Buckeyes

This is a great treat to have around especially in the fall.

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 1/2 cups Smucker’s® Creamy Natural Peanut Butter, stirred
* OR Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
* 1/2 cup butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
* 1 (12 oz.) package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 2 tablespoons Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening

Directions

COMBINE peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on LOW until blended. Add 2 cups powdered sugar, beating until blended. Beat in additional powdered sugar until mixture, when shaped into a ball, will stay on a toothpick. Shape into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate.

PLACE chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM for 30 seconds. Stir. Repeat until mixture is smooth. Reheat as needed while coating peanut butter balls.

INSERT toothpick in peanut butter ball. Dip 3/4 of ball into chocolate, leaving top uncovered to resemble a buckeye. Remove excess. Place on wax paper-lined tray. Remove toothpick. Smooth over holes. Refrigerate until firm.

Cheesy Corns

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 450º.

2. Cut two small round prebaked pizza crusts into wedges that resemble the shape of candy corn. Top each wedge with rows of white, orange, and yellowish cheeses, as shown.

3. Bake the wedges on a cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes, then let them cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 16 to 20.

Crockpot Apple Butter

7 cups applesauce, unsweetened
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
In a crockpot, mix all ingredients. Cover and cook on low heat for 14 to 15 hours, or until the mixture is deep brown. Pack while hot into 4 hot pint jars. Process in hot-water bath for 10 minutes, counting the time after the jars have been immersed and the water comes again to a rolling boil. Makes 4 pints.

Philly Dutch-Style Funnel Cakes

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine salt
2 cups milk
1 egg, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter, melted
4 cups vegetable oil
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and
whisk together. Gradually whisk in the milk, then the egg and
vanilla and finally the sugar and melted butter. Heat the oil in a
large, heavy pot over high heat to 350F. Pour as much batter as
fints into a funnel, holding your finger at the base of the funnel to
dam it. Bring the funnel over the top of the hot oil, release your
finger to being the stream of batter, and move the funnel in a
circular motion to create a spiral shape. Use about 1/2 cup batter
per funnel cake, or more or less to your liking. Fry 2-3 minutes
until golden brown and slightly puffed, turning over when 1 side is
golden. Remove from oil and place on a plate lined with 2 layers of
paper towels. Immediately top with a good scattering of powdered
sugar. Repeat until no batter remains.

American Traditional Pumpkin Pie

3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin mush*
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1- 12oz can evaporated milk
1 pie shell

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large non-metal bowl combine sugars and eggs. Add in the pumpkin mush, the spices, salt, and evaporated milk. Pour the filling into the pie shell. Bake for 10 minutes, and then reduce heat to 350 and bake for another 50 minutes, or until pie sets. Make 6-8 servings.

*Pumpkin mush: cut a medium pumpkin in half. Prick the skin several times with a fork, and place on a cookie sheet, cut-side up. Bake for 50 minutes or until very soft when poked with a fork. Let the pumpkin cool, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Scoop out the pumpkin meat, and throw away the skin. Mash the pumpkin meat with a potato masher or puree in a blender/food processor. Makes about 4 cups.

Hot Apple Cider

1 1/2 gallons Apple Cider
2 whole cinnamon sticks
5 cloves
1 large orange, sliced thin with peel left on
1/2 lemon, sliced thin with peel left on
1/2 cup sugar

Directions: In large pot, combine cider, cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange and lemon slices, and sugar to taste. Serve hot.

Cakes for the Dead

Makes about 3 dozen, dough must be chilled several hours to overnight.

1/2 c veg. oil
4 sq unsweetened chocolate (4 oz) melted
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups pastry flour (not hard, sifted or cake flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup confectioner's sugar

Mix oil, chocolate, and granulated sugar. Blend in one egg at a time until well mixed. Add vanilla. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir flour, baking powder, and salt into oil mixture. Chill several hours to overnight. Heat oven to 350 degree F [175 degree C]. Roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball (yes, it's messy). Drop balls into confectioner's sugar & roll around until coated. Place about 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 min. They will be a little soft but should not be mushy. Edges should be firm.