Susans Apple Butter 125 Food

HOMEMADE APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Combine the apples, cider, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves and salt in a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until the apples are very tender, about 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and puree using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender (be careful when blending hot liquids).
• Transfer the pot to the oven. Bake, uncovered, stirring every 20 minutes so that the bottom does not burn, until the mixture is very thick and a rich brown caramel color, about 3 hours. Cool completely.

HEALTHY APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place cored and sliced apples (not peeled) into a large slow cooker or crock-pot.
• Add apple cider vinegar (or water) and spices. Stir all ingredients together, cover and let it cook for 5-6 hours on low.
• The liquid will reduce and the apples will be very soft, dark in color and smell heavenly. Turn the slow cooker off and then use an immersion blender to puree the apples until smooth. Another option is to carefully transfer the apples to a blender and blend until completely smooth.
• Once the apples are pureed, turn the slow cooker on high and heat the apple butter for 1-2 hours, uncovered. This will help it thicken and caramelize.
• Once the apple butter is the consistency you like, turn off the slow cooker and let the apple butter cool for 30 minutes before transferring into airtight containers for storage. Let the apple butter cool completely in the containers or jars before placing in the fridge.
• For storage: apple butter will keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or up to a year the freezer.

SUSAN BRANCH'S BUTTER COOKIES - THE BEST (REALLY)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• With an electric mixer (even the hand-held kind), cream together the butter and the sugar.
• Add egg yolks and vanilla and mix well.
• Sift flour and salt together, shaking back and forth in a fine sieve.
• Beat into the butter mixture until well-mixed.
• When ready to bake, use an ungreased cookie sheet and place the cookies 1 inch apart.
• Bake for about 10 minutes and DO NOT BROWN THEM.
• Remove the cookies from the cookie sheet while still warm and cool on sheets of waxed paper.
• Decorate if you like:.
• Shape dough into a roll the width of a cookie.
• Wrap in waved paper and chill.
• Before baking, roll in chocolate shots.
• Slice 1/2 inch thick and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 10 minutes. Do Not Brown.

APPLESAUCE APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
• Cover and cook on high 8-10 hours, and remove lid during the last 4 hours.
• Continue to let it cook, stirring occasionally.

APPLE BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine apples, vinegar, allspice berries (if using), cinnamon sticks (if using), ginger (if using), star anise pod (if using) and 4 cups water in a large, heavy bottomed pot over high heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are completely softened and the liquid has reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes. (Some pieces of apple might float at first; they will sink and become submerged as they soften.) Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
• Leaving behind allspice berries, cinnamon sticks and star anise pod, pass the apples through a food mill. (Alternatively, working in batches, ladle apples into a strainer or colander, and using a ladle, wooden spoon or spatula, press apples to pass pulp through, leaving behind seeds and skin.)
• To finish on the stovetop: Place apple pulp in the same large, heavy-bottomed pot, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep golden brown (somewhere between honey and molasses), 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (Around the 1 1/2-hour mark, things will start to bubble rather violently. Stirring constantly will help, but expect, and be careful of, a few splatters.) To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 8 to 10 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.
• To finish in the oven: Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place apple pulp in a 9-inch by 13-inch (3-quart) baking dish, add granulated sugar and light brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Place in oven and let cook, stirring every 30 minutes or so, until mixture is thick, glossy and a deep, golden brown color (somewhere between honey and molasses), 3 to 3 1/2 hours. To test the thickness, spoon a bit onto a plate: The mixture should set almost immediately with no spreading or wateriness. If it's not there yet, cook another 20 to 30 minutes and test again. When the desired consistency is reached, season with kosher salt.

SUSAN'S ONE-DISH STUFFED PORK CHOPS SWEET POTATOES AND APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Peel potatoes, halve them and boil them until about half done; set aside.
• Heat oil in large skillet and brown chops on both sides--salt and pepper. Remove from pan and cool. Make stuffing. Cut a deep slit in the side of each chop and fill with stuffing. Put chops and potatoes in large baking pan.
• Peel, halve and core apples (arrange in pan among the chops and potatoes) and sprinkle on raisins. Sprinkle each apple with cinnamon. Cover the pan tightly with foil. Bake 50 minutes and serve.
• To make stuffing: Melt butter in skillet; add onion and celery and cook slowly 'til soft. Add parsley, breadcrumbs and salt & pepper. Mix well and correct consistency w/ more breadcrumbs or butter.
• It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. Laura Ingalls Wilder.