Apple Butter Festivals reign supreme throughout the USA from September through the end of October.  Washington state to Virginia, everyone is getting in the swing for mouth-watering comfort apple-butter. Maybe your great-great-grandma made apple-butter in a copper kettle over an outdoor fire or your great grandma made it in the oven and the whole house was apple fragrant for a week.  We can now adays pretty much achieve the same quality and flavor cooking a batch of this smooth and creamy apple preserve in a crock pot.  Its so simple.  Once the apples are peeled, cored and chopped the crock pot does all the work.  Sterilize jars and heat lids to preserve your finished product or fill freezer-safe containers.  Nothing is as welcomed as a basket of homemade preserves for the holidays.  If you are fortunate to have apple trees in your yard, make several batches and have a fundraiser for school or church.  Your good neighbors will snap up every jar that you make.  Note:  use windfallen apples and be sure to compost the peels and cores.

Apple butter is perfect on toast, muffins, corn bread, crepes and makes a fabulous glaze for pork or ham roasts.

Ingredients for 5 quart Crock Pot:

• 3 quarts of apples, peeled cored and chopped
• 2 Tbsp of ground cinnamon
• 3 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp sea salt or canning salt

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in crock pot.  Turn to high and cook until bubbly.
2. Turn temperature to low and cook until thick and creamy smooth, about 10 hours.
3. Taste from time to time for more cinnamon or sugar.
4. Fill sterilized jars within 1/4-inch of rim and seal.

You can double or triple the applesauce recipe and freeze or can the leftovers for other uses.  

Apple sauce cake can be made in a loaf pan, flat rectangle pan or muffin tins.  Adjust baking time accordingly.

More apple recipes tomorrow:  Crock Pot Apple Butter and Apple Muffins

Ingredients for Microwave Apple Sauce:

• 8 apples, Jonathan, Winesap or Granny Smith
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 3 Tbsp honey

Method:

1. Peel, core and chop apples.  Place in microwave safe dish with a cover.
2. Add lemon juice, butter and honey.  Toss. 
3. Cover with lid partially so steam can escape.  Cook on high for 8-10 minutes, stirring once.
4. Blend or mash and use in the following recipe for Hot Apple Sauce Cake.

Ingredients for Hot Apple Sauce Cake:

• 2-1/4 cup Hot applesauce
• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1 cup raisins

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Grease and flour a 9-inch bundt pan.
2. Mix all ingredients together.  Pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake 50-55 minutes or until tests done.
4. Cool 5 minutes and remove from pan.
5. Serve warm with topping of choice. 

 Note:  Nuts and raisins are optional.