Friday, October 17, 2014

THEY DID IT!!! STATE BOUND

The girls won last night and are now going to the State competition at Middle Tennessee State University next weekend.  They were on fire last night and won in 3 sets.


I intend to make apple butter this year and thought I would share the recipe, in case you might want to make some as well.  
We love it around here!
1.) Start by peeling, coring and slicing 5 1/2 pounds of apples. The best kind of apples for apple butter are Cortland, Jonamac, Spigold, Jonathan, Liberty, Sweet Sixteen, Golden Russet, Orin, Arkansas Black, and Grimes Golden (according to the internet ;-)
2.) Place all the apples into a large crock pot along with 2-4 cups of sugar (depending on your sweet tooth), 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of cloves. I am too lazy to dice my apples really small so I cook it on high until the apples are cooked down (about 5-6 hours). 
3.) After my apples are soft and cooked down I take my electric hand mixer and blend the apples and spices together (after about 5 hours on high in the crock pot) I periodically mix them up until it is all blended throughout the evening.
4.) Then I turn it down to low and cook them overnight. This takes a LONG TIME to cook down, but it is worth it. Plus you do not have to babysit them you just let them cook down all night.
5.) In the morning it will have turned a beautiful brownish red color. I mix it again and then I take the top off the crock pot and let it thicken until it is my desired consistency (usually another 2-4 hours). Meanwhile, I wash 9 pint jars in my dishwasher. When they are still hot I take them out of the dishwasher. Then fill up the jar with the hot apple butter leaving about 1/4” of head space. Wipe the rim clean. Put a new lid on it and then put the ring on it. 

Now flip the jars upside down. Let them cool. When they are completely cool flip them right side up and they will have sealed.
It makes about 9 pint jars. No special tools necessary. Just canning jars, apples and spices. Easy peasy!

Have a blessed day!

7 comments:

  1. Congratulations to the team! Thank you for the recipe, it sounds so easy!

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  2. Good news for the team! I love apple butter, but have never made it. It sounds good.....I hope you have one of those peeling devices!

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  3. We love apple butter, too. Joe LOVES apple butter. I may have to give this a try, Linda.

    Excellent news about about Aryn and her team!! Excellent!

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  4. How exciting! Congrats!!!---- I made Apple Butter last fall--Blessings

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  5. I like apple butter, but have never made it. This sounds really easy.

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  6. Congratulations to the girls and good luck making the apple butter.

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