My grandmother use to make Apple Butter and Annie was kind enough to share her recipe for Apple butter last year. I had planned to use some of the apples off our two apple trees but never got around too it. Maybe this year. But like you Cindy, I've never had apple butter in a cake. But I have had apple butter cakes. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Apple Butter ============ Apple Butter recipe Posted by annie1992 (My Page) on Mon, Jul 3, 06 at 1:22 This recipe is Grandma's and I won a blue ribbon the year I was 12 at the county fair using this recipe. Dad was prouder of that ribbon than he was when I finished college, I think. LOL I did change this recipe in one way. I bake it in the oven instead of standing at the stove stirring a boiling pot of apple butter. I can go do other things and I don't get all those little burns on my arm from the volcanos of boiling apple butter. I bake it in a big non-reactive roaster at about 250F. This takes 8-10 hours but the house will smell sooooo good. Stir it about once an hour. I've baked it hotter, but you have to be very careful that it doesn't overcook and taste caramelized. If you want it more quickly, turn it up to 350 for the first couple of hours, until the pulp starts to thicken, then turn it down to finish but watch it carefully. You can also do this in a crockpot, but again, watch carefully. Today's crockpots will overcook it quickly and you'll get that caramelized flavor. Grandma Powell's Apple Butter 6 lbs apples quartered (about 12 apples, I use MacIntosh) 2 quarts sweet apple cider 2 cups sugar 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cloves Simmer apples in cider until tender, then put through a food mill or sieve. Measure 3 quarts of apple pulp and cook until mixture mounds on a spoon. Add sugar and spices (taste it, you can add more or less to make it the way you like it), cook stirring frequently until mixture is thick, about 1 hour. Watch carefully as the apple butter thickens so it doesn't stick and scorch. Pour hot into hot jars, add rings and lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes for pints and quarts. Makes about 6 pints (depending on how juicy your apples are) This is a recipe that you HAVE to taste to get it right. The apples could be very sweet or extremely sour. If they are juicy, they'll cook down and make less but it will taste just as good. I regularly add more cloves because I love that flavor, and sometimes I add ginger. Occasionally I use half brown sugar. Oh, and I always reuse the cider, I either cook more apples in it and make a double batch of apple butter, or I strain it and make apple jelly. Incidentally, if you think you can use that much, you don't have to can it, it'll keep in the refrigerator for a week or two. It doesn't freeze well, though, it kind of "separates". Annie

Mmmmm, Carol, I LOVE rutabagas, now I need to get some. I didnt' plant any this year, I canned a bunch last year in spite of the "warning" that they could get strong. They are a bit strong but sure not enough to make me not want to eat them. Caramelized onions and honey with them? Oh yum.... Annie

Is this it? Caramel Apple Cocktail 6 servings 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar 1 lemon wedge 1 1/2 cups apple cider 6 tablespoons butterscotch schnapps 1 (750 ml) bottle sparkling wine, chilled 6 maraschino cherries Spread cinnamon sugar onto a small plate or saucer. Run the lemon wedge along the rim of 6 champagne glasses, then dip the rims into the cinnamon sugar. Combine apple cider and schnapps in a measuring cup. Divide evenly among prepared glasses. Divide sparkling wine among glassses. Garnish with cherry.

Ellen that reminds me of a very quick dessert one of my daughters makes from apples and oatmeal. I would love to try the one you have posted. Although we don't get cranberries here, we do get frozen boxes of wild berries and that would do nicely. My daughter uses to core and cut the washed apples within seconds. Ingredients: ------------- Several apples according to size of casserole dish, peeled or unpeeled, cored and cut into wedges. When I made it I used 3 or 4 Granny Smith apples. Topping: ----------- Mix together with hands: 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup chopped walnuts 1 cup flour 1/2 cup butter - cut into above mixture with 2 knives 2 TBS butter to dot over fruit Method: ------------ 1) Preheat oven to 350F. Core and cut apples into wedges (peeled or unpeeled). I prefer peeled when there's time to do so. 2) Mix dry ingredients and roughly cut in 1/2 cup butter with 2 knives. 3) Put fruit in buttered casserole and spread mixture over, dotting the rest of the butter on top. 4) Bake 45 minutes or until bubbly and brown. Serve with cream or vanilla ice cream. NOTE: My addition is 1 teasp cinnamon, 1/2 teasp nutmeg and 1/2 teasp allspice to the dry ingredients. SharonCb