Baked Apples with Raisin-Nut Stuffing and Caramel Sauce

8 large apples, such as Gala or Granny Smith
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 1/2 cups water or apple cider for cooking the apples
fresh mint, for garnish

Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup hot water

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Remove the core from the apples with an apple corer or hollow out the core with a vegetable peeler.

3. Mix the raisins, chopped walnuts, sugar and butter together. Stuff as much of the raisin-nut mixture as you can into the hollowed-out core of each apple.

4. Put the apples into a baking pan, add enough water or cider to cover the bottom of the pan, about 1/4 of an inch high. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or unitl the apples can be easily pierced with a knife and are cooked through.

For the caramel sauce:

5. Heat the sugar in a small saute pan on medium-low heat until it starts to melt and turns a dark amber color, about 5 to 7 minutes.

6. Add the water carefully; it can spatter because the sugar is so hot. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the caramel disolves and the mixture is syrupy. Remove the sauce from the heat. It will thicken more as it cools.

7. Pour some of the caramel sauce onto the center of each plare. Place a baked apple in the middle and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Serving Size: 1 apple with sauce

Halloween Recipes

Coffin Sandwiches

2 slices whole wheat bread
3 slices OSCAR MAYER Smoked Ham
1 KRAFT Singles
1 Tbsp. MIRACLE WHIP Dressing
1 lettuce leaf

CUT bread slices into coffin shapes.
LAYER with sliced meat, Singles, dressing and lettuce. Spear each sandwich with plastic toothpick to hold it together, if desired.
CUT sandwich into coffin shape using coffin template and sharp knife. (Click here to print template.) For an even stronger template, trace the template onto a piece of cardboard and cut out.

Citrus and Cottage Cheese Salad

2/3 C. nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese
1 tsp. honey
1 1/2 tsp. sliced almonds, lightly toasted and chopped (plus extra
for
garnish)
1 orange, peeled and segmented
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced into rounds

Lightly mix together the cottage cheese, honey and almonds. On a plate or in a shallow bowl, arrange a layer of fruit and top with a spoonful of cottage cheese mixture. Repeat one more layer. Garnish with extra almonds.

Variation: You can substitute an 8 oz. container of prepared citrus
segments for the fresh fruit. Makes 1 serving.

Apple Pie Coffee Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) box spice cake mix
1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
3 eggs
3/4 cup regular or fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze:
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons whole or fat free milk

Set aside 1 tablespoon cake mix. Set aside 1-1/2 cups pie filling.

In a mixing bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, water, oil, extract and
remaining cake mix and pie filling. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Pour half of the batter into a 10-inch fluted tubepan coated with
nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and reserved cake mix; sprinkle over
batter. Spoon reserved pie filling over batter to within 3/4 inch of
edges; top with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coated Apples

A new, delicious twist on the traditional caramel apple! These are ideal for fall when you have an overabundance of apples, but don’t discount them for other holidays and occassions! Simply change the color of the sprinkles or other decorations to fit the season or event.

Editor’s note: For children with allergies to peanuts, replace the peanut butter chips with butterscotch or mint for a different twist!

You will need:
12 wooden ice cream sticks
12 medium apples, stems removed
1 package (10 ounces) peanut butter chips
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup cocoa

Optional for decorating apples:
chopped peanut butter chips
chopped or mini chocolate chips
chopped vanilla chips
flaked coconut
colored spinkles
chopped nuts

What you do:
Insert wooden stick into each washed and dried apple. Cover a baking sheet or tray with waxed paper.

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, stir together peanut butter chips and oil. Microwave on high 1-1/2 minutes or until chips are softened. Stir until melted.

Stir together confectioners’ sugar and cocoa; gradually add to melted chip mixture, stirring until smooth. Microwave on high 1 minute or until very warm.

Dip apples into mixture, twirling to remove excess coating. (If coating becomes too thick, return to microwave for a few seconds). Roll coated apple in chopped chips or coconut if desired, or sprinkle toppings onto apples. Allow to cool on prepared baking sheet or tray.

Yield: one dozen apples.

Chunky Apple Cake

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 cups chopped peeled tart apples

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs,one at a time,

beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cinnamon,nutmeg,salt and baking

soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (batter will be stiff). Stir in

apples until well combined. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned and springs back when

lightly touched. Cool for 30 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan,

combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Gradually

add cream. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the

heat. Serve with cake. (12-14 servings)

Cranberry Apple Bread

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups peeled, chopped apples
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup Egg Beaters (egg substitute)
1 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon and soda. Set aside. Mix apples,
sugar and oil in medium bowl. Stir in Egg Beaters. Add flour mixture,
just until moistened. Batter will be thick. Stir in cranberries and
walnuts. Spread into a greased 8-1/2 x 4-1/2 x 2 1/2 loaf pan. Bake at
350° for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

Caramel Apple Pie Cups

3 Granny Smith apples (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored, chopped
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup soft caramels (about 8 pieces), unwrapped
2 boxes (11 ounces each) piecrust mix
1/2 cup cold water
1 egg, lightly beaten

