It’s time for our Blogger C.L.U.E. Society monthly post. There were so many fabulous recipes on Eliot’s Eats, it was hard to pick just one. You see, I found Eliot’s Eats through a mutual friend; Chocolate Chip Uru from Go Bake Yourself. Funny how someone in Australia introduced fellow Okies! When I was given Eliot’s Eats for the month of December and then told to find a recipe my grandmother would have made I had so many recipes running around in my head I got dizzy. I’ve been reading EE for several years (you should too!) so I know several recipes that my Nana would have made so I had to start narrowing it down a bit finally settling on a recipe Nana was famous for.
What I chose…
I chose Grandma’s Apple Butter and I was skimming the recipe for anything different than I put into mine besides cinnamon, because Nana was very famous for her apple butter and it is Top Girl’s favorite thing to put on biscuits but the recipe was lost when Nana passed away. No one thought to ask her for it! I’ve made it many times and it’s always good – just apples, no cinnamon or nutmeg or any other spice – but it never quite tasted right and the texture was off just a little bit. Reading EE’s grandma’s recipe I saw an ingredient I would have never thought to put in, but now that it is done and I have eaten some, I know that is what it was missing all these years! So thanks my friend for helping me reclaim an old family favorite. I cut the recipe in half because I just had one bag of apples.
Serving ideas
I will be making pork ribs on the grill on the weekend if it doesn’t rain and I am going to use this apple butter to baste the ribs with – won’t that be delicious?!?! For breakfast or brunch serve this apple butter on hot biscuits with butter. That’s Top Girl’s favorite way to eat apple butter.
Apple Butter
8 Cups of apple pulp
½ Cup Vinegar (I used apple cider)
2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
4 Cups sugar
Directions:
Wash those apples well and cut them up – I core and slice them using one of those kitchen gadgets.
Throw in all the apples – even the core and leave the peels on and cover the bottom of pan with water.
Simmer until the fruit is soft and mushy then push through a sieve or use a food mill or Chinois – that will take care of the peels, stems and seeds.
You will need 8 cups of pulp in a sauce pan and add all the rest of the ingredients.
Bring to a boil stirring constantly and then turn down to a low simmer.
Now’s the time to sterilize your lids and jars – check out the really neat thing I used for my flats and screw on lids when I sterilize in the dishwasher:
It should not be watery at all – that should have cooked out and it will be a smooth and thick.
Ladle into jars (I got 6 half pints) and then place in a water bath for 10 minutes.
Set the hot jars in a draft free place for 24 hours making sure the flat lids are sealed.
APPLE BUTTER
Ingredients
- 8 Cups of apple pulp
- ½ Cup Vinegar I used apple cider
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 4 Cups sugar
Instructions
-
Wash those apples well and cut them up – I core and slice them using one of those kitchen gadgets.
-
Throw in all the apples – even the core and leave the peels on and cover the bottom of pan with water.
-
Simmer until the fruit is soft and mushy then push through a sieve or use a food mill or Chinois – that will take care of the peels, stems and seeds.
-
You will need 8 cups of pulp in a sauce pan and add all the rest of the ingredients.
-
Bring to a boil stirring constantly and then turn down to a low simmer. It should not be watery at all – that should have cooked out and it will be a smooth and thick.
-
Ladle into jars (I got 6 half pints) and then place in a water bath for 10 minutes.
-
Set the hot jars in a draft free place for 24 hours making sure the flat lids are sealed.
<h4>Blogger C.L.U.E Society
Check out all of the Blogger C.L.U.E Society posts to find all kinds of retro recipes today. Just click on the links below. Be sure to check our Eliot’s Eats for some really great recipes too!
- Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake from Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Beef Barley Soup from Kate at Kate’s Kitchen
- Scrambled Egg Sandwich from Christiane at Taking on Magazines
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix from Debra at Eliot’s Eats
- Ginger Snap Cookies from Lisa at Authentic Suburban Gourmet
- Scalloped Potato Cottage Pie from Ramona at Curry and Comfort
- Lemon Chicken Thighs from Janet at From Cupcakes to Caviar
- Cranberry Dream Bars from Christy at Culinary Diva
- Persimmon Syrup and Persimmon Smash Cocktail from Alice at A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
- Smoky Potato Corn and Poblano Chowder from Azmina at Lawyer Loves Lunch
- Apple Butter and Body Lotion from Kelli at Kelli’s Kitchen
- Roasted Honey Rosemary Pecans from Kim at Liv Life
- Susan from Create Amazing Meals
- Best Ever Ginger Snaps from Aly at Cooking in Stilettos
- Brats and Kraut from Lea Ann at Cooking on the Ranch
- Chocolate Pecan Fudge from Kathy at Bakeaway with Me
- Pumpkin Scones from Anna at Anna Dishes
- Roasted and Stuffed Eggplant from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
- Swedish Dark Rye Bread from Wendy at A Day in the Life On a Farm
- Spelt Dinner Rolls from Jean at Lemons and Anchovies
Editor’s Note: This post was originally two recipes. It was separated into two recipe posts and you can find the Lotion Post Here.
Apple butter is one of those things that I have been meaning to make for years! I may finally get motivated now because I think apple butter would make great Christmas gifts for the neighbors. (I don’t know them well enough to give body lotion or that would be a great option too!)
Well, ya never know Stacy – if you make them body lotion you may get to know them really quick! Hahaha!
You went the extra mile!!! Two fabulous recipes…I’m a huge fan of apple butter and my skin is in desperate need of some of that body lotion 🙂
Thanks Liz – my family is loving both right now and very happy that I joined this group!
I do so many dishes… I need that lotion!! I also need that apple butter in my life…it’s one of my hubby’s favorite treats on toast. 🙂 Great choice for the challenge!
Thank you so much! I am growing to love this day each month – aren’t you? exploring everyone’s blog and anticipating who got yours and what they made!
2 recipes for the price of one….thanks. Love apple butter and the lotion would make great gifts this time of year. Come to think of it so would the apple butter.
Thanks Wendy – You won’t want to give away any of it, both the recipes are so great!
This is awesome. You’re feeding my insides and taking care of my outsides too. I love both recipes, but I have to admit, when it gets as dry out as it is right now, I’m always slathering lotion on. Making it instead of buying is just what my budget needs.
Thanks Christiane – it is so wonderful – even Mr. Picky Eater like it and he doesn’t like anything……..at first! 🙂
Hey, Okie! So glad you got me this month and I am thrilled that your apple butter turned out just like you remember it! 🙂 I have GOT to go to Dollar General if you got that much vitamin E cream for under four bucks!!!!!!!
Have a great holiday, Kelli!
Thanks! You too! Yep – it was all there and boy was I glad!
I make apple butter every year and love it, so I just know this had to have been good! I am going to have to try a smaller batch of that lotion though… it looks so creamy, I bet it’s great for Winter skin.
It is! You will love it!
I’ve yet to make apple butter but now I want to try. I didn’t realize it was so easy. Love the lotion recipe, too! What a bonus!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I LOVE apple butter and it is such a treat! Great recipe choice!!! Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!
Thanks Lisa – and yours as well!
WOW you were busy this month!! I love that you used the toddler bottle dishwasher caddy-thingy for your lids,… I’m totally “borrowing” that idea! I haven’t gotten rid of it yet and I’m certainly glad I didnt!
The apple butter looks great and how neat that it fits so well for your grandmother too. My grandmother is getting old and Im spending lots of time watching her in the kitchen so we can kind of keep track of how she cooks what so we dont completely loose the foods that she knows how to make so well!
I love making jams/butters AND lotions so this post is pretty much the perfect post in my book! I haven’t made any apple butter recently so I plan to get on during the holiday break! 🙂