Wine-Poached Pears with Butterscotch Sauce
Candied Cranberry and Crystallized Ginger Chutney
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 4 QUART
Peach crisp is a mainstay in our homes. We both were born in Missouri, and while Georgia may claim bragging rights to peaches, you haven’t lived until you have tasted ripe, juicy peaches from the Show Me state. We are happy to show you success! No worries, though—any fresh, juicy peaches can easily be substituted for Missouri-grown peaches.
Butter or nonstick cooking spray, for the slow cooker
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
½ cup pecan pieces, toasted (see Tips)
8 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Butter a 4-quart slow cooker or spray it with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, sugar, 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it forms coarse, even crumbs. Stir in the pecans; set aside.
Place the peaches in the slow cooker and toss with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons flour over the peaches and toss lightly.
Gently stir in half of the sugar-pecan mixture. Sprinkle the remaining mixture evenly on top of the peaches.
Cover the slow cooker and bake on low for 2½ to 3½ hours, or until the topping is melted and the peaches are tender. Serve warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
TIPS:
• If you are craving peach crisp in the dead of winter, go ahead and substitute frozen peaches for fresh.
• For a fun serving idea, ladle servings of Farmhouse Peach Crisp into individual serving bowls or individual cast-iron skillets. Top each serving with ice cream.
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 4 QUART
Rhubarb is one of Roxanne’s favorites. While she enjoys strawberry rhubarb pies and crisps, replacing strawberries with dark, sweet cherries was a winner!
Nonstick cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen unsweetened dark sweet cherries
3 cups sliced rhubarb, cut about ½ inch thick
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
½ cup sugar
1¼ cups old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
Spray a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Combine the cherries, rhubarb, tapioca, and sugar in the slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it forms coarse, even crumbs. Pour the oat mixture evenly over the rhubarb mixture in the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and bake on high for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the crisp is cooked and the mixture is bubbling. Serve warm.
TIPS:
• Serve with a scoop of ice cream.
• Fresh rhubarb is especially good, and many grocery stores and markets sell it in the spring when it is plentiful. If you cannot find fresh, substitute frozen; no need to thaw it before using.
• If you are lucky enough to have a farmers’ market that has late-season rhubarb and fresh, sweet cherries at the same time, by all means, use fresh, pitted cherries.
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5 QUART OR LARGER
If old-fashioned baked apples crossed paths with apple crisp, what would you get? This scrumptious recipe is the answer, for it features the best of both of those recipes—whole apples baked to perfection and topped with a sweet, crisp crust.
Nonstick cooking spray
6 medium apples (see Tips)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted (see Tips)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
Spray a large slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Use an apple corer to core the apples, carefully scraping out the seeds and core, but taking care to not cut through the bottom of the apple.
Place the apples upright in the slow cooker, arranging them tightly so their sides touch. Brush the apples with the lemon juice. Drizzle 2 tablespoons water around the apples.
In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it forms coarse, even crumbs. Stir in the walnuts. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the apples, spooning some into the cavity of each apple and then mounding the crumb mixture over the top of the apples.
Cover the slow cooker and bake on high for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
Drizzle with the maple syrup and serve warm.
TIPS:
• The grocery store is stocked with a wide range of apples, and no two are alike. Apples that soften as they cook, but generally hold their shape, are the best choice for this recipe—these include Braeburn, Rome, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious. With any apple, for the prettiest presentation, cook until the fruit is just tender but not mushy.
• If you do not have an apple corer, use the tip of a knife to cut out the stem and the top of the apple core. Carefully, using the tip of a table knife or small spoon, scrape out the seeds and core, taking care not to cut through the bottom of the apple.
SERVES 6 TO 8 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 3½ TO 5 QUART
What is your strongest food memory? When you think of Mom, your grandmother, or that special neighbor in the kitchen when you were a child, what food might they have been cooking? Can you almost smell it cooking, and do you long for a bite? For Kathy, that food memory is her mom baking peach cobbler, and just a whiff transports her back into the kitchen of years gone by. To this very day, a bowl of peach cobbler is a real favorite, and the addition of a mango adds a great up-to-date flavor.
