Crock pot apple butter

I bought 2 bags of cooking apples this fall and planned to make apple pies with them.  Then Jeff got several bags of apples from a coworkers yard and I made pies with those apples.

Those grocery store apples have been sitting in the fridge just waiting.... and they were not getting any fresher. 

So I looked up how to make crockpot apple butter to use them,  and it was very easy.  I used THIS as a guideline -  my way  used a little more than 5 pounds of apples, peeled and chopped,  2 cups sugar, 3 t cinnamon, 1/2 t cloves and a dash of salt.  It cooked on high most of the morning until the apples all broke down, I mashed them with a potato masher to help them along.  Then they cooked on low all afternoon until the juice cooked out and they thickened up. 

I put the apple butter in 1/2 jars - it made 7- and then put them in the fridge.  They will get eaten pretty fast here.  The recipe talks about freezing it and I am sure it could be canned. 

and you sure don't need scented candles or potpourri when apple butter is cooking,  it smells wonderful!

"new" Pyrex

Growing collections are so fun!  I've been using and collecting vintage Pyrex for awhile and my family knows it is what I like.  This holiday season expanded my Pyrex collection - so much that I moved it to a new home.

Jeff found this set at our local antique mall, on Black Friday weekend and everything was 20% off!    I used them Christmas for the Strawberry Pretzel salad, deviled eggs and corn casserole

Jimmy gave me this set for Christmas - little loaf pans bake bread so nice and the covered dish is perfect for small casseroles and leftovers.




My brother found this set of classic mixing bowls in New Boston, TX and surprised me with them on my birthday.   If you ever watch I Love Lucy,  you will see this set on the shelves of  her TV kitchen. 




Most of my Pyrex in this bigger cabinet - a few pieces are in the fridge -but I think there is still room for even a few more pieces..... this used to be the cabinet that held the baking supplies and I moved them to a smaller cabinet - see that little blue bowl on the bottom right, in that stack?  That was my first piece of vintage Pyrex.  Actually it is Jeff's.  We lived in his grandparents farmhouse for 18 months.  That little blue bowl was there, under the kitchen sink catching the water from a drippy pipe.  After Jeff fixed that leak, I washed and kept that bowl.  Jeff liked to eat his cereal and ice cream from that bowl.  All our children refer to it as "Dad's blue bowl"     So,  Jeff really started this collection!



these Pyrex bowls are on top of some of the cabinets



The new baking cabinet - the baking things actually fit better and seem more organized in this smaller cabinet




My collection is not just for dust catching - I use multiple pieces of it everyday and I am always on the look out for more.