Foodie Friday....Crockpot Apple Butter

Last night I tried my hand at crockpot apple butter. Can I just say.......OMG Yummy!
There is a little work involved (as a disclaimer). But the time you invest peeling coring and slicing the apples so very worth it.

Crockpot Apple Butter
6# apples cored, peeled, sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 cup lighted packed brown sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon
2 TSP nutmeg
1TSP ground cloves
1 TBSP vanilla

Mix all of your dry ingredients together well. I just tossed the vanilla on the apples before adding the dry ingredients. (No rocket science cooking for me!) Coat the apple slices well with the dry ingredient mixture.
Pour apples into crockpot. It is going to be a pot full! Cover and cook on low for about 10 hours. I cooked mine over night. I did get up once during the night and stirred the apples, but only because I randomly woke up.
At the end of cooking, I used a cup to dip out some of the excess cider from the apples, then used my immersion blender to blend until smooth. The smell of this makes me think of how heaven must smell!
The apples do cook down to about half of what you start with. I had 3 jars of apple butter plus about 3/4 of a jar of the spiced cider that I saved to use for something later.
This would make a wonder gift for the holidays or hostess happy for a holiday party.

Happy Crocking!

My crazy life update

Wow! My life has been upside down since I last blogged. Let's start with a not so lovely shingles outbreak. If this has never happened to you, I pray it never does. This was the second time it happened to me. The first being about 12 years ago. I'm not sure what brought it on. One Monday I just woke up with a painful, itchy rash on my neck. Even though I went to the doctor on Tuesday, the initial rash developed into a terrible cellulitis that was wide spread. To the local e/r I went on the following Saturday. I came within an inch of being admitted. Thank goodness the doctor I saw listened to my pleas that I didnt have time to be in the hospital and promises to follow any and all orders he gave me. I ended up loaded to the max on steriods that got me to feeling better and had me cleaning my whole house and cooking everything I could think of! Needless to say, my kids were happy! On a more positive note, I have started sewing and crafting for missions and for Christmas. I have definately found my passion. I'll post a picture of a couple of the dresses I have made for a mission trip in summer 2014. I have informed my daughter that I will be making/crafting most of Christmas this year. I'm not sure she is real excited about that! Haha! I think when all is said and done, she and my grandbaby will both be pleased. I'm just very thankful to be back to feeling like my self. I was off work for about a week and a half. It is amazing how much it can take out of you to be sick just for that short of a time.