Nonstick cooking spray
6 cups sliced, peeled, fresh peaches
1 medium mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CRUST:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
1 cup buttermilk
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Spray a medium slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Place the peaches and mango in the slow cooker. Drizzle with the lemon juice and stir to coat evenly.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Pour the sugar mixture over the fruit in the slow cooker and stir to coat evenly. Drizzle with ⅔ cup water. Cover the slow cooker and bake on low for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the fruit is hot.
MAKE THE CRUST: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ⅓ cup of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until it forms coarse, even crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk, blending just until moistened.
Stir together the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl.
Turn the slow cooker to high. Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls evenly across the top of the fruit. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the top. Cover the slow cooker and bake on high for 2 to 2½ hours, or until the edges of the crust are lightly browned and the center is dry and set.
Spoon the cobbler into individual serving dishes and serve warm.
• Warm cobbler topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is wonderful.
• Mangoes have a flat, oblong pit in the center. You will need to cut on either side of the pit, separating the flesh from the pit. Slice the fruit, trimming away the peel.
• Substitute 2 pounds frozen, sliced peaches and 1 pound frozen, cubed mango for the fresh fruits, if you wish. Pour the frozen fruit into the slow cooker and proceed as recipe directs. There is no need to thaw the fruit. Reduce the water to ⅓ cup.
SERVES 4 TO 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 3 TO 4 QUART
This classic recipe originated in New Orleans and still continues to be popular decades later. We like to serve this as a no-brainer dessert when entertaining. Purchase high quality ice cream to ladle the golden bananas and sauce over, and take all the credit!
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the slow cooker
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons crème de banane or dark rum
⅓ cup chopped pecans, toasted (see Tips)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 medium bananas
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Butter a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker.
Place the butter, brown sugar, cream, crème de banane, pecans, and cinnamon in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 1 to 2 hours. Whisk until smooth.
Cut the bananas into ½-inch slices and add them to the slow cooker, stirring gently to coat with the brown sugar mixture. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve immediately over ice cream.
TIPS:
• Add the banana slices just 10 to 15 minutes before serving so they do not become too soft.
• This is equally delicious served over pound cake or angel food cake.
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 4 QUART
Brown Betty is certainly a peculiar name! A Betty was a popular fruit dessert in the late 1800s, especially in New England. Whatever the name of this dish, who wouldn’t enjoy a luscious dessert of sweetened summer-ripe plums and cinnamon-sugar-coated bread cubes? There is nothing old-fashioned about this great flavor.
Nonstick cooking spray
6 slices firm or country-style white bread (about 9 ounces), toasted
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
⅔ cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
FRUIT:
½ cup sugar (see Tips)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Grated zest of 1 orange
6 medium plums, unpeeled, pitted and cut into ½-inch slices
2 tablespoons orange juice
Orange Hard Sauce (optional; recipe follows)
Line a 4-quart slow cooker with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray (see here).
Cut the bread into ¼- to ½-inch cubes and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle the bread cubes with the melted butter and toss to coat evenly.
Stir together the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Pour the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the bread cubes and toss to coat evenly. Place the bread cubes in the slow cooker, spreading them evenly.
MAKE THE FRUIT: In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and orange zest. Stir in the sliced plums and orange juice. Spoon the fruit mixture and any collected juices evenly over the bread cubes in the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and bake on low for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the fruit is tender. Unplug the slow cooker and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes.
Serve warm, spooned into individual serving bowls. Top, if desired, with a spoonful of Orange Hard Sauce.
TIPS:
• Sweet or tart fruit? Taste a small piece of the fruit. If it tastes sweet, begin by adding ½ cup of the sugar. If the fruit is more tart, increase the sugar to ⅔ cup, or to taste.
• Orange zest is easy to grate using a Microplane grater. Remember that the wonderful, intense orange flavor you want is in the colored portion, but the white pith is bitter.
MAKES ¾ CUP
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a medium bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until creamy. Add the orange juice and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Spoon over the Brown Betty as directed in the recipe.
