Crock-Pot Peach Butter - Low Sugar

Yumm....

Still Peach Season.

I've tried apple and pear butter with fabulous results, 

but this time I wanted to try a spiced peach butter. 

Then make it low sugar. 

 I've been loving replacing sugar with dates.  

If I can go 'ah natural' I will try to.

This recipe is super easy to make.

I modified the original recipe from Pick Your Own.

She has a great site all about preserving nature's bounty, where to find pick your own fruit farms, and more.

So let's get started.

Spiced Low Sugar Peach Butter

Since this is a low sugar version, I'm using dates.

You will need just shy of 2 cups dates.

Cover them with water and set aside to soften.

Wash, pit, and dice about 20 peaches.

Put them in your crock-pot.

I didn't peel them.

The original recipe says to peel them, 

but I believe there is extra nutritional goodness in the peels, plus I'm a little lazy.  

This saves an extra hour-ish of work to par-boil the peaches to slip the skins.  

If you don't want the peels, feel free to remove them.

You will  need about 5-8 more peaches washed, pitted, and sliced.

Don't worry about dicing them because they are going into the blender with the dates

When you have the crock-pot mostly full of diced peaches, drain off most of the water from the dates and pour them into a blender along with the other 5-8 peaches that have been pitted and sliced.

Add the following spices:

2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg

3 cups sugar

1 Tbsp Molasses

Blend well to make a puree.

It looks kind of like peanut butter to me, but it's the yummy syrup for the Peaches.

Pour syrup over the peaches and stir to coat.

Loosely cover the crock-pot.

You want some of the steam to escape but none of the splatters.

Cook on low for at least 12 hours.

This is what it looks like after cooking.

It has reduced down by about 1/3.

Use your immersion blender to smooth out the peach butter.

This batch yields 6 pints.

Prepare the lids and jars by putting the lids in hot water to soften the rubber.

I use a steam canner, but the timing would be the same for a water bath canner.

Attach lids and rings and process in a canner for 15 minutes.

Remove from canner and set on a cooling rack for 24 hours to ensure the lids seal.

Label and add to your pantry.

There was just enough left for a topping on my waffle for breakfast.

It was heavenly!

Happy Canning!

Fresh Fruit Crock-Pot Cobbler

We are full fruit season which I'm so loving right now.  

We are definitely at fruit loving family.  

If my crisper drawer ever runs low of fruit, I hear about it... loudly.  

I don't mind though because whenever the kids reach for a snack it's usually a piece of fruit.  

My oldest will complain once in a while that we don't have anything unhealthy in the house.  

Sorry bud.  

Just doing my job! ;)

For family dinner last Sunday I wanted to do something fun with some of the fruit I recently got. 

After looking through most of the online cobbler and crisp recipes I discovered that most of them used pie filling which I didn't want to do, and very few used fresh fruit.  

Plus if there was fresh fruit, it was only one kind of fruit.

I think I have what my husband calls "The Architect Syndrome."

Let me explain.

My Dad is an Architect.

If you have known any architects and have been to their homes you will know what I'm talking about.

My dad had friends that were architects.

Their houses were very different from the tradidional design.

One looked like it had sails instead of a traditional flat or gabled roof.

Another house looked like they built the house square, then set the roof on 30 degrees off kilter.

Super weird.

So we decided that since the Architects have to design things the same way every time, 

when they get to design something for themselves, it's very 'outside the box' kind of a design.

Think Frank Lloyd Wright.

That being said, I in no way compare myself to Frank Lloyd Wright,

just the idea that I don't ususally do things the 'tradiditonal' way.

It's always my spin on the norm.

So here's an Architect's daughter's version of Cobbler.

Fresh Fruit Crock-Pot Cobbler

Core and dice:

4 peaches

6 pears

No need to peel them, but that's a personal preference.

1 dry pint blueberries

In a separate bowl combine the following:

2 Tbsp Cornstarch or Ultra Gel

1 cup sugar

1 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

Mix well to distribute molasses and cornstarch.

Then pour over diced fruit and stir to coat fruit.

Pour fruit into crock-pot.

In another bowl combine:

2 cups rolled regular oats

(I use Honeyville's Rolled 6 grain)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cube cold butter diced into small pieces

Stir to distribute butter the pour topping over fruit in crock-pot.

Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

Let cool slightly and serve.

Ice cream would be a lovely addition, but the only kind we had was Cookies and Cream.

Not the combination I was willing to make.

Super easy and yummy!

The Best Potato Soup I've ever made!

While scouring Pinterest for ideas, I came across a yummy potato soup recipe, but theirs used Ore-Ida shredded potatoes and since I'm a 'from scratch' kinda gal, I decided to rework the recipe using my own fresh potatoes. 

 Cheaper - definitely, tastier - of course, healthier - no doubt.

Plus I love that it's in the crock pot.  We have late church so crock pot meals are a must on Sunday.  Let's get to it.

Best Crock Pot Potato Soup, Ever!

 Wash and quarter your potatoes.  I'm using a combination of red and yellow potatoes.  I left the skin on for all those extra vitamins.

 Fill up  the blender part way with water and add a few potato chunks at a time.  Blend for about 30 seconds on low to shred the potatoes.

 The shreds will look like this.  Finish shredding potatoes, reserving the liquid.  I added an onion to the mix and shredded it just like the potatoes.

