Recipe: All Day Apple Butter (Slow Cooker/Crock Pot)

I think I have mentioned this recipe in previous posts, and this is an excellent time of year for me to post it. The apples in this region are ripening, and we're coming up to Mabon. I grew up with apple butter in Indiana, every autumn, and I remember going to Nashville, Indiana, and seeing the pretty jars with the gingham cloth covers. Buying it in the grocery store wasn't right...it just didn't seem to have the right texture.

After emigrating to England, apple butter was one thing that I really missed, so I set out to discover a recipe that I could make myself and found this one. It is very much tried and tested, and my English friends that I can convince to try it end up falling in love with it, and can't wait until I do my annual batch.  I store it in recycled plastic takeaway tubs, and I generally have seven or eight tubs...one for my fridge (and it lasts for a really long time in there), and the rest go into the freezer until Witchy Kitty finds out that I've made it, then one goes home with her, and one or two go to American ex-pat friends in Digby. The rest get used throughout the year, generally pulled out when I have friends over and have made (an attempt, not perfected) gluten free scones.

For those of you that have never tried it, the way that I explain it to the sceptics is that it's like an apple conserve, and really nice on bread, scones, toast, pork, turkey, etc. You can use it in other recipes, as well. I have a mini pie maker that I have yet to test out, and I'm contemplating making apple butter pies. It is dairy free, gluten free, and pretty much free from everything else unless you have issues with spices, sugar, or apples.

Here's the recipe:

5 1/2 to 6 lbs of apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped (you can use any type of eating apples. I prefer red or golden delicious, as these are common varieties in Indiana)

4 cups of white sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon (I use rounded tsp, but I adore cinnamon)

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

Place the apples in a slow cooker.  In a medium bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.  Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well.

Cover and cook on High for 1 hour.

Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 9 to 11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.

Uncover and continue cooking on Low for 1 hour.  Stir with a whisk, if desired, in increase smoothness (I'm also known for using my potato masher).

Spoon mixture into sterile containers, cover, and refrigerate or freeze.

I know that I got this off of a website, but, unfortunately, it's been a decade, so I can't remember where it came from. 

Mel

Zucchini (Courgette) Bread

Thick sliced Zucchini (Courgette) Bread

Today was the first time that I have attempted my grandmother's zucchini (courgette, for the English) bread as gluten and wheat free...it's turned out as a resounding success. For me, it's some serious comfort food...hot out of the oven (or if I'm having it later, I reheat it in the microwave for a few seconds) with loads of melted butter. LUSH!  I have been known to take it with me to a party, and found that it's better for me to not tell people what's in it until they've tried it first, because you tell them that it's sweet and has courgette in it, and they turn their noses up at it. If I wait to tell them, they end up shocked and really enjoying it. The same goes for when I've made apple butter. It's a little difficult to explain what it is to people that it's not from their culture. They see it being dark brown and gloopy looking, so won't even try it. But I do have converts that I've turned into addicts (hey, Witchy Kitty, I'll probably be doing an apple butter batch sometime within the next month :P ).

The recipe for Zucchini Bread that I have is from my step-grandmother, Jean, and has always been a family favourite. The Imp had it for the first time today and gave it a rating of 'Nom Nom Nom'. To convert it to gluten/wheat free, I didn't have to make any adjustments because the courgette naturally contains a lot of liquid. I'm also sure that yours might rise a little more than mine did, because I've only just realised, as I've typed out the recipe, that I missed out on the baking powder. It probably didn't matter since the liquid part had time to sit because I went to grab the baking soda and realised I had none, and ended up going to all three of the local shops before I found any.  It's dairy free, as there is no butter, margerine, or anything of the like in it.

(Makes 2 loaves)

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil, and I have used olive oil in the past)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups grated zucchini (courgette. And I dumped it through the food processor grater. I had a marrow and two courgettes, and got 6 cups from them. I've separated them into zipper bags, and what remains freezes well.
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 3 cups plain flour (I used Doves Farm Gluten and Wheat Free Plain Flour)
• 3 tsps cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup walnuts (optional...I've never added them, and I can't remember Grandma using them)

Preheat oven to 325F/165C/Gas Mark 3). Grease and flour two 8 inch x 4 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy.  Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchine and vanilla.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nuts in a separate bowl.  Stir into egg mixture.

Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done (my oven can occasionally take it's merry sweet time, and I had it in for 90 minutes. Basically, until you insert a skewer or knife in the centre and it comes out clean).

Snickerdoodles (Originally posted 22/12/09 on The Alternating Kitchen Witch. Edited 25/07/11)

One from my mom, but this one converts nicely to gluten, wheat, and dairy free without any adjustments.

1 cup soft margerine (dairy free works, as well)

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp cream of tartar

2 3/4 cup sifted flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Mix together margerine, sugar, and eggs. Mix well. Sift together cream of tartar, flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir into other mix. Chill dough. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Roll into a mixture of 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon (adjust until it is the balance you want). Place about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until lightly brown but still soft (these cookies puff up at first, then flatten out), at 400F (I put at just under gas mark 7), for 8 to 10 minutes.

Brightest Blessings

Mel

Corn Bread Recipe #1

I actually have a couple of different recipes, but at the moment one of them is missing. It's actually the one I prefer, but I'll still post this alternative one that I've used as well (and still really like). I make it gluten free, and this is the recipe that I use if I've run out of milk, so it's dairy free already.  I find it a touch sharper in taste than the version that I use milk in, and a touch crumblier, but it's still really lovely, especially hot out of the oven with margarine or butter melting on it. I'm actually contemplating trying it with a smear of apple butter, the next time that I make a batch of it.

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal (I have found this at Sainsbury's, in with the international foods, i.e. the Asian foods, in a fairly good sized bag)
1 cup flour (normal flour can be used, as well. I use Dove's Farm Gluten and Wheat Free plain flour)
1/4 cup sugar (I'm sure that Splenda could be used)
5 tsp baking powder (I use a gluten free version)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp water
1/3 cup oil

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425F/220C/Gas Mark 7.
Combine all of the ingredients and beat well.
Bake in a greased and floured 8-inch cake pan for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. A normal pan can be used, but I use either a round or square silicon pan, so I can just pop it straight out.

Mel