TIPS:
• What is hard sauce and when to serve it? Hard sauce is an old-fashioned sauce that classically tops plum pudding but is scrumptious on Brown Betty, bread puddings, and many other fruit desserts. The curious name refers to the fact that once made, it can be refrigerated until firm—so when a spoonful is placed on the warm dessert, the butter-rich sauce melts over the dessert. For this hard sauce, orange juice is an ideal flavoring, but rum, brandy, whiskey, liqueurs, or vanilla are a few of the flavors you can substitute for the orange juice so the hard sauce complements different desserts.
• If desired, spoon the prepared Orange Hard Sauce onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shaping the hard sauce roughly into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Roll the log in the plastic wrap, covering the hard sauce completely. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the sauce forms a firm log. Unwrap and cut the log crosswise into slices about ¾ inch thick. Place a “disc” of the hard sauce on each serving.
MAKES 1 (7-INCH) CAKE • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5 QUART OR LARGER
What is a buckle? This old-fashioned dessert features a crumb topping on a moist fruit-filled cake. The name probably came from the “buckled” irregular appearance the crumbs make on the surface of the cake. No matter what you call it, this wonderful cake would be ideal to serve as a coffee cake with breakfast or brunch or anytime friends stop by for coffee or tea.
STREUSEL:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
CAKE:
Butter and all-purpose flour, for the pan
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
Dash of salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅓ cup sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
⅓ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
Butter and flour a 7-inch springform pan. Crumple a sheet of aluminum foil, about 24 inches long, into a thin strip, then form it into a 7-inch ring. Place the ring in the bottom of a large slow cooker.
MAKE THE STREUSEL: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture forms coarse, even crumbs. Stir in the almonds and set aside.
MAKE THE CAKE: In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 2 tablespoons of the flour; set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup flour, the baking powder, and the salt; set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk to the butter mixture, making three additions of the flour and two of the milk. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract.
Stir the blueberries into the batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the top of the batter.
Place the filled springform pan on the foil ring in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and bake on high for 2½ to 3 hours, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the outer ring from the pan and let the cake cool completely. Serve warm.
TIPS:
• Toasting almonds intensifies their flavor. To toast almonds, spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
• This is wonderful when fresh blueberries are in season. If fresh are not available, substitute frozen. Toss the frozen blueberries in the flour and proceed as directed in the recipe.
WINE-POACHED PEARS WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5 QUART OR LARGER
Divine elegance. There is just no other way to describe this perfect dish. It is beautiful, and the warm pears coated in the luscious sauce taste fantastic.
Nonstick cooking spray
6 medium pears, preferably Bosc
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup sugar
¾ cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup packed brown sugar
Dash of salt
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Spray a large slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Peel the pears, leaving the stem intact. Stand the pears upright in the slow cooker. Brush the pears with the lemon juice. Sprinkle the pears with the sugar. Pour in the wine, vanilla, and 3 cups water.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3½ to 4 hours, or until the pears are tender when pricked with a fork but not mushy.
MAKE THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and salt and cook, stirring continuously, for 1 minute, or until bubbling. Stir in the cream and cook, stirring continuously, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until bubbling. Stir in the vanilla. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken.
Use a slotted spoon to lift the pears out of the poaching liquid and place each on an individual serving plate. Drizzle the pears with the butterscotch sauce. Serve warm.
TIPS:
• Pears range from golden to green to red. Many varieties are great to eat fresh or sliced in salads or for appetizers, while others are ideal for baking. The earthy light brown, cinnamon-colored Bosc pear, known for its long, tapered neck, is recommended for this recipe as it holds its shape when baked, so once topped with the warm butterscotch sauce, the finished dish will be beautiful.
MAKES 4 CUPS • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 4 QUART
Yes, grown-ups will now enjoy this up-to-date version of an old-fashioned classic. When you discover how simple this spice-studded side dish or dessert is to prepare, it will become a staple in your recipe box.
Nonstick cooking spray
8 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup apple juice or apple cider
½ cup Calvados
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Spray a 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Place all the ingredients in the slow cooker and stir to combine.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the apple pieces begin to break down. Stir until the applesauce reaches the desired consistency (smooth or slightly chunky).
Serve warm or chilled.
TIPS:
• If desired, omit the brandy and increase the apple juice to 1 cup.
• Calvados is a famous French apple brandy, and it adds an unbeatable flavor to this applesauce. Yes, apple brandy from the United States, such as applejack, can be substituted for the Calvados.
