Applesauce (slow cooker)

We have two large, well established apple trees on our property - a Grimes Golden and a Gravenstein - which, over the years have succeeded in giving us copious amounts of fruit which have gone towards the making of pies and tarts, and cider, and the freshest apple juice that you've ever tasted (the Gravenstein is just pure heavenly nectar that gets squeezed out at a local 'juicing' company called The Cider Press), and of course applesauce - from chunky to go alongside juicy pork chops, and spiced to be used in cakes and cookies, to o'naturel-nothing-added pureed for friends babies.

Unfortunately this isn't the time of year for us to be able to harvest our own crop, but horror of horrors I've completely ran out of our applesauce in the pantry and I just can't bring myself to buy the grocery store brand - I think I've been completely spoilt from being able to make my own now. :o)  I usually make it in a saucepan but have decided today to give the slow cooker a try after coming across quite a number of other people that prefer to make it this way.  Apart from the usual prep work at either end of the day of chopping and storing it's all the same simple ingredients just a longer cooking time where I can just forget about it - and the house smells....DIVINE!!!!

Applesauce (slow cooker)
makes approx 5 cups

15 small-medium apples (I used a mix of Spartan and Royal Gala today)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup water (or fresh apple juice)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
juice from 1 lemon

• peel, core and dice the apples and put into a 5-6 quart slow cooker.
• in a small bowl, combine all the other ingredients and pour over the apples:  mix well.
• cover and cook on LOW heat for 8-10 hours (or HIGH for 3-4 hours).
• when the apples are soft and tender use either a potato masher or an immersion blender to get your desired consistency.

 Applesauce ingredients.

peel the apples - yay, all in one piece!!

I use my handy coring and slicing gadget, but that's just me :o)

dice all the apples and put them into the slow cooker.

mix all the other ingredients in a small bowl (most of the cinnamon will float and won't mix all that well, but that's okay.)

pour the liquid over the diced apples;  mix well, cover and cook.

 after 9 hours of cooking on low heat.

I like to use my applesauce in cookie and cake recipes so I mash it a little to break down the larger pieces.

sometimes I freeze the applesauce in plastic containers or strong ziploc bags, or as I did today I processed them in jars to store in the pantry.

before I mashed the applesauce I took out a couple of spoonfuls with the larger chunks to put over some creamy vanilla ice cream - yummy!!!

Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls

We spent a wonderful couple of hours yesterday at the home of very good friends of ours, for a small pre-Christmas get together.  My friend made some delicious guacamole, succulent bacon wrapped scallops (thankfully there were a few left over that she very kindly sent home with me :), a platter of cheese, crackers and veggies, and a wonderful assortment of cookies, cakes and other sweet treats (one of which was her delicious shortbread cookies, a family recipe with a secret ingredient - I now know it and have been sworn to secrecy!!! :) .  I took along some crispy chicken fingers (a favourite food of her eldest little boy), and these baked vegetable egg rolls.

I have to admit that appetizers are one of my favourite types of food - I've often been known to order a couple of appetizers instead of a main course in restaurants, much to the delight of my hubby, because undoubtedly there's usually enough for him to have a sample too :)

Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls
makes about 20 egg rolls

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 green onions, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
1 carrot, grated
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
2 bok choy, shredded finely

• (any combination of vegetables can be used - beansprouts, water chestnuts, broccoli, corn...whatever's your favourite or you have on hand)

1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbs soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs sesame oil
egg roll wrappers (mine were about 4 inches square) - while assembling the egg rolls, keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel or kitchen towel so they don't dry out.

• combine the vegetable stock, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl: set aside.
• in a large saucepan or skillet, heat the vegetable oil and stir fry the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.
• add the green onions, carrot and pepper and fry, over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• add the broth mixture and bok choy, combine well and bring to a boil.
• reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables having softened.
• remove from heat, add the sesame oil and mix well.
• let the mixture cool for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F, and place a cooling rack over a rimmed baking tray (I lined with foil, just for easy clean up).
• strain the vegetable mixture (you don't want the filling too wet otherwise it will make the egg rolls soggy)
• laying an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface (I used a small plate for ease), brush the top, left and right edges with a little water.
• add about 2 heaped teaspoons of mixture in the middle of each wrapper, fold the bottom edge up, and then the top edge down to overlap the bottom (the water will help the edges to stick together).
• squeeze the ends of the egg roll carefully, but firmly together to close the mixture inside.
• place the egg rolls seam side down on the prepared baking tray, brush with vegetable oil and bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through cooking time.
• serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

 Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls ingredients.

it takes a little time to get everything prepared but well worth it.

saute the ginger and garlic - the smell is heavenly :)

add the onions, carrot and pepper.

add the broth mixture and bok choy.

mix everything well, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

let the mixture cool for 15 minutes and then strain the liquid away.

keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel or kitchen towel (on the left) while assembling.

after brushing the top and side edges with a little water and filling with the vegetable mixture, fold up the bottom edge.

fold down the top edge to overlap, before squeezing the ends to close.

brush each egg roll with vegetable oil.

even though I do have a couple of other, newer, basting brushes I always seem to grab my 'old faithful' first - he's stubby and losing his bristles, but he never lets me down, and I love him :)

serve with your favourite dipping sauce - we like the Asian Family's Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.