Apple Butter

I'm actually surprised that I'm posting this recipe. It is usually my gifts in the fall..but what kind of southerner would I be if I didn't share a delicious recipe?! 

APPLE BUTTER

15-20 medium size apples: peeled, cored, and cut into small pieces. (we like a softer apple such as gala, rome, etc. and will sometimes do a combo. They seem to "break down" faster)

3 1/2 cups of sugar

3 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

dash of salt

Put in crock pot and cover. Cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and let simmer (stirring occasionally) for 12 hours or until thick and dark/golden in color. (the color will sometimes be darker depending on the apples)

*I just ran into the kitchen and snapped a few shots..this is what it looks like when its almost finished!*

We put it on at night a lot and wake up to the smell of fall. ahh!! You can experiment with different apples as well. Thats just what we've come to notice over the years. We'll wait for apple season and find a ton of "as is" apples. They don't have to be perfect for apple butter! 

*Side note: We use an apple peeler we bought at a kitchen store for around $12 dollars! AMAZING. We then put the apple slices in our "vidala onion as seen on tv but i bought at bed bath and beyond chopper" ...it makes your life much easier! :) 

Sorry for rambling on...let me know if you have any questions and most importantly:
ENJOY!!!

STEP AWAY FROM THE SWEET TEA...

In true "southern girl" fashion, I make my own sweet tea. It's my momma's recipe. I go through phases where this is ALL I want to drink.

Here's the recipe:
1 (or 2) cups of sugar
6-7 (small) lipton or tetley tea bags
1 medium sauce pan filled with water

Place the sugar in the sauce pan filled with water. Put over high heat and "stir" into sugar is dissolved. Once it starts to boil, remove it from heat. Put the tea bags in the pot and let sit for 30 mins. Once the 30 mins is up, remove the tea bags and pour the tea into a pitcher of your choice. Fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water and stir.  Refrigerate and enjoy!!!

Scary Storms!

My prayers are with everyone that is being affected by this today: 

This has been the scene for our area all last night and today. I was awake every other hour by the clap of thunder or flash of light through our bedroom window. Since I live with a "wanna be storm chaser" he kept saying, (as I shot straight up in bed every. single. time.) "We are fine. Don't worry. I'm right here. Enjoy it." Enjoy it?! I have never once enjoyed a "storm" ..a nice rain while I'm sleeping, yes. A storm, no! 

I've been watching the news all day, and it looks like we have been lucky so far. As bad as it seems during times here, the damage everywhere else is horrible! My prayers are with everyone affected by these storms. I pray God protects you and your families! 

Last Nights Dinner

Yesterday, Jordan asked that I make something that his co-worker's wife makes...I was so relieved to have him make a suggestion for once! I know, I shouldn't complain. Some wives have a hard time fixing meals for their husbands BECAUSE they are picky. I just like to have suggestions thrown at me every once in a while! He doesn't have a picky food bone in his body so when he makes a recommendation, I jump on it! 


Slow Cooker Pulled Pork 
(Gotta' love his heart for picking a dish with 3 ingredients and a slow cooker! )


1 (2 lb.) pork tenderloin
1 (12 ounce) can or bottle of root beer
1 (18 ounce) bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce
Hamburger buns


Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. (I poked holes in the pork tenderloin with a fork first so the marinade would absorb good) Cover and cook on low for about 6-7 hours or until well cooked and the pork shreds easily. Drain and stir in BBQ sauce. Serve over hamburger buns. 


Yummy! We added a little bit of mustard with the BBQ sauce and it turned out great! Enjoy! 

LAST WEEKS FAVORITE DISH

Sorry it has been a while since I've posted a "normal" menu. Life has been super busy. Here was our favorite dish  from this past week.

"Campfire Chicken"
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 potato cut into pieces (or a few small red potatoes)
1/2 red or green pepper cut into strips
1/2 squash & zuccini cut into pieces
several mushrooms cut into pieces
2 TBS of cream of chicken (or cream of mushroom)
Salt & pepper (or poultry seasoning of your choice)

*The great thing about this dish is you can add YOUR favorite veggies and it always turns out great! We've used carrots, mushrooms, potatoes, peppers, squash ...you name it!*


Cut out 2 or 3 big squares of aluminum foil. I spray the pieces with PAM (so the chicken doesn't stick). Place each chicken breast onto a separate pice of foil. Put 1 TBS cream of chicken (or mushroom) on top of the chicken breast. Season with salt and pepper. Add different veggies around the outside of the chicken breast. Once you have the different veggies of your choice on and around the chicken breast, wrap the foil around the chicken. *It looks like you going to put it over a campfire*
Place in oven on 350 degrees and bake for 50 mins-1 hour. (I usually put them on a cookie sheet incase it bubbles over at all!)

Jordan's mom gave me this recipe a few years ago and it never disappoints! I usually use what veggies we have in the fridge and it always tastes great. It goes great served over rice or just by itself. With the veggies and potatoes already cooked with the chicken, it's a big meal in one! 

Every girl needs a little bling for her ring, right?!

While cleaning my rings this weekend, I realized this "best kept secret" should be told! As most of you know, I worked at the "GemStore by Jewelry Television" for several years. While working there I asked our jeweler what the best solution was for cleaning jewelry. It is so simple and AWSOME. I can actually see stuff floating around in the solution after I clean my rings ( I know, so gross but so cool at the same time!)

Ok here it is....

1/3 cup (green) Mr. Clean

1/3 cup ammonia 

1/3 cup water

TA DA!! 

My momma has her solution in a pretty glass jar and I keep mine in an old Jewelry cleaning jar. Every now and then I drop my rings down in the solution and will leave it all day or drop it in real quick if we are about to head out the door. It doesn't matter how long you leave them in it..it cleans it so good, every single time! Once you get your jewelry out of the solution...PLUG YOUR DRAIN!!! and then rinse with water. You'll be surprised at how much bling you will have! :)

I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT, AGAIN!

I've already shouted it from the facebook rooftops, but forgot to tell the blog world. My brother and Azeobb are pregnant and are due in October! They told us several weeks ago, but we waited until she was 12 weeks to tell everyone else. Jordan and I feel so blessed! We have been wanting nieces and nephews FOREVER and in one year we are going to have two!! 


Simon was born in February and Baby Kingsmore is due in October...how fun will Christmas be this year?! Thank you, God! You are so good!!