• Apple varieties seem to have exploded in recent years, and grocery stores stock an entire aisle of apples. We like to use Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but some of our other favorite varieties for applesauce include Jonathan, Golden Delicious, Jonagold, McIntosh, and Braeburn. Each region also has favorite varieties, and we often combine several types of apple in one batch of applesauce.
SERVES 6 TO 8 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 4 TO 5 QUART
When a ticket to the south of France is out of the question, why not indulge and enjoy this cherry clafoutis? A clafoutis is a baked French dessert of fruit, usually cherries, arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a pancake-type batter. It is best baked and served warm, sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar. The slow cooker provides an excellent method for baking a moist yet flavorful clafoutis.
1 (12-ounce) bag frozen unsweetened dark sweet cherries
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole milk
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the slow cooker
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Generously butter the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker.
Place the cherries evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker.
In a blender, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, flour, milk, salt, vanilla, and melted butter and blend until smooth. Pour the batter over the cherries in the slow cooker.
Cover the slow cooker and bake on high for 1½ to 2½ hours, or until the center of the clafoutis is just set. Unplug the slow cooker and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes.
Dust the clafoutis generously with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.
TIP:
• If you find your slow cooker is a little hotter and the sides of delicate dishes, such as this clafoutis, brown too quickly, you can line the slow cooker with parchment paper— for instructions (see here).
MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5 QUART OR LARGER
We like to make this fruit butter to give as a gift with muffins, fruit breads, and scones.
Nonstick cooking spray
10 medium apples, preferably a combination of Granny Smith and Jonathan
1⅓ cups packed brown sugar
¾ cup apple juice or apple cider
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
Spray a large slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Core and quarter the apples, but do not peel them. Combine the apples and the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Mash the apples directly in the slow cooker with a potato masher or large fork.
Cook, uncovered, on high for 2 hours, or until thick.
Spoon the apple butter into a refrigerator container and store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
TIPS:
• Making a thick and flavorful fruit butter takes a long time. This is a great recipe to cook overnight, so it simmers and thickens while you sleep. As an added bonus, you can spread the warm, freshly prepared apple butter on your toast for breakfast. Oh my, it is good.
• Store the apple butter in the refrigerator since it has not been canned according to recommended USDA processing methods.
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5 QUART OR LARGER
There is something special about a crisp fall day, a stroll through the local community fair or festival, and a bite of a caramel apple. They just go together, and the combination is irresistible. This easy, fun version of that classic does not require sticks, outdoor fairs, or even waiting until fall. Just three ingredients and a slow cooker are all that is needed.
Nonstick cooking spray
6 medium apples, unpeeled (see Tips)
1 cup caramel bits (see Tips)
5 tablespoons heavy cream
Spray a large slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Use an apple corer to core the apple, carefully scraping out the seeds and core, but taking care not to cut through the bottom of the apple.
Set the apples upright in the slow cooker. Spoon a scant tablespoon of caramel bits into the cavity of each apple; set aside the remaining caramel bits. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons of the cream into each apple cavity, reserving the remaining cream.
Cover the slow cooker and bake on low for 2½ to 3½ hours, until the apples are tender when pricked with the tip of a knife. Using a large, slotted spoon, carefully lift out each apple and place it in an individual serving dish.
Combine the remaining caramel bits and cream in a microwave-safe 2-cup glass bowl and microwave on high (100 percent) power for 30 seconds. Stir and continue to microwave for 30 to 40 seconds, or until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir until the caramel sauce is smooth.
Drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the apples. Serve warm.
• Select firm apples, such as Rome, Braeburn, or Granny Smith. These apples cook nicely, yet hold their shape.
• If desired, serve warm apples topped with a scoop of cinnamon or butter brickle ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
• Caramel bits are small pieces of chewy caramel candies, each about ⅜ inch in diameter and unwrapped. They are ideal to use for this recipe. If caramel bits are not available, substitute caramels—unwrap and cut them into about ⅜-inch pieces. Approximately 24 caramels chopped will equal about 1 cup caramel bits.
MAKES 4 CUPS • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 5 QUART OR LARGER
Capture the flavor of summer’s best peaches with this fruit butter recipe. We gave the classic flavor just a little twist thanks to the orange juice and ginger.
