This recipe is from my sister-in-law Mimi who got it from her sister who got it from her friend etc.  But my kids think it is the best thing to hit bread since strawberry lemonade jam.  They had honey butter for breakfast on their toast, honey butter sandwiches for lunch and honey butter on their rolls for dinner.  Usually honey butter gets hard to spread but this stays easily spreadable even when you keep it in the fridge.  Jeremy thinks it would taste a little bit better if the marshmallow cream was halved but his sweet tooth isn't as prominent as the rest of us.


8oz jar of marshmallow cream
1 cup butter
1 cup honey
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Blend all of the ingredients in a mixer with a dough attachment not with a whisk.  Let it sit for an hour or two before you use it so the flavors can blend.  Store in the refrigerator.

Every year our Braeburn and Gala apple trees dump a bunch of delicious apples on us.  This is not the plain applesauce which we like as well but the dressed up version that we like best.  If the apples are really sweet, I will decrease the sugar.

5 lbs apples peeled, cored and sliced which should be around 15 cups
2 1/2 c water (add more water if needed to make it less thick)
1 c packed brown sugar
3/4 c lemon juice
3 Tbsp lemon peel optional
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Tbsp vanilla

1. Combine in large pan everything but the vanilla.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least one hour till apples are very soft.  Using an immersion blender or a potato masher, mash up all the apples till desired consistency.  You can also do batches in a blender.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3. Pour into sterilized canning jars and secure with lids.  Put in boiling water bath for as long as needed for altitude.  For us that is 30 minutes for a quart or 20 minutes for a pint.  Or just eat the applesauce straight away!

We picked apples this weekend. The apple cake is from our Taste Kitchen cookbook and the sauce is from my neighbor Raquel. I can and have just eaten this caramel sauce with a spoon.

Apple Cake

3 c flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 c sugar
1 1/3 c vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 apples (granny smith preferred), peeled, cored and chopped up into 1/4 inch pieces
1 c (4 oz) chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 16 cup tube or bundt pan.
2. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla together till thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. On low speed stir in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. When all the dry ingredients are incorporated stir in the apples and nuts.
3. Scrape the batter into pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan gently on the counter to settle the batter. Bake the cake 50-60 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
4. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the edge of the cake to loosen, then flip it out onto a wire rack. Turn the cake right side up and let it cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve with Caramel sauce or drizzle all over the cake before serving.

Caramel Sauce

1 c butter
1 c corn syrup or karo
2 c brown sugar

1. In a medium sized pan stir these ingredients over medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Stir constantly and boil for 6 minutes.
2. Remove mixture from heat and stir in 1 cup sweetened condensed milk and 1/3 c evaporated milk.
3. Let cool.

This hot fudge sauce if from my neighbor Raquel. I could and have eaten it with a spoon and have had the tummy-aches to prove it. It is great over anything but my favorite is over brownies and ice cream. The brownies are just adapted from the Lion House book.

Hot Fudge

Mix until very smooth:
2 c sugar
4 Tbsp cocoa
4 Tbsp flour (You can increase this to 5 Tbsp if you want a thicker sauce)

Melt in a pan:
1/2 c butter
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla

Stir the sugar mixture into the butter mixture and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Store in refrigerator or you can even freeze it. Reheat in a microwave till pouring consistency when you are ready to use it.


Classic Brownies

1 c plus 5 Tbsp butter
1 c cocoa
2 2/3 c sugar
6 large eggs
2 2/3 c flour
1 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or spray a 9x13 pan. In a large saucepan, melt butter and cocoa over low heat. Stir in all but the chocolate chips till smooth. Add chocolate chips and stir. Pour into pan. Bake for 20-30 minutes - for me 23 minutes is just right. It will look a little underdone but will set up as it cools. To check to see if it is done, push in the middle with your finger gently and it should slightly spring back.