Often overlooked, yet wonderful cranberries!

Ingredients
12 ounces (one standard bag) unsweetened fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup Splenda
1 packet Crystal Light Orange Sunrise powder
1 packet sugar free strawberry jello powder (.3 oz)

• Rinse cranberries.  Place cranberries in 2-quart saucepan with 1 cup water.
• Stir in Splenda, drink mix, and jello powder.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Turn heat to medium-low and simmer, smashing and stirring every few minutes until cranberries have all popped and sauce has thickened.
• Serve warm, or place into covered container and refrigerate.

When I went into the kitchen to clean up for the night, I basically dumped all the ingredients into a pan and monitored them as I filled up the dishwasher and wiped down the counters.  I turned the stove off just shy of the desired thickness and stirred once in awhile as it cooled down right on the burner.   That’s how quick and easy this is to make.  In fact, once I make it for Thanksgiving, I remember just how tasty it is and continue to make it weekly throughout the winter.  It is WONDERFUL stirred into greek yogurt or just eaten by itself as a snack.  You can certainly freeze some bags of cranberries to make this throughout the year.  I like to leave it as a seasonal treat.

Fall scented simmer!

You can play with this recipe a bit.  The original recipe calls for raspberry gelatin, but I already had strawberry on hand.  It turned out great.  I am trying out peach on a friend a bit later.  Can’t wait to see how that comes out!  You can also swap out Crystal Light flavors.  The original recipe calls for orange.  I had Orange Sunrise on hand, so in it went.  Yes, I “went rogue” by swapping out Orange for Orange “Sunrise”.   By the way…  one of the new style long Orange Sunrise packets, intended for a 2 quart pitcher of Crystal Light, comes out to exactly 1 tablespoon.

Suzy’s recipe calls for cinnamon.  A pinch of cinnamon is a fantastic addition.  Be sure you don’t overdo it.  A pinch will do.  Not everyone in my house likes cinnamon, so I leave it out most of the time.  Suzy’s recipe also says you can make this in a crock pot.  How I overlooked that, I have no idea.  What a wonderful recipe to have simmering on the counter all day.  I just love recipes that double as holiday potpourri.  You can bet I will try that soon.  I will probably need to double the ingredients to make it in my slow cooker effectively.

Also, I have never tried, but I am betting this cranberry sauce could make a wonderful top layer for some sort of cheesecake or cream cheese based pie.  It is so easy and has many many uses.  I recommend you try it at least once, even if you don’t care for traditional cranberry sauce.

Ready for Snackin'

There it is in all its saucy glory.  It’s still pretty warm there, but it continued to thicken in the refrigerator overnight.  I just had some, mixed into Fage Total, for my breakfast.

This recipe was given to me years ago by a good friend. Unfortunately, we’ve fallen out of touch. Still, I remember her each year when I make this. It’s become a Thanksgiving staple. Here is the recipe in its original form…

Ingredients
One 18 ounce can sweet potatoes, drained
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon margarine or unsalted butter
1/4-1/2 cup miniature marshmallow (not colored)
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
One 8 3/4 ounce can peach slices

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In one bowl, stir ginger into brown sugar.
• Cut the butter up into tiny little squares on a separate plate.
• Drain and slice sweet potatoes into their own bowl.
• Drain and place peaches into yet another bowl.
• In a 1 quart casserole dish, layer half the potatoes, half the brown sugar mixture, and half the peaches.
• Repeat layering to use up remaining ingredients.
• Bake uncovered in 375 degree oven. Spoon liquid from bottom of dish over top of potatoes once or twice during cooking. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until potatoes are glazed.

