I love Fall and especially Halloween. I am anxious for the cool crisp evening visit to the pumpkin patch this year! We all had so much fun there last year. We rode the train, walked the corn maze, the boys and Dad had a straw war and we even went through the petting zoo. Sadly, that pumpkin farm is gone now, so we will have to find another one (which shouldn't be too difficult). We have Halloween costumes picked out already too. The boy's have been set in stone for months about their costume choices. I'll reveal more about that another time though.

In the spirit of the season, here are some great Fall recipes. Easy and delciious! Enjoy!

PUMPKIN BARS

2 c. flour – do not pack
2 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cloves
1 c. oil
16 oz. can pumpkin
4 eggs
1 can prepared cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350.
Grease 10”x13” pan. In large bowl, blend all ingredients at low speed until moistened. Beat an additional 2 min. at medium speed. Pour into pan. Bake for 25-30 min. or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. Spread on cream cheese frosting. Cut into squares & serve with a big glass of milk.
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PUMPKIN SCONES

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/4 c. brown sugar – firmly packed
1 T. baking powder
3/4 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
About 1/2 c. butter or margarine - cut into chunks
3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. plus 1 T. milk
1 large egg yolk
1 T. granulated sugar

In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and salt. Add 1/2 c. butter and with a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub in until pea size crumbs form. In a small bowl, whisk pumpkin and 1/2 c. milk until well blended. Add to flour mixture and stir just until dough is evenly moistened. Scrape onto a lightly floured board, turn over to coat, and gently knead just until dough comes together, 5 or 6 turns. Pat dough into a 6" round 1 1/2” thick; cut into 6 equal wedges. Separate wedges and place on a lightly buttered 12”x15" baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and 1 T. milk to blend, brush lightly over tops of scones (discard any remaining egg wash). In another small bowl, mix granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 t. cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over scones. Bake in a 375 oven until scones are golden brown; 25-30 min. Transfer to a rack; serve warm of cold.
Makes 6 scones.
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APPLE STREUSEL BREAD
 
1 1/2 c. oil
4 eggs - beaten
2 t. baking soda
2 t. vanilla
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
2 c. apples - chopped
 
Streusel Topping:
4 T. sugar
2 T. butter
4 T. flour
3 t. cinnamon
 
Mix bread batter and pour into two large (or six small), lightly greased bread pans. Combine topping ingredients and cover loaves with streusel.  Bake at 350 for one hour (or 45 min. for small loaves).
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PUMPKIN BREAD

Gut pumpkin. Cut pumpkin into four large wedges. Cook until tender, peel and mash pumpkin. Mix with 1 t. sugar and 1 t. lemon. (Can be frozen in freezer bags.)

3 1/2 C flour
1 t baking powder
2 t baking soda
2 t ground cloves   
2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t salt
3 t cinnamon
2 C pumpkin mash (not canned)
1 C crisco oil
3 C sugar
3 eggs
1 C chopped walnuts
1 big cup rasins

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray two large loaf pans with non-stick spray. Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl, mix all wet, sugar,  pumpkin, raisins, nuts, oil, eggs in second bowl. Mix both dry and wet ingredients together and pour into prepared pans. Bake 55-60 minutes, insert toothpick in center if comes out clean its done...cool 15 minutes before slicing.
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MULLED CIDER
 
2 qt. apple cider
3 large cinnamon stick
zest of 1 large lemons (or 2 small)
2 dashes clove powder
5 dashes nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to simmer. Strain & serve.
Makes 8 servings.