Homemade Applesauce

This homemade applesauce is perfect on a brisk fall day or during a blizzard!  Apples and cinnamon combine to produce an addictive, smooth sauce that rivals apple pie.




Applesauce

Ingredients
13 small apples 
Juice of 1 lemon or about 2 1/2 Tablespoons
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
4 Tbs. brown sugar
1/3 cup apple juice


Directions

1) Peel, core and slice the apples.  Toss them into the slow cooker with all the other ingredients.  Give it a stir, then turn the heat to low for four hours.

2) After cooking for four hours, turn the heat up to high and cook for one hour.

3) After the apples had cooked this long, they should look like the above picture.  Use a whisk and whip the mixture until all of the large chunks have disappeared and it looks similar to the picture on the right.

4) Cool and enjoy!

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Pumpkin Apple Muffins
These muffins are the quintessential fall breakfast!  Apple and pumpkin combine to produce a moist, flavorful muffin with a sweetened streusel  topping. 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 15 oz can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apple
•  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin cups or use paper liners.

2. In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stirring just to moisten. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over muffin batter.


4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Yield: 2 dozen muffins

Pumpkin Carving/Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Carving a pumpkin is a great family activity and can be really easy with the free templates available.  My husband and I carved this one in honor of our lovely, fluffy, plump kitty.

1) Start by selecting your pumpkin and wiping down the outside.

2) Cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and stringy parts.  Then use an ice cream scoop to reduce the pumpkin's walls to about an inch thick.  You can use a straight pin to test it.

3) Cut out the template and pin the template onto the pumpkin.

Templates: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Holiday---Celebration-Recipes/Halloween-Recipes/Pumpkin-Carving-Stencils

4) Trace the template.

5) Carve out the template sections.

6) Place a few tea lights in the pumpkin and enjoy!






Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

1) Rinse off the seeds and place on a cookie sheet.
2) Place a small amount of oil on the cookie sheet and stir to coat.
3) Sprinkle a small amount of salt or kosher salt on top.
4) Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

Mix with cranberries for a snack on the go.

Pumpkin Bread/Pumpkin Mini Muffins

• Pumpkin Muffins/Bread
• 
  
• Here is the perfect fall recipe for pumpkin!  The bread and muffins are moist and flavorful on the inside and have a crisp crust.  The original recipe claims that it tastes like pumpkin pie without the crust and I definitely agree!  This recipe can be used for loaves or muffins of any size.  I decided to make mini loaves and mini muffins and the recipe produced 4 loaves and 36 mini muffins, which is perfect because they are incredibly irresistible!  
• 
  
• Ingredients
• 
  
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 
  
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 
  
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 
  
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil and eggs. 

2. Add pumpkin and mix well.

3. Combine dry ingredients; add to the pumpkin mixture alternately with water.

4. Pour into greased pans


5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes for mini muffins, 30-35 minutes for mini loaves and 60-65 minutes for regular size loaves.  




6. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack; cool completely.