Old-Fashioned Apple Butter

Lightly oil crockpot. Don’t peel, but wash, core and quarter apples. Put in crockpot. Stir in cider. Cover and cook on low for 10 – 18 hours (or high for 2 – 4 hours).

Put soft fruit in food mill to remove skins. Measure fruit back into crockpot. For each pint (2 cups) of fruit add: 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg. Stir well. Cover and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours. Stir every 2 hours. Remove cover after 3 hours to allow fruit and juice to cook down. Spoon into hot canning jars and proceed according to canning jar directions. Or spoon into freezer containers. Allow apple butter to cool and then store in freezer.

Makes about 5 cups.