Category: Recipes

Easy Crock Pot Applesauce

On By Marci WhitehurstIn RecipesLeave a comment

Sora 100%

Welcome fall! Cooler temps, beautiful colors, and harvest–these are some of my favorite things about fall. However, when it comes to food, fall makes for a very happy time. Garden carrots, potatoes, and onions are hard to beat, but when it is time to pick apples, oh my! We all get a little excited. I’ve made apple crisps, baked apples, and dehydrated apples, but applesauce never gets old!

It takes forever though when you have to peel, core, and slice every apple–especially if they are small apples–so I’ve become a huge fan of Crock Pot Applesauce. I originally saw the idea on a recipe page a couple years ago (sorry, I can’t remember which one), but using a potato masher made the applesauce too chunky for my taste.

What worked well this year was simply quartering the apples, removing the core, and throwing the quarters into the crock with a little water, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.

Sora 100%
Quartered apples with cinnamon and sugar.

 

I cooked them on high for 3-4 hours, then ran them through my food processor once they were soft. There is some texture this way since you don’t peel the apples. I put the applesauce in my nutribullet though and it became so creamy! My family preferred the texture, which means one less step for me, so I simply stayed put with food processing. Yum!

 

CROCK POT APPLESAUCE

Fill a 5-6 quart crock pot with quartered apples. (You do not need to peel them!)

Add 1-1/2 cups water.

Sprinkle with 1 TBLS of cinnamon.

Add 1/2 cup sugar. (I used coconut sugar for lower glycemic reasons.)

Stir, cover, and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

When apples are soft, put through a food processor with the S blade. (Or leave them and eat them as is–they are like pie filling!)

 

 

Taco Casserole

On By Marci WhitehurstIn RecipesLeave a comment

I use this one often and if you come to my house, you’re almost sure to have it sometime. Maybe more than once…

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

1 packet taco seasoning

1/2 c. rice (or use 1 cup of leftover rice)

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce

1 (15oz) can chili beans

Shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the beef and the onion until no pink remains. Add taco seasoning, rice (if using uncooked rice, you will need to simmer the mixture for 20 minutes to soften the rice), tomato sauce, and chili beans. To eat in a pinch, simmer mixture on stovetop until bubbly and add cheese on top to melt. Otherwise, you can put the mixture (cover with cheese!) in a 9×13 in pan and cook at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Serve hot with tortilla chips or taco shells. Top with lettuce, salsa, avocado, fresh bell pepper, olives, etc.

Enjoy!

Recipes from the Range

On By Marci WhitehurstIn RecipesLeave a comment

Part of a ranch wife’s life includes cooking. Since we have rented much of the land our cattle graze, many meals I’ve made have been packed up in our suburban and hauled out to the crew. Sure I’ve done the obvious sandwiches, especially on hot days. Even sandwiches can become creative though when you vary the kind of bread you use–hoagies, buns, etc. Sandwiches can be cold cuts with plenty of toppings or shredded meat sandwiches.
Yet my goal is to not write only of sandwiches, but to add some recipes that my family enjoys. Many of these can be cooked in larger quantities for ranch crews. I love to use the crock pot.

Most of these recipes will be gluten free as well. Six years ago I began cooking gluten free when my son was found to have a wheat interolerance. I’ve felt better since eating this way, so we continue to cook with various grains.

If you have suggestions or would like to add one of your recipe favorites, feel free!

Click here to go to my recipes…