Tasty Tuesday-Fall Treats for Peeps

During our hurricane Sandy power outage we really, really missed our oven.  So as soon as we got power back I was ready to start baking, with apples.

Slow Cooker Spiced Apple Butter
(This recipe takes 12-14 hours but its largely unattended)

5-6 lbs apples cored and chopped, no need to peel, use  a mix of different kind of apples for the best flavor
1 1/2 cups to 2 cups sugar (I like the lower amount)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
juice of one lemon

Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker/crock pot, mixing well, and cook on high for four hours, stirring periodically.  After the four hours is up, stir well, and set the slow cooker to low (this is good to do over night).  In the morning remove the lid and cook on high for one hour to help some of the liquid evaporate.  By now you will have rich, flavorful apple butter.  If you want it to be smooth you can put it in the blender or serve it as is.    You can can the apple butter or store it in  the fridge for a few weeks.

  Norbert likes this recipe, since he got to snack on some of the apples!

 Apple Cake with Almond Milk from Food 52

2 granny smith apples, 1 chopped and 1 sliced
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup Honey
1/2 cup almond milk (the secret ingredient)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour a springform and line with parchment paper.   Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.   In an electric mixer beat the butter until fluffy and then slow add the sugar and mix well.  Add the honey and beat well and then the almond milk and beat thoroughly, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan as you do so.   Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until you have a smooth batter.  Stir in the chopped apples.  Pour into the prepared pan and place the sliced apples on top.  Bake 40-50 minutes.

Now for something savory to go with all those apple sweets (this recipe can be shared between dogs and people).

Miniature Cupcake Tin Pork Pies

 1 1lb of ground pork
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 onion minced
1/2 cup of bread crumbs
1/2 tsp rosemary
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 refrigerated pre-rolled pie crust, like Pillsburry or you can make your own savory pie crust

Preheat the oven to 375.
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat and saute the onion until it is soft, about four minutes.   Add the sage  and cook for 1 more minute.  Mix into the pork and add the bread crumbs, rosemary, apple sauce, and beaten eggs (save about a tablespoon of beaten egg).   Combine thoroughly.  Grease 12 cupcake tins and spoon in the ground pork.   Top each cupcake tin with a round of pie crust and cut a hole in the center.  Brush the pie crusts with some egg and bake for 15 minutes.
  
Serve with apple butter, apple sauce, Branston pickle, and/or HP's sauce .