By Megan Winfrey

Homemade gifts are sort of my go-to. This year, thanks to JBG, my family will be receiving a plethora of holiday preserves and food stuffs - all of which I look forward to sharing with ya'll! And to my family members who read this...sorry for the spoilers :)

Sweet Potato Apple Butter

• 12 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 5 cups apples, cored, peeled, and diced
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups orange juice
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tbs. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 3 tbs. cider vinegar
• Any size mason jars, rings and lids

Put all the ingredients except the cider vinegar in a 9 quart crock pot. Cook 9-10 hours on low (I put mine on overnight).



When ready to can, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Sterilize the glass jars by boiling them for a solid 10 minutes. Do not boil the lids and rings. While the jars are sterilizing, puree the contents of the crock pot in batches, liquid included. Put the puree in a large bowl and stir in the cider vinegar. Remove the hot jars from the water using a pair of canning tongs and set on a wooden cutting board or a kitchen towel.

Fill the hot jars with the hot puree, leaving an inch of open space at the top. Put the lids on, but don't tighten them too much because oxygen needs to be able to escape. Tighten only until they resist. Return the jars to the boiling water for processing. Make sure the water completely submerges the jars. Boil for another 10 minutes, remove with your canning tongs, and place on a kitchen towel to cool. Let cool all day or over night - you should hear the pinging of the cans sealing as they cool. Some jars take longer than others to seal, and some seal quietly.

Once completely cooled, you can test your seal by removing the ring and lifting up gently on the lid. If it stays closed, your seal is set. If not, re-process in the boiling water for another 10 minutes and repeat the cooling process - or refrigerate and use within 2 weeks. This stuff is DELISH. It's like pumpkin pie in a jar.