Slow Cooker Potato Broccoli Soup

3 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 14.5-ounce cans vegetable broth

12 ounce can evaporated milk

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces

8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Snipped fresh chives

Combine potatoes, onion and garlic in slow cooker.  Add 1 cdan of the broth, evaporated milk, 1/2 tsp. of salt and the nutmeg.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 7 hours.

 

Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and add 1/2 cup water.  Cover with plastic and microwave 3-4 minutes, until tender.  Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the broccoli; add remaining broccoli to slow cooker along with remaining can of vegetable broth and 1 cup of the cheese.  Puree with an immersion blender until completely smooth.  Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 cup cheddar, reserved broccoli, sour cream and pepper.  Blend well.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chives just before serving.

 

SPICED PUMPKIN CIDER (Serves 3-4)

3 cups refrigerated apple cider

½ cup Cooper’s Mill Pumpkin Butter or Apple Pumpkin Butter

For Garnish:  Sweetened whipped cream, 3 or 4 red apple slices per mug, and pumpkin pie spice

 

In a medium saucepan, whisk together cider and pumpkin butter.  Heat over medium heat until warm.  To serve, pour into mugs.  Top each mug with garnishes and serve.

 

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE (Serves 2)

2 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons Cooper’s Mill Pumpkin Butter OR Apple Pumpkin Butter

Half cup strong hot coffee

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Ground Cinnamon

 

In a small saucepan, combine milk and pumpkin butter; heat over medium heat just until bubbles begin to form around the edges.  Remove from heat; whisk in hot coffee.  To serve, pour into two mugs and top with whipped cream, sprinkle with cinnamon.

 

PUMPKIN PIE HOT CHOCOLATE (Serves 2)

1 cup half-and-half

½ cup whole milk

3 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

¼ cup Cooper’s Mill Pumpkin Butter

Sweetened Whipped Cream

Pumpkin Pie Spice

 

In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup half-and-half and milk.  Heat over medium heat just until bubbles begin to form around the edges.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Whisk in chopped chocolate and cocoa powder; heat until chocolate is melted.  Stir in pumpkin butter and then the remaining half-and-half; heat until hot.  To serve, pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.

 

Pumpkin Old Fashioned (Makes 1 serving)

2 oz. bourbon whiskey

½ oz. orange liqueur

1 tablespoon Cooper’s Mill pumpkin butter

1 oz. maple or apple bourbon syrup

Orange peel and rosemary for garnish

 

Add ingredients to ice-filled cocktail shaker. Shake thoroughly, until chilled and combined.  Using cocktail shaker strainer, pour into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish.

 

Apple Cider Scotch Sour (Makes 4 servings)

3 cups apple cider

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

1 cup Scotch whiskey

Lemon peel and apple slice for garnish

 

In a medium saucepan, combine cider, brown sugar, lemon juice and ginger. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Strain, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. To serve, stir in whiskey and pour into four ice-filled glasses. Garnish.

 

Muffin-top Apple Oatmeal Cookies

1 ½ sticks butter, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

¾ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. each allspice, baking powder, and salt

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups coarsely grated, peeled apples

¾ cup golden raisins

Garnish:  dried apple chips

 

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Have baking sheets ready.  In a large bowl with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, allspice, baking powder and salt, 3 minutes or until fluffy.  Beat in eggs 1 at a time until blended.  On low speed, beat in flour just until combined.  Stir in oats, apples and raisins.  Drop by ¼ cups dough about 4” apart on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 17 minutes, placing an apple chip on each cook after 15 minutes, until cookies are golden.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

 

Chunky Applesauce

8 cups chopped apples (about 3 ½ lbs.)

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a Dutch oven, combine apples, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Cover and cook over medium heat until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, approximately 35-40 minutes.  Remove from the heat, stir in vanilla.  Mash apples slightly, if desired.  Serve warm or cold.

 

Apple, Blue Cheese & Bibb Salad

4 cups torn Bibb or Boston lettuce

3 medium Golden Delicious apples, chopped

½ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

½ tsp. mustard seed, toasted

½ tsp. stone-ground mustard (whole grain)

¼ tsp.l salt

1/8 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

¾ cup walnut halves, toasted

½ cup golden raisins

 

In a salad bowl, combine the lettuce and apples.  In a small bowl, whisk the oil, vinegar, honey, mayonnaise, mustard seed, mustard, salt and pepper.  Drizzle over salad and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with cheese, walnuts and raisins.  Serve immediately.

 

Apple Cider Punch

6 cups apple cider

2 cups orange juice, cranberry-raspberry juice or orange-mango juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 750-ml bottle sparkling white grape juice or sparkling wine

 

Chill all ingredients.  In punch bowl or large pitcher, combine chilled apple cider, fruit juice and lemon juice.  Slowly add sparking grape juice or sparkling wine.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 11 1/2 cups.