Nonstick cooking spray
12 medium peaches, pitted, peeled, and sliced
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2¾ cups sugar
¼ to ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Spray a large slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Place the peaches in the slow cooker and add the orange juice and lemon juice. Stir to coat evenly.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 3 to 3½ hours, or until the peaches are very tender. Unplug the slow cooker and let the peaches cool slightly. Carefully puree the fruit directly in the slow cooker using an immersion blender. Alternatively, working in batches, ladle the fruit into a blender, blend until smooth, and return the puree to the slow cooker. (You should have about 6 cups of peach puree.)
Stir in the sugar and ginger. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour, or until puree is boiling. Uncover and cook on high for 5 to 6 hours, or until the peach butter is as thick as desired.
Spoon the peach butter into a refrigerator container and store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
TIPS:
• The sweetness of the ripe peaches varies, so it is wise to carefully taste a small amount of the peach butter partway through the cooking process and add additional sugar to taste, if desired.
• Using an immersion blender or a typical countertop blender makes a peach butter that is smooth. If you prefer a more chunky texture, use a potato masher to mash the cooked peaches directly in the slow cooker.
• Use caution when blending the hot fruit. If using a countertop blender, vent the cover to allow the steam to escape.
• Store the peach butter in the refrigerator since it has not been canned according to recommended USDA processing methods.
SERVES 6 • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 3½ TO 5 QUART
While cherries jubilee is a classic dish, we think it just might pale in comparison to this Brandied Peach Jubilee. Spoon the warm peaches over dishes of ice cream, bowls of frozen yogurt, or slices of pound cake. Wow!
Nonstick cooking spray
4 cups sliced, peeled, fresh peaches
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons brandy
Ice cream, frozen yogurt, or pound cake slices, for serving
Spray a medium slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Place the peaches in the slow cooker and toss with the lemon juice.
Stir together the sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour the sugar mixture over the peaches and stir to coat evenly. Dot with the butter.
Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the peaches are tender and the juices are thickened and bubbling.
Stir in the brandy. Serve warm, over ice cream.
TIP:
• If desired, substitute 2 pounds frozen peaches. No need to thaw them—just use them as directed in the recipe.
CANDIED CRANBERRY AND CRYSTALLIZED GINGER CHUTNEY
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS • SLOW COOKER SIZE: 3½ TO 5 QUART
When do you serve a flavorful chutney? Sure, you can serve it as a tasty accompaniment to roasted turkey at Thanksgiving or with roast pork anytime, and it is fantastic with grilled chicken or pork, but once you make this chutney, you will be dreaming of all kinds of appetizers and desserts. See the tips for some inspiration.
Nonstick cooking spray
4 cups fresh cranberries, or 1 (16-ounce) package frozen cranberries
1¼ cups sugar
1 (2.7-ounce) jar crystallized ginger, chopped (about ⅓ cup)
½ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons orange-, cranberry-, or ginger-flavored liqueur (optional)
Spray a medium slow cooker with nonstick spray.
Combine the cranberries, sugar, ginger, apricots, cinnamon, salt, orange juice, and vinegar in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours, or until the fruit is tender and the mixture is bubbling. (It will be thin.)
Unplug and uncover the slow cooker. Let the chutney cool for 1 hour. Ladle the chutney into a refrigerator container. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until the chutney is chilled and thick. If desired, stir in the liqueur.
Store the chutney, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
• Do you enjoy sweeter flavors? Carefully spoon out a little, let it cool, and taste the hot cranberry mixture during the last 1 to 2 hours of cooking. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste. Cover the slow cooker and continue cooking.
• The chutney will be thin, more like the consistency of syrup, when hot. Do not be concerned—it will thicken as it chills in the refrigerator.
• Store the chutney in the refrigerator since it has not been canned according to recommended USDA processing methods.
• When to serve this chutney? Spoon some onto cream cheese and serve as a spread on crackers. Or dollop some on top of a wheel of Brie, add to a grilled cheese sandwich, spread on warm scones, or accompany a slice of pound cake. For a special dessert, lightly toast or grill pound cake slices, then dollop with chutney and whipped cream.
