Slow Cooker Week, Day 1

I don't know if you know this, but recently this little cutie entered our lives.

 



(Just kidding, I knew you knew that, I just wanted to share a super cute picture of her.)

I used to love cooking dinner. It was my time to be creative, decompress, let loose and just relax in the kitchen.

And then I had a baby.

And that basically infinite amount of time I had to cook became a lot shorter depending on when she needed to eat, when she was asleep, when she was awake...you get the idea.

Enter our dinner saver- the slow cooker. (Picture the heavens opening, angels singing and a crock pot falling from the sky.)

I've always been a fan of the slow cooker but have really learned to rely on it over the past few months. This week will all be dedicated to a few of my favorite slow cooker recipes.

Today, I want to share about the Cadillac of slow cookers that I use and a cookbook that I've been loving!

First, my father in law surprised me with this INCREDIBLE slow cooker from Williams-Sonoma a few years ago, The All-Clad Deluxe Slow Cooker.



It cooks evenly and is easy to clean! You can braise or sauté right in the pot over the stove and then set it in the slow cooker to continue cooking. One less pot to clean is fine by me!

It has a great countdown timer and will automatically keep your food warm after the cooking time is over.

Oh and did I mention it's huge?! Seriously. Seven quarts huge. I've even quadrupled the recipe when making apple butter (that's 10 lbs. of apples!) and it handles it like a champ.

 

You can add this to your wish list from Williams-Sonoma here!

 

I've also been slowly trying out recipes from my new cookbook, Slow Cooker Revolution from America's Test Kitchen (aka my new, favorite addiction).

 



All the recipes have been tested and then tested again...and again...and again until they are foolproof for you to recreate at your house! You can order this from Amazon here!

 

Check back this week for lots of yummy slow cooker recipes!

Laura



Apple Butter Breakfast Cake

Breakfast. Cake.

Breakfast Cake.

Is there much more you need to know?

Whenever you can eat cake for breakfast and it's actually the name of the dish, not just leftover birthday cake or something, it's a good day in my book.

Here is another great recipe for all that Apple Butter you made in the slow cooker, remember that (click here)?

You could also write out this recipe (or this one for Apple Butter Rolls!) and give it as a gift with a can of your homemade apple butter! How thoughtful and domestic of you.

This breakfast cake is moist, flavorful and perfect for a Fall morning. Try it out when your guests are in town for Thanksgiving as a delicious breakfast option!



 

Apple Butter Breakfast Cake

Slightly Adapted from Musselmans

Yield: 8x8 pan, approximately 12 small servings

Prep Time: 20 min. Total Time: 1 hour, 20 min. plus cooling

 

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. all purpose baking mix

3/4 c. milk

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

2 tbsp. butter, melted

1 1/2 c. apple butter

1/3 c. chopped pecans

1/3 c. sugar

2 tbsp. butter, melted

 

Directions:

-In large bowl, combine baking mix, milk, 1/2 c. sugar, egg and 2 tbsp. butter. Pour 2/3 of the batter into an 8x8 baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray.

 

-Cover with apple butter.

 

-Top with remaining batter, dropped by spoonfuls.

 

-Combine pecans, 1/3 c. sugar and 2 tbsp. melted butter in a small bowl and sprinkle on top of cake.

 

-Bake at 350 degrees for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

This cake will fill up the entire dish while baking so do not substitute a smaller baking dish or a disposable pan!

Enjoy!
Laura

Canning Essentials

If yesterday's apple butter post inspired you to hop aboard the canning train, let me tell you about a few of my favorite things that make the whole process easier.

There are two different types of canning and I use the water bath method so this is what I use for processing and cooking...

Canning Utensil Set

This comes with a funnel (essential as it fits onto the jars perfectly), a jar lifter (boiling water is hot, y'all), a magnetic lid lifter for pulling the lids and rims out of their pot of water and a bubble remover/headspace tool to make sure you're filling the jar properly.

 

Fresh Preserving Kit

A 21 qt. water bath canning system. I tried to use a large pot I had on hand for my first batch of jam and, although it got the job done, it was very difficult and not ideal for larger or more cans. This kit actually comes with not only the pot, but the 4 pieces listed above and a canning rack that fits in the pot to make it easy to place jars in and remove jars from the hot water!

 

The Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving

Not only recipes but instructions and how-to guides for all levels of canners.

 

You Can Can book

I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was first attracted to this book because of the title. So witty. I went to the bookstore and perused lots of different instruction books on canning and I felt this one had a great variety of how to prepare your veggies/fruit/etc., how to process your cans, how to prepare your supplies for canning and a plethora of recipes. The Gingered Cranberry Pear Chutney? Delish over cream cheese with crackers.

 

I use Ball Jars that I pick up at our grocery store but you can also get them at any craft store.

These 8 oz. Quilted Jelly Jars are my favorite.

I only buy regular mouth size jars so that I'm only buying one size of replacement lids (they can only be used once!).

And how cute are these 4 oz. quilted jars? Love.

 

Oh, and if you're planning on quadrupling the apple butter and peeling, coring and slicing 10 lbs. of apples, I HIGHLY recommend one of these.



 

There are so many online resources available, as well. Which come in handy when you're in the middle of canning something and you have no idea what's going on....trust me, that's normal.

 

Also, if you live in Colorado or high altitude (ie: not Oklahoma), this website is key for modifying your processing time because of the altitude.

 

All of the titles of the items are links to purchasing them, too, if you're interested!

 

You CAN can!

Laura

 



Slow Cooked Apple Butter

When we first moved to Colorado, it took an extremely long time for my teaching license to transfer over from Texas. So, in that time, I picked up a lot of new hobbies, one being canning!

I first tried canning a small batch of jam and, although it was extremely frustrating because I had no idea what I was doing, it became something that I really look forward to doing!

Now every Autumn, I load up on fresh, scrumptious apples and make apple butter! It is a perfect introduction recipe to canning and I love that come December, the apple butter flavors are still perfectly canned and I have a load of stocking stuffers and small gifts to pass out to neighbors, family and friends!

But don't let the canning aspect deter you from this recipe- you absolutely don't have to can this! Just make it and keep it in the fridge for a delicious spread for your bread, a stir-in for your yogurt (delicious!!) or make it extra decadent and make a batch of my Apple Butter Rolls!

And- wouldn't you know- this recipe is from Skinnytaste! So it's guilt-free, too!



I quadrupled this recipe (10 lbs. of apples!) and picked up organic Gala apples from our local farmer's market grocery store at 99 cents a pound! What a deal.





Oh, did I mention that this is made in the SLOW COOKER? And makes your house smell amazing? Now you have to make it.

Slow Cooked Apple Butter

Recipe from Skinnytaste

Yield: 2 cups

 

Ingredients:
2.5 lbs (6 large) apples, peeled, cored, finely chopped (I used gala but honeycrisp or a mix of the two works well, too)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Place the apples in a slow cooker. Top with sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg and mix well.

Cover and cook on low 10 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and dark brown.

Uncover and puree with an immersion blender. Cook on high uncovered 1-2 hours.

Spoon into sterile jars for canning, or containers and refrigerate.


Enjoy!
Laura

Apple Butter Rolls

This is it. I've really done it now.

So long skinny jeans.

Goodbye mini skirts.

I've met your match. And they're delicious.

Apple Butter Rolls! This idea came to me one day and I could hardly wait to make them.

Buttery dough, filled with cinnamon and spice filled apple butter and topped with apple juice infused frosting. Do you really need more convincing? I didn't think so.

A perfect Fall breakfast that will most definitely impress!

Apple Butter Rolls

Inspired by Pioneer Woman Orange Rolls

Yield: 2 dozen rolls

Prep Time: 2 hours Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

For the rolls:

-1/2 recipe of PW cinnamon roll dough found here (this is what takes the most time but I always make it a day before I want to make the rolls to save time!)

-Pint Apple Butter (this recipe is my absolute favorite! But you could buy premade at the store, too!)

-1 c. brown sugar

-1/2 c. melted, salted butter

-1/2 tsp. salt

For the icing: (this was plenty for us but it is easy to double if you need more!)

-1 lb. powdered sugar

-3 tbsp. melted butter

-1/4 c. milk

-1/4 c. apple juice

-Dash of salt

Directions:

Roll out dough into a long rectangle. Spread apple butter over the top. Pour on butter, and then sprinkle on the brown sugar evenly. Sprinkle with salt.
Beginning at the long side farthest from you, roll the dough in a long roll toward you; begin careful to keep it tucked tightly. Pinch edge to seal.
Cut rolls into 1 to 1 1/2 inch rolls and place into buttered pans. Allow to rise for at least 20 minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown (but not overly brown).
While baking, mix together the ingredients for the apple glaze, thinning with more milk or apple juice to make mixture thin enough to be pourable.
Immediately drizzle apple glaze over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

P.S. PW does a great post here on making Cinnamon Rolls, the dough and freezing them! Check it out before if you're nervous!

Enjoy!

Laura