Homemade Apple Butter - Yumm...

Well... It's been one of those weeks.  It all started with a "Mama", "Mom", "Mama" Monday.  Things were normal for about... humm.... let me think... 5 minutes first thing Monday morning. Then we had whining, croupy coughing, runny nose and constipation all day topped off with a fever of 103.1 by dinner time.  What a wonderful combination.  When it rains it sure does {pour} sometimes huh? Poor baby Ella...  

Tuesday was somewhat of a repeat of Monday but today has been much better. Her fever broke around noon and she's finally coming around.  Sweet "little" Ella is back!  So... to celebrate our fever free afternoon I made a batch of homemade Apple Butter .  Yummy, yum yum...  Apple Butter takes hours to make but the it's so worth it.  I was going for the {smell} factor today.  There's nothing that the {smell} of homemade goodness can't cure!

Here's a scratch and sniff shot!

Recipe

Peel, core, and dice 5.5lbs of apples in very small fine pieces.  Size is key here!

   

These are wonderful tools for this process!  Check them out... 

Apple Peeler & Corer by Williams Sonoma

Apple Peeler & Corer by Pampered Chef

Place your apple bits in a slow cooker and set aside.

Mix the following ingredients together in a separate bowl...

• 3 cups of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon of ginger
• 2 bay leaves (adds a little zing)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Pour this mixture on the apples and mix well.

Set your slow cooker on high for an hour.

Reduce heat to low and cook for 9-11 hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and dark brown in color.  Once you reach a consistancy you're happy with, spoon your apple butter into sterile containers, cover, refrigerate and/or freeze.

Spread some of your delicious homemade apple butter on a slice of mutigrain toast, add fresh fruit and you've got a yummy breakfast!

Food-A-Licious Friday- Homemade Pop Tarts

Who or what kiddo doesn't {love} a good ole Pop-Tart?  They're quick and tasty and usually hit the spot in the tummy tum tum.  Hehe... Though my kiddos {love} them, I don't always love that they eat them. They tend to have {lots} of sugar, preservatives and "things" in them that I can't even pronouce.  So... why not make homemade Pop-Tarts for your kiddos!  They tast {great}, they're good for you, the kiddos can help make them and you can customize each Pop-Tart anyway you'd like!  Fun, fun, fun...

{dough}

Start out with a {fresh} pie crust dough!  You can make your dough like I did or you can purchase Pillsbury's Pie Crust.  It's almost just as good as homemade and it's way {faster} so... if time is an issue for you just pick up a box and your ready to go!

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~ pinch off a 6"x7" square & roll ~

{filling}

You can make your own jam or preserves or simply buy a jar!  I bought a couple of jars of organic preserves for this batch of Pop-Tarts but... I'd like to make my own jam soon.  Stay tunned and wish me luck on that adventure!  Hah...

~ spread jam & seal with a fork... brush on egg ~

{garnish}

Garnishing your Pop-Tart is the {fun} part!  Yippee...  You can top them with raw sugar, a sugar glaze or Nutella which is my kiddos {favorite}!!! Pipe the Nutella on the Pop-Tarts in dots, zig zags or swirls.  I promise it'll please most any child or adult.

  

Click here to enter Nutella's giveaway!  One FREE case of creamy, yummy Nutella goes to the lucky winner.  Hope I win!  Hah...  They're giving 1 case away every month! (until mid or late summer)

Roll out the dough, spread on the filling, seal the Pop-Tart, garnish and bake!  It's that easy...
Have fun!
I've linked up with this awesome linky party below.  Stop by and check it out!

Food-A-Licious Flower Pot Surprise?

Here's a Food-A-Licious Friday dessert I thought I'd share with you.  It's {fun} to look at, {easy} to make and oh so... yummy to your tummy.  You can make a flower pot surprise for just about any occasion.  This flower is one that is guaranteed to live and be loved by all.  Well... it's loved by my {all}!  Hah...

Ingredients...

• 1 regular size package of Oreo Cookies
• 1 bag of Gummy Worms (optional)
• ½ stick of Butter (room temperature)
• 1 (8oz) pkg. Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 1 cup Powder Sugar
• 3½ cups Milk
• 2 small packages of Instant French Vanilla Pudding
• 1 (12oz) Tube of Cool Whip
• 1 package of Chocolate Rocks

Plastic or Ceramic Flower Pot 

Silk Flowers (or anything else you choose)  

Steps...

Crush Oreos and set aside.

Cream together butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar.

In a separate bowl, mix together milk and instant pudding.

Combine all of the above ingredients and mix together.

Fold in Cool Whip!

- Plug-er' Up -

Cut a circle that fits the bottom of your pot out of your cool whip lid. Recycle baby!

Add a few dots of hot glue to secure your circle (if you desire).

Place your Cool Whip circle over the hole in the bottom of your pot.

- It's Layer Time -

1st Oreos and a few Gummy Worms

2nd Pudding Mixture

Then repeat...

- Finish-er' Up -

Make sure Oreos and Gummy Worms are your final layer.

Sprinkle your oh so... cool Chocolate Rocks on top.

Refrigerate!

Decorate with Silk Flowers before serving and enjoy the smiles and questions you receive when you serve this yummy dessert.

Happy Friday!

{Note}

I thoroughly wash and sanitize my pots, silk flower stems and Cool Whip lid. This is an important step, so don't leave it out. :)

Cloudy With A Chance Of Cupcakes...

Oh how I love, love, love {Fridays}! They signify the end of the work week for me and the beginning of quality time with my family. :)

We've been trying really hard recently to relax on Friday nights and not cook too much if any! That's funny huh? Friday's are a time to celebrate, not slave away in the kitchen RIGHT?

So... to spice things up a bit and add a little excitement to our {Friday} nights, I like to make something fun and special to snack on. Oh... and most importantly it's usually something sweet!

Tonight, I made cupcakes. My kids, myself and my husband {LOVE} cupcakes! Who couldn't {LOVE} a cupcake? They're cutest, moistest little mini cakes around!

I iced these cupcakes with my homemade icing. There's nothing better than homemade icing, it's the {BEST}! :) So... long story short, my moist little mini cakes disappeared as fast as I could ice them and top them with bright red cherries. Hehe... I managed to swipe one and stick it in the fridge for later so I could sneak down and grab it in a hurry! Yum, Yum, Yum...

Leave a comment about one of your favorite "sweet" treats on this post if you'd like a copy of my oh so... yummy homemade icing recipe. I'd love to hear about what you and your family enjoy munchin' on together!

Maybe I'll make more little moist mini cakes tomorrow!