I had already checked off the old standards like apple sauce and apple crisp so when I saw these beauties at the market I had a different destiny in mind. Apple butter held the appeal of being something that would last longer than one meal. (Yes, we are known to devour an entire pan of apple crisp.) I researched quite a few recipes that required an all day commitment to make apple butter and in some cases even oven time. I settled on this one by Kathryn Delaney which came together in less than two hours, allowing me to get outside and enjoy more of this crisp autumn day. My version adds Garam Masala spice blend which was a great compliment to the cinnamon. If you don't have Garam Masala, ground cloves is the standard spice for this recipe, use 1/4 tsp.

Ingredients

8 apples, I used Wealthy - any crisp, sweet variety works well
1 c apple cider
1 c sugar (divided)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp Garam Masala spice blend

Cut peeled and cored apples into 1" pieces. Bring apples, cider and 1/2 cup of the sugar to a rolling boil in a Dutch oven or heavy sauce pan over high heat. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, and boil for 20 minutes or until apples are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated; stir every 5 minutes. Next, process the cooked apples and remaining cooking liquid in a blender (or use a stick blender as I did) until smooth. Return to pan. Stir in cinnamon, Garam Masala and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to low and simmer uncovered and stirring often for 15 minutes or until thickened. Cool for 45 minutes, spoon into an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 months or freeze for 6 months.