Freezer Apple Pie Filling

I am super excited to share this one with you - it's such a great recipe to keep on file for apple picking season. We go to Ellijay, Georgia to B.J. Reece pretty much every year and go apple picking. While we're there I always pick up a bag of their "seconds" which is a HUGE bag of slightly blemished apples that they sell for half price. It's an amazing deal. And those apples make gorgeous baked goods! So far this year I've made an apple cake, apple butter, applesauce, and this apple pie filling for the freezer. I love having pre-started and bagged apple pie filling in the freezer. It makes pie so uncomplicated later on!

Freezer Apple Pie Filling adapted from Spend with Pennies
makes 4-5 pies worth of filling

Ingredients
7 lbs apples
2 TBS lemon juice
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups water

Directions

1. Peel and chop apples (use an apple cutter to speed the process). 
2. Split the apples between 2 large pots on the stove over medium heat. Split all ingredients except the water between the pots (lemon juice, both sugars, corn starch and flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt). Toss gently to coat the apples
3. Pour in 3 cups of water into each pot, stir gently until a sauce forms and blends together. Turn the heat to high, keeping a close eye on the pots and stirring gently and frequently. When the pots begin to boil, allow them to simmer for about 7-8 minutes, or until you can feel the apples just beginning to soften and the sauce has thickened.
4. Turn the heat off, remove from heat, and allow pots to cool for about 30 minutes. 
5. When the filling mixture has cooled to about room temp, divide the mixture between 4-5 large freezer Ziploc bags (2 1/2 cups equals a can of pie filling - I didn't measure, just roughly divided between 4 bags).
6. Be sure to label your bags with date and content before laying flat in freezer for storage up to 1-year.
7. When you're ready to use the filling, thaw in the refrigerator, pour into a prepared pie crust and bake per usual instructions for the crust.