Sweet Potatoes and Apples

I was browsing through one of my Thanksgiving books, The Colonial Cookbook, as I pulled them out for the children to read today.  This recipe caught my eye. I am going to make it for our Thanksgiving feast.

Sweet Potatoes and Apples

8 sweet potatoes
4 large apples
1 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp butter

Bake washed, unpeeled sweet potatoes at 400 until easily pierced with a fork between 30-60 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, peel apples. Cut into very thin slices, discarding core.

Preheat over to 350.

Peel potatoes.  Cut potatoes into 1/2"-1" thick slices. Cover the bottom of a buttered 9X13 baking dish with sweet potatoes. Add a layer of apples. Repeat layers.  Dot the top with butter and pour maple syrup over all.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Apple Pie Jam ~ Pomona Style

This is from Harmonious Homesteading.  A wonderful taste of fall anytime!

Apple Pie Jam

For about ten pints or 20 half pints:

24 cups finely diced or shredded peeled apples
3 cups water
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons calcium water (comes with Pomona’s Pectin)
4 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 1/4 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons Pomona’s Pectin

Combine apples, water, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and calcium water in a large pot.  Heat until apples are tender, about 15 minutes. Bring to a boil. Whisk sugars with pectin well and stir into boiling apples. Boil for one minute only, whisking all the while. Spoon into hot jars and process 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Apple Granola

This is from Joy in the Kitchen. I like how very simple it is. It still doesn't beat Vanilla Granola, but it is a good change of taste, especially for autumn and it has much less sugar. I'm sure it will be in our rotation for quite a while.

Apple Granola

12 C oats
1/2 C applesauce
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 C brown sugar

Combine applesauce (do not use chunky applesauce), cinnamon and brown sugar in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture boils. You may need to add 1/4-1/2 C water to thin the mixture.

Pour the mixture over the oats and stir to combine.

Place granola on a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Turn off the oven, and allow the granola to crisp up in the oven. Be careful to crack open the oven door so the granola does not burn.

Store in an airtight container in your pantry.

Apple Farina Pudding

Apple Farina Pudding

Pour the left-over breakfast porridge into a 8x8 and stand it aside. When cooled, cut this into thin slices, cover the bottom of a 9x 13 baking-dish with these slices, and cover these with sliced apples, and so continue until you have the ingredients used, having the last layer apples. Beat an egg, without separating, until light, add a cup of milk and a teaspoon of salt, then stir in a cup of flour. When smooth pour this over the apples and bake in a quick oven a half hour or so.

Harvest Cookies

I found these at Enola Gay's blog Paratus Familia. They sound SO good!

Harvest Cookies

1 cup butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
2 eggs
2 cups chopped peeled apples
2 cups chopped walnuts
1/2 cup milk (or apple juice)
2 C all-purpose Flour

Vanilla Glaze:
3 cups confectioners' Sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
5 Tbsp milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, spices and egg. Stir in apples, nuts, milk and half of the flour; mix well. Blend in remaining flour. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks. Combine glaze ingredients and spread over cookies while warm. Yield: about 6 dozen.

Applesauce Cake with Maple Frosting

This delicious creation was featured at CakeWalk. It sounds SO good!

Spanish Bar Cake (a.k.a. Applesauce Cake)
one 9x13 pan

2 1/2 c. white flour
2 c. sugar, raw or granulated
1/4 t. baking powder
1 1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. water or apple cider
1 pint applesauce
2 eggs
1 c. raisins
1/2 c. walnuts, chopped (or more)

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift or mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients in a medium bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry, and stir until well incorporated but do not over mix. Fold in the raisins and walnuts.

Spread into a 9x13 inch pan and bake for 25-35 minutes. Cake is done when tester comes out clean, and the top is lightly browned. (Time varies depending on the size and variety of your pan.)

Cool completely, and frost with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.


Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
powdered sugar (3-4 cups more for thicker frosting layer)
milk (2-3 T.)
1/2 t. (or more) Mapleine (maple flavoring)
(optional 1-2 T. butter)

Beat the cream cheese and optional butter until well mixed. Add Mapleine and enough powdered sugar to create a thick frosting. Thin with a bit of milk, and correct with additional powdered sugar should it get too runny.

Homecanned Spiced Applesauce

This is Food in Jars's version of spiced applesauce. I am chomping at the bit to get my hands on an abundance of apples.

Homecanned Spiced Applesauce

4 pounds apples
½ cup apple cider or water
2 pieces star anise
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon cloves
1 cup sugar

Quarter apples. Put them in a large, non-reactive pot. Add liquid and star anise, put on lid and bring to a simmer. Let fruit cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, until the fruit has broken down. Use tongs to fish out apple skins.

Remove star anise. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, break down the fruit until it has reached your desired consistency. Add cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Taste and add sugar if you feel it is necessary.

Pour applesauce into your prepared jars. Wipe rims, apply lids and screw on rings. Process in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes for half pints and pints, 20 minutes for quarts.

When time has elapsed, remove jars from canner and let them cool on a towel-lined countertop.

To store, remove rings and keep in a cool, dark place. Applesauce will keep in storage up to one year.

Patricia's Breakfast Cookies

This recipe came from my friend Patricia. She made them for a snack for our fellowship to share after service. They are very good! I modified the recipe slightly to suit our tastes.

Patricia's Breakfast Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp EACH baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon
1 3/4 cup oats, uncooked
1 1/4 cup raisins
1 medium apple, peeled and grated, shredded or finely chopped
2/3 cup grated carrot
1/4-1/2 cup flaked coconut

Oven to 350.

Cream butter, peanut butter and sugars in bowl. Beat in eggs.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add gradually to the creamed mixture on low speed. Beat till blended. Stir in oats, raisins, apple carrot and coconut. Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until browned on the edges. Do not overbake. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks for cooling.

Apple Carrot Bars

This is from Is Dinner Ready? I plan to make these for a quick weekend breakfast.

Carrot-Apple Bars or Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 pint carrots, drained (I'm going to use 1 1/2 cups fresh shredded carrots)

1 pint applesauce

4 eggs

4 TBSP vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients well in a large mixing bowl. You have enough batter here to do a couple different things. You can make 2 9x13 pans OR lots of muffins OR 1 9x13 pan and 12 muffins.

Spray your pans and divide the batter evenly. Bake at 350 degrees. About 20 minutes for the muffins and closer to 30-35 minutes for the 9x13 pan. Cool completely.

If desired - frost with a favorite cream cheese frosting. I like to frost the 9x13 pan but leave the muffins as is.

Honey Lemon Apple Jam

Honey Lemon Apple Jam

12 cups chopped apples
2 cups lemons juice
1 cup honey
5 cups sugar
1 envelope of liquid pectin
zest of three lemons

Prepare your canning pot, as well as seven pint jars, lids and rings.

Combine the chopped apples and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (an enameled Dutch oven works well here) and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the apples have broken down. When you’ve got a nice, chunky applesauce, add the honey and sugar and stir to incorporate.

Bring the fruit to a boil and cook for at least five minutes at a roll (watch out though, it will bubble and depending on the size of your pot, can get a little splashy). Add pectin and boil for a few minutes more, to active the pectin. When it seems nice and jammy, turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest.

Fill jars, wipe rims (this jam is sticky, so you may need to add a bit of white vinegar to your towel, to help ensure a clean rim), apply lids and screw on bands. Process in a boiling water canner for ten minutes (if you are above 1,000 feet in altitude, adjust your processing time accordingly).

I found this at Food In Jars. I'm looking forward to trying it!

Apple Bread

Apple Bread
3/4 cup finely chopped, peeled apples
3/4 cups warm apple juice
1/4 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast

Add all ingredients to the bread machine and bake on basic setting.

Since I don't have a bread machine, I just adapted the recipe to my Bosch as follows:

Combine applesauce, juice, butter, brown sugar, yeast and the whole wheat flour in mixing bowl. Let sponge 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, mix then use more or less bread flour to make a soft dough that sweeps the sides of the bowl clean. Let knead five minutes. Remove from bowl to an oiled surface; and divide into balls. Form into loaves and let rise in a warm place till double (30 minutes or so). Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes.

We tripled this and I made the applesauce just before making the bread, since I didn't have any on hand. I used Granny Smith apples.

Caramel Apple Jam

This is similar to another recipe I posted recently, but I think this one will be much better, since you don't have to use store-bought caramels. It is from my newly-discovered favorite blog, Chickens In The Road.

Caramel Apple Jam

6 cups cooked apple pulp
1 package fruit pectin
2 cups sugar
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Get your water boiling in your canning pot, rack tucked inside. Boil lids in another, smaller, pot, and remove to dry on a paper towel using tongs. While water is coming to a boil in your big pot with the rack, place prepared apple pulp in another large pot.

Add pectin and bring to a full, rolling boil. (Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to reduce foaming.)

Meanwhile, get your sugars measured and ready. As soon as apple pulp and pectin are at the boil, add sugars and the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon all at once.

Return to boil and keep at the full, rolling boil for one minute.

Remove from heat and ladle immediately into clean jars. Place lids on top, screw on bands, and lower onto rack in your pot of boiling water. Cover and boil 10 minutes. For me, this made 4 pints + 1 1/2 pint or 9 half-pints per batch.

Apple Pie Filling

Apple Pie Filling

Yield: 7 quarts

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves (opt.)
1/4 tsp ground allspice (opt.)
2 teaspoons salt

10 cups water
3 tablespoons lemon juice
7 pounds apples

Directions:
1. In a large pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add salt and water and mix well. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and food coloring.
2. Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water.
3. Peel, core, and slice apples. Add some syrup, then pack the sliced apples, alternating layers, packing tightly, into hot canning jars, leaving a 1 inch headspace.
4. Gently remove air bubbles with a rubber spatula.
5. Put lids on and process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

Note: The USDA preferred method is to use ClearJel rather than cornstarch. You can find a great recipe with ClearJel here.

Morning Glory Muffins

Morning Glory Muffins
2 1/2 cups flour (whole wheat pastry or white)
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups grated carrots
1 med. tart apple, peeled and chopped or grated
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup flaked coconut (we omit this)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (we omit this, too)

In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients
In another bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Stir in all desired fruit and nuts. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 for 20-24 minutes. Cool 5 minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack.

