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.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flou
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apples. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen.

Apple Hermit Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 cups chopped apples (small pieces)
1/2 cup craisins (first soaked in hot water then drained)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.

In a medium bowl, mix flours, baking soda, spices, and salt.  In a stand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy.  Add in applesauce, sugar, and egg.  Stir in flour mixture and mix thoroughly.  Fold in nuts, apples, and craisins.

Drop by rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheets.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Freeze on plate in Ziploc bag.

Makes about 7 dozen cookies. 

Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal

6 cups quick oats
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flax seed
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup pecans
1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
2 large apples - peeled & diced
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup applesauce
4 eggs
2 cups milk

To assemble:
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Mix coconut oil, canola oil, applesauce, eggs & milk together.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients & mix well.  Divide mixture into three 8 x 8" aluminum pans (or 8" round pans).  Cover with foil & freeze.


To prepare:
Thaw, then bake 25 - 30 minutes, uncovered, at 350 degrees.  Spoon into a cereal bowl & top warm oatmeal with milk, if desired.

Source:
Adapted from a recipe found here:  http://thrivinghomeblog.com/2012/03/baked-oatmeal-a-staple-in-our-home/

Apple Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease 2 loaf pans.
2. Mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and apples in a large bowl. Whisk oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla together in a small bowl; add to flour mixture and mix until just moistened. Evenly divide mixture between prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 90 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

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 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.

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

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/

Apple* Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 cup sugar
1 cup finely shredded apples*
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 egg
1/4 tsp lemon zest

+may add 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8X4X2 loaf pan or two minis. (Makes good muffins too, bake 20-22 minutes, if too dry add 1Tbsp of H2O.)
In medium bowl, mix first 7 ingredients. Then add the rest, but do not overmix. Pour into pans, and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes (45 for minis) until toothpick comes out clean.

*You can substitute sweet potatoes or zucchini for apples

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.

Jewish Apple Cake

5 apples, peeled and sliced
2 teaspoons cinamon
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
7 Tablespoons orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
3 cups flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine apples and cinamon and set aside.
Mix sugar, oil, orange juice, vanilla, and eggs.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix.
Grease a tube pan well and sprinkle with flour.
Alternate layers of batter and apples. Finish with layer of apples.
Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours or until done.

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