em + the kitchen - apple butter.

In 2008, my Aunt Lisa took me on a trip through California. We started in San Francisco (where I promptly fell in love with the city) and took the 1 all the way down to LA, stopping in Carmel and Monterey on the way. It was my first real traveling adventure and I've not been able to shake the wanderlust bug since then.
Of the many great experiences during the trip, one I specifically remember is tasting apple butter for the first time. My Aunt Lisa had lived in SF for a while in her early 30's and would frequently get breakfast at a restaurant on Lombard St called Home Plate. She took me there to experience their freshly made scones and apple butter and I never looked back.

It's for this reason, 5 years later, that I knew I needed to make apple butter. Besides, what else am I going to do with 9 pounds of apples? Must. Use.
I'm so glad I decided to use 3.5 of those pounds to make this. It was smooth, thick, and perfectly fall-tasting. Not to mention, I was forced to buy an immersion blender that I'd secretly been wanting for a long time. Win-win-win!

Slow Cooker Apple Butter
(recipe adapted from My Baking Addiction)

Ingredients:
3.5 lbs apples - peeled, cored, and sliced
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp vanilla

Place apple slices in crock pot or large bowl.
Combine all sugars and spices and pour over apples. Mix well so all slices are coated.
Turn crock pot on low for 6-10 hours, returning every hour or so to stir. Once apples are mostly broken down and color has turned a dark brown, you're nearing the end.
Stir in vanilla and leave uncovered to cook for another 1-2 hours.
Use immersion blender to make butter completely smooth.
Spoon into mason jars and store in fridge for up to 2 weeks (if it will even last that long without you gobbling it up!).

This recipe made 2 pints for me. I bought half-pint mason jars that are juuuust adorable and handed them out to friends and family.
Have you ever tasted something on vacation that rocked your world?
-e.