By Brenda Hyde
Autumn brings to mind apples, cider, squash and the savory
sweet taste of pumpkin pie and bread. It's also the time of
year when the kids start spending a little more time indoors
and need some activities and snacks to occupy their minds
and hands. Try out these fall themed recipes and projects.
Simmered Fall Punch
Ingredients:
2 cups apple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 or 3 cloves
Simmer on the stove for 20-30 minutes. Take out cloves
before serving.
Banana Pumpkin Shake
Ingredients:
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
1 banana
dash of cinnamon
Blend in blender until smooth and foamy.
Serve immediately.
Applesauce Cinnamon Salad
Ingredients:
2 (3 ounce) packages raspberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup cinnamon candies
4 cups applesauce
Add gelatin to boiling water and candies.Stir
in applesauce and chill until firm.
Creamy Orange Dip and Fruit
Ingredients:
1 package cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/3 cup crushed pecans
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix together all ingredients until smooth. Place in a nice bowl and
surround on a tray or platter with strawberries, kiwis, grapes, apple
slices, oranges, pear and peach slices. You may use all of these or
some. If your kids are like mine and don't like nuts, you can leave
those out if you wish.
Autumn Activities
*Humorous Cards for Friends and Family
Kid's love corny humor, and making things to give away.
Set them down with paper, crayons, markers and
these jokes. They can make special fall cards for
friends and family.
-What did the little ear of corn call his father?
Pop Corn
-Why did the jelly roll? Because it saw the apple turnover.
-What is the difference between a strawberry and a cucumber?
One is in a jam and the other is in a pickle.
*Preserving Fall Leaves
You will need:
Dried leaves
floor wax
a bowl
newspaper
waxed paper
an old catalog or phone book
old or inexpensive paint brushes
Gather some pretty fall leaves once they have fallen. Lay
newspapers down on a work surface. Pour some wax into
the bowl. Have the kids carefully brush wax onto the leaves.
This will make them shiny. To dry, place them between two
pieces of wax paper and place between the catalog or phone
book pages. Use to make cards or decorate the windows and
doors.