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I’m still trying to figure out how pumpkin became the official flavor of fall. Apples far surpass pumpkins in my book. I occasionally enjoy pumpkin treats, but I could make a day of eating apples! Apple muffins, pancakes or scones, a nice arugula salad with apples and toasted pecans, and a fabulous apple tart, pie, or cake would be a day fit for a queen.

For your sake, I wish this apple butter photo was scratch and sniff. This apple butter takes your senses to spice heaven while tempting your tastebuds all day while cooking. True satisfaction comes after hours of slow cooking when you can finally taste the dark brown, silky smooth, caramelized goodness.

I have made apple butter many times in the past. However, I tried something different this year: apple butter made in the crockpot. I saved this recipe from My Baking Addiction to my Pinterest board months ago in anticipation of apple season. I peeled and cored my apples, although I read that it’s not necessary for apple butter. In fact, I read that the peeling helps the apples cook down faster. Still, I preferred my apples to be clean.

Cooking the apple butter in the crockpot allows you to go about your day without watching a stove all day! You can step away for hours with only the occasional stir, and the crockpot does all the work. After cooking my apples, I used the immersion blender to create a smooth consistency. I yielded almost 7 cups from this recipe and decided to freeze it by the cup.

There are many ways to serve apple butter in sweet or savory dishes. However, smearing it on a warm bran muffin and cream cheese is my favorite way.

Give this easy and delicious apple butter a try! You will enjoy the rewards for months.

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Crockpot Apple Butter

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 6 1/2 pounds mixed varities apples peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt together.
• Place half of the chopped apples in a crockpot. Sprinkle with half of the sugar mixture and repeat layers.
• Cook in slow cooker on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or until much of the liquid has cooked out and mixture has thickened and is dark brown. Depending on the apple variety, some apples will break down into a sauce, some may simply get soft.
• With an immersion blender, puree the apples in the crockpot until desired smoothness.
• With the apples uncovered, continue to cook on LOW for 2 more hours.
• Spoon the apple butter into sterile containers. Cool, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 weeks or freeze for up to 9 months.

My fall mood is officially on! We are nowhere near sweater weather, but I’m all in my feels now! Last weekend, I went on my annual trip to the B. J. Reece’s Apple House in Ellijay, Georgia. Mutsu has been my favorite variety for the past few years, and I bought some because they have served me so well. However, I have a new favorite or even two. The Ruby Rush and the Crimson Crisp also found their way into my basket!

I have been making the trip since I was a kid. Of course, when I was a child, we only lived 30 miles from the apples, so I’m not sure that can actually be called a “trip.” As I got older, it became a girl’s trip. And over the last twenty-plus years, it was always me, my mom, and Savannah. I have such beautiful memories of those days, and I thought of my mom so many times during this trip!

But we changed it up a bit this time. Greg joined Savannah and me, and we had the best time. Our first stop was at the apple house. I came home with three huge bags of apples, Greg bought cider, and Savannah found some apple salsa, apple butter, and fig preserves! Savannah and I even let Greg in on another tradition. You must have fried apple pies!

So, expect some apple recipes soon! The first thing I will do is make homemade applesauce for my grandson. After that, maybe some delicious crockpot apple butter or fantastic apple butter muffins!

Today, I am sharing a delicious fall treat I discovered at Starbucks a couple of years ago – Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam! Savannah introduced me to this tasty treat. She is usually dairy-free but splurges for a cold brew with pumpkin cream cold foam during her busy fall season.  Thanks for Midwest Nice for this terrific recioe! 

Savannah is the reason I came to this recipe in the first place. I made her a dairy-free version, which was pretty simple. I found non-dairy-sweetened condensed coconut milk and a heavy whipping cream alternative at the local store. It is every bit as good as the dairy version!

The pumpkin cream recipe has five simple ingredients you can whip up quickly. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, but I doubt it will last that long! You can use it as a coffee creamer to avoid fooling with a blender. I highly recommend the blender, though! The pumpkin cream cold foam is delicious over hot or cold coffee, hot or cold chia tea, and probably many other things. I add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice to the top.

I was thrilled when Greg and I started camping. It was so fun to relax by the campfire! I loved my camper, and getting away from everyday life was exhilarating.

That was before I lived in the camper for seven months!
I am delighted to be back in the house and enjoy having more room for cooking and living in general! We will likely not be visiting any state parks soon!

Savannah surprised me with a cooking class in Savannah, Georgia, for Mother’s Day. I bought several cool kitchen gadgets while we were there and have been saving them for the house.

