New Moon

Taking my daughters and their daughters to see New Moon today. We are very excited as we are all twilight addicts. Will review movie as soon as we come back!

Apple Butter

I really love this recipe and have been using it for years. It comes from an old cookbook.
All my cookbooks are in storage right now,(like everything else I own) so I can't tell you which one it is until our new house is finished. My Kitchen Aid (red) mixer is also being held hostage with the cookbooks. I hope to release them soon. LOL

4 pounds tart apples
2 cups apple cider
2 cups sugar, brown or white
pinch of salt
1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (freshly grated makes a big difference)

Rinse apples in cool water and drain well. Core peel and chop apples. In an 8 quart pan, combine apples and cider. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are soft, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from heat, press apples through food mill or fine meshed sieve Return apple pulp to pan. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Over medium low heat, heat mixture, stirring constantly until sugar is completely dissolved. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a simmer stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 30 minutes. (I like to put it in the crockpot at this point ,on low, and cook the rest of the afternoon. It makes the house smell nice.) As the butter thickens, stir constantly to prevent sticking or scorching. (you don't have to do this if it is in the crockpot) Skim off any foam . Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and threads with a clean or damp cloth. Cover with hot lids and apply screw lids. Process half pint jars in a 200 degree water bath for 10 minutes.
Makes about 5 half pint jars.
This recipe doubles well.

Thanksgiving in the wild

Yesterday my husband and I went over all the possibilities of where to have Thanksgiving this year. He asked, "Your mothers place? My mothers place?" I said, "Our apartment is too small, do you want to go out to eat this year?" Okay, all of those suggestions were nixed. He then said,
"Why don't we put up a tent and have it on our new farm?"
Now, that is one I didn't even think of. However, it does sound like a good idea. Hm..I wonder what Martha Stewart would think?
This is gonna take some researching and planning, we have no water and no electricity yet.

Melt in your mouth pumpkin bread.

Here is the recipe I promised. Made so many this month I think I can do it in my sleep!
Credit for this recipe goes to allrecipes.com. submitted by Corwynn Darkholme.
2 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 (3.5 ounce) coconut cream pudding mix, instant
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 tsp baking soda
5 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin puree
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F . Lightly grease two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl , combine dry ingredients, flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir in the oil, eggs and pumpkin until just blended. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the batter into prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour. or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 15 mins. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Now, if you want to make this into a spectacular round layer cake for your Thanksgiving table,
use only 1 cup of oil, divide batter into 3 sprayed and floured round 9 inch pans and bake until toothpick comes out clean. (Start checking layers after about 30 mins.)

This is a great Pumpkin Cream Cheese frosting for your cake:
Credit for this recipe comes from Country Living magazine.

1 - 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
1/4 cup of unsalted butter, softened (1/2 stick)
1 TB fresh orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 cups of confection sugar, sifted
Blend the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, butter, orange juice, zest and vanilla in a large bowl using an electric mixer set at medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar and continue to beat until light and creamy-about 5 more minutes.

I make a little more of it than the recipe calls for because my family loves gooey, piled up, very high frosting! This recipe should be enough for the layers ,top and sides of your cake. This makes a very nice centerpiece with a little zested orange around the edges of the top layer.

This cake is a great comfort and everyone I know wants the recipe when I make it.
Save yourself some trouble and always include the recipe when you give this cake away to friends and family .