Apple Butter

If you want your home to smell absolutely delicious for an entire day (or two!), make some apple butter this fall! I love making recipes like this. It's one of those that people remember their parents or grandparents making when they were young, sometimes in huge cast iron pots in the back yard. Other people say "you can MAKE apple butter??"

Slather it on toast, swirl it into oatmeal, make a little sandwich with cream cheese and apple butter, put it on pancakes or biscuits, or make Apple Butter Hand Pies - recipe coming up next!

Note: when sharing apple butter with your friends who have small babies, and you pack it in baby food containers, please do them a favor and label the containers!! Sorry for the tummy ache Emmy :o(

Apple Butter
Recipe from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook
Makes about 2 cups

6 1/2 lbs apples (I used McIntosh and Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and quartered
1 cup sugar
2 T. apple brandy
1 cup apple cider
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. ground cardamom
1/4 t. ground mace
1 large cinnamon stick
1 pinch ground cloves
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. ground ginger

Combine all of the ingredients in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Place mixture over medium-high heat, and simmer, covered, stirring often with a large wooden spoon to prevent scorching, until the apples are broken down and saucy, about an hour.

Now, either:
A) Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook for at least 2 1/2 more hours, stirring often until very thick and dark.
OR:
B) Heat oven to 200 degrees. Uncover pot, transfer to oven, and cook overnight until very thick and dark.

Let stand to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to one month in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

This pot started out filled to the brim with apples!