Recipes

Pumpkin Bars

Ingredients

bb2 cups all purpose flour
bb1 teaspoon ground
cinnamon
bb1 teaspoon baking soda
bb1/2 teaspoon salt
bb2 cups granulated sugar
bb3 large eggs, beaten
bb1 cup vegetable oil
bb1 cup canned pumpkin
bb1 cup walnuts, chopped
(optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting

bb2 (3-ounce each) packages
cream cheese, softened
bb3 cups powdered sugar
bb6 tablespoons butter or
margarine, softened
bb1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and
sugar. Stir in beaten eggs, oil, and canned pumpkin
until thoroughly combined. Stir in chopped walnuts.
Spread batter into an ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch
baking pan.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool and
frost with cream cheese frosting, if desired (recipe
below). Cut into bars. Makes 48 bars.
Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine frosting ingredients in a small bowl; mix
until well blended.

Caramel Apples

For this recipe you need a candy thermometer and real butter. It’s Halloween… don’t
skimp on the butter. This caramel apple recipe makes enough caramel for about 8 to 10
medium sized apples. My favorites for candy apples are Fuji or Honey Crisp, but you can use
whatever apple you like best.

Ingredients

bb1 cup real butter
bb2 cups dark brown sugar,
packed
bb1 cup light corn syrup
bb1 (14 oz.) can sweetened
condensed milk
bb2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
extract
bb8-10 medium-sized apples,
sticks inserted in tops

Directions

Over medium-high heat, stir together the butter,
sugar, corn syrup, and condensed milk in a heavy
sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cook about 30 minutes
(don’t stir often, as you’ll risk crystallization), until
the caramel darkens and thickens. It should reach
the “firm ball” stage of candy-making. This means
that, upon dropping the caramel into cold water,
a firm ball forms. This ball shouldn’t flatten when
you remove it from the water, but should still easily
change shape when you touch it. With a candy
thermometer the temp should read 245-250 degrees
F. Remove finished caramel from the heat. Stir in
vanilla extract.
Make sure the apples are washed and very dry before
dipping. Dip apples into hot caramel. In order to
get as thick a caramel coating as possible, dip each
apple at an angle and rotate within the caramel. Pull
apple out vertically and allow excess caramel to drip
off. Then turn the apple right-side-up a moment (as
if you were about to eat it) and let the caramel settle
for a few seconds. This prevents large bare spots at
the top of the apple. Place apples on greased wax
paper.
While caramel is still warm and soft, decorate as
desired. (Unless dipping apples in chocolate, in
which case the caramel needs to be allowed to set.)
Let cool, and then eat!

Savory Mini Pumpkins

Serve these mini pumpkins as a side dish or fill with your favorite rice pilaf.

Ingredients

bb6 mini pumpkins, about
3 – 3 1/2 inches in diameter
bb3 tablespoons butter,
melted
bbSalt and pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 375° F. Cut the tops off of the pumpkins,
cutting about 1/3 of the way down so the whole top
will come off. Scoop out seeds and scrape soft fibers
out of the mini pumpkins. Also scoop out the top, if
there are seeds remaining in the top.
Brush melted butter over the inside of the pumpkins
and inside of the tops. Sprinkle inside areas of
bottoms and tops with salt and pepper. Place the
tops on the pumpkins. Arrange the pumpkins in a
jelly roll pan or large baking pan with sides. Pour
three to four cups of water in the pan, or to a depth
of about 1/2 inch. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until
the pumpkins are tender.