Spiced Pumpkin and Pecan Butter

This spiced "butter" is delectable smeared across a slice of buttered toast or any hot bread, atop pancakes and waffles in place of syrup. You can even put a dollop on top of a scoop of rich vanilla ice cream. Recipe from Cooks Recipes.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 24
• Yields: 5 cups

Ingredients

• 1  orange, zest of, removed in wide strips with a swivel peeler (or 1/2 orange and 1/2 lemon)
• 1 (29 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin, plus
• 1⁄2 cup water (or 3 1/2-4 cups pumpkin puree, prepared from scratch)
• 2  cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3  tablespoons  strained  fresh orange juice
• 3  tablespoons  strained fresh lemon juice
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  pinch ground cloves
• 1⁄3 cup pecans or 1⁄3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and very finely chopped

Directions

1. Simmer the orange zest in 2 cups water in a saucepan for 10 minutes, then drain it and mince it to a fine pulp.
2. Measure out 1 tablespoon and reserve. Combine in a heavy-bottomed stainless-steel or other nonreactive saucepan, the pumpkin and water (if using canned) orange zest, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, cinnamon, salt, allspice, ginger and cloves.
3. B30ring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; lower the heat and simmer the mixture, stirring it very often with a wooden spatula, until it has become very thick, about 15 minutes.
4. Sample the butter and add a little more of any of all of the spices, if you like (although flavors will blossom in storage).
5. Add more sweetening if your taste buds request it.
6. Stir in the nuts and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Ladle the boiling-hot pumpkin butter into clean, hot half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Seal the jars with new 2 piece canning lids according to manufacturer's instructions.
8. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. Cool, label, and store for up to a year in a cool cupboard.