To start with, I usually double this recipe into a 2 quart dish and use an equivalent amount of fresh boiled sweet potatoes cut into chunks. I also use Splenda brown in lieu of regular brown sugar. This year, I might try Whey Low Gold. Typically, I can find a can of peaches with a Splenda base instead of heavy syrup. Fresh sliced peaches also work. I never use the marshmallow option. In spite of them still being in the list of ingredients… what to do with them has disappeared from my archives. I assume you would just throw the marshmallows on top during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Honestly, though, I think marshmallows would just wreck the unique and subtle peachy ginger taste.   This year, I also may try an earlier suggestion from NanaLinda to swap out a portion of sweet potatoes with butternut squash.

This recipe is not in my SparkRecipes database yet. It is in my RecipeZaar repertoire though. I just put in a request to have it made public. Check back later for the URL! I will also be creating my own Thanksgiving menu on there and will make that URL public. In the meantime, here are 220 other public Thanksgiving menus on RecipeZaar. Remember to sort by rating. THESE ARE FULL THANKSGIVING MENUS… not individual recipes. If you don’t already have a set of favorites, have a look through these. It may save you immeasurable amounts of time.

PLENTY ! And in the Food for Thought series this week, I shall elaborate.  For today, the subject will be aromas.  We already know that aromas can influence our moods.  For instance, the smell of Lavender is known for having a calming effect.  In day spas and hotels, where relaxation is the order of the day, you will often find lavender candles and lavender scented products.

So, the other day I gathered up my coupons and went on a minor holiday preparation spree.  My first stop was The Yankee Candle Company.  I am a Yankee Candle snob.  I’m hard pressed to find candles that smell as good as a Yankee Candle.  (When determining whether a candle company  merits my hard earned dollars, I follow my mother’s rule… smell the vanilla candle first.)  Last year, I burned a lot of Autumn Wreath scented candles.  This year I stocked up on…

• Vanilla Pumpkin… burning right now and smells divine.
• Be Thankful… has all the fine scents of a productive holiday kitchen and is next to be sacrificed at the altar.
• Holiday Wreath… stashed for December and reminds me of a blue fir tree.
• Jack Frost… also stashed for December / January and smells like a candy cane.

Food for thought.... or not!

I have learned to appreciate the smell of food as much as the taste, as that was the only way to defeat Aunt Annie’s Pretzels on my way home from work every day.  (Dammit if those pretzel franchises don’t come equipped by default with a giant fan to waft the pretzel aroma the entire length of the train station.)  If you are easily tempted to eat by the smell of food, there are plenty of non-food scented candles to be had that smell equally as wonderful.  Being a member of their mailing list, I had a coupon which knocked down the cost substantially.  I also had the opportunity to purchase an additional large Macintosh Apple scented candle for just $5, which I gladly took them up on with the intention of giving it as a gift.  Guess I can’t really do that now, can I?  :)   Oh well.  I’m forced to burn it.  If you don’t want to sign up to the Yankee Candle mailing list, you can also buy them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond using their seemingly ever present coupons.

Now that we’ve covered candles, let’s move on to body scents.  If I had to choose, I’d give up everything to retain my scented soaps and creams when it comes to my beauty regimen (after eyeliner!)  I usually prefer Victoria’s Secret when it comes to these… Lord knows none of the clothes in there fit me right.  (I have concerns about any undergarment referred to as a “balconette” !!)  However, to slather myself with the traditional smells of the holiday season, I turn to Bath & Body Works.  Being a little short on cash, I opted to purchase disinfecting moisturizing hand soaps this time.  On sale, they didn’t cost much more than what I normally buy in Walmart…  and anyone who washes their hands in my house can now smell lovely and be moisturized & germ free.  (No, I don’t get paid to say that.  Wish I did!)   I picked Frosted Orange Spice for Autumn, and Vanilla Bean Noel and Festive Vanilla Fig for Winter.  (Are you sensing a theme here?  If only there were chocolate candles that actually smelled like chocolate..)

Finally, since money is tight these days and the holidays aren’t necessarily about spending money either, let’s talk about stuff you can do for free.  You can cut pieces from a pine tree and fashion your own homemade wreath or potpourri.  You can make a dainty little sachet with material from an old blouse, thread, cotton and the spices and oils in your cupboards.  You can make a fire in the fireplace.  You can put vanilla extract and water into a pan on the stove and let it simmer.  You can add spices to coffee or water or to just about anything you already drink every day.  Drop some cinnamon and orange rind into the coffee beans before you grind them.  (I have a whole post planned pertaining to wise warm winter beverages.  Stay tuned this week!)

In a nutshell… your home is truly your castle.  Whether you live alone or with a crew, you can go crazy and make whatever fantasy out of it that you wish… however you wish.  These things that smell so attractive also make the house look festive.   Not to mention, while you’re shopping or crafting… you’re not eating.

So… I had beef that needed to be used, a hankering for chili, and a husband who doesn’t like beans.  Slamming together a crock of chunky beef chili was the natural course of action.  It was another excellent Sunday football alternative to the typical fried fare, and one more reason to use my beloved slow cooker / crock pot.

This isn’t really like a traditional 3-alarm chili, but I think you will like it.  This recipe looks involved, but it is really quite easy.  Lots of ingredients, but you will notice it involves mostly canned goods and powdered spices.  Having said that, you can make it as fresh and gourmet as your abilities allow.  Talk about versatile!

Columbus sailed the ocean blue looking for a collection of spices like this!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced – I used jarred.
2 pounds beef, cubed
1 can diced tomatoes, 14.5 oz no salt added
12 ounces stout beer – I used Sam Smith’s Oatmeal
8 ounces strong fresh brewed coffee – I used Kona
2 cans tomato paste, 6 oz each
1 can beef broth, 50% less sodium
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 tablespoon chili powder – I used chipotle
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon cocoa – I used Hershey’s Special Dark
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon morton lite salt
4 chili peppers, chopped

Directions

• Heat oil in saute pan. Saute onions and garlic until onions are tender.
• Add beef to pan and just lightly brown.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to your large slow cooker and stir until combined.
• Add contents of saute pan to slow cooker, making sure it is well incorporated.
• Cover and simmer on low for 7 to 10 hours, depending on how you like your meat and making sure the meat is cooked through.

Let’s go through the ingredients one by one, as there are so many ways this can go.  Canola oil or olive oil are the healthiest oils in my cabinet, but any cooking oil will do.  I chopped my own onions, but if you can usually buy them already chopped for a bit more money.  I buy jars of minced garlic and measure out by the teaspoon.  Mincing your own garlic isn’t too hard with a good press, but having a jar on hand sure helps when I’m short on time.  If you don’t feel like chopping chili peppers, you can probably use a small can of drained peppers.  Just about any beef will do.  I happened to have some grass fed stew beef and a New York strip on hand.

Most of the canned goods can be found in a reduced sodium or no salt added variety.  I also always use Morton Lite Salt where regular salt is required.  Any dark beer should work, but you can leave the beer out altogether for better nutritional stats.  The beer really adds something, so if you can afford it… go for it.  I used oatmeal stout, but I think Guinness would be good.  A light beer might be a decent compromise.  (If you try it, let me know!)   Any strong coffee will do, but I had a nice Kona in the morning pot.  A cup of instant would probably suffice, if you have nothing else.

Adjust the spices to your liking.  Any chili powder will do, but I love chipotle chili powder.  A tablespoon might not seem like much, but this was pretty darn spicy.  Better to be safe than sorry, if you’re not sure.  This recipe could probably live without the Splenda Brown, but the beer / coffee / chocolate / brown sugar combo is out of this world.  Though I’ve not tried it, you could probably use less beef and add a couple cans of kidney beans.

Because the stats can so widely vary, you should calculate your own for the purposes of journaling.  I do have this one in my SparkRecipes recipe box, though the stats might not be very accurate.  Click on View Full Nutritional Breakdown to see how the ingredients I pulled from the Spark database differ from the ones I actually used.   A lot of the sugar comes from tomatoes, but some of it doesn’t.  Adjust according to what your diet allows.  I approximated the number of servings based on a 3 ounce serving of beef.  I measured out my 3 ounces into a cute little bowl for myself and my husband received about twice that in a regular bowl along with a warm dinner roll.

The sweet roasty goodness of Autumn veggies. Yum!

Ingredients
3.5 cups cleaned and cut acorn squash, raw
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 large portabella mushroom cap, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon pumpkin seed oil
morton lite salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, toss squash, onions, and mushrooms with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
• Place into shallow roasting dish or on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until squash is tender and sweet.
• Drizzle with the pumpkin seed oil.  That’s it!!!!  Enjoy.

This is the ultimate comfort food. Sweet, healthy, and simple! A little bit of fiber, the benefits of olive oil, and just a hint of protein. Squash is a veggie that is a little higher in carbs, but you’re clocking in just 12g or so per serving with this fine dish.

As you read above, I bought the pumpkin seed oil at Wegmans. You should be able to find it in the same section as olive oil in your grocery store or among the gourmet foods.  If you’re lucky, you can access a Wegmans and buy some pre-prepped acorn squash.  This allowed me to toss this together in record time.

Could I earn money as a Pumpkin Squeezer?

Even if you can’t get to a Wegmans, you can click those links to see the nutritional stats of each ingredient.

The original recipe called for shallots.  Alas, my shallots went off before I had a chance to use them.  No matter.  I threw in some regular white onion, and I added the sliced portabella cap, while I was at it.  You can add just about any vegetables you want.  Beets… carrots… potatoes… other kinds of squash.  Go ahead and clean out the veggie drawer.  Make sure the vegetables aren’t toooo overcrowded.  If you increase the overall amount of the vegetables, you might want to add a bit more olive oil.  (I don’t need to remind you to take into account the nutritional stats of any changes you make, right?  Especially potatoes will up the carbs.)

I love all kinds of roasted Autumn root vegetables, but the acorn squash was surprisingly sweet and warmed me up on a particularly chilly Maryland night.  I think you will love it, too.  The pumpkin seed oil added a lovely and tasty touch, but if you can’t find it… don’t let that stop you.  I find a shallow baking dish easier to deal with than a lined baking sheet.  Even with the oil, they still kind of stick.

Squarshies!

Find this recipe in my SparkRecipes recipe box.

We call our carving knife Big Pete to pay homage to my father. He calls his Old Tom.

Ingredients
A turkey breast, bone-in, approx 6 pounds.
1 packet onion soup mix

Directions

• Rinse turkey and pat dry.
• Cut off excess skin, but leave the skin that covers the breast.
• Rub onion soup mix evenly over outside of turkey and under the skin.
• Place in slow cooker, breast side down.
• Cover and cook on high for 1 hour.
• Switch slow cooker to low setting and cook for 7 more hours.

Prepped for the pot.

You may or may not be aware that you can usually buy a whole bone-in turkey breast from your grocer’s meat case, as opposed to an entire turkey with the legs and whatnot.  Our Walmart always has them.  This particular one came from Safeway.

It is important to leave the skin on, as that’s what seals in the herbs, spices, and moisture.  You can remove the skin easily enough at carving time.  If you are into eating the skin, this recipe is not for you.  The skin does not get crispy, nor is it aesthetically pleasing.  I avoid the skin in any case.  To me, it is not worth the extra calories, fat, and cholesterol.  I assume cooking the turkey with the skin on makes for more calories and fat than would otherwise be there had I removed it to begin with, but eating the skin itself is a whole new level of crap.  This is a fair compromise for getting a nice moist turkey out of a slow cooker.  If you are careful when cutting off the excess skin from the ends, you can provide yourself with a couple nice slits through which to cram the soup mix underneath.

I did miss the dark meat, but I can do without that, too.  That is something I will certainly be eating at The Big Meal.  I don’t need it bad enough to cook an entire turkey for two people.  As with regular oven roasted turkey, cooking breast side down allows gravity to pull moisture down into the bulk of the meat.  Do not overcook.  I actually took this out of the slow cooker after about 6.5 hours on low.  I can often remove meat in far less time than a recipe states.  If I go the full 7 or 8, that’s when I end up with something dried out and unworthy.  Having said that, MAKE SURE IT IS DONE.

The man of the house still gets to do the carving.

Any onion soup mix will do.  This time, I used Walmart’s brand.  If you are concerned about sodium, look for a low sodium mix… or, make your own.  Really, it does not matter what herbs and spices you use.  You will probably want a little bit of salt to help keep the turkey tender, but I don’t think the recipe would be a great loss without it.  Morton Lite salt is a nice compromise, or you can find many salt-free herb & spice mixes on the shelf.  The dried onions add a nice touch, though.  I recommend you include them in whatever you do.

Can't you just smell the aroma from your office chair? (Get back to work!)

This is a recipe I make several times throughout the year.  Turkey is hardly the worst thing one can eat, so I didn’t mind making it the other night so that I could share it with you and also to make sure it would provide everything to make our Thanksgiving traditional and festive.  Indeed, I had wonderful aromas, a nice moist turkey breast, and plenty of leftovers for sandwiches.  This recipe makes about 6 to 8 normal-sized servings.

Gravy cheat!

There are drippings left in the crock that could probably be worked into a homemade gravy, but the point here is to keep things simple.  I used a packaged gravy I found at Wegmans.

I served it with some roasted acorn squash drizzled with pumpkin seed oil.  (That was luscious and a recipe for posting another day!)

As usual, I have this recipe in my SparkRecipes recipe box.  However, the nutritional analysis is likely a bit off kilter.  I calculated for 6 pounds of turkey breast meat.  In the end, the total amount of meat would be a bit less since the bone is factored into the weight of the turkey on the label.  Also, I put the soup mix in as a custom ingredient.  Sugar, fiber, protein, etc. are all listed as less than 1 on the label, but I always round that up to 1.  Better safe than sorry, though I’m sure there are far less carbs and sugar per serving that the nutritionals indicate.  For the purposes of tracking, you are better off to weigh your own personal serving and enter that into your tracker.  One thing is certain, turkey has tons of protein!

The pumpkin has absolutely nothing to do with anything. Touch of Autumn.

Ingredients
7 large egg yolks
2 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar free maple maltitol based syrup
1/4 cup erythritol
1/2 cup Whey Low
2 Tbsp Splenda Brown
2/3 cup carrot juice
1 cup VERY finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

• In medium (non-reactive) bowl, whisk yolks and whole eggs until combined.
• Add erythritol, Whey Low, Splenda Brown, and maltitol syrup.  Once again, whisk until combined.
• Add carrot juice and a pinch of salt.  Whisk, whisk, whisk-a-go-go.
• Put mixture in (non-reactive) pan. Cut butter into 4 pieces, and add to pan. Cook over medium to low heat stirring CONSTANTLY with a wooden spoon until mixture thickens into a thin sauce-like consistency.

Combining eggs, carrots, juice, and a veritable cocktail of sweeteners.

The recipe says to stir constantly, and it means CONSTANTLY! There is a very fine line here between creating a sauce and creating sweet scrambled eggs with carrots… at least the way I did it.  Maybe the next few paragraphs will allow me to blame something besides my own ineptitude.

I had a lot of curiosity to satisfy by the time I was done with this recipe.  First of all, what in blazes is a curd?   Indeed, it’s a byproduct of cheesemaking, but according to Wikipedia…

“The word can also refer to a non-dairy substance of similar appearance or consistency, though in these cases a modifier or the word curdled is generally used (e.g., bean curds, lemon curd, or curdled eggs).”

Silly me.  I know what curdled eggs are.  Nevertheless, I pulled up one or two more definitions to satisfy my obsessive curiosity.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary says…

1 : to form curds; also : to congeal as if by forming curds [a scream curdled in her throat]

Ahhh… the plot thickens!  lolz.  See what I did there??  And I think curdled screaming is very Halloween appropriate, so we’ll leave that there.  Finally, dictionary.net says…

1. To change into curd; to cause to coagulate. “To curdle whites of eggs” –Boyle. [1913 Webster]
2. To congeal or thicken. [1913 Webster]

Ok, I’m more than satisfied.  Was it good for you, too?

That spoon should be stirring!@~

Alrighty.  Next course of action was to find out a little more about non-reactive pans and bowls.  I knew it had something to do with acid and metal, but my cookware is limited.  I went with what I had.  Turns out, I was ok with the non-stick pan.  Might be that the non-stick pan only worked because it’s cheap and all the non-stick coating has worn off.

Recipe Tips had this to say on the subject of non-reactive crap…

A pan or bowl made of non-porous material the does not alter or add a flavor to or change the color of a food being prepared. Stainless steel, glass, enamel, and glazed ceramic are examples of non-porous materials that do not adversely affect the taste and appearance of foods such tomatoes or citrus fruits that are high in acidic content and may react with absorb components of porous substances. [sic]

The jist of my research was:  Avoid aluminum.

Perhaps my noxious plastic storage container isn't ideal either.

Of course, the first thing I did with this was add it to Greek yogurt.  I like to make sweet snacks with Greek yogurt as the base, but I usually wind up adding an extra packet or two of sweetener to the concoction.  This was the first thing I ever added that required no enhancement.  It didn’t take much.  It is SUPER sweet.  You might opt to cut back on the sweeteners a bit, depending upon what you plan to do with it.  I never seem to remember that you need only 1/2 as much Splenda Brown as brown sugar called for in a recipe.  Not sure that had much of a bearing here, all told…

I might have to go ahead and make a low sugar version of the pumpkin bread featured in the original recipe, just so I can drizzle this on top!  So, I really don’t know what a serving size is.  I reckon I had about 4 cups when all was said and done… and I think I used about 1/8 cup on my Greek yogurt, if that.  If you can MODERATE the amount you use, this can be enjoyed as part of a reduced sugar / reduced carb program.  Having said that, Whey Low provided a large portion of the sweetener.  Whey Low claims to be low impact.  Nevertheless, it’s still a form of sugar.  Make of that what you will.  This was the first time I cooked with Whey Low.  It worked out pretty well, but I will still moderate my usage of the stuff.  I really wanted to wait until I found some Whey Low gold, but I gave up.  I should have ordered some from the good ole information superhighway when I first thought about it, but I was wrastlin’ with my inner moppet over that sugar issue.

Pathetic and lazy, I bought a Pumpkin Pal. What's with the teeth?

My husband has a link for everything!

Find this recipe in my SparkRecipes recipe box.
For the full-on real thing, visit Anatomy of a Dinner Party.

Cheesy Pork Stuffed Apples

Ingredients
2 apples
1 tablespoon margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 pound ground pork
1/4 tsp lite salt
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp cider vinegar (optional)
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

Directions

• Cut apples in half horizontally. Using a melon baller or small spoon, remove core and inner flesh until you are left with a wall about 1/2″ thick. Chop and set aside 1/2 cup of inner flesh.
• Set apples, hollow side up, into a baking dish just big enough to leave about an inch of space around each apple.
• In medium to large pan, saute onions in margarine until slightly tender. Add thyme, pepper, and salt. Saute another minute. Add pork, the reserved 1/2 cup apple flesh, and vinegar. Saute until pork is just shy of done and apple flesh is tender.
• Remove pan from heat. Let pork mixture cool a minute or two then stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese.
• Scoop pork mixture evenly into the four hollowed out apple halves. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and some more fresh ground pepper.
• Pour the chicken broth into the bottom of the pan.
• Bake about 25 minutes until cheese on top is lightly browned and apples are tender..
• Serve as soon as possible.

