CSA Inspired Recipe: Apple Butter

Beautiful weekend weather has been drawing us to our balcony.  Here is our breakfast from the other morning - featuring the post recipe - Apple Butter.  This is a cooking light recipe recommended by my dear friend Beth who understands the importance of enjoying all things savory!

Homemade Biscuits and Apple Butter!  The perfect outdoor breakfast!

Ingredients:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace - I substituted nutmeg
10 medium apples, peeled, cored, and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds)

Directions:


Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10 hours or until apples are very tender.

This step recommending by Cooking Light takes too long for a casual cook like me, so I suggest skipping it: Place a large fine-mesh sieve over a bowl; spoon one-third of apple mixture into sieve. Press mixture through sieve using the back of a spoon or ladle. Discard pulp. Repeat procedure with remaining apple mixture.   INSTEAD: Spoon mixture into a food processor - I used my Cuisinart mini-prep - to puree.

Return apple mixture to slow cooker. Cook, uncovered, on high 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick, stirring occasionally. Spoon into a bowl; cover and chill up to a week.

It is a fantastic way to usher in the cooler weather that comes at the end of summer...{shhh...I am in denial and unable to call it fall...}