Crock Pot Apple Butter

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

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.

Corn Chicken Salad

This layered salad dish is a favorite with moms. My children actually don’t mind eating salad, but it honestly isn’t my husband’s favorite thing, so you’ll have to determine what category it falls under for your family based on how you think they’ll eat it.

Either way though it is a favorite with most moms and the layers make it just a little more fun for the whole family. Let’s face it, cooking and eating something hot in the warmest summer months is not the greatest, I personally prefer eating cooler foods to reflect the season and this is a great recipe. Oh, and you can find the recipe for the Roasted Pecan Chicken Strips at A Frog In My Soup.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon season salt
1/2 pound bacon, sliced
12 cups coarsely chopped iceberg lettuce
1 (15 1/2 ounce) can blacked peas, rinsed, drained and chilled
1 (11 ounce) can whole kernel corn rinsed, drained and chilled
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Roasted Pecan Chicken Strips
1 cup Ranch dressing

Directions:

Place the brown sugar and season salt into a bowl. Mix together well.
Place bacon in mix and cover well.
Place coated bacon on a microwave safe dish and microwave on high 1 minute per side.
Bacon should be crisp and easy to crumble.
Use a large clear glass bowl.
Make layers starting with the lettuce.
Then add the bacon, peas, corn, tomatoes, cheese and chicken.
Top with the Ranch dressing just before serving.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients:
4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 cup natural bran
¼ cup toasted wheat germ
¼ cup chopped almonds
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
½ tsp salt
1 cup hot water
½ cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sultanas

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Mix the oats, bran, wheat germ, flour, nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and salt together until thoroughly combined.

In a separate little bowl, combine the water, honey and vanilla. Combine with the dry ingredients and mix well.

Grease two baking sheets and spread the mixture on the baking sheets, then squeeze together to make small clumps. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until the granola mix is nice and golden. You will have to stir occasionally. Add raisins, stir again and bake for an extra 5 minutes.

Let the granola mix cool and then fill it into airtight containers.

This is a delicious and healthy granola that can be enjoyed with fresh fruit and yogurt for a healthy start of the day! It can also be used for snacks and as an ice cream topper! You can always add dried fruit to the finished batch, and you can substitute the nut variety based on your family’s likes.

Energy Cruchy Balls

Ingredients:
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup finely grated carrots
1/4 cup good quality Granola
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 Tablespoon runny honey
3 Tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)

Directions:
This is a super easy and quick recipe, but very healthy and delicious.

Combine all the ingredients in large bowl.

Roll into balls and let them be enjoyed by old and young!

White Bean Salad

Ingredients:
1 can (14oz) white kidney/cannelloni beans (should make about 2 cups of beans drained)
2/3 cup cucumber, chopped
2/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of cumin
Salt and pepper
Lettuce

Instructions:
Combine beans, green pepper, cucumber, tomato, lemon juice, oil and cumin in a bowl and toss gently. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add additional cumin if necessary.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When serving, place lettuce leaves on a platter and add the bean salad.

Enjoy this healthy fiber-rich salad with BBQ meat, cold chicken or just as is with crusty white bread.

Yogurt Popcicle Treats

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups plain yogurt (ideally low-fat)
2 small bananas
2/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate (undiluted)

Instructions:
Combine yogurt, bananas and orange juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into Popsicle containers and put in freezer.

This is a very easy to make and guilt-free treat for the whole family.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Breakfast Scones

Ingredients:
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425°Fahrenheit.

Combine the sugar (keep 1 tsp of sugar aside), flours, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking powder in a bowl and cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives. The mixture should resemble coarse crumbs.

Keep 1 tbsp of the beaten egg aside. Add remaining egg, raisins and milk to the flour mixture and combine gently. Sprinkle flour on your kitchen counter, turn out the flour/egg mixture and kneed about 5 times. After kneading, pat the dough into a 3/4inch thick circle and divide into 8 wedges.

Put the wedges on a greased baking sheet, brush with the reserved egg and sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake in the oven for about 18 to 20 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve warm with a soup or salad. Delicious!