Recipe: Simple Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Last weekend we went apple picking as a family. We go to the same orchard every year, Pine Farms Orchard, because they have over 5000 dwarf trees, meaning that this kids can reach the apples all on their own, without the use of a ladder.

We always end up picking more apples than we need, but I don't mind. There are so many recipes to make with apples, and they keep well, so I don't feel the need to cook them all at once.

I make some homemade apple sauce every year, click HERE for the recipe. This year I wanted to make some apple butter too. If you're not familiar with apple butter, it's a thicker version of apple sauce, used as a spread or a fruit dip.

It takes a long time to make on the stove, involving a lot of stirring. Since it takes so long, I don't make it every year.

Then I thought about the slow cooker, and wondered if I could just make some apple butter in there.
Turns out the answer is yes. I will never make it on the stove again. I will probably make my apple sauce this way too.


Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Ingredients

20 apples (any apples will work, depending on whether you want the butter sweet, or tart, etc.)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup water (optional, but I find it helps get the cooking started)
1/2 cup agave nectar (maple syrup, sugar, honey all work well. Optional)
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste

Directions

1. Wash, core, and cut apples into slices or chunks. I didn't peel mine. Instead, I blended the apple butter later with a stick blender.

2. Place apples, lemon juice, water, and agave (if using) into the slow cooker and stir to mix. Turn temperature to high, and cover.

3. I cooked my apple butter for four hours on high. Check every 30 minutes or so, giving the mixture a stir. Once the apples break down and it looks like apple sauce, blend with a stick blender until smooth. If you don't have a stick blender, you can blend in a blender once cooked and cooled. Add desired amount of cinnamon and nutmeg.

4- After four hours on high, I was happy with the consistency and thickness. Continue cooking until the mix reaches the desired consistency. Adjust seasonings.  Turn off slow cooker and let mixture cool enough to handle. Place in jars or in re-sealable freezer bags to freeze.

Enjoy your apple butter! It makes a great spread for bread or crackers, a sauce for pork, a dip for fruit, or a dessert topping.

Wordless Wednesday

First Day of Kindergarten! Mommy had a little cry before he left the house, but he walked into his class like a big boy.  I hope this means good things to come! I took several photos, but this was the only one that doesn't show the school name on his uniform.

August Cookbook Review: Family Approved Gluten Free Recipes & A Giveaway

Family Approved Gluten Free Recipes
by Pam Jordan

This Gluten Free cookbook contains simple recipes your family will love. The book highlights breakfast, appetizer, main dishes, side dishes, slow cooker and dessert recipes. This cookbook contains over 50 timesaving recipes that kids of all ages will love.

Pam Jordan is a working mom to three young kids and a Gluten Free blogger. Only meals that were eaten by her picky eaters are in the book! Recipes include apple pie, onion rings, greek yogurt pancakes, slow cooker lasagna, shepherd's pie, cheesecake, meatloaf, cake balls, baked ziti, pumpkin whoopie pies, and strawberry cake. The recipes take help from store bought Gluten Free product and every day items found in your pantry.

PURCHASE


Review

The author of this cookbook is a mother of young children, and so am I, and I'm always excited to try kid-friendly recipes. This is a shorter cookbook than some of the really long ones out there, but it still offers a nice range of recipes from breakfast, to mains, one pot meals, desserts, and more. The recipes are designed to be quick and easy to prepare. Some recipes ask for boxed flour or baking mixes, and I'm ok with that because while I do prepare stuff from scratch from time to time, on a day to day basis I need to get food on the table, fast. That often means buying a GF pie crust rather than always making one myself. Nothing wrong with that, especially since I have two kids under the age of five who need to be fed.

From this cookbook, I prepared: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (which have now become a staple in my house), Sausage Breakfast Skillet, Chicken Fried Rice, Parmesan Pork Chops, BBQ Chicken, Summer Veggie Medley, Sausage and Peppers, and the One Dish Wonder. The Lemon Squares are on my husband's wish list, and there are a few desserts I need to try!

True to the title, these recipes are family approved. My four year old ate everything without any complaint, and that's pretty impressive. Everything was simple to prepare, and the ingredients were pretty straightforward to find, except for the Bisquick GF mix, which I'm not sure is available in Canada. It didn't hold me back, though. There's nothing super fancy here, just quick and easy to prepare meals that most kids will enjoy.

This cookbook is great for families, but would also be wonderful for someone new to gluten free who isn't a strong cook to begin with. I get a lot of questions from people who just never learned to cook much growing up, and now are faced with learning how to do it gluten free. They want to enjoy familiar foods, but aren't sure how to prepare them. This book would be a great start.

Guess What? Pam Jordan has graciously offered to give a copy away to 1 lucky reader! Open to residents of Canada and the United States. Enter below.




a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pizza Slice Spice Winner!

The Pizza Slice Spice Givaway was a HUGE success, thanks to every one of you who entered to win! Thank you so much for reading the blog! 

Unfortunately, there could only be one winner, but I have plenty of fun giveaways planned, so keep checking back!

Congratulations to Kim L.B.

Check your email!

Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan

Monday: Gluten Free Pasta Bake 















Tuesday: Pork Chops with Roast Cauliflower
(toss desired amount of cauliflower w/olive oil, minced garlic, salt, pepper, & a touch of nutmeg. Bake at 375F for 20 min. or until beginning to brown on top.) 











Wednesday: Red Lentil Soup











Thursday: Shepherd's Pie  (RECIPE)











Friday: Garden Fresh Quinoa Salad (RECIPE) and Crustless Quiche

Back to School for the Gluten Free Child

As a parent of a gluten free child, you've probably spent a ridiculous amount of time ensuring that your child is prepared, not only with new clothing and supplies, but with the knowledge necessary to remain safe in an environment that will be filled with food and products that contain gluten. Teaching your children how to cope with a variety of situations is important, but equally important is getting the school on board.

