The Moms Review » Fall

Crock Pot Apple Butter

Shera — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:11:49 +0000

Fall is definitely one of the best times to pull out your crock pot and put it to good use. I know families that use theirs year round for an amazing variety of meals, but fall is an easy time for anyone to use it, especially to make stews and soups.

Here’s another fun use for a crock pot. As we are finishing picking all the apples off our trees in the yard, we could definitely use a few more recipes and this one fits the bill perfectly.

Ingredients:
5 ½ lbs apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
4 cups white sugar (you can cut down amount of sugar if preferred or use honey instead)

Instructions:
Place the finely chopped apples in a slow cooker.

In a mixing bowl, combine spices, salt and sugar. Add to the slow cooker and mix until well combined.

Cook the apples covered on a high temperature setting for about one hour, then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for a further 9 – 11 hours. Give the mixture a stir occasionally. Once the mixture has thickened and is dark brown, uncover and cook for a further hour on a low temperature setting.

Use sterile containers and fill with the apple butter, cover and refrigerate. Apple Butter can also be frozen.

Roasted Spicy Pumpkin Seeds

Shera — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:05:55 +0000

Growing up, there is one October-only memory that I will NEVER forget…mom roasting the pumpkin seeds in the oven. When we were done decorating our fall pumpkin, the seeds that had been removed would then be sprinkled with seasonings and roasted for us to eat later. Here’s a yummy twist on that tradition.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds, cleaned and rinsed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the pumpkin seeds with the spices. Place the pumpkin seeds on a baking tray, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and bake for approximately 15 minutes. The seeds should be slightly golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.

This makes a delicious and healthy snack.

Crispy Halloween Chips

Shera — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:38:39 +0000

If you’re looking for a fun fall treat for the kids, here’s one idea .

Ingredients:

1 package of large flour tortilla
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt, optional
Halloween shaped cookie cutters

Instructions:

Place tortilla on a flat surface. Using the cookie cutters, cut each tortilla into your favorite Halloween shapes. Brush olive oil onto both sides of your shape. Place on cookie sheet. Place in broiler. When the shape begins to brown, flip and finish browning the other side. Sprinkle with salt if desired and serve with your favorite dip.