Apple Butter

To make apple butter, start by making apple sauce.  You can find my recipe at:  http://freezermealexchange.blogspot.com/2011/10/red-hot-applesauce.html  Leave out the red hots.  You can also start with store bought applesauce.

Put the following in a crock pot:

4 quarts applesauce
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 cup sugar (This can be changed to your taste.  I don't like mine overly sweet.  My mom likes it with no sugar.  Store bought apple butter has much more sugar than this.)

Fill to within 1 inch of top of crock pot.  Cover loosely and put towels around for splatter.  Cook overnight.  I have an old crock pot and I have to put mine on High for it to cook this down.  I bet with newer crock pots, Low would be better. 

The next morning, add 1 1/2 to 2 quarts more applesauce and another cup of sugar.  Cook for a couple of more hours to mix the flavors. 

Makes about 14 cups.

Pioneer Woman Inspired Calzones

I found the cutest little rectangular mold from Wilton.  This mold would be perfect for mini apple pies or perhaps fill it with scrambled eggs and bacon for some homemade Toaster Scrambles.  But for our exchange in September, we decided to dedicate our exchange to one of our favorite bloggers and TV personalities, Ree Drummond - the Pioneer Woman.  So each of us picked a PW recipe to exchange. So, what else would go into these little molds, or pockets so to speak?  PIZZA, of course.  Using PW's filling for her Easy Calzones, I made some little pockets that are just perfect to throw in the toaster oven for a quick lunch.

Wilton Rectangular Pie Mold

Ingredients

• 2 cans pizza dough
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 whole medium onion, diced
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1-1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
•  black pepper
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For serving: 

•  marinara sauce
• 1 whole egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt butter. Add onion and cook for a couple of minutes. Add sausage and cook until brown. Add Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Remove from pan and allow to cool.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella, eggs, salt, pepper, and parsley. Combine with cooled sausage.

Roll out pizza dough fairly thin.  I used the press to make rectangle pizza pockets; however, you can just use a circle cutter, either small for mini treats or large for a good sized serving. Spoon 3-4 tablespoons filling onto half of the dough circle. Fold half of the dough over itself, then press edges to seal. Use the tines of a fork to ensure the seal.

Flash freeze on a cookie sheet.  After these are frozen they can be thrown in a freezer bag and back into the freezer.

These may be cooked from frozen.  Brush surface of calzone with beaten egg, then bake for 10-13 minutes, or until nice and golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

PW's Chicken Spaghetti

Ingredients

2 cups Cooked Chicken

3 cups Dry Spaghetti, Broken Into Two Inch Pieces

2 cans Cream Of Mushroom Soup

2 cups Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

¼ cups Finely Diced Green Pepper

¼ cups Finely Diced Onion

1 jar (4 Ounce) Diced Pimentos, Drained

2 cups Reserved Chicken Broth From Pot

1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt

⅛ teaspoons (to 1/4 Teaspoon) Cayenne Pepper

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 cup Additional Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Cook 1 cut up fryer (it is recommended to boil the pieces and  and pick the meat. Set aside the broth from cooking to make two cups.)  Set aside 2 cups of meat. Cook spaghetti in same chicken broth until al dente. Do not overcook. When spaghetti is cooked, combine with remaining ingredients except additional 1 cup sharp cheddar.

Place mixture in casserole pan and top with remaining sharp cheddar. Cover and freeze up to six months, cover and refrigerate up to two days, or bake immediately: 350 degrees for 45 minutes until bubbly. (If the cheese on top starts to get too cooked, cover with foil).

From Pioneer Woman

Pumpkin Apple Spice Bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 large eggs

2 apple, peeled & finely chopped (we used fancy Gala)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 Tbsp sugar

1.  Combine the flour, sugar, 1 Tbps pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt & baking powder in a large bowl.

2.  In a small bowl, mix together the pumpkin, butter & eggs.  Add the dry ingredients & mix just until moistened.

3.  Fold in diced apples.

4.  Mix together 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice & 3 Tbsp of sugar & sprinkle over top of batter.

5.  Bake small loaves at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or bake muffins at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes.  Check center with a toothpick for doneness.

Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• About 1 1/4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• One 10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Rotel
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken brot
• 4 cups hot water
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
• 3 tablespoons cornmeal
• 5 small corn tortillas

Garnishes:

• Diced avocado
• Diced red onion
• Sour cream
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Other suggested toppings: Grated Monterey Jack cheese, pico de gallo

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Start by mixing together the cumin, 1 teaspoon of the chilli powder, the garlic powder and salt. Drizzle the chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
Then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the spice mixture. Set the rest of the spice mixture aside. Bake until the chicken is cooked all the way through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Cut the chicken into cubes and set aside.

Next, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Throw in the onions, green and red bell peppers and garlic. Throw in a tablespoon of the spice mixture used to season the chicken. Add a little extra chilli powder (about 1/4 teaspoon) for heat. Stir to cook the vegetables until they begin to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cubed chicken and diced tomatoes, juice and all. Add the chicken broth, hot water and tomato paste. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Add the drained black beans. Next, mix together the cornmeal with 1/2 cup water. Add the mixture to the pot, and then simmer the soup for 10 to 15 minutes. Give it a taste and add salt or seasonings as needed; be sure to not under salt it!

Cut the tortillas into uniform 2- to 3-inch strips. Stir most of them into the soup just before serving. This is what makes tortilla soup tortilla soup! Turn off the heat and get ready to serve it up. Ladle the soup into a bowl, then add avocado, red onion, sour cream, cilantro and extra tortilla strips to the top. The more toppings on tortilla soup, the merrier.

Note:  I actually forgot to add the tortillas before taking the photo, so this may just be chicken soup... but it was delish!

Pioneer Woman's Apple Tart

Ingredients

• 1 whole sheet puffed pastry, cut in half
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 3 whole apples, cored, halved and sliced, but not peeled
• Store-bought caramel sauce, for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Place the puffed pastry rectangles onto a baking pan that's been sprayed with nonstick spray or lined with parchment paper. Add the sugar, salt and lemon juice to the apples. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
Arrange the apple slices on the pastry rectangles in a straight line, overlapping as you go. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the pan immediately and place on a serving platter. Serve with caramel sauce and chopped pecans.

Big Fat Bacon Sliders

Servings: 8

Ingredients

2 pounds Ground Beef
1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt
1 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper Or Other Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
8 strips Thin/regular Bacon
¼ cups Barbecue Sauce
8 slices (shavings) Cheese: Cheddar, Jack, Etc.
8 whole Dinner Rolls (or Slider Rolls)

Combine first five ingredients. Mix with hands to combine. Form into medium sized balls.

Cut slices of bacon in half lengthwise. Wrap one half around ball of hamburger, pulling slightly to keep taut. Repeat with other half of bacon, ending seam in the same place.

Place patties, bacon seam side down, on a cookie sheet. Press gently on each patty to flatten as much as you can without squeezing meat out of the edges. Place cookie sheet in freezer. Once frozen, patties may be transferred to a freezer bag.

To Serve:
Thaw completely.  Brush each patty with barbecue sauce. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 400º, or until bacon is cooked to your specifications. Sliders may also be grilled.  Remove from oven/grill and lay a cheese shaving on each patty. Serve on a roll with your choice of toppings/condiments.

Adapted from: Ree at http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/big-fat-bacon-sliders/

Apple Pie Muffins

YIELD: 12 muffins

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice*

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

2 cups peeled, chopped Granny Smith Apples

FOR THE TOPPING

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 cup muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, 1/2 cup melted butter, vanilla and 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar. Stir until sugar has dissolved.

3. Pour butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold in apples. Use a large scoop to fill each muffin well, filling the cups to the top.

4. In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, rolled oats, and cinnamon. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons of melted butter, mixing until well blended. Sprinkle this over the tops of the muffins.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.

6. Cool on wire rack. Store at room temperature.

NOTES:

- If you choose to finely dice your apples, take note that they will disappear into the muffin. I left my pieces a little bigger to ensure nice bites of appley goodness.

- If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, you can make you own using the following or simply substitute 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.

3 tablespoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice

1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves

-Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Sloppy Joes

Note:  one recipe makes freezer meals for 2 families in our group (4 sandwiches per family)

2 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 large onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup water
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dry mustard
Worcestershire sauce, to taste
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 Kaiser rolls

Cook ground beef in large skillet or dutch oven until brown.  Drain off most of the fat and discard.  Add onion, green pepper, and garlic.  Cook until vegetables begin to soften.

