Breakfast – On the Shorter side

Whiskey Apple Butter

4 pounds apples (about 12 to 16 medium)

2 cups water

4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cloves

¼ cup bottled lemon juice (my Ball Book didn’t include this)

I added 1/2 cup to 1 cup of whiskey when I added the sugar and other ingredients.

DIRECTIONS

FIRST, LET’S PREP!

Core and peel apples, if desired. Cut apples into quarters.

NEXT, TIME TO COOK!

Combine apples and water in a large saucepan. Cook apples at a simmer until soft. Purée mixture using an electric food strainer or food mill. Measure 2 quarts of apple pulp; return apple pulp to saucepan. Add sugar, bottled lemon juice, and spices, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook at a gentle boil over medium heat until apple mixture is thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. If mixture becomes too thick, add a small amount of water or apple juice for desired consistency. Remove from heat.

DID YOU KNOW?

To guarantee the most delicious preserved foods, always begin with the best-quality produce at its peak of ripeness.

NEXT, LET’S CAN IT!

Ladle hot apple butter into a hot jar leaving a ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.

Process jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.

Crockpot Breakfast Casserole

1 pound package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (I like Potatoes O’Brian)
▢2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
▢12 eggs
▢1 cup milk
▢½ teaspoon salt
▢¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
▢Cooked Breakfast Meat of Choice (bacon, sausage, ham, etc.)
I like to make these into burritos – flour or corn tortillas and salsa

Instructions

Grease a large 6 quart slow cooker (or bigger) with cooking spray or butter.
Layer hash browns in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add half of the cheese.
You can add cooked meat now (I prefer to have meat as a topping).
In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and pepper.
Pour over hashbrowns.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high.
Sprinkle on remaining cheese and cover until melted.
Serve warm with lots of fresh toppings.

Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

▢¾ cup milk For dairy-free use unsweetened almond milk.
▢2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice
▢⅓ cup butter, softened For dairy-free use Smart Balance.
▢1 cup granulated sugar
▢2 large eggs For egg-free use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free egg replacer.
▢1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
▢¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
▢1 ¾ cups gluten-free flour all-purpose flour with xanthan gum I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
▢2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
▢½ teaspoon baking soda
▢½ teaspoon salt
▢2 teaspoons gluten-free flour all-purpose flour with xanthan gum
▢2 cups blueberries Fresh or frozen blueberries. If using frozen, do not defrost the frozen blueberries.
▢2 tablespoons turbinado or raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with gluten-free cooking spray.
In a large measuring cup, add the white vinegar (or lemon juice) to the milk and stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes in the refrigerator to stay cold. (homemade buttermilk)
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together with a mixer until fluffy.
Add in the eggs, pure vanilla extract, and pure almond exract and mix until combined and smooth.
Add in the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and mix together until fully combined and smooth.
Pour in the homemade buttermilk (milk and vinegar mixture) into the batter and mix until smooth. The batter will be thick. Do not over mix.
Sprinkle the 2 teaspoons of the gluten-free flour over the blueberries in a medium-sized bowl. Carefully stir the blueberries to coat them with the gluten-free flour.
Gently fold the floured blueberries into the muffin batter.
Using a greased ice cream scoop or measuring cup, scoop the batter into baking cups lined/cooking sprayed muffin tin.
Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the turbinado sugar (raw sugar).
Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Please watch your oven because all ovens are different.
Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 3-5 minutes then move to a cooling rack. Enjoy!
Store the completely cooled muffins in an airtight container.

GF Blueberry Muffins

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1-to1 Baking Flour* (9 3/4 ounces / 275 grams)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened (4 ounces/ 113 grams)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (6 ounces/ 170 grams)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (4 ounces / 150 grams)
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar optional, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 15 muffins cups or line them with paper liners.
Whisk together the flour blend with the baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine butter and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-low speed until thick. With the beater still running, add the eggs. Beat until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed. Mix until thick. Stop the mixer and add the milk and vanilla extract. Mix until a thick batter forms.
Gently fold in the blueberries with a rubber spatula.(If you are using frozen or cold blueberries, the batter will get VERY thick. This is totally normal.)
Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans. Fill each cavity about 2/3 full. Top each muffin with about 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar. (The sugar topping is optional.)
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Allow muffins to cool in the pan for five minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins