roommate had generously stored for her during the summer (in Carthage), so that will mean yours truly will be alone for the afternoon and evening, for one reason, limited space in the vehicle. I have napped, shelled butterbeans, prepared 'maters, loaded the dishwasher from the sumptuous lunch we had today. I'm so glad granddaughter is a veggie lover.
Next, I canned 2 1/2 pints butterbeans and cut off tomatoes to make another batch of tomato juice/soup for daughter to take home this weekend, along with a load of the beans, etc., I've been having such joy canning this summer. Before it gets too dark, I probably will gather a bucket of those peaches I have decided to make pie filling from. It was funny that I had already cut off about 2 quarts and froze them, not having any idea what I wanted to do with them. Thanks, sis!