I double this for our family.

Caramel Apple Butter

Caramel Apple Butter
3 lbs apples
1/2 cup water or apple juice
2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
21 caramel candies

Peel, core, chop apples.
Put apples and liquid in large pot. Cook on med-high until tender.
Remove apples and puree in food mill or processor. Discard leftover juice.
Return puree to pot or put in crock pot.
Add sugar, return to heat until mixture bubbles.
Reduce heat and simmer until thick.
Add spices and caramels.
Stir until melted.
Process in boiling water bath: 5 minutes 1/2 pts 10 minutes pts Yield is 4 half pints

Apple Peel Jelly

Place apple peels, lightly packed, into a 4.5 qt. pot with 5 cups of water. There should be about 3-4 inches of peels in the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and boil for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, put the lid on the pot, and allow to stand overnight. (Optional, add a cinnamon stick when you let it sit overnight.)

Strain the liquid into a measuring cup, and make certain you have 5 cups. Return to the pot. Gradually dissolve 1 box of pectin into the liquid and bring to a full rolling boil, over high heat. Add 7 cups of sugar (all at once), stirring to dissolve. Return to boiling, and boil hard for 1 minute.

Remove from heat, skim foam if necessary, and pour into hot 1/2 pint jelly jars. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Applesauce Tutorial

I found a great deal on end-of-season apples this week. I bought 120 pounds. Besides eating them, we're making applesauce and apple butter. My friend asked me for pictures, so here they are.

First, wash your apples well. Use a drop or two of your favorite dishwashing detergent if your haven't any veggie wash. These are all Granny Smith apples.



Then quarter enough apples to fill a large pot.



Add 1/4 cup or so of water and cover. Bring to a boil for about 20 minutes. Make sure the apples are soft. When the apples are ready, they will look like this:

Take your handy-dandy Christmas immersion blender and liquefy.


Strain the applesauce from the peels and seeds. You can use a sieve or a food mill. My food mill doesn't have a fine enough screen, so I do it like this.


Scoop the peels, seeds, and remaining pulp into a container and freeze it. Add any cores or peels from eaten apples and you can make apple peel jelly. It's really good, especially spiced up a little with cinnamon and nutmeg!

Pour or ladle the applesauce into prepared quart jars. Wipe rims, top with simmered lids and rings, and can in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Cool overnight and remove rings in the morning.

Apple Butter

When you're making applesauce, it's well worth the time to make some apple butter as well. It's super easy, if not quick, and tastes SO good on fresh bread. Begin by getting out your crock pot and filling it to about 1/2" of the top with applesauce.



Add in the spices. You'll use sugar, cinnamon and ground cloves. Begin with 3 cups of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and 3/4 tsp cloves. The amounts you will use really depend on your tastes and how sweet the apples were. I used granny smith apples, so I used about 4 or 5 cups sugar total. I ended up using about a tablespoon of cinnamon and 1 1/2 tsp cloves. Some recipes will also call for apple cider, apple cider vinegar, or various other spices. There are many variations of apple butter. I am making a simple one.

Cook the sweetened, spiced applesauce until bedtime on high, uncovered. Stir it when you walk past, so it doesn't develop a crust on top which prevents steam from escaping. You are in the 'cooking it down' stage. At bedtime, set the lid on at an angle, or propped up with a couple of wooden spoons, so steam can continue escaping. Set it on low, since you aren't going to be stirring it . In the morning, there will be a crust you will need to remove.

You will find that it has cooked down quite a bit. Remove that thick layer that developed overnight. You can add more applesauce and spices at this point, if you want. Cook it again on high, stirring occasionally. You can cook it for as long as 40 hours, according to some recipes, but I think 24-30 hours is just right. Don't worry about timing it exactly, just taste it. You'll know when it's done. It should be thickened, smooth, deep and dark colored, and luscious!


Doesn't that look simply delicious? You might want to can your apple butter for longer storage, or transfer it to jars and store in the fridge for several weeks. Some people also freeze it. Make sure to leave some headspace so it can expand as it freezes without overflowing or bursting the container.

Apple Pie Smoothie

Apple Pie Smoothie

Add to Blend-Tec or Vita-Mix:
1 apple, washed and cut into half
1 cup apple juice
1 8 oz carton apple pie yogurt OR 1 cup kefir
1 Tbsp (to taste) brown sugar
1/2 tsp. (to taste) apple pie spice
1 cup ice

Blend on high for 30 seconds. Makes 2 cups of smoothie. We triple this!
Enjoy!

Apple Pie Spice
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cardamom

OR

1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves

Cinnamon Apple Jelly

Cinnamon Apple Jelly

4 cups apple juice
1/2 cup red hot candies
1 (1 3/4 ounce) package fruit pectin
4 1/2 cups sugar

Combine juice, candy and pectin in a large pot. Bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to a full boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off foam and any unmelted candy. Pour hot liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust lids. Process for 5 minutes in boiling water bath.

Yield:3 pints