However, moving back into the house in July has altered my cooking plans. July in South Georgia is sweltering! It is way too hot to heat the kitchen! So, I have been preparing quick meals that get me in and out of the kitchen without heating the house. I’ve been using the crockpot and the grill a lot lately!

We recently had grilled cheese sandwiches, but not just any grilled cheese sandwich. I used fresh tomatoes from the garden to make Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

They were terrific and easy to make. I started with fresh sourdough bread from the grocery store bakery. I then sliced homegrown tomatoes, used store-bought basil pesto, and fresh mozzarella! The melty mozzarella with toasty bread, warm tomato, and tasty pesto was terrific! Greg is a meat and potatoes man, though, and he suggested that adding grilled chicken breasts and a bun might be a nice variation. That would call for a nice drizzle of balsamic glaze too!

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Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Course Main Course

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• freshly baked sourdough bread or freshly baked bread of your
• summer tomatoes peeled, if desired and sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• store-bought pesto
• fresh mozzarella sliced

Instructions

• Assemble sandwich by spreading pesto onto one piece of both pieces of bread.
• Layer mozzarella and sliced tomatoes on one slice of bread. Sprinkle tomato with salt and pepper and top with second piece of bread.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Swirl butter around to coat the bottom on pan and toast sandwich on both sides, adding more butter, if needed.
• Serve warm.

When Greg and I married, I depended heavily on McCormick’s Seasoning packets. That is the only way I made beef stew for YEARS! Then when we lived in Augusta, I found a beef stew recipe in a church cookbook. That recipe was a little different from the one it has become today. So over the years, I have changed that church cookbook recipe to become what we love today. I am not a beer drinker, but I love to cook with it. It lends a rich, earthy flavor to soups and stews, making them taste like they’ve been simmering for hours.

I use chuck roast in this stew. I cut it into approximately 2-inch cubes a day or two before preparing the stew. Put the beef into a large ziplock bag, place the bag in a large bowl, then let the meat stand in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. When you are ready to prepare the stew, drain the meat and dry each piece using paper towels. I usually do this by lining a large sheet pan with paper towels, spreading the beef in a single layer, and then blotting it dry with additional paper towels. At this point, I remove the paper towels and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and flour. Toss to coat on the pan. Then it’s time to start browning the beef.
This recipe makes a huge pot of stew. I make my stew in a 5-quart crock pot, which is almost full. Skim off as much fat as possible before serving.

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Beef Stew

Course Soup

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pound beef chuck roast cut into 2-inch pieces
• vegetable oil
• flour to coat beef
• 6 medium carrots peeled and coarsely chopped
• 4 medium potatoes peeled and quartered or cut smaller if using large potatoes
• 1 large onion quartered
• 1 pound mushrooms optional
• 12 ounce dark beer
• 32 ounces beef broth
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• dash hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Sprinkle beef cubes with salt and pepper, then coat with flour. Brown the beef in the Dutch oven. Work in batches and do not over crowd the pan. Add more oil when needed.
• Remove the beef from the Dutch oven and place into a large crock pot.
• Add the carrots, potatoes, onion, and mushrooms.
• Add the beer, beef broth, paprika, hot sauce, thyme, salt, and pepper.
• Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 8 hours.

Planning a holiday meal requires more time than it should when I am involved. Also, because of the different likes, dislikes, and allergies, sometimes it can be downright exhausting. This year I have tried something new; I will let you know if it works out. I asked the kids to tell me their favorite holiday side dish or dessert, and I planned the rest of the meal around them.

This is one of my favorite pies and will be on our dessert bar this year. This recipe is from my mother-in-law and is hands down the best apple pie ever. I also love the look of anything served in an iron skillet!

Using refrigerated pie crust makes this a fast and easy dessert. Braeburn apples are great for baking because they release very little liquid when baked. Meaning your pie will not be too runny. However, finding Braeburn apples in my neck of the woods can be challenging, so I typically substitute Mutzu or Honeycrisp. Check online for apple substitutions if necessary.

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5 from 1 vote

Nan's Easy Skillet Apple Pie

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples
• 2 pounds Braeburn apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 (14.1-ounce package) refrigerated pie crusts
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 c. granulated sugar.
• Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 pie crust in skillet over brown sugar mixture.
• Spoon apple mixture over pie crust, and top with remaining pie crust.
• Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of pie crust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.
• Bake at 350℉ for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.
• Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving.