Apple Butter = Yummy!

Apple recipes have been my obsession lately!!! From apple cookies to fruit crumbles, we've loved every bite! But amongst 'em all apple butter has seemed to win out with my children! You spread it on bagels or toast, put a heap on your pancakes or just eat it plain (my kid-os favorite, Orion loves his to be a lil' on the chunkier side).

~Apple Butter~

One bag of sweet red apples (gala, Fuji, or red delicious), peeled and cored

Half a bag of green apples (granny smith is what I use or wine sap), peeled and cored

1/4 Cup of apple juice or water

2 Tbsp Agave (can be purchased in the Natural Food section)

1/4 Cup sugar (optional)

2 Tsp Cinnamon

I peel, core, and slightly chop my apples, also there is much much lemon juice involved in my apple butter process! Used to make sure that the apples do NOT turn brown before I can get 'em all cut up and put into the pot. I re-coat about every 4 apples, making sure to stir to fully coat. Once cut up, put all other ingredients in the pot and place on stove. Found the process works faster if I give the apples a quick heat up, turn stove to medium for about 10 minutes, then turn 'em down on low for the next hour to hour and a half. Once apples are slightly mushy, they are ready for the food processor. Blend to your digression of how chunky or smooth you want your apple butter. Enjoy!

While making a large patch before heading to Chattanooga for Thanksgiving, I asked Ken, my hubby, to help me out. With 2 bags of reds & 1 bag of greens to peel, core, & chop, I was a little overwhelmed. He happily agreed, as long as he could watch the Skins play Dallas while doing so, no problem! Thought the easiest thing for him would be to sit with a bowl & peel the apples. I give him the necessities: a cutting board, peeler, & bowl for catching the peels.

Off I go to kitchen with 3 apples waiting, had peeled prior to asking for help. After coring & chopping them I went back into the living room to retrieve the peeled apples from Ken. But to my amazement he had not yet finished peeling the first apple he started.

We figured out very quickly that our duties needed to be switched. Mainly due to the fact that Ken's hands swallowed the tiny apples & thus making it impossible for him to hold the apple & peel it properly. So I peeled & cored, while "Man Hands" chopped & coated:)

Thanks bunches for the "huge helping hand" babes!!!!

~Apple Bars~