Homemade Apple Butter

Here is a recipe I want to try:

Ingredients

• apples -enough to fill your crock pot very full.
• 1 -2 cups sugar (to taste)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp salt

Procedure

Peel, core and slice your apples. This is where the apple, peeler, corer, slicer comes in handy. It will cut your time in half.

If you are planning on canning apple butter, apple sauce or just plain apples. It really is handy. If you use one, see instructions that came with it.

If you do not have one of these, just prepare your apples the old-fashioned way, with a knife. If you do this with a knife, chop your apples up small.

Put your apples into your crock pot. Fill it up to the brim. The apples will settle quite a bit as they cook and soften.

In a bowl mix sugar, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Pour this mixture over the apples.
Cover and cook approximately 10 hours. Stir occasionally.

As the apples cook you will be able to go from stirring with a spoon to a whisk. They will whisk up nice and smooth.

The color will get darker and darker as the apple butter thickens as well. I love to let them cook good and long. It makes the apple butter so yummy.

Tip: Start these in the evening. Cook on high for an hour just before going to bed. Turn down to low and give them a good stir. In the morning whisk them up.

Let the apple butter cook down to your desired consistency. It will end up with a nice scrumptious browned color. You can leave the lid off for the last hour or two to get a thicker consistency. Fill your jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Wipe the rims clean, remove any air bubbles and place your lids.

Read more: http://www.simplycanning.com/canning-apple-butter.html#ixzz1isVDSWNn

AB's B and B's

I made these pickles today from cucumbers Heather and I got at the farmer's market this morning.  I can't wait to taste them tomorrow!  Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown.

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 medium cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

Directions

Combine onion and cucumber slices in a clean spring-top jar.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 full minutes to wake up the flavors of the spices.
Slowly pour the hot pickling liquid over the onion and cucumber slice, completely filling the jar. Allow the pickles to cool to room temperature before topping off with any remaining pickling liquid. Refrigerate.