Feeling Domestic

I realize that it has been a long time since I posted. For some reason today, I'm all about posting again. The only common thread I can figure is that it is once again 62 degrees in our house after weeks of a very comfortable 68-72 range.

Anyhoo, moving on. What can make a person feel more like a domestic goddess than making her own apple butter and canning it?! Well, probably lots of things, and this is probably not impressive for most, but as far as I'm concerned, that is just the ticket!!

So I'd thought I'd share the process with you so that you too can feel the joy of doing the same.

Here you go. (I adapted my recipe from reading a bunch of other recipes). BTW, I'd recommend starting this before you go to bed on a Friday night and finishing it Saturday morning. It's hard to be patient. And your house will smell amazing when you wake up!

Domestic Goddess Crockpot Apple Butter

10 - 11 apples (or enough to fill a 4 qt crockpot to the brim when cored and chopped) I used galas.
2 T vanilla extract
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
5 tsp cinnamon*
1/4 tsp nutmeg*
1/4 tsp salt

*adjust these spices as you'd like. I like a lot of cinnamon - I'll probably use more next time, but I'm not a huge fan of nutmeg.

1. Core and slice the apples. Don't worry about peeling. It's annoying and takes way to long. We'll deal with the peels later. Put sliced apples into food processor, and let the machine do all the work to chop them.

2. Fill crockpot to the brim with chopped apples.

3. Pour vanilla over apples.

4. Mix sugar and spices in a medium bowl. Pour mixture over apples and mix until well incorporated.

5. Cook on High for 1 hour. Then continue to cook on low for 11 - 12 more. Stir occasionally to break up the apples.

6. This is the part where you'll have to deal with the peels. Still it will be much quicker than peeling all those apples. Transfer apples to a blender and blend until smooth. Return to crockpot. I had to do 2 batches. Still, faster than peeling!

7. Cook for another 1.5 - 2 hours with the lid off until apple butter reduces to desired thickness.

See, wasn't that easy? Now the problem is going to be that you'll have all of this delicious apple butter that you cannot possibly eat before it goes bad. You can freeze it or can it. Or give it away immediately. I decided to try my hand at canning. We made 5 half-pint jars of apple butter. I won't outline the process because I am probably a poor example of how to can something considering we rigged up a rack and my pot was no where near big enough. But I will show you the pictures.

Rigged canning pot. Yes, that's the trivet we used as a rack. Yes, that water is only about 1/2 inch from the top of the pot, and yes, that will boil over.

My official canning funnel. Wonderful!

It was super easy to do and look at how pretty those jars of apple butter were! And look how excited Paul was!

I know you're off to try this! Let me know how it turns out!