Pears, pears everywhere

Fall is upon us. Trees are changing colors, gardens are slowing down, and the scent of cinnamon floats in the air.

One of my favorite things to do is can and preserve anything I possibly can. So when it's white and frigid, I can open up a jar of fruit butter or tomato sauce, and for one blissful moment feel the sunshine on my face.

Pears are abundant at our house. So much so, a person can begin to run out of ways to fix them. When no other recipe sounds good I fall back to a Mish mash recipe I make for pear butter. I use tons of warm, fragrant spices and as an added bonus I cook it in the crockpot so there is minimal mess!

Pear butter:

12 cups of peeled, cored and chopped pears

1/2 c. Water
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c. White sugar (optional if you want extra sweetness)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Put all of the ingredients in a 5 quart crockpot. Stir it. Inhale it. Drool over it. Cover it up and let it cook for up to 6 hours on low. Unless your pears are already super ripe. Then just cook it until it is mushy. Uncover it and spoon it in batches into a blender or food processor.  Or even use a fancy immersion blender. When you get it smooth, return it to your crockpot and cook it uncovered until it reaches butter consistency.  This happens for me after about an hour or hour and a half. It all depends on your crockpot. Spoon this gorgeous pear butter into containers with lids or into mason jars. If you choose to just put it in a bowl, it should last in the fridge for 2 or 3 weeks. In a mason jar, water bathe it for 10 minutes in a boiling water canner and let it cool 24 hours on the counter. This will preserve it for up to a year if stored in a cool, dry place!

Amazing. Delicious. And truly a piece of fall in a jar!