Fresh Apple Butter

Autumn lays out a lovely landscape here in Minnesota. Vast, open cornfields transform into brilliant seas of vibrant squash and jeweled pumpkins. Trees erupt in elegant burst of burgundy, tangerine, and gold. School children run about the suburbs excitedly, chattering about hayrides and Halloween costumes and who's who this year at school. There are bonfires, ball games, and stacks of cinnamon-scented pinecones at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

This year, my husband and I kicked off the season with a trip to the Minnesota Harvest apple orchard in Jordan. We picked two pecks of apples--one Honey Gold and one Haralson, which we heard were good baking apples.

My husband then let his baking skills shine by turning our two pecks of apples into twelve apple pies! (By the way, I was the lucky duck who got to peel all of those apples.) :) Keeping in the spirit of things, I whipped up my own batch of apple-flavored goodies: my mom's Microwave Apple Butter. (We actually went to the market and bought an extra bag of Gala apples for this recipe.)

Our microwave apple butter and homemade apple pie

If you're a fan of apples--or just all things autumn--you'll love the warm, spicy aromas that fill your kitchen when you make this recipe. It's so simple, you could make this in a dorm room without any fancy equipment or gadgets. The texture is something like applesauce, but perhaps a little thicker. Enjoy this delicious butter on toast, English muffins, or just right out of the jar. Be sure to refrigerate it, too.









Microwave Apple Butter
8 C peeled & cored apples (Granny Smith or Gala are best)
2 C apple cider or juice
1 1/2 C sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice

In a microwaveable bowl, mix apples and cider. Loosely cover and microwave for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Place mixture in a blender (if it is too juicy/syrupy, lessen juice) and blend until smooth. Return to a bowl and add sugar, lemon juice, and spices. Microwave for another 20-25 minutes, until it is thick and medium brown in color, stirring twice. Spoon into containers.

Stores in refrigerator for 3 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.