Add ketchup, brown sugar, chili powder, dry mustard, and water.  Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Add tomato paste and Worcestershire.  At this point you can add additional chili powder, red pepper flakes, and/or Tabasco sauce if you want yours more spicy.

Freeze rolls in a Ziploc bag.  Let sloppy joes cool and place in plastic container or Ziploc and freeze.  To serve, thaw rolls and sloppy joes.  Heat sloppy joes on stove until warmed through.  Serve on Kaiser rolls.  You may also toast the Kaiser rolls before serving if desired.

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Pioneer Woman's Super Sonic Breakfast Burritos

50 whole frozen Tater Tots
8 large flour tortillas
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
8 whole eggs, beaten
2 Tbps half & half
1 lb breakfast sausage
salt/pepper to taste
1 whole medium onion, chopped (I used less)
1/2 cup jarred jalapeno slices (optional)
3 whole Roma tomatoes, sliced
1 Tbsp butter

Bake tater tots according to package directions, making them a little on the crisp side.  Brown breakfast sausage in a large skillet, breaking it up as you go.  Mix eggs, half & half, salt & pepper, & whisk until combined.  Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat & cook the eggs, scrambling them until they're in smaller pieces and no longer wet. 

To assemble:
Add cooled ingredients to the middle 1/3 of a flour tortilla in the following order:  cheese, eggs, sausage, tater tots, onion, jalapeno & tomato slices.  Wrap one side of the tortilla, then the other.  Wrap burrito tightly in a square of plastic wrap.  Freeze.

To prepare: 
From frozen, unwrap burrito & discard plastic wrap.  Wrap in a paper towel & microwave on high 2-3 minutes.  Serve with salsa, if desired.

Adapted Pioneer Woman's recipe here:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/08/supersonic-breakfast-burrito/

Apple Crisp

For apple mixture:
5 lbs Honeycrisp apples - peeled, cored & sliced
5 lbs Macintosh apples - peeled, cored & sliced
Grated zest of 2 lemons
Grated zest of 2 oranges
3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

Combine above ingredients & pour into pie tins or 8 x 8 aluminum pans.  (I soaked the apple slices in a bowl of room temperature water with some vitamin C tablets in it to keep them from browning while I prepared the rest of the ingredients).

For topping:
3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups light brown sugar, packed
6 cups all purpose flour
4 cups old fashioned oats
2 tsp kosher salt
3 cups butter, melted

Mix together dry ingredients, then pour melted butter over the top & stir until crumbly.  Divide topping mixture evenly over each pan of apples.  Cover with foil & freeze. 

To bake:
Thaw & bake uncovered at 375 degrees until apples are tender, about 45 minutes.  You can probably bake these from frozen by increasing the baking time by 15-20 minutes, but I have not tested that method.  If the topping starts to brown before the apples are tender, cover with foil.

Recipe adapted from versions I found here:
http://www.cookingamongfriends.com/index.php/recipes/comments/filling-the-freezerapple-crisp/
and here:
http://www.peanutblossom.com/blog/2010/11/stock-your-freezer-apple-crisp.html/

Red Hot Applesauce

You can use any variety of apple, or a combination.  I like Jonagolds (cross between Jonathans and Golden Delicious) or Jonathans.

Peel and quarter apples.  Remove the core and stem.  Put in a sauce pan and add water (about 1/3 to ½ way up the apples).  Boil until the apples are soft.  Mash with a hand masher or beat with a mixer.  Add some red hot candies to taste.  Stir until dissolved.

Glazed Apple Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 egg

2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon, ground

1/2 t. cloves, ground

1/4 t. nutmeg, ground

2 c. apples, peeled and diced

1/4 c. milk

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 T. butter

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 T. milk

Beat butter and sugar. Add egg and blend. In another bowl stir flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix half of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Stir in apple* then stir in remaining dry ingredients and milk. Mix well.

Drop onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove to rack and spread with glaze.

For glaze: combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to spread easily. Beat until smooth and spread on warm cookies.

*OPTIONAL: Add 1 c. chopped walnuts or/and 1 c. raisins when adding the apples.

SOURCE: Allrecipes.com