Applesauce, I think

My wonderfully darling friend, Ms Bright, posted this recipe for applesauce. It looked easy enough so I tried it. Um, not applesauce. Its dessert. Hana even tried it and said "this tastes just like apple pie!" Delish. I promise. Thank you, dear Lesley, for sharing.

And so, I am passing it along to you.

You are welcome.

10-12 Rome (or baking) apples
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup water
Peel the apples and chop into stamp size bites.
Put chopped apples in a crock pot.
Pour the rest of the ingredients on top of the apples.
Put the lid on and cook on high for 3-4 hours (or low for 5-6).
Let cool a bit and enjoy hot or cold!

(I added a step and mashed them up a bit with a potato masher, but its not necessary)

Swamp Stew

Bryan was out hunting one night and some men in the woods fed them some food. Bryan didnt know the exact measurements so we played around and found our own way of cooking it. And, sure enough, its cooked in the crock pot. It is a housewifes lifesaver! Oh, and Bryan didnt know what it was called, so we just named it Swamp Stew...it just fits!

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 stick butter
1 head cabbage
bunch of potatoes...cut up
salt
pepper

First, place the whole chicken in your crock pot.
To it, add the water and vinegar.
Put the butter right on top.
Cover and let cook on low.
Usually by the time the butter has melted over the top of the chicken, about an hour or so, I add as much cut up cabbage and potatoes as I can fit. If it doesnt all fit, which it usually doesnt, then I let it cook down a little and add the rest later.
Cover and let cook for about 6-7 hours. It may look like there is no water or liquid, but remember, the crock pot creates more liquid as it cooks, and the cabbage also creates more.
When the chicken is tender, try to pull out the whole thing. It may fall apart on you, so fish around and make sure there are no bones in the pot. No one likes bones in their stew! Pull all the chicken off the bones (I like to make sure it is shredded and in small pieces), take off the skin and give it to some animals, and put the chicken back in the pot. Add some salt and pepper to taste. It should be ready to go, or you could let it simmer in there for a little while longer and let the juices flow! Serve in a bowl with some nice warm homemade bread! Mmmmmm, my mouth is watering already.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I like easy. I like simple. I like delicious. Folks, this cant get any easier, more simple or more delicious!

List of Characters
1 pork shoulder
1/2 cup water

no, really, thats all

Trim the fat off the pork shoulder. Place it in a crock pot with the water. (I keep the bone on for now, but if it doesnt fit, you can always trim it off the bone.)
Cook, on low, for 6-8 hours. No stirring, no messing around. After time is up, it will be so tender, it will flake right off the bone. I usually pull the whole thing out and with 2 forks, pull it apart, getting all the fat off (and feeding the scraps to the dogs). Then, put it back in the crock pot to get all the juices mixed in. No need to salt it...pork is salty enough. It comes out just right. Just put it on top of your favorite bread or bun with your favorite bbq sauce (or not) and enjoy!!!

Variation
In the begining steps, you can buy a spice pack from McCormick called "Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork". To it you add 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1/3 cup cider vinegar. It turns out great! I am more of a simple girl, I like my pork lightly sauced, and that is why I do it the first way. Bryan likes his real saucy...so I sometimes give in and cook it the other way. Either way, they are easy and a real crowd pleaser, too!