Holiday Recipe Spectacular ~Crock Pot Apple Butter: An Awesome Gift In a Jar! 12/16/11

What better gift than a homemade one?  Make these with your kids, and make your Christmas giving extra special this year.



Step 1:
About 15 apples (depends on the size of your crock pot and your apples - I used a 5 qt crock pot and had medium sized apples)
1 cup apple cider

Peel, core, and thinly slice all the apples until your crock pot is full. Turn it on high, add cider and cook for about an hour, then turn heat to low and cook about 8-10 hours.

Step 2:

2 - 2 1/2 cups sugar
4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

When you take off the lid, the apples should be reduced to about half their volume and most of the chunks should be gone.  Add sugar and spices, stir until well mixed and cook on low for approximately 8 more hours. If its still not smooth, blend with an immersion blender or in a food processor or blender.  Spoon into jars and enjoy. Keep refrigerated for about 2 weeks or can by processing in a water bath.

Holiday Recipe Spectacular - Dessert - Apple Dumplings

Another one of my childhood faves!  This was probably my most requested dessert when I was growing up.  Love it!  Especially because you got your own individual dumpling, it was all yours!  This recipe goes way back to my great-grandmother in Kentucky.  My mom's mom would make them, then my mom and now I can make them on my very own-cute, right!  It's such an easy recipe, but what an impressive show it would make when you hand each of your guests their very own warm apple dumpling!  It'd look like it took hours to prepare-and just for them!  You're the best hostess ever!!

Mother and Mom's Apple Dumplings
•2 cups peeled, pared and sliced tart apples (or 1 16 oz. can apple slices)
•1 pkg. pie crust mix (for two pies)
•1 cup sugar
•1/2 t cloves
•1 t cinnamon
•1/2 t nutmeg
•1 cup milk
•1/4 c flour
•Cool Whip

Prepare pie crust sticks as directed. Roll out into 8 equal squares. Place two T apple slices on each and fold up each corner. Place in greased baking pan and dot with butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. (For fresh apples, bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes). While cooling, prepare cinnamon sauce. Mix sugar, spices and flour together and gradually stir in milk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Spoon warm sauce over dumplings and top with Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream.