A Little More Fall Flavour

Dear Sonia~

Mom and I first made this apple butter waaaay back when I was eight years old.  You know the American Girl dolls?  I’d gotten a box with Felicity paper dolls, craft book and kit, and a cookbook.  So of course I was interested in using my very own cookbook.  Even if I didn’t really like cooking.

Fast forward thirteen years.

I’m scheduled to have a surgery and the doctor says NO dairy and NO fats.

So what’s a girl to have for breakfast?  No yogurt, no milk, no cereal (because I don’t like to eat it dry the way you do, at least not for breakfast), no cheese toast, no bagels with cream cheese… I felt quite lost.

And then I remembered the apple butter we’d made years ago and decided to give it another try.  As I stirred the fragrant mixture on the stove, I knew I’d made the right decision.

I have to admit not all of the apple butter got eaten on toast the way I’d intended.  Many a time did I dip a spoon into the bowlful of apple butter that occupied a space in our fridge for no more than a week or two.  The flavour reminded me of apple pie… only there was no crust in the way.  Perfection.

Love~
T

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3 c. sweet apple cider (we just use apple juice)

2 pounds apples (about 6 large apples)

1/4 c. honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp allspice

Measure the cider or juice into a large pot.  Bring it to a boil over medium heat and let it boil for 15 minutes.

While the cider is boiling, peel, core, and quarter the apples.  Add to the boiling cider.  Cover the pot and cook the apples over low heat until they are very tender, about an hour.  Stir them often while they cook.

Use a potato masher to mash the apples.  Stir in the honey and spices.  Turn the heat to low and cook the apple mixture uncovered for about 30 minutes, until it thickens.  Stir often.

Turn off the heat and let the apple butter cool for 15 minutes in the pot.  Spoon into jars (about 2 pints) and store in the refrigerator.