Fruity meat!

This turned out to be pretty tangy. If tangy isn’t your scene, you might opt to leave out the cider vinegar or even use a less tart kind of apple. Personally, I really enjoyed the strong flavor that resulted.

Melon ballers aren't just for balling melons anymore! Or something...

As you can see by my apples, you don’t need to worry about perfection when it comes to coring. If you care, you can cover up uneven coring and other imperfections with the stuffing for a better presentation. I often find that people are afraid to experiment in the kitchen because they’re not very good at the finer details of preparation. Be aware that even the finest gourmet chefs (which I’m clearly not) are not always perfectionists. What they are is good at creatively covering up their mistakes. If you’ve ever repaired a torn or uneven cake with extra frosting, you know what I’m talking about.

Are you going to Scarborough Faire?

If you make a hole in your apple when removing the stem or with the slip of your utensil, simply plug it up with some of the flesh.  This trick doesn’t really make for a better presentation, but it does keep your apple from being useless.

When I am stuffing smaller objects, such as mushrooms, I find an ice cream scoop… or even a cookie dough scoop… comes in very handy.   The cavities of apples are big enough, though, that a spoon worked well enough.

Stuff your stuffed stuff into the oven.

Obligatory artsy froo froo pic.

Unflattering composition? Fork it!

This was a fine alternative to the typical hearty Autumn dishes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Find this recipe in my SparkRecipes recipe box.

Once again, my slow cooker brings me great joy.  I usually make pumpkin butter in a pan on the stove.  This year I decided to give the slow cooker a shot at it.  Wow, was I pleased.  Not only did it put out a substantial quantity of tasty pumpkin butter… it made my house smell divine for 4 hours.  The spicy aroma lingered for the rest of the day, giving my home all the cozy feelings of Autumn.

The luscious ingredients being stirred into the slow cooker to later form a delectable cauldron of pumpkiny sin...

Ingredients

4 cans 100% pumpkin puree
2 cups Splenda granular
1 cup sugar free pancake syrup
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Directions

• Stir together all ingredients in slow cooker / crock pot.
• It is wise to squeeze the lemon into a separate bowl first so that you can easily remove errant seeds with a fork.
• Cook on low for about 4 hours, stirring and scraping sides once every 30 minutes or so.
• When you have achieved a thick and smooth texture you’re happy with, move the contents to a storage container and refrigerate.

While it is delicious right out of the pot, I prefer to refrigerate it for about a day before serving.  You can use it as a dip for ginger spiced cookies or graham crackers.  Adorn it with chopped nuts and fat free whipped cream.  Top pie or cake with it.  Personally, my favorite way to eat it is naked from a spoon or stirred into Greek yogurt.  This recipe makes a substantial amount, so you can try it every which way your heart desires.

Doesn't this make you want to just slam your face into the pot?

I used two 15 ounce cans of 100% pumpkin puree.  DO NOT use the pumpkin pie filling that is often stocked next to the puree.  If you use homemade pumpkin puree, you will need about 7 cups.  For the syrup, I used Safeway brand sugar free breakfast syrup.  Any sugar free syrup will probably work.  Maple syrup wannabes are recommended.  I lightly squeezed the juice out of the lemon into a bowl before adding it to the slow cooker.  This makes it easier to sift out errant seeds with a fork.  Next time, I will probably add more pumpkin pie spice.  For most people, 2 teaspoons is probably sufficient.  I like my fall foods very spicy.

Autumn Gold!

Happy noshing!

Find this recipe in my SparkRecipes recipe box.

It took one 4 cup container and one 3 1/8 cup container to store the full recipe, give or take the samples I stole along the way!  I would say it yields about 7 1/4 cups total.  I calculated for 1/4 cup serving size to get the Spark nutritional info.