 Put the liquid back in the blender and add about 2 1/2 Tbsp chicken boullion to the water.

 Blend well to dissolve the boullion.

Fill up the crock pot with the shredded potato and onion.  Pour the broth over the potatoes. I had just enough liquid to barely cover the potatoes.  Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  I put it in at 10am and it was ready at 6pm.

About 20 minutes before serving, cube 1 package of cream cheese and add one un-diluted can of cream soup.  I used Cream of Mushroom, but Cream of Chicken would be great too!  I also added in one 1/2 cup of veggie blend that was frozen.  If you don't remember what that is, you can find it here.  The frozen veggies helped cool the soup slightly since my babies don't like it too hot.  Mix well to evenly distribute the cream cheese, soup, and veggies.

Fry up a few strips of bacon.  I used Turkey Bacon and pre-sliced it before cooking to make things easier.

Dish up the soup,  and sprinkle bacon a la "Bibbity Bobbity - BACON!"

My Hubs said this was the best Potato soup I've ever made.  Why thank you. Thank you very much.

I paired it with some homemade Molasses Oatmeal bread, and strawberry jam.  Perfect!

Baked Beans and Brown Bread

I love trying new recipes.  But I usually end up tweaking it to fit my style and tastes.  I'll give you both options.

New England Style Baked Beans

Soak 2 1/2 cups dried white or Navy beans overnight.  Drain off soaking liquid and put in a crock pot.

 Trim and peel 1 medium onion, leave whole. Stud the onion with 4 whole cloves.
(I didn't have any so I left them out)

 Cut up 8 oz bacon or salt pork.

 Add to crock pot along with the following:

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper to taste.
10 cups of water.

Turn crock pot on high for first hour, then turn it to low for the rest of the day.  Stir occationally. After it was done cooking, I cut up the onion separately and laid the slices over the beans for presentation.  I think I will just cut up the onion and incorporate it into the beans next time.

New England Brown Bread

I liked making this bread because it was totally different than anything I've ever done before.  I'm not a big rye fan so I think I will switch it out for more Whole Wheat flour next time.

This is rye.  It looks close to wheat but longer grains and slightly different color.

 Grind 1/2 cup rye flour and
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

In a mixer combine:
1/2 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1/2 cup rye flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

In another bowl combine:
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk  (this can be made with 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 tsp vinegar, let sit for about a minute to let the vinegar work)
1 egg slightly beaten

Pour liquid mix over flour mix and stir until just combined.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Clean and grease either a 13oz metal can or a #10 can.  Pour batter into can and cover with tin foil.

 Place can in large oven safe sauce pan with 6 cups water, or enough to hold the can, but not make it float.  Bring water to a boil over high heat.  Transfer can and pan with the water into oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.  It's about 2-2 1/2 hours.  A long time for bread, I know, but well worth it.

Remove can from water bath and let cool for 20 minutes.  Uncover and unmold bread from pan. Let cool and slice.  Slather with butter and serve with beans.

 I served it with salad, and some honey on the bread.

 Different from the normal, but very good!

Hawaiian Delight

For some reason I've been in the mood for Hawaiian stuff.  Call me crazy.  It's OK.  I don't mind.  Anyway here's what I made.  First, 

Slow Cooker Coconut Sweet Potatoes

 1/3 cup brown sugar
(I made this with white sugar and 1 Tbsp molasses. Mix well to get this)

Peel and dice 2 lbs of Sweet Potatoes.  Place in crock pot.

 Cover with brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter melted, 1/4 cup coconut, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4.
When finished stir in 1/4 tsp vanilla and 1/4 tsp coconut extract.

Toast 1/2 cup coconut in oven to sprinkle on top.

Second,

Hawaiian Delight
Heat your pressure cooker on the stovetop with 2 Tbsp olive oil.
Brown 6-8 chicken tenders
Add 1 cup white basmati rice
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
Cover and bring to pressure.  Pressure at second ring for 5 minutes.  Drop pressure with cold water around rim of pot.

Add 3/4 cups sour cream
2 stalks celery chopped
1/2 bell pepper diced
1 bunch green onions chopped
2 cups canned pineapple chunks drained

Stir to mix and serve over bed of chow mein noodles, topped with toasted coconut.

A little Island Fare in the middle of the desert!

A Family Favorite

Another signature dessert from my mom-in-law.

Plus you get to break the #1 rule in crock-pot cooking. Who-hoo! Who wants to break some rules once in a while?

Rice Pudding

In your crock-pot combine the following:

8 cups milk (any kind works, but it all depends on how creamy, I mean fattening, you want the rice pudding to be.)

1 cup rice (not brown)

Stir a little and cover. Set crock-pot tohigh for about 1-2 hours.

Now for some rule breaking!

The #1 rule in crock-pot cooking is don't lift the lid until the food is done cooking.

For rice pudding you need to stir it about every hour or so, whenever youremember to do it. I've put some on and left it while we went to church so it's OK if it isn't stirred that often.

Keep the temp at High for about 1-2 hours, then turn it down to Low.

Cook and stir for about 5-6 hours or until it gets a tapioca consistency. When it reaches this point, turn off the crock-pot and add the following:

2-3 beaten eggs (raw)

1 cup sugar

1 shake salt

1 Tbsp vanilla

Stir like crazy to cook the egg and dissolve the sugar, about 2-3 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, raisins, nuts, or whatever other mix-in you like.

Sooo Good!