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.

Crock Pot Cranberry Applesauce

This week's recipe is a nice treat that uses ingredients of the season, Crock Pot Cranberry Applesauce! I always use my crock pot now for making applesauce, it is so easy, and not as labor intensive when cooking, in my opinion. I'm also a lover of all things cranberry, so I thought I'd give this recipe a whirl this year. I had a bunch of orchard apples in my pantry that were starting to go soft, so that means applesauce time in my house! With this recipe, you add the brown sugar to taste, as it really depends on your preference and the type of apples you use. Cranberries are naturally tart, so some sweetener is likely needed. My apples were a mix of Macintosh and honey crisp, and I used a half cup of packed light brown sugar, and it was perfect. My 2 year old gobbled some up at breakfast this morning, so if she likes it, it's a good recipe, LOL!

 

Crock Pot Cranberry Applesauce

• About 5 lbs apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 bag fresh cranberries (12 oz)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• brown sugar, to taste (add a quarter cup at a time until you get the sweetness you want)

Peel, core & slice apples, and place in your slow cooker. Pour in the bag of fresh cranberries and throw in the cinnamon sticks. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When done, remove the cinnamon sticks and mash the applesauce in the crock, or use an immersion blender, depending on whether you want a chunky or smooth sauce. Add some brown sugar, 1/4 cup at a time and taste it until you get the desired sweetness you want.

Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze or can this. I canned it, and got 6 pint jars out of the recipe.

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Caramel Sauce

I have to start by saying I was pretty skeptical that this recipe would actually work. I have had it saved on my computer for over a year, and finally decided to try it. I made it while at work on Friday, for two reasons: First, if it didn’t turn out, I knew my co-workers would all still eat it. Radio people love free food, LOL! And second, if it DID work out, I didn’t want an entire pumpkin cake with caramel sauce in my house, haha! Luckily, it turned out! And, it made our office smell awesome. Now, I’m sure a pumpkin cake baked in the oven is a bit better for pretty serving purposes, but the MAGIC of this recipe is the caramel sauce! With this trick, you will wow your kids, spouse, mother-in-law, you name it! When you cook a can of sweetened condensed milk, it turns into a caramel sauce! Well, I’d call it more of a dulce de leche sauce, but it’s amazing! Even if you don’t want to make the pumpkin cake here, you can cook the can of sweetened condensed milk in your crock, too! Place 2 cups of water and the unopened can in your crock, and cook for 4 hours.

The photo shows what it looked like when I put it in the crock to cook, and then the finished product!

Pumpkin Angel Food Cake with Caramel Sauce

• 1 box angel food cake mix
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1-1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1-14oz can sweetened condensed milk

Prepare angel food cake mix as directed on box. In a small bowl, mix together pumpkin, vanilla & pie spice. Fold into angel food cake batter.

SPRAY YOUR CROCK WITH COOKING/BAKING SPRAY! Take the paper off the can of sweetened condensed milk, and place in the middle of your crock (at least a 5.5 quart size oblong oval crock, and I put spray on the can, too). Pour the batter around the can in the crock.

Cook on high for 2 hours, then remove the cake (check with a toothpick for doneness, and it should be pulling away from the sides of the crock). Return the can of sweetened condensed milk to the crock with 2 cups of water, and cook for another 2 hours. Remove can and let cool a bit so you can open it. Give it a stir, and drizzle over pieces of the cake to serve.

Sausage Spinach Tomato Soup

*originally published on www.WGLR.com on 10-21-13*

This weekend was our first really chilly one of the season, so I HAD to make something to warm us up on Saturday! That meant a delicious soup was needed. This one fit the bill! I made a double batch and will be enjoying it for lunch all week at work, too.

Sausage Spinach Tomato Soup

• 1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage
• 1-24oz jar pasta sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), drained & rinsed
• 1 box (10oz) frozen chopped spinach
• 4 large carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 1 lb ditilini pasta (you can also sub rice)

Brown the sausage in pan before putting it in your crock. Throw in all ingredients except the pasta. (note...I subbed brown rice for the pasta in my soup. You can put 1/2 cup dry brown rice into the crock with everything and it will cook up just fine in the soup). Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.

Before serving, cook pasta according to box directions. Add to soup and serve!

*Note: I used turkey sausage, and brown rice instead of pasta (as noted above), and I was lazy and just bought match stick carrots, all worked well for a delicious soup! And my version is only 230 calories a cup, in case you are looking for a healthier modification.

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!

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!