The last recipe of season 4! Crock Pot Caramel Apple Crisp

This recipe was submitted by WGLR listener, Kris! Her recipe was the winner in the "Julie's Crock of the Week" giveaway for season 4. Enjoy! It's delicious!

Slow Cooker Caramel Apple Crisp

6 golden delicious apples
2 boxes yellow cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 stick butter (melted)
1/4 cup caramel sauce
Ice Cream {optional}
Caramel sauce for the finale {optional}

What to do ...
1. Slice and peel apples
2. In a large bowl, combine the yellow cake mixes, sugar, and cinnamon
3. Add in the melted butter and stir to combine and crumbly
4. Put apples into slow cooker.
5. Set slow cooker on high.
6. Pour the caramel sauce over the apples.
7. Pour dry ingredients over the apples and caramel. Spread it out with a spoon so that the entire surface is covered.
8. Cover with a lid and cook on high for 2 hours. Set the slow cooker to low and remove the lid. Let sit for 30 minutes without the lid so the top of the crisp can harden.
9. Serve with Ice Cream and additional caramel drizzle.

German Dinner in the Crock Pot

**originally posted on WGLR.com on 12-23-13

This week’s recipe is a unique one! I came across this recipe a year or so ago, and having a lot of German heritage in me, thought I should make it! Don’t dismiss it before trying it, it really was delicious. And there is beer in it, so that can’t be bad! Although, if you are one of those people who absolutely cannot stand sauerkraut, then this recipe isn’t for you, haha!

German Dinner in the Crock Pot

2 rings smoked sausage, sliced into 3 inch pieces
2 pounds sauerkraut
8 to 12 red potatoes, washed and halved or quartered depending on the size
1 onion sliced
6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 apples, cored and sliced
2 bottles (12 ounces) beer
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)

Lay the potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add onion, apples, bacon, and sauerkraut. Place sausage on top. pour in beer, brown sugar, and caraway seeds.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3.

Crock Pot Apple Butter

(originally posted on www.wglr.com on 11-12-13)

This recipe was the result of timing working well with two things last week. First, I had too many apples in my pantry from a few orchard trips in October that were going soft. Second, I got a new toy! An immersion blender! I have wanted one for a while and found a great deal for one online, and it came in the mail last week. So, I had the perfect combination to try to make my own apple butter! And let me tell you, it’s REALLY delicious, it turned out better than I expected. And don’t fret if you don’t have an immersion blender. I prefer smooth apple butter, but you can just enjoy it chunkier, or throw it in your blender, too. It tastes awesome on warm biscuits, toast, crackers, english muffins, etc.! And the best part is how this makes your house smell all day! So wonderful!

CROCK POT APPLE BUTTER

• About a dozen medium apples, peeled, cored & diced (I used 18 small-medium, and got about a pint and a half of butter)
• 1/2 cup water or apple cider (I used cider)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice

Place apples in your crock pot, add in all other ingredients. Give it a good stir to coat all the apples with spices. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. The process is similar to making applesauce, except you need to cook it down more to a thicker consistency. After the initial cooking time, put (or keep) the crock on HIGH, and either vent the lid with a wooden spoon, or remover the cover altogether, and cook for another hour or two, checking consistency. It needs to thicken up to become apple butter.

When it cooks down to a thicker consistency than apple sauce, you can give it a good mash if you want it chunkier, or you can take the immersion blender to it to smooth it out. Store it in jars or plastic containers in the fridge.

Caramel Apple Cider!

I am offering something different this week. I think one of the best treats of autumn and the upcoming holiday season is all the wonderful aromas that swirl around our homes, and especially in our kitchens. The scent of something apple cooking away is at the top of that list. Let me tell you, not only will this week's Crock of the week please your palate and warm your belly, it will make your house smell delicious! This is a nice thing to throw in the crock to feed a mass of kids with runny noses who have been playing outside for hours (or adults enjoying the outdoors, too!), and it makes them feel extra special when you top it with some whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel. It also works great for all of those holiday parties coming up in the next few months. It's a nice change of pace from hot chocolate. I used fresh cider from a local orchard, but with those closing up now, the store bought on the shelf will work too. Don't spend 5 bucks on one of these at Starbucks...make it yourself and save some cash!

This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. A double batch works well in my 5qt Crock Pot.

Crock Pot Hot Caramel Apple Cider

4 cups apple cider (juice will work too if you can't find cider)
3 T caramel sauce (like ice cream topping)
1/2 T ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
whipped cream and caramel (optional)

Combine all ingredients into a 2 qt Crock Pot. Cook on low for 4 hours to let all the spices simmer together. Serve warm with whipped cream and some caramel drizzled on top.

**Tip: Keep the cider container and pour leftovers back into that to refrigerate. Reheats well!

Apple Pie Breakfast

OK, this week, I am doing another breakfast/brunch treat! The hashbrown breakfast casserole I posted a few months ago was a big hit, so I thought I would do another breakfast crock. This one is actually pretty healthy too, which is always a plus, especially if you are trying to lose those holiday pounds :) It uses steel cut oats (also called Irish or Pinhead oats), which are supposed to be the healthiest of oats! Don't use rolled oats, as they will just turn into mush. Unless you like mush, then maybe it would work! Now, the original recipe for this says you can cook it on low overnight 7-8 hours without stirring a lot, but that you need to add an additional cup of liquid for that. Honestly, I don't think it would work well, but you can try it. I prefer the 2-4 hours on high, which could make for a nice late morning weekend breakfast or brunch. Also, peeling the apples is optional, I left the skin on this time, just because I was lazy! It all depends on your taste preference. For my taste, I also sprinkled on some brown sugar when serving, because it isn't quite sweet enough for me, but the kind of apple you pick effects that too. I used Pink Lady apples, because that is what I had onhand, but that is a pretty tart apple.

Apple Pie Breakfast
1 cup of steel cut oats
3 medium sized apples, diced or thin sliced
1 cup apple juice
3 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook for 2-4 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low until it reaches the consistency that you like. Be sure to stir every hour or so. Makes six 1 cup servings. Leftovers last for a few days in our house.

This recipe even has nutritional info for you! Here ya go! Each 1 cup serving (before any additional toppings) is: 115 Calories; 1g Fat; 26g Carbs; 2g Fiber.

I got this original recipe from the blog, Cooking with Jax.

Slow Cooker Autumn Applesauce

Here is Julie's Crock of the Week from the week of October 10, 2011:

Slow Cooker Autumn Applesauce

14 medium apples, peeled, cored & cut into chunks (I used Jonamac apples)

1/3 cup apple cider

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Place the apples in the crock pot. Sprinkle brown sugar and spices on top, and stir to get the spices on all the apples. Pour cider in. Cook on low for 7-9 hours. Makes about 6 cups.

I am not a fan of really chunky applesauce. I take a whisk to the mixture when it is done to make it smoother. But it still has a pretty substantial consistency to it. Whatever you prefer!