Where Did You Find That?

This week I have been cleaning out boxes full of stuff I haven't looked at for years. I am cleaning, and pricing to get ready for the garage sale this coming weekend. Roadrunner and I are doing a sale at her house, with three families worth of junk.... er, treasures. This has cleaned up space for me to actually organize the junk... er, stuff I still have. In all of my sorting, I have found a few special things that were lost.

The one thing that I am sharing with you here, is the recipe that I have been tearing the house apart to find. A note: I make this in my 6 quart oval crock pot, and I only make half, so I don't have to worry about the lid not fitting. And it makes the whole house smell so wonderful!!!!

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Crock Pot Apple Butter

24 cups (approx. 30 medium) apples, peeled, cored, and sliced. (Cameo variety works great!)
4 cups granulated sugar (or less to taste, depending on the sweetness of the apples)
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Place 1/2 the prepared apples in a 6 quart crock pot. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt. Add half of the sugar mixture and half of the vinegar to the apples. Add remaining apples, top with remaining sugar mixture, and remaining vinegar. Cover with a lid. Lid may not fit at first, but apple will shrink down as they cook. Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8 to 10 hours, until thick and dark in color. Stir occasionally and mash apples with a potato masher to get a smooth consistency. Makes approximately 4 1/2 quarts of apple butter.
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You can substitute 4 or 5 teaspoons of pumpkin spice mix INSTEAD of the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. (But I prefer the strength of flavor of each spice separately.) Half recipe measurement of note: I also add a 1/4 cup of dark rum; it adds color and flavor, and the alcohol cooks out. I put the apples in late one night, and do the canning the next day. I can the apple butter in 1 cup glass jars. I also take out some of the juiciest juice, to make the butter thicker. It makes a tasty snack or an interesting addition to sweet desserts, or an awesome ice cream topping.

Reserve the apple peels and cores to make a potpourri in a mini crock pot. Mix with orange peels, lemon juice or peels, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, tea bags, peppermint oil (only a drop or two, or your eyes will burn!) and whatever spices you love, and cover with water. Simmer all day long for an irresistible aroma in your home. Make sure to keep the water level up, as it evaporates in the heat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please tell me if you try it, I want to know what everybody thinks of it. Have an enjoyable Tuesday!