December 1: Apple Butter Bars

Apple Butter Bars (Recipe Follows after Apple Butter Prep)

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Ingredients:
5 pounds Gala apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Put the apples, both sugars, all the spices, and the salt in a slow cooker and cover. Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce the heat and cook for 6-8 hours, or until the mixture is dark and thick. Cook uncovered for about 1 hour. Remove from the heat and, with an immersion (stick) blender, beat the mixture until smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, you can puree the mixture in a blender.

Apple Butter Bars

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (6.8 oz) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Slow Cooker Apple Butter
1/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line a 9x13 inch metal pan with nonstick foil or spray with flour-added baking spray.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a large mixing bowl and stir well. Add the oats and both sugars. Make a well in the center and add the butter and vanilla, then mix well with a wooden spoon until well blended. The mixture should be moist but still kind of crumbly.
3. Press half of the mixture into your prepared baking pan, pressing down tightly. Spread the apple butter over the top. Sprinkle with with the remaining crumb mixture, pressing down slightly. Sprinkle the pecans over the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely in the pan and cut into 36 bars.

Thoughts: I never realized that apple butter wasn't actually butter. I guess its called apple butter because of its consistency rather than the ingredients. Apple butter is more like applesauce, but sweeter. It was just a little annoying to manage the time to cook the stuff. The actual bars were easy to make. They were very good and when they are warm, they are even better.