Slow Cooked Apple Butter

Brenda V

10-12 large cooking apples (14 cups), chopped

2 cups apple juice or apple cider

1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 cups sugar

½ teaspoon ground cloves

 Core and chop un-peeled apples.  Combine with apple juice or cider in slow cooker.  Add sugar.  Pot may be filled to the top.  Cover and cook on low setting for 10 hours or on high setting for 4 hours.

Put apples into blender, blend on high speed until smooth.

Returns apples to slow cooker, add spices.  Can add spices earlier.  Cook on low setting for 1 hour or until mixture reaches desired thickness.  For very thick apple butter, remove lid while cooking at this stage.

Ladle into 6 sterilized ½ pint jars, leaving ½ inch head space.  Adjust lids

Process in boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

Apple butter will keep several weeks in the refrigerator after opened.

Pineapple-Papaya-Ginger Marmalade

Brenda V

Yield: about 1 ½ pints (24 ounces)

2 cups crushed fresh pineapple (or use canned)

2 cups firm diced papaya

¾ cup flaked coconut

¼ cup lemon juice

Grated rind of 1 lemon

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

4 cups sugar

 Combine fruit, juice, rind and ginger in a large saucepot (a shallow pan is better than a deep one for jams); bring to boiling and boil 10 minutes.

Add sugar, one cup at a time, stirring well.  Return to boiling point and boil about 30 minutes, or until mixture sheets from spoon (224 degrees).

Pour into sterilized jars and seal.