Slow Cooker Apple Pumpkin Butter

This recipe was one of my first recipes that I whipped up without a recipe handy. If you've been to my other blog, Home for Hire, you might have already seen it. In fact, I may be cheaping by basically copying and pasting my original recipe...okay, I am cheating.


But! The cool thing is that I learned how to make a printable recipes--so now, you can easily print the recipe!


Here's the original post (with a few little tweaks!):


After trying out a few recipes for Pumpkin Butter a few weeks ago, I went on a mission to write my own recipe for the stuff. I'm getting daring, people.

Daring + Apples + Pumpkin = Pure goodness. Like I couldn't stop licking the spatula goodness.

Guess what else?

It's easy!

Try it and tell me what you think! I wish I could invite you all over for some toasted bread and apple pumpkin butter. We could chat about how darn hot it still is in Texas. And you would pat my back and say, "It's okay, Nicole. Eat your apple pumpkin butter. You'll feel better!"

Crock Pot Apple Pumpkin Butter
{Printable Version}
Makes approximately 3 cups


Ingredients:
5 medium apples (approximately 2 lbs...I used Granny Smith)
1 tbsp of cinnamon
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cloves
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (15oz) of pumpkin puree

Directions:
Peel, core, and chop apples into small pieces. Put chopped apples into crock pot with the remaining ingredients. Stir. Cook on high for at least six hours. If possible, stir occasionally. When apples are mushy, put the mixture into a blender and blend/pulse until smooth. Or, if you are like me, leave it a little chunky! You could probably keep it in the crock pot for longer, but I got impatient.

Put into airtight container and store in the fridge or freezer. Find excuses to spread it on bread or add it to your morning granola.


Easy. Delish. Fall bliss!

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Let's Meet Miss Kitchen

Although I generally like the look of our little townhouse/apartment, our kitchen (in my opinion!) is not the prettiest on the eyes.

I'm not sure about what to do with the streaky stained cabinets or the off white back splash. But what I dislike most about our kitchen is the fake butcher block. Oh, why, oh, why was that ever popular?

Here's what Miss Kitchen looks like most days (beware, I'm showing her in all her glory):

Yep. That's about right. No judging! 

I'll prettier her up someday and show her on a good day. I wanted you to see her real self first. 

Messy, chaotic, short on space, and trying to run from the 80's. 

Our ugly kitchen. My lab.

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Welcome to the Ugly Kitchen Experiment

A number of weeks ago, I exclaimed to my husband that my dream job would be making up recipes and spending the day in the kitchen. I told him that I thought it would be fun to have a blog all about it.

Today, I realized, that I should try it. I’m not going to quit my day job, but I am going to blog about my food experiments.

Why not?

My life has already had little surprises lately–why not throw in another one? You see, I already have a blog (homeforhireblog.com) about home, life, and my Etsy store. I’ve been sneaking in recipes here and there, but I really wanted to create a place just for my cooking experiments. Just about the kitchen.

Our ugly kitchen.


We are renters and sometimes kitchens from the eighties need a facelift. Ours is one of them.

Since I’m a strong believer in being content with what you have, I’m going to be thankful for the kitchen that I do have–fake butcher block and all.

I’m also not a professional anything, and I don’t claim to know much about food. I’m decently skilled at following recipes, but I want to do more than read a recipe. I want to adapt it. Change it. Make it up. Experiment.

If you are awesome in the kitchen, feel free to giggle at my “amateurity.”

One last thing, our food budget is pretty skinny. Expect simple, affordable, and healthy meals. Don’t expect gourmet.

I hope that you enjoy reading about the ugly kitchen experiment!

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