Fall Recipes

Looking for something to munch on when passing out the candy on Halloween? This is an easy, peasy snack that I found on Pinterest and it is awesome! We had our small group over for Bible study last week and when the guys came in and saw this on the kitchen counter they made a bee-line for it. It was hard to tear them away! Here's the scoop:

1 bag of Indian Corn
1 bag of Reese's Pieces
1 can or jar of dry roasted peanuts
1 cup of raisins
1 cup of mini pretzels

You can also add sunflower seeds, Craisins and/or a bag of mallow pumpkin/candy corn mix. Warning, if you like sweet/salty mixes this is kind of like candy crack. 

For dessert I made another easy recipe that was lurking on my Pinterest page, Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars from The Girl-Who-Ate-Everything.com and this was a crowd pleaser. I have to admit her photo looks way more appetizing than mine and I do want you to know how great these are so I'm "borrowing" Christy's.

 Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients:

    Crust:
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
    Cheesecake Filling:
    3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
    3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
    3 large eggs
    1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    Apples:
    3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    Streusel Topping:
    1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    1 cup all-purpose flour
    1/2 cup quick cooking oats
    1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
    Drizzle:
    1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

Instructions:

•     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
•     In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 forks until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
•     In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
•     In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
•     For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.
•     Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

Finally, this is what was waiting for me at my desk Monday. What a nice surprise! Now if I could only celebrate without actually having to add another year to my age that would be great. Although I take comfort from one of my friends reminder that I'm actually only one day older.

Ingredients

Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Cheesecake Filling:
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apples:
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
Drizzle:
• 1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

See Kid-Friendly Halloween Treats

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Notes

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html#oHL7yJotJOLoOvxi.99

Ingredients

Crust:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
Cheesecake Filling:
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Apples:
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel Topping:
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
Drizzle:
• 1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

See Kid-Friendly Halloween Treats

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.
4. In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.
5. For the streusel topping: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

Notes

Source: adapted from Paula Deen

Read more at http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/09/caramel-apple-cheesecake-bars.html#oHL7yJotJOLoOvxi.99