SLOW COOKED PUMPKIN BUTTER!!! YUMMY GOOD!!

If you have enjoyed pumpkin butter from farms stands, and wanted to make your own, but thought it might be too difficult; guess again!
These step-by-step directions will make it so simple, anyone can make better pumpkin butter and at a much lower cost.

Now, with a crockpot, it's easy!

A side benefit is that your house will smell wonderful while it is cooking - much better than potpourri!

Ingredients

8 cups canned pumpkin
4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
6 tablespoons of lemon juice

Directions

Add the lemon juice to the pumpkin and spices.
Set the crock pot on low or medium heat.
Cover it loosely or use a large pot splatter-guard. It will spatter as it boils slowly, so I also cover nearby surfaces with towels. You don't want to seal it tightly because you want the steam to escape so it can reduce in volume and thicken.
Leave it to cook for 6 - 8 hours. How long depends on the size and power of your crock pot, and how thick you like it, If you want to stir it occasionally, that's fine but not necessary.

Spoon hot pumpkin mixture into sterilized, very hot, pint or half pint jars , filling to within 1/4 inch from top. Remove air bubbles; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands.

This is like eating Pumpkin Pie on toast….

***Prepared this way, the jars have a shelf life of 6 months in the fridge. Note that it should NOT be stored on the shelf, unrefrigerated!!

Butter, Butter, Butter; Apple Butter That Is!!!

When apples are plentiful in the fall it seems you can't find enough things to do with them! make a whole pile of apple pies for family get togethers, apple slices for the grandchildren, apple cake, apple cobbler, apple bread or jelly; but here is something old that is new again.....APPLE BUTTER!...What could be more fall-like than apples, sugar and spices slowly cooking all day long? So I made a big batch of apple butter! The aroma that this makes as it cooked away in the crock pot was amazing. It does’t take much to get lots of flavor, it is a mix of sweet, tart and spice all at once; I was also drying apples and my home smelled sooo good...All the neighbors came over to see what I was cooking;
This Apple Butter is so easy to make, using your crock pot!
Now if you don't have Apple trees in your yard or have an orchard nearby, check out your local farmer's market...This time of year they always have Apples & Pumpkins...I am lucky as we have about 4 orchards nearby..
This recipe makes a small batch, so you don't really need to give it a water bath...just store the jars in the fridge...or if you want to give as gifts, then you will need to give them the old water bath treatment for 15 minutes!
SLOW COOKED APPLE BUTTER!

10 t0 12 large cooking apples (14 cups)...I used Winesap apples
2 cups apple juice or cider
3 cups white sugar ( I am diabetic so I used Splenda in one batch)
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

INSTRUCTIONS:

Core and chop unpeeled apples (bite size)
Combine with the apple juice or cider
Mix sugar (splenda) with the cinnamon & ground cloves
Add to the apples in the crock pot
Cover; cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 4 hours (the 10 hour one was better)
Remove cover and drain the apples
Put into blender or food processor and blend on high speed until smooth
Return apples to slow cooker
DO NOT COVER and cook on low for 1 hour or till it is the desired consistency
Mine took 1-1/2 hours;

Storage of Apple Butter:

While the mixture is very hot ladle the cooked Apple Butter into sterilized half-pint jars, leaving a 1/2" head space.
Put the lids on and then tighten the rings but not to tight.
Process in boiling water canner for 15 minutes
Remove from water bath and set on a dry cup towel till cool and lids pop closed..
Store in a cool dark place
OR:
You can just put into the sterilized jars, cover with the lids and rings, let cool and store in fridge...If you like Apple Butter this will go fast!

I got this recipe from Home Cooking and made a few changes;

Next I will do the Slow Cooked Pumpkin Butter and is that good.

Just like having pumpkin pie on your toast!