#FoodieExtravaganza ~ Crock Pot Apple Butter

Welcome to the September APPLE edition of Foodie Extravaganza! Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

I picked up quite a few apples when my sister, daughter and I went out to B.J. Reece Apple Orchards in Ellijay earlier in the month to go apple picking. I always look forward to "apple baking" season when we get up to that area for our annual trip! I love all the AMAZING apple goodies that come out of the kitchen this time of year. This is one of many of the tasty treats we've been enjoying.

Apple butter is gorgeous and SO versatile. There are a million recipes out there you can use this stuff in, and it's the perfect accompaniment to some toast or a fresh buttermilk biscuit. You can process it to be super smooth, or leave a bit of texture. Leave it over heat until it's super thick and sticky, or pull it off a little sooner if you prefer a slightly looser / wetter texture. Play with the seasonings too! You can make this just the way YOU like it, and use it the way you most prefer. Or use it in a bunch of ways! I've been eyeballing a ton of recipes. This yielded approximately 4 cups of apple butter which is perfect to try out a few new recipes with (after I've eaten just a little bit on some of these biscuits first).

See all the beautiful apple recipes we're sharing today!

• Apple Crisp by Simply Inspired Meals
• Cider-braised Pig Cheeks with Apples by Food Lust People Love
• Crock Pot Apple Butter by Making Miracles
• Double Apple Beignets by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pork Tenderloin with Bacon, Apple, and Gruyère by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pot Roast with Apples and Onions by A Day in the Life on the Farm/
• Vegan & Sugar Free Oats & Apple Porridge by Sneha's Recipe

Crock Pot Apple Butter adapted from The Chunky Chef

Ingredients
3 lbs apples (softer, sweet varieties)
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 TBS lemon juice
Dash of salt
3/4 cup apple juice

Directions

1. Peel, core, and slice apples. 
2. Toss apples with all ingredients in a crock pot, turned to low heat, for about 4-6 hours. Apples should be completely soft to where mixture starts to combine just by stirring.
3. If mixture is still fairly "wet", remove lid and turn heat to high, stirring every 15 minutes or so to verify it isn't sticking or burning and allow mixture to reduce to desired thickness. It should be dark and glossy and fairly thick.
4. Turn heat off and allow apple butter to cool. Use a handheld immersion blender to achieve desired consistency (or place in blender, and pulse). 

10 Ways to Use Apple Butter