Combine apples, brown sugar, butter, apple juice, cream, pie spice,
cornstarch and caramels in a skillet. Bring to boiling over high heat,
stirring frequently, 8 to 10 mins.Lower heat to medium; cook for another
2 to 3 mins. Remove from heat.Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Stir together
2 boxes piecrust mix and cold water in medium-size bowl until dough
comes together in ball. Divide in half. Transfer half of dough to
floured work surface. Roll out to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Using
4-inch round cutter or lid of 13-ounce coffee can, cut out 6 circles.
Then with 2-3/4-inch cutter, cut 6 smaller circles, rerolling scraps as
needed. Repeat with second half of dough, cutting out six 4-inch circles
and six 2-3/4-inch circles. Reserve any leftover dough for other uses,
refrigerating for up to 3 days, or freezing up to 1 month.Press a 4-inch
circle of dough into a 2-3/4 x 2-inch cup of a muffin tin, pressing
dough up sides and overlapping rim slightly. Repeat with remaining large
circles and cups, filling a total of 12 cups.

Fill each pastry-lined cup with a scant 1/4 cup filling. Brush edges of
smaller circles with egg. Top pie bottoms with smaller circles; pinch
pastry edges together to seal. Decoratively pierce tops (Or cut smaller
circles into strips for a lattice top.) Bake in 425 degree F oven for 15
mins or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Remove pies to wire
rack to cool. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired. Makes 12 pie cups.

Edible Crawlies for Kids

Halloween Recipes

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Usually ants, beetles, and other creepy crawlies are not welcome in the kitchen. But that’s not the case with these fun snacks. Grab the kids and eat some bugs!

Note: Where peanut butter is used in these recipes for “gluing” edible body parts together, frostings may be used as a substitution for those children who are sensitive to or allergic to nuts.

Ants in the Sand

graham crackers, crushed
chocolate sprinkles
snack sized resealable plastic bags

To crush graham crackers, place inside a large (gallon size) resealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, smash crackers through bag by rolling back and forth over them until they are all in crumb form.

Fill snack sized resealable bags halfway with graham cracker crumbs. Add a small handful of chocolate sprinkles to the bags and seal.

Bugs on a Log

celery stalks
peanut butter
raisins

Spread peanut butter onto washed and drained celery stalks. Top with raisins. For children who are allergic to peanuts, try using cream cheese or processed cheese spread in place of the peanut butter.

Cookie Spiders

black or chocolate licorice twists
fudge sandwich cookies
chocolate frosting
red cinnamon candies

Cut licorice in half. Remove the top of each sandwich cookie; press 8 licorice pieces into the fudge center to resemble spider legs. Spread a little chocolate frosting over the licorice; replace cookie tops. Frost the tops of the spider cookies with frosting. Place red cinnamon candies on top for eyes.

Muenster Beetles

crunchy chow mein noodles
muenster cheese (or other soft block cheese)

Cut cheese into 2″ x 1″ rectangular blocks. Gently insert three chow mein noodles on each side of cheese block for legs. Using two broken chow mein noodles, insert into “head” as antennae.

Note: Cheddar makes a bright and colorful beetle, but can be very frustrating for little fingers as the cheese is a bit too hard to press the noodles into without breaking. Use softer cheese such as gouda, havarti, monterey jack, or even mozerella.

Peanut Butter Caterpillars

bananas
peanut butter
grapes
chow mein noodles

Peel and slice a banana. Join the slices together by “gluing” them with peanut butter. Carefully poke two chow mein noodles (or break a pretzel stick in half to make two pieces) through the top of the grape. Use more peanut butter to attach the head (grape) to the front of the body, with antennae (chow mein noodles) pointing up.

Edible Haunted House

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Here’s a fun Halloween project for the whole family. Use your imagination to decorate this house any way that you desire. Watch out for ghouls and goblins, they may just devour your masterpiece early!

You will need:
2 containers (16 ounce) chocolate fudge frosting*
2 empty 1 qt. milk cartons, rinsed and dried
1 large tray covered with foil.
*You can use a thick homemade frosting instead.

Decorations:
pretzel sticks
graham crackers
black licorice and red twists
candy corn
M&Ms
Foil wrapped Halloween Candy
rice crackers
Orange Sprinkles
Colored icing for writing or decorating

Tape each milk carton closed at top. Tape milk cartons together to make a house. Wrap with foil. Attach firmly to the covered tray with tape. Frost cartons with chocolate frosting. Frost the tray also to use as the lawn. Decorate with the assorted treats!

Some ideas

*Sprinkle orange sugar on the roof of the house.
*Rice crackers make neat “attic” windows.
*graham crackers for windows and doors-highlight with icing.
*pretzel stick window panes
*M&M “pathway stones” leading to the door.
*Candy corn “icicles” under the roof

After you have the house and pathway finished add details to the lawn area. Foil wrapped candy is great because you buy little mummies, ghosts or pumpkins and place them on the pathway and around the house. Buy from the bulk section of your grocery store to get a really good selection without having to buy a lot of one type of candy. After all the oohs and ahs have subsided and Halloween is over, let the kids pick off all the candy while they discuss what to do for next year’s Haunted House Spectacular!

more Halloween Recipes