We've all heard horror stories of schools or teachers not taking the issue seriously, and I experienced that attitude at my son's former daycare, but most teachers take student welfare very seriously. However, they don't all understand what Celiac disease or non-Celiac gluten sensitivity really means, making it difficult for them to truly understand how to help your child.

Wordless Wednesday

Daddy took the boys out for an afternoon.

My Thoughts on the FDA Ruling on Gluten Free

This month I wrote an article for A Sweet Life online magazine offering my thoughts on the new FDA Ruling on gluten free food labelling.

Want to read the article? Of course you do! Click on over to A Sweet Life to read it in full.

 If you have both Celiac Disease and Diabetes (a pretty high percent of those with Type 1 diabetes also suffer from Celiac) this magazine is a great resource for information, recipes, and tips for those living with diabetes.

Thank you so much to A Sweet Life for inviting me to contribute to the magazine, and keep up the good work!

Gluten Free Travel: Napa's Inn on Randolph

It’s no secret that I love to travel, and that I write about places to stay or eat that are gluten free friendly. Eating gluten free shouldn’t hold anyone back from seeing the world, and I certainly wouldn’t want my son to think that he has to miss out because of his food restrictions. That’s why I get particularly excited when I hear about locations that are geared entirely toward the gluten free traveler.  Inn on Randolph in Napa, California is one of those places. 

 

Main Inn

 

The Inn on Randolph (www.innonrandolph.com) in downtown Napa was completely renovated by new owners Dan and Karen Lynch in 2012. Karen was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity seven years ago and wanted to provide a place for those who are gluten free or who have Celiac disease to be able to feel safe.  “I always felt like I was being a pain in the neck,” said Karen.  “My meals while traveling were often substandard substitutes—such as being served a frozen gluten-free waffle instead of the freshly prepared foods everyone else was enjoying.”  She would sometimes choose to not eat or just bring her own food. 

That mirrors my family’s experiences in many places. We now limit our hotel choices to places that have a kitchenette, just in case. The Inn on Randolph eliminates this need. The remodeled kitchen has never known a spec of gluten.  “Everyone is served the same food and since we’re 100% gluten-free, there’s no risk for cross-contamination,” said Karen. This means that every delectable item on the menu is gluten free, including their signature breakfast dishes: smoked salmon, vanilla pancakes, bacon wrapped polenta, corn cakes with homemade applesauce, and Mexican soufflés.



Gluten Free Breakfast



The Inn itself is a historic 1860s Victorian estate that has been completely renovated to preserve the historical character, but provide every modern, luxurious amenity. The Inn offers accommodations within the Inn itself, or in one of the cottages on the property. Whether travelling for romance, business, or with family, there is an accommodation to suit your needs. Organic bathroom amenities, whirlpools, high quality linens, and relaxing décor add to the ambience.

 

For guests who plan to visit wineries, Karen provides guests with a complimentary bag of gluten-free crackers and is working with local Napa restaurants to help broaden the gluten-free menu options for her guests.  There are already two completely gluten-free restaurants in Napa: C-Casa and Pica Pica.  In addition, the inn offers gluten-free cooking classes taught by Jeffrey Larsen. “There’s a lot of emotion behind food,” says Karen.  “The classes are more than just learning how to cook gluten-free; it’s about bringing people together to share in a supportive community and realize they’re not alone.” 

The classes provide hands-on experience and a complete packet of recipes that guests can recreate in their own kitchens.  The next class—a gluten-free guide to surviving the holidays—will cover how to make an entire gluten-free holiday dinner including appetizers, stuffing, rolls, cookies, and pies.   The three-day class is scheduled for November 1-3, 2013. 

When travelling gluten free, the question of where to eat is borne from more than just a desire to try local food, it is a matter of staying healthy and safe. Inn on Randolph takes the guesswork out things by providing a gluten free experience that doesn’t compromise on quality or comfort for guests.

 

Karen was gracious enough to provide me with the recipe for her gluten free granola. If you can tolerate oats (as my son can), this recipe is absolutely divine.

Inn on Randolph Gluten Free Granola

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

3-1/2 cups gluten free oats

1-1/2 cups gluten free cereal (i.e. corn or rice chex)

½ cup each of 3 different kinds of nuts, broken (i.e almonds, hazelnuts,

      pecans)

¼ cup each pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

1/8 cup each flax seeds and sesame seeds

½ cup each dried cranberries, dried apricots, cherries

¾ cup shredded coconut

peel/zest of 2 oranges.  Save a bit to put in the liquid pot

 

Directions

 

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl

 

Combine in a small saucepan:

 1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup maple syrup

¼ cup canola or some flavorless oil

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

some orange zest and ¼ tsp juice

 Place liquids on medium heat and wait for boil slowly and evenly. Pour over dry mix while stirring. Mix well

 Bake on a baking sheet at 350 for about 45 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Baking time will depend on your desired crispiness.

Watch the edges—they tend to cook faster.

 

Inn on Randolph

411 Randolph Street

Napa, CA  94559

707-257-2886

 

Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post. I have been compensated by Inn on Randolph for this post, but the opinions are my own.

 

Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan

Monday: Butternut Squash Soup  (Recipe)









Tuesday: Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes, Feta, & Spinach (Recipe)











Wednesday: Chicken with Tomatoes & Olives w/Sautéed Swiss Chard (Recipe) 









Thursday: Baked Chicken Tacos w/Black Beans, Tomatillo Salsa & Grated Goat Cheese Mozzarella







Friday: Gluten & Dairy Free Stuffed Eggplants (Recipe)