Granted, this is not a “Halloween” recipe, but this is a perfect Fall recipe to use all those wonderful apples.

My family went on a little apple picking/wagon ride at one of our favorite orchards recently and let me tell you – ain’t nothing like picking your own apples. My sweet little doll had a blast and now wants to apple pick on a daily basis. This is why I tell my husband we need to have lots of apple trees So to keep track, I need to have  tart cherry trees, peach trees, and apple trees. They are beautiful in the spring and produce in the late Summer/Fall. We would save so much money (ha ha ha).

Michigan Ingredient (part 1): Variety of Michigan Apples!!

I like to use tart apples such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady, etc. They hold their same and the taste is just amazing. If you use a softer apple, such as Golden Delicious, keep in mind that the apple will not hold it’s shape as well.

Michigan Ingredients (part 2): Apple Cider, Cinnamon, and Meijer Brown Sugar

If you have an apple peeler and corer, please use it as it will make your job sooooo much easier. I have one, but it all depends on the size of the apple, and if the apple is on the “softer” side, etc.

Peel your apples.

Core the apples and chop. Seriously, this is the easiest recipe. It’s borderline embarrassing.

My family likes applesauce on the chunky side. So if you want your applesauce to be chunky, it is even easier as the chunks need to be larger as the apples will break down.

Look at how pretty. This is only half of the apples. I did not have a bowl big enough. I have a 5/6 quart slow cooker and it was filled to the top.

Sprinkle the apples heavily with cinnamon. If you are not a fan of cinnamon (which I don’t know anyone who is not a fan….), you do not have to have cinnamon to make this recipe. You can make it au naturel.

Give it a stir (take a fuzzy picture….). This was kind of hard to do in the slow cooker… but you can do it in the bowl if you want. I just didn’t have a bowl big enough…

Since it is quite a bit of apples, I decided to use 1 cup of apple cider.  Pour over the apples and cook on low for 6 hours.

If you cut the recipe in half, just cut the amount of liquid in half.  It all depends on how much liquid you want in your applesauce. It’s something that you can adjust to your own individual taste/preference as the apples (when they break down) will produce their own juice. AANNNNDDD of course, if you do not have apple cider, you can use water.

This is only have of the scraps of the apples. Why I took a picture, I don’t know… but it’s there. Let’s get real people!

Now I started this applesauce a little later in the day than I wanted; so I didn’t get to take a picture of taking the potato masher and mashing the apples in the slow cooker. It was about 9:30  in the evening and I was starting to get tired… yada yada yada.. 

When I add sugar, I usually sprinkle some in, give a little stir, and taste. Sometimes I add more, sometimes it’s just perfect. The amount of sweetness is a personal preference and a lot can depend on what apples you use.

Look at that. Chunky, homemade applesauce. So worth it.

When my daughter was a baby, I would make applesauce and puree it. I also didn’t add as much cinnamon. I eased her into my crazy world of cinnamon. This recipe makes quite a bit of apple sauce.

This applesauce is great to add to pancakes (inside the batter or even on top of the pancakes), oatmeal, warmed up and over ice cream, or just by itself.

Applesauce in Slow Cooker

 

Author:

Michigan from Scratch

Recipe type: Side dish

Serves: 3.5 qts

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A perfect applesauce that can be added to pancakes, oatmeal, or just by itself!

Ingredients

• 1 peck of Michigan Apples (20 large)
• 1 cup Apple Cider
• Cinnamon
• Brown Sugar

Instructions

1. Peel and core your apples.
2. Chop your apples into large chunks. This will help assure you to have chunky applesauce.
3. Place chopped apples into your slow cooker and sprinkle with cinnamon. Use as much or as little of cinnamon for your family's taste. Stir to evenly coat the apples.
4. Pour 1 cup of apple cider over the apples. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
5. When your applesauce is done, you can either mash your apples with a potato masher or puree it. Sprinkle with brown sugar to taste. Store in glass jars.

#version#

Peaches are the perfect end of summer fruit that helps glide you into pears and apples. I learned at a young age that peaches from a farm stand are always better than peaches from the grocery store (as the farm stand is usually Michigan peaches). One of the many beauties  of living in Michigan:  there are usually farm stands everywhere you go.

As I have aged, I’ve learned the value of eating veggies and fruit when they are in season so that you can buy local and the flavor is soooooooooooooo much better.

When it comes to peaches, I prefer to have the fresh ones if I am eating them straight (…. as a snack….). One of my favorite ways to use peaches is by making a baked good or dessert.

When I first made this cobbler, it was more of an experiment

I love the Slow Cooker Bible,  as I frequently use my crock-pot at least once a week.

Michigan Ingredient: Peaches

Further proof…. I just love.. love love love.. seeing the sticker say Michigan. It’s on a sticker, it’s gotta be true.

Michigan Ingredients 2.0: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Sugar

If I had Meijer Butter and Meijer Flour, this would be a completely Michigan recipe…. in due time this will occur

First things first, slice those peaches in half so that you can get the stone out. Yes, I call it a stone, others may call it the pit. I call it a stone because peaches are a… stone fruit. Please note that I did not take the skin off because everyone also says that the peel has so many nutrients… yada yada yada… so I kept the peel on. You can take the peel off if you prefer.

Slice the peaches into quarters/eighths depending on how large the peach is.

Place the peaches into a bowl and add 3/4 cups of sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg.  I know that you could combine the peaches, sugar, and spices in the slow cooker and save yourself some dishes (and believe me, I  love saving myself some dishes); but I have noticed that when I do that, the insert of the  slow cooker is harder to clean.

