My Great Recipes Collection

Great Recipes From the Past

House Specialties Encore

Super Fast and Tasty Apple Butter

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The recipe for Super Fast and Tasty Apple Butter comes from House Specialties Encore by Deanna House. House taught home economics for years and also wrote extensively. You can find used copies of her books online…just go googling.

Here’s what House writes about the Super Fast and Tasty Apple Butter: When my friend Anne Reuther from Milwaukee, Wisconsin gave me this quick apple butter recipe, she had no idea how many times I would make it. It’s quick, easy, fat-free, and most of all delicious.

You can make this either in your microwave or on the stove top.

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Super Fast and Tasty Apple Butter

Ingredients

  • 3 cups apples peeled and diced
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

  1. In 2-quart saucepan, combine apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Cover with lid.

  2. Cook over low heat until apples are cooked, stirring occasionally.

  3. Pour apples into blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return apple butter to saucepan. Add sugar.

  4. Cook low heat, stirring constantly, until apple butter is hot and sugar is dissolved. Pour into jars. Cover and refrigerate.

Microwave Preparation

Recipe Notes

Microwave Instructions

  • In step one, reduce water to 1 tablespoon.
  • In 2-quart microwave-safe casserole combine apples, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap.
  • Microwave on full power 5-6 minutes until apples are cooked, stirring once.
  • Blend apple mixture as above.
  • Return apple butter to casserole and microwave on full power 1-2 minutes until hot and sugar is dissolved.

Pumpkin Bars

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This recipe for Pumpkin Bars comes from House Specialties Encore by Deanna House. House taught home economics for years and also wrote extensively. You can find used copies of her books online…just go googling.

“Each fall when the pumpkins are harvested, I review my file of pumpkin recipes and find these charming pumpkin bars top the list of ‘must bake’ recipes. These are so easy and so delicious,” writes House.

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Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

Cookie Bar

  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup butter softened
  • 1 3-ounce package cream cheese softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups confectioner's sugar sifted

Instructions

  1. In large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin with an electric mixture until light and fluffy. 

  2. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

  3. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix thoroughly.

  4. Spread batter in ungreased 10x15 inch jelly roll pan. 

  5. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool.

  6. In medium mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese. Stir in vanilla.

  7. Add confectioner's sugar a little at a time, beating well, until blended.

  8. Frost cooled pumpkin bars. Chill. Cut into bars and store chilled in covered container.

Cider Sorbet

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Cider Sorbet is a recipe from House Specialties Encore by Deanna House. House taught home economics for years and also wrote extensively. You can find used copies of her books online…just go googling.

Each year about this time, I make the trip out to Stan’s Cider Mill, a small family-run mill. I pick up a gallon of cider, some apples, and their hot-from-the-oven melt-in-your-mouth donuts. Now I have something more to do with the cider: make sorbet!

By way of introducing the recipe for Cider Sorbet, House writes, “Our friends, Donna and Jack Chase of Grand Rapids, Michigan, are always ready to share an exciting recipe that they’ve tested. This icy cider sorbet is one of their specialties that I know you’ll want to try.”

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Cider Sorbet

Ingredients

  • 5 cups apple cider or apple juice
  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. In large saucepan, combine apple cider, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and sugar. Stir until medium heat until sugar dissolves.

  2. Stirring occasionally, bring to a boil. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, over medium heat 5 minutes. 

  3. With slotted spoon, remove and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves. Stir in orange juice and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.

  4. Pour mixture into 9-inch square pan. Cover with foil or plastic wrap. Place in freezer. Freeze until firm, 3-6 hours.

  5. Scrape frozen mixture with a fork until pieces resemble finely crushed ice. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

For a smoother texture:

  • Freeze prepared mixture until firm; break into small pieces.
  • Spoon half of mixture into chilled food processor bowl.
  • Process with metal blade until smooth and fluffy, but not thawed.
  • Repeat with remaining frozen mixture.
  • Serve immediately or return processed mixture to pan and freeze until firm, 1 to 3 hours.