This time of the year is so beautiful. The mornings are cool and fresh, warm during the middle of the day, and cool again in the evenings. This is perfect, in my opinion. School, football games, and fall activities are in full swing and farmers are busy harvesting their crops. Fall includes stopping at an apple orchard and taking kids to a local pumpkin patch.

Caramel Apple Bars

These bars are great this time of the year or anytime. It is recommended that you use an apple that is sweet and yet crisp, like Jonathan, Braeburn, Pink Lady or Granny Smith.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

2 cups coarsely chopped peeled apples

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

Caramel filling (Instructions below)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 15-by-10-inch jelly roll pan. Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Add flour, oats, brown sugar, and baking soda. Combine with mixer at low speed or with fork until crumbly. Press half of the mixture in a pan and bake for 8 minutes.

Let cool for a few minutes. Sprinkle apples and nuts over a warm crust. Pour hot caramel over top (see instructions at left). Spread this with reserved crumbs. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool.

For ease in slicing, refrigerate. Store in the refrigerator.

Caramel Filling Ingredients

1 1/2 cups caramel topping

1/2 cup flour

Caramel Filling Instructions

In a saucepan, over medium heat, combine caramel topping and flour. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin is said to be a food rich in nutrients for skin health. Pumpkin is high in potassium, which can help lower blood pressure. It is also low in calories, fat and sodium and high in fiber. With all of that being said, it is delicious in recipes such as this Pumpkin Bread recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2/3 cup water

1 cup oil

3 1/2 cups flour

1 can packed pumpkin

Instructions

Mix in order listed. Pour into two greased, small loaf pans. Bake in a 350-degree oven. Cool and frost the bread.

Frosting Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons prepared coffee

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Mix all frosting ingredients well and spread on cooled bread.

Wild Rice Chicken Soup

There are a lot of soup recipes in area church cookbooks and in people’s recipe boxes. Hopefully, you will want to try these Wild Rice & Chicken and Simple Vegetable Beef Soup recipes. Here are a couple of soup recipes that our family likes.

Ingredients

1 cup cooked, cubed chicken

3 tablespoons margarine

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 medium onion, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 can chicken broth

2 cups milk

1 cup cooked wild rice

Instructions

Melt margarine in a saucepan. Saute onions and celery until tender-crisp. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and milk. Stir until thickened. Prepare wild rice according to the package. Add the cooked wild rice and chicken.

Simple Vegetable Beef Soup

This is just like the title, simple! Don’t forget to cook the ground beef first and drain the grease off before adding it to the other ingredients. Frozen vegetables can be substituted for canned vegetables.

Ingredients

1 large can V-8 juice

1 pound ground beef

2 cans Veg-All veggies

Instructions

Cook in a crock pot all day … simple yet delicious!

Loretta Krahling is a columnist with over 37 years of newspaper experience. Have any favorite recipes or tips you would like to share? Email them to krahling@gmail.com.