Pumpkin punch

This is such a cute idea. I got it off of my Google home page. I bet it's really good too. I think I may let the kids do this later in the month for an activity.

Ingredients

• 1 L apple juice
• 11 ¾ fl oz pineapple juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 apple
• 1 tbsp whole cloves

Form little balls from the apple using a melon ball scoop. Place the apple balls into a bowl. Spike each ball through the center with a clove. Combine the apple juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, apple balls and the cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat. Give it a quick stir and allow it to heat for only a few minutes. Remove it from the heat and let it cool (unless you want to serve it warm).

Slow Cooker Chicken Alfredo

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 C. Italian dressing
1 can cr. of chicken soup
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 C. chicken broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
12 0z. fettuccine, cooked and drained

Place chicken and salad dressing in a resealable container. Chill chicken for 8-10 hours. Transfer chicken and marinade to a slow cooker. Cook on med. about 4 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker. Shred chicken. Add soup, cream cheese, broth, thyme, basil, salt and pepper to liquid in slow cooker and mix well. Add chicken to the slow cooker. Cook on High until heated through, about 10 min. Serve over the pasta.

~~This and the following 2 recipes came from "Grandma's Kitchen"

Italian Chicken Sandwiches

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 Tbls. vegetable oil
1/2 C. chopped onion
2/3 C. water
1/4 C. tomato paste
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. each dried oregano and garlic salt
1 C. chopped green bell pepper
1 loaf Italian bread
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

Chop chicken to yield about 3 cups. Heat vegetabel oil in a large skillet over med. heat. Cook chicken and onion in hot oil, stirring frequently, until chicken is browned, about 5 min. Combine water, tomato paste, basil, oregano and garlic salt and mix well. Stir into chicken mixture in the skillet. Add bell pepper and mix well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickend, about 2 min. Preheat broiler. Cut bread diagonally into 2 1/2 in. slices. Cut the slices in half horizontally. Arrange bottom halves on a baking sheet. Spoon equal portions of the chicken mixture on each slice. Sprinkle mozzarella on top. Broil just until mozzarella is melted. Top with the remaining bread slices. Serve immediately.

Spiced Plum Muffins

2 C. self rising flour
2 C. sugar
1 C. chopped walnuts
2 tsp. allspice
1 C. vegetable oil
2 (4 oz.) jars plum w/ apples baby food
3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin cups w/ liners. (I don't like liners and will just grease my muffin tins.) Combine flour, sugar, walnuts and allspice and mix well. Combine vegetable oil, baby food and eggs in a medium bowl and stir to mix well. Add to flour mixture and mix gently. Fill muffin tins half full. Bake muffins until edges pull away from the sides. ~ 12-15 min. (This time is based on doing mini-muffins. I will be doing regular sized ones and will just have to adjust accordingly.)

Saucy Franks & Meatballs

3 slices bread, torn
1/4 C. milk
1 pound ground beef
1 lg. egg, beaten
1 tsp. onion salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 (12 oz.) bottle chili sauce
2/3 C. currant jelly
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 Tbls. prepared yellow mustard
1 lb. cocktail franks

Place bread in a large bowl. Add milk. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add ground beef, egg, onion salt and black pepper and mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls.
Cook meatballs in a large skillet over med-high heat, turning frequently, until browned, about 8 minutes.
Combine the chili sauce, currant jelly, lemon juice and mustard in a small bowl and mix well.
Spoon chili suace mixture into a slow cooker. Add meatballs and franks and mix well. Cook, covered, on high for 2 hours.

Squash Quick Bread with Cider Raisins

3/4 C. apple cider
1 C. raisins
3 C. cubed peeled butternut or other winter squash (1 sm. squash will do)
1 1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 C. unbleached flour
1/4 C. yellow cornmeal
1 Tbls. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 C. flavorless vegetable oil
1 C. light brown sugar
1 C. chopped walnuts, toasted
1 tsp. white sugar

Bring the cider to a boil in a saucepan and reduce by about half ~ it doesn't have to be exact. Add the raisins, cover and remove from the heat. Set aside.

Put the squash cubes in a large saucepan and cover with about a quart of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a low boil. Cook for about 20 min., until the squash is fort tender. Drain and then puree the squash in a blender. Measure out 1 C., reserving the rest for another use ~ is nice in soups. Butter and lightly flour 2 4x8 in. loaf pans ~ not dark ones ~ and preheat the oven to 350.

Sift the flours, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and spices into a bowl; include any pieces of bran left in the sifter. In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Beat in the squash puree, oil, and brown sugar.

Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture in several stages. Fold in the raisins and any unabsorbed cider and 2/3 C. walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly between the loaf pans and smooth the tops. Sprinkle nuts over both loaves, gently embedding them with your hand, then sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. sugar over each loaf. Bake the loaves for 50-55 min., until tests done. Cool in pan for 15 min. Put a piece of wax paper on your cooling rack, then turn the loaves out and place them right side up on the wax paper. Cool the loaves thoroughly, if you aren't going to eat them right away, this bread is great warm ~ then immediately wrap them in plastic and overwrap in foil. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Maple Mustard Filled Cornmeal Rolls

1 3/4 C. lukewarm water
1Tbls. blackstrap molasses
1 1/4 oz. pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 C. yellow cornmeal
1/2 C. whole wheat flour
3 1/2 C. (approx.) unbleached flour
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbls. unsalted butter, softened
1 C. grated Cheddar cheese

Filling
2 Tbls. unsalted butter
2 Tbls. pure maple syrup
2 Tbls. Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix the lukewarm water and molasses in a large bowl and stir in the yeast. Set aside for 5 min., then beat in the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, and 1 C. of the unbleached flour. With a wooden spoon, beat well for 1 min., then cover this sponge with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free spot for 15 min.

After 15 min., stir in the salt and softened butter, then begin mixing in the remaining unbleached flour about 1/2 C. at a time, stirring well after each addition. When you have a cohesive, kneadable dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 7 min., using sprinkles of flour to keep the dough from sticking. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn it to coat the entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft free spot until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling; melt the 2 Tbls. butter in a saucepan and whisk in the maple syrup and mustard. Bring to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
When the dough is fully risen, sprinkle half of the cheddar cheese over the top, then punch it down. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead in the remaining cheese. Let the dough rest, covered in plastic wrap, on a floured surface for 10 min. Butter a 12x18 jelly roll pan or 20 large muffin cups.

Roll the dough intoa rectangle approx. 20 in. long by 12 in wide. Spread the maple-mustard mixture over the rolled out dough up to the short sides and to within 2 in. of each long edge; I find it is easiest just to use my hands to spread it. Dust the surface with black pepper.
Starting with the edge closest to you, begin rolling, keeping it snug but not overly tight. Using the pastry brush or finger dipped in water, lightly moisten the other long edge just as you get to it, then pinch the dough there to seal the log.

Using a sharp knife, saw the dough in half, then cut each half in half. Cut each quarter section ito 5 equal slices, then lay them on the sheet swirl side up, almost touching, or in the muffin tins. On the jelly roll pan, you'll probably get 4 rows of 5.

Cover the rolls loosely with oiled plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft free spot until doubled in bulk, usually 30 min. to 40 min.; about 15 min. before they reach this point, preheat the oven to 350. When doubled, bake the rolls for about 35 min. until lightly browned. Cut them apart and transfer the rolls to a cooling rack. If you want to keep them soft, rather than have a chewy, harder crust, brush them with a little melted butter when they first come out of the oven.