A Taste of Fall

               So Feisty Pants missed another party today.  My nephew's daughter turned one .  Feisty Pants is either nursing a mild cold or a nasty allergy attack.  No fever but icky things are running out of her nose.   If it's a cold, we didn't want to give it to everyone else. If it's allergies, we didn't want everyone else's germs to turn FP's sniffles into something worse. If it's ectoplasm, she is a gifted psychic medium and then obviously movie style hi jinks would ensue at any gathering. Which means another day without cake and stuck with her evil parents.  She is understandably thrilled.  Thank goodness for the Dr. Who marathon.   That is the only thing that has kept her from firing us squares and blowing this popsicle stand of dullness.  Well, that and cooking which is had kept her at least mildly entertained.  Feisty Pants sees cooking as one big fun science experiment and she is kind of a science geek.

                So to that end, here are a couple of fun fall themed recipes we tried out today.  They kept FP chuckling and happy I think because they gave her a sense of accomplishment and not because she slipped the poison in when we were not looking. Meh, either way they are tasty. Enjoy!

Apple Ham Paninis- 

You will need:  One loaf French or Italian Bread, thinly sliced apples (macs or granny smith), sliced deli ham, sliced cheddar, sliced onions (optional), honey mustard dressing

Slice the bread in half length wise. Spread thinly with dressing.  Layer on apples, ham, cheese, onion.  Toast in panini press.  (If you don't have one just use a foreman grill or use a griddle and weigh down with a bacon press.)  Serves four with a salad or two if one of you is Goo.

Crockpot Cider-

 This one is great for a party.  And it makes you house smell amazing!!! (Beats cleaning.) You could cut it down and do this in a small pot on the stove if you like.  Just simmer it on low.

You will need: 1 gallon apple cider.  1 TBS. Vanilla.  1/2 cup honey OR 1/2 cup sugar.  1 TBS allspice. 2 TBS cinnamon.  1 can pumpkin puree (optional)

Throw everything in the crockpot and simmer until the house smells like autumn in heaven.

Fried Apples-

You will need: Five or six apples, half stick of butter, half cup brown sugar, loads of cinnamon.  (calorie counting is for squares)

Core and chop the apples into chunks.  Melt butter in frying pan.  Toss in apples, sugar, cinnamon.  Cook on medium, Stir a lot.  When apples have softened and sauce is starting to thicken, it's done.  Put on anything and everything. (I suggest ice cream or pancakes) Enjoy.