Give it a stir and try not to devour the peaches at this point. It is amazing. This is one of the things I love about making any type of pie.. cobbler… etc.. the “filling” always tastes amazing.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add diced cold butter.

Use your pastry cutter or the two fork method and “cut” the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea sized crumbs.

Pour over peaches and cover and cook on high for 2 hours.

It can’t get any better than this. …oh wait… yes it can…

Serve warm with ice cream or cool whip.

This is a perfect dessert to whip up if you need a dessert in a rush (i.e. people stop by… you want to be fancy… or have a mega sweet tooth).  I have made this recipe with canned peaches before, of which it tastes just as amazing.  This recipe can easily feed a family of 4; but if you know you are going to have left overs, you might want to take the peels off. I reheated the cobbler like I have done in the past with canned peaches and it’s amazing; not so much with the peels on. If the peels weren’t on, the fresh would taste just as amazing.

Peach Cobbler (Crock-pot)

 

Author:

Michigan from Scratch

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4-6

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A great transition dessert from summer to fall with one of the best late summer fruits!

Ingredients

• 32 oz (2 pounds) of Fresh Peaches or 2 cans of sliced peaches
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 1½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg

Cobbler

• ¾ cup Flour
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons cold butter, diced

Instructions

1. Start by slicing your peaches in half to remove the "stone" (pit). Then slice each peach in quarters (or eighths) depending on the size of the peach.
2. Place your peaches in a bowl and add 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¾ cups of sugar. Stir to combine. Pour your peaches into your slow cooker.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir to combine.
4. Use your pastry cutter or the two fork method and "cut" the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea sized crumbs.
5. Sprinkle evenly over peaches in the crock pot.
6. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours. Serve warm with cool whip or ice cream.

Notes

Note: If you know you are going to have leftovers, I would recommend take the peels off so that you can reheat the cobbler.

Recipe adapted from Slow Cooker Bible

#version#

Soup season in Michigan usually is from September to May,  as Michigan weather never really knows what it wants to do. Sometimes we have a late April snowstorm; and luckily, this year, we had said snowstorm in early April as opposed to late April (#glassishalffull). Since Michigan hasn’t decided that it will be consistently warm, I thought I would slide this recipe in there for you before the “soup season” is over. Me personally, I can eat soups all year round, so long as I am in air conditioning during the summer months. Something about soups just give me comfort; especially homemade soups because usually they are made with love (*cheeseburgers* <– a.k.a. cheesy).

This potato soup recipe is a great “set it and forget it” kind of recipe. There isn’t a lot of prep work and there are minimal ingredients. I usually make this soup when I don’t use my potatoes up as quickly as I thought I would or my ambitious side gets the best of me thinking that I will use up two 10 pound bags of potatoes because they were ON SALE.

Right now, I am in the process of making this an even more “from scratch” recipe as to the canned soup aspect. I know, I know; how can it be “from scratch” when you are using canned soup? Well, when it comes to making recipes in the crock-pot, usually you add your dairy at the end as it can wreck havoc on the dish. Dairy products (usually milk) do not do well being heated for hours on end. I will be working on making a stove-top version of this recipe, so keep an eye out for that.

Michigan Ingredient: Red skinned potatoes

I usually prefer to use red skinned potatoes, but whatever potatoes (except sweet potatoes) that you have on hand will work.

First things first, chop up your potatoes and green onions; BOOM, hard work is done. The rest is just dropping the rest of the ingredients (minus the milk, sour cream, and cheese) into the crock-pot, giving it a stir and going about your day. Now you just need to make a decision as to if you want to use the high or low setting. Totally up to you, whatever your preference may be.

Do not be alarmed if you see the potatoes brown a little toward the top, as that is normal. I promise that it will taste just as great. (Imagine said picture here as apparently I was too lax in taking pictures ha!)

After your cook time (whether it be 4 hours or 8 hours) add your milk, sour cream, cheese (shred same now if you need to) and stir.  Set the crock-pot on high for 10 minutes. If you are adding sausage, this is when I would start to brown my sausage. I would recommend that you drain (not rinse) your sausage onto a paper towel lined plate to get rid of the excess grease; blot as much as you can of the grease so as to not make your soup appear greasy.  After your 10 minutes is up, add your sausage and serve with homemade bread and butter.

Spicy Potato Soup (Slow Cooker)

 

Author:

Michigan from Scratch

Recipe type: Soups

Cuisine: Soups

Serves: 6-7

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours 20 mins

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Potato soup is a classic soup that (in my opinion) is right up there with chicken noodle.

Ingredients

• 2-2.5 pounds of Potatoes (your choice) - peeled, and chopped
• 2 cans of Cream of Mushroom Soup (reduced fat and sodium)
• 1½ cups of Green Onion, finely diced - divided
• ¼ teaspoon of Garlic Powder
• ⅛ teaspoon of Red Pepper (Caynnne)
• 1½ cups/block of Pepperjack Cheese - shredded
• 1 cup of Sour Cream
• 1 cup of Milk
• black pepper to taste
• ½ to 1 pound of Spicy Sausage (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine your potatoes, soups, 1 cup of green onions, garlic powder, and red pepper in your slow cooker. Cover, cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
2. Add cheese, sour cream, and milk; stir until cheese has completely melted. Cover, cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.If you are adding your sausage, brown same and add (be sure to blot the grease) to the soup. Season to taste with black pepper and garnish with remaining green onions.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Slow Cooker Bible

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