Fruit

Crock pot Apple Butter

prehfus1 Comment

Submitted by Mandy Mills, who writes:  “Here is my pseudo-recipe for apple butter. I assume a certain level of proficiency with home canning procedures. This is what I like to do with extra apples that I always buy this time of year because they are so inexpensive and good in the fall, then I don’t eat them all and they get kind of soft and aren’t really good for eating anymore. They still make good apple butter, and the beauty of using the crock pot is that they don’t burn, and you don’t have to watch it all the time like you do on the stovetop (if you’ve ever made it, you know what I mean. If you haven’t, trust me, you have to watch the stuff like a hawk because of all the sugar in it!) Enjoy!”

  • Approximately 5-6 lbs. apples, sliced (not peeled) – I use a variety (enough to fill a standard 5-quart crock pot to the top)
  • Approximately 3 cups sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Place everything in the crock pot, stir, cover, and turn it on “high” for 1 hour. Turn the temperature down to “low” and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 hours.

At this point, the apples should be very soft, and there will be quite a lot of liquid. I puree everything using an immersion blender, and then continue to cook on “low” for another 3-4 hours or until it is as thick as you want it (remove a spoonful to a plate and let it cool to check consistency).

Meanwhile, wash your canning jars (I use ½ pint jelly jars) and lids, and place the lids in hot (not boiling) water. Fill a boiling-water bath canner with water and heat it up. Jars should be hot, so they don’t crack when you pour hot apple butter into them.

Fill jars to within ½” of rim, wipe rim and threads with a damp cloth or paper towel, put on lid and ring and hand tighten. Place in canner. Once all the jars are filled, make sure the water in the canner covers the jars by 1-2”, bring to a boil, and process for 10 minutes. Remove jars from canner and place them on a dry towel to cool. Refrigerate any that don’t seal and use those first. Sealed jars should keep for one year.

This recipe should make 8 half-pint jars of apple butter.

Mom’s Apple Cake

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Diane Caylor Jasper

  • 1 cup canola oil

  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla
  • 2 1/4 cup flour – do not sift
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chopped apple
  • 2 cups chopped nuts

Mix oil and sugar.  Add eggs and mix good.  Add vanilla, baking soda, salt and cinnamon – mix well.
Add half of the flour and stir.  Add 2nd half of the flour and stir.
Add apples and nuts and stir.

Add to greased and flour 13 x 9 pan.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (I’ve always found closer to one hour) at 350 degrees.

Holiday Muffins

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Diane Caylor Jasper, who writes:  “On the first day of school each year my quilting group “The Material Girls” and I would bake 6 different types of muffins and drop them off at the teachers’ lounges at all the schools in the district (Granted there is only one high school/middle school and two elementary schools). This was by far the teachers’ favorite!”

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar

  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup coconut
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 large apple finely chopped
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup pecans chopped
  • 1 cup oil

Mix it all together.  Fill muffin tins 3/4 full
Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Maple Pumpkin or Squash Pie

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Diane Caylor Jasper, who writes:  “This recipe is from Sally Jasper, my husband Hank’s mom. The Jaspers homesteaded their farm over 140 years ago. “Jasper’s Sugar Bush” has been making Maple syrup for 4 generations.”

  • 1 cup pumpkin or winter squash
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Tablespoon melted butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 1/3 cup real maple syrup
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Beat pumpkin or squash until smooth.
Add cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; Mix thoroughly.
Add melted butter, milk and maple syrup and mix.
Stir in eggs

Pour into 9-inch unbaked pie shell and bake 15 minutes at 450 degrees and then lower to 325 degrees and continue baking for 40 minutes or until done.

You will know it is done when a clean knife blade is inserted and it comes out clean.

Grandma Agatha Kenny Rehfus’ Pinapple-upside-down Cake

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Diane Caylor Jasper

  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • Enough canned pineapple rings to cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet, save juice from can
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 7 Tablespoons pineapple juice from the can
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Pre-heat oven 350 degrees

 

In a cast Iron pan:

Melt butter and brown sugar.  Arrange canned pineapple rings to cover bottom. (save juice)
Set aside.

 

Batter:
Separate the eggs.  Beat the whites, then beat the yolks in a separate bowl.
Combine white sugar to the yolks.  Add vanilla, pineapple juice, flour, baking soda, and salt.  Combine all ingredients and pour batter over first mixture in the cast iron pan.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

When slightly cooled flip cake out onto large round platter or plate.

Belgian apple cake

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Nathalie Padilla, one of our very favorite Belgian persons!

  • 1 3/4 cup flour, sifted
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine
  • 1 1/3 cup sugar
  • 4 extra large eggs (separated)
  • 1 tablespoon rum (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • 5 cups apples, sliced thin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 13” by 9” pan.

Mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

Beat the egg whites until peaks form and set aside, as well.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add yolks, one at a time. Mix well. Slowly add the flour mix, beaten egg whites and rum (or vanilla).

Put a layer of dough in a the greased pan, then a layer of apples, followed by another layer of dough on top.

Bake approximately 48 min. at 350 degrees.

Banana bread

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by Nathalie Padilla, who got it from Cooking Light magazine.

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
  • 1/3 cup plain low-fat yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups. Level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yoghurt and vanilla, and beat until blended. Add flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter in an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 – inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool 10  minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

New American Charoset

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by JoAnne Levy

  • 2 Granny Smith apples
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 cup fresh mango, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon Port or sweet wine

Peel, core, and dice the apples and sprinkle with the lemon juice.

Place all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse once or twice just to break up. Let sit for the flavors to meld.

Yield: About 2 Cups

Apple Bread

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted by JoAnne Levy

  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups diced or shredded apples
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts Optional

Topping

  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoons cinnamon
  • (Mixed together)

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla well. Then add all remaining ingredients and blend well. Pour the batter into the loaf pans, then sprinkle the topping on (before baking!!!). Place the loaf pans in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes.

Passover Apple Cake

prehfusLeave a comment

Submitted Joyce Bayer, who originally got it from one of the Detroit newspapers.

  • 9 egg yolks
  • 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • 2 cup sugar, divided
  • ½ cup cake meal
  • 1/3 cup potato starch
  • 9 stiffly beaten egg whites
  • 4 medium apples, pared and sliced (4 cups)
  • 2 teaspoon water
  • ½ cup chopped nuts
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg yolks, lemon juice, and lemon peel until thick. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating until smooth. Sift ½ cup sugar, cake meal, and starch together. Blend into yolk mixture. Fold in beaten egg whites. Spread half of batter in ungreased 9x13x2-inch pan. Bake 30-35 minutes. Cook apples in water, covered, over low heat until barely tender (8-10 minutes). Stir in ½ cup sugar, nuts, remaining juice, and cinnamon into apples, and arrange apple mixture over cake. Cover with remaining batter. Bake 50-60 minutes more. Cool.