Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Butter - 1st grade's been cookin' again!

Well, 1st grade has been cooking again!  This time, as you've probably already figured out, we made pumpkin butter.  And, oh, was it ever good.

Our vocabulary unit this week was centered around the job of a chef, and included the words 'utensils' and 'ingredients' ... among other words, of course.  I just couldn't resist incorporating a hands-on cooking activity!  And it just so happened that we were also learning about the pumpkin growth life cycle ... ya know, pumpkins start as a seed, then grow into a sprout, which grows into a plant ... remember learning that kind of stuff?

Hmmmm, combine cooking vocabulary with pumpkins?  Could it get any easier??  I mean, really, no challenge at all.  I decided this slow-cooker pumpkin butter would be perfect!

So, my crockpot once again made the journey into school, along with a few other utensils and the ingredients to make this rich, flavorful pumpkin butter.  Then my little helpers and I set about whipping this up.

It's sooooooo easy.  Easy-sneezy, as we'd say in our class.

Put two cans of pumpkin into a slow-cooker and stir in a bunch (quite a big bunch!) of brown sugar ...

In goes the brown sugar

... and some cinnamon and ground cloves.  (Two of my boys did a fantastic job stirring this up.  They really got into it!  Notice the two-handed grips on that spoon??)

In go the spices

Cook it for a while until it's a gorgeous and rich dark brown color ...

... and then slather a big ol' dollop on a biscuit (or other mouth-delivery vehicle of your choice).  We tried it on biscuits and graham crackers, and decided as a class that we liked the biscuit best.  Oh, but rest assured, there was certainly a fair share of us eating it straight up with a spoon!  Fabulously delicious.

Pumpkin Butter

Source:  My nieces (They both made this, along with other recipes, when they were in 1st grade.  Their teacher then compiled a cook book for them that they still have ... so sweet.)

Ingredients

2 (15 oz.) cans 100% pure pumpkin (about 4 c.)

1 (16 oz.) box light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Dash of salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker.  Cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours.  Or, combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium until the color is dark brown. 

2.  Serve warm or cold with graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers, or biscuits.    

Enjoy! 

(I bet it would also be great on toast, English muffins, bagels, or mild-flavored crackers.  Yum.)

This post is linked with Fat Camp Friday hosted by Mangoes and Chutney, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet As Sugar Cookies, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Savory Sunday hosted by The Sweet Details, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tasy Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Blessed with Grace, Wow Me Wednesday hosted by Polka Dots on Parade, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Sharing Sunday hosted by Everyday Sisters, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Countdown to 2012 - Best Crockpot Recipes of 2011 hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, Slow Cooker Thursday.

Well, 1st grade has been cooking again!  This time, as you've probably already figured out, we made pumpkin butter.  And, oh, was it ever good.

Our vocabulary unit this week was centered around the job of a chef, and included the words 'utensils' and 'ingredients' ... among other words, of course.  I just couldn't resist incorporating a hands-on cooking activity!  And it just so happened that we were also learning about the pumpkin growth life cycle ... ya know, pumpkins start as a seed, then grow into a sprout, which grows into a plant ... remember learning that kind of stuff?

Hmmmm, combine cooking vocabulary with pumpkins?  Could it get any easier??  I mean, really, no challenge at all.  I decided this slow-cooker pumpkin butter would be perfect!

So, my crockpot once again made the journey into school, along with a few other utensils and the ingredients to make this rich, flavorful pumpkin butter.  Then my little helpers and I set about whipping this up.

It's sooooooo easy.  Easy-sneezy, as we'd say in our class.

Put two cans of pumpkin into a slow-cooker and stir in a bunch (quite a big bunch!) of brown sugar ...

In goes the brown sugar

... and some cinnamon and ground cloves.  (Two of my boys did a fantastic job stirring this up.  They really got into it!  Notice the two-handed grips on that spoon??)

In go the spices

Cook it for a while until it's a gorgeous and rich dark brown color ...

... and then slather a big ol' dollop on a biscuit (or other mouth-delivery vehicle of your choice).  We tried it on biscuits and graham crackers, and decided as a class that we liked the biscuit best.  Oh, but rest assured, there was certainly a fair share of us eating it straight up with a spoon!  Fabulously delicious.

Pumpkin Butter

Source:  My nieces (They both made this, along with other recipes, when they were in 1st grade.  Their teacher then compiled a cook book for them that they still have ... so sweet.)

Ingredients

2 (15 oz.) cans 100% pure pumpkin (about 4 c.)

1 (16 oz.) box light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

Dash of salt

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow-cooker.  Cook on low heat for 3 to 4 hours.  Or, combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium until the color is dark brown. 

2.  Serve warm or cold with graham crackers, chocolate graham crackers, or biscuits.    

Enjoy! 

(I bet it would also be great on toast, English muffins, bagels, or mild-flavored crackers.  Yum.)

This post is linked with Fat Camp Friday hosted by Mangoes and Chutney, Sweets for a Saturday hosted by Sweet As Sugar Cookies, Sweet Indulgences Sunday hosted by A Well-Seasoned Life, Savory Sunday hosted by The Sweet Details, Sundae Scoop hosted by I {heart} Naptime, Cure for the Common Monday hosted by Lines Across My Face, Sharing Sundays hosted by Everyday Sisters, Crazy Sweet Tuesday hosted by Crazy for Crust, Tasy Tuesday hosted by For the Love of Blogs, Tea Party Tuesday hosted by Sweetology, Tuesday Talent Show hosted by Chef in Training, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday hosted by Blessed with Grace, Wow Me Wednesday hosted by Polka Dots on Parade, Cast Party Wednesday hosted by Lady Behind the Curtain, These Chicks Cooked hosted by This Chick Cooks, It's a Keeper Thursday hosted by It's a Keeper, Sharing Sunday hosted by Everyday Sisters, Foodie Friday hosted by Designs by Gollum, This Week's Cravings hosted by Mom's Crazy Cooking, Countdown to 2012 - Best Crockpot Recipes of 2011 hosted by Finding Joy in My Kitchen, Slow Cooker Thursday.