Ideas Using Pumpkins for Fall

Pumpkin for Coolers:

• Cut and discard the top from a fat pumpkin.
• Hallow the pumpkin and wash the strings and seeds.
• Add ice and bottles of your favorite soft drinks
• If you plan to place your pumpkin on a wood service take precaution and place it on a round platter to prevent moisture from damaging the wood surface.

Pumpkin for Floral Arrangements:

• Cut and discard the top from a tall slendor pumpkin.
• Hallow the pumpkin and wash the strings and seeds.
• Arrange your flowers using the pumpkin as a vase. You can place styrofoam if needed in the bottom of the pumpkin.

Pumpkin for Serving Bowls:

• Cut and discard the top from different shapes of pumpkins or squash.
• Hallow the pumpkin and was the strings and seeds.
• Small pumpkins can be used for serving dips or salsas
• Larger pumpkins can be used for serving fruits, soups, etc

Tortilla Turtles

1 sm pkg flour tortillas
Oil
½ cup sugar
2 – 3 tsp cinnamon
Chocolate sauce, recipe follows

Cut each tortilla into 8 triangle wedges. Heat oil and deep fry tortilla wedges. Remove from oil and place on paper towels. Combine sugar and cinnamon in gallon size Ziploc bag. Place wedges in bag and shake until well coated. Repeat until all wedges have been sugar coated.

Chocolate Sauce

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Approx 20 caramels
1 pkg chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, optional

Combine cream, caramels, and chips in saucepan over low heat. Place wedges on platter. Drizzle chocolate sauce over tortilla wedges. Sprinkle with chopped nuts

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. melted butter
1 pkg. canned biscuits

Mix sugar and cinnamon together. Dip each biscuit into melted butter. Coat with cinnamon mixture.Place in pan. Bake according to biscuit package directions. Remove from oven; loosen rolls immediately and glaze.

Cream Cheese Glaze
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, margarine, and vanilla in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Spread glaze on rolls. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cinnamon Baked Apples

4 large baking apples, such as Rome, Golden Delicious, or Jonagold
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup currants or chopped raisins (optional)
1 Tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Wash apples. Using apple corer, core apples.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, currants/raisins, and pecans.

Place apples in a 8-inch-by-8-inch square baking pan. Stuff each apple with sugar mixture. Top with a dot of butter

Bake 30-40 minutes, until tender, but not mushy.

Makes 4 servings.

Sausage Cornbread

1 stick of margarine
1 pound pork sausage
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk self-rising cornmeal mix
1 (15 ounce) can cream style corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place margarine in 10 inch iron skillet. Heat in oven until melted.

In a medium skillet, brown the sausage and onion; crumble and drain well.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, corn meal mix, corn, sour cream, milk, and oil. Pour half of corn meal mixture into the greased pan, and sprinkle with sausage mixture and cheese. Pour remaining batter over top.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Mexican Fiesta

1 lb hamburger meat, browned and drained
1 pkg Chili Mix
1 can Rotel tomatoes and chilies
1 sm can tomato sauce
1 5 oz pkg Manhatma yellow rice
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup milk
2 cups grated cheese

Add chili mix, Rotel, and tomato sauce to meat and simmer for 20 minutes

Cook yellow rice according to package directions.

Combine soup and milk and heat over low heat until bubbly, stirring often to avoid scortching.

Spread rice very thin into bottom of 9x13 sheet cake pan or casserole dish. Top with meat mixture. Pour soup mixture over meat. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve with Mexican style chips.