Eleanor's breadsticks

My cute cousin Eleanor sent me this recipe a few months ago, and Jeremy made it last night. So glad he did--these breadsticks were awesome... and easy!!! They're a perfect last-minute addition to a yummy soup-and-salad dinner. We paired these with Krista's Chicken and Gnocchi Soup and my re-creation of Olive Garden's bottomless salad. YUM!!!

Eleanor's Excellent Breadsticks

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs yeast

1 cube butter

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

Parmesan cheese

Garlic salt

Combine sugar, yeast, flour and salt. Add water and stir. Knead on floured board for 3 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes. Roll dough into rectangular shape (the size of your cookie sheet). With pizza cutter, cut lengthwise in half and then into inch-wide strips. Melt butter and dip strips in butter (or pour butter over top) and place on greased cookie sheet. Generously sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and garlic salt.

Let rise for 15-20 minutes, then bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until Parmesan cheese turns golden color.

ENJOY!

Stribling Apple Bread

About 20 years ago (am I right, Dad?), my parents created the family tradition of going to Stribling Orchard in Markham, Virginia to pick apples in the fall. Jeremy and I have continued that tradition in our little family--wherever we move, we always find an apple orchard to explore in October... Well, this month my brother Dave brought some of his friends from L.A. to give them the East Coast (a.k.a. Midaxlantic) fall experience, and of course at the top of his list of "things to do" was to go to Stribling. They kindly let us tag along, and we had a great time together. So here, in honor of all our Stribling memories...

Stribling Apple Bread (or muffins)

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups apples, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Cream sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add dry mix to wet mix, along with apples. Mix until well-blended; note that batter will be quite thick. Grease and flour loaf pan (or muffin tins); cook loaf for 1 hour, or muffins about 20 minutes.

Callie's Apple Dip

This is a new discovery this Fall! Our friend Callie brought this to an activity last week, and let's just say it was divine... The Heath chips make it, that's all I can say!

Callie's Apple Dip

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 pkg. Heath chips (by the chocolate chips in grocery store)

Mix all ingredients together, preferably with a hand mixer to make it really smooth. Serve with crisp apple slices--Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady apples all work well :o)

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

This one we kind of made up on our own...

Just follow the directions on your oats container for making oatmeal on the stove (steel-cut oats are the best if you have the time to cook them). When the water is boiling--before you put the oats in, throw in some diced apples. Give them about a minute in the water, then put the oats in and cook as directed. Before serving, add 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon per serving, and then add brown sugar or honey to your liking. Yum!

Gooey Chex Mix AKA "Christmas Crack"

My friend Heather made this for our Book Club meeting last month, and I think we've all made it at least once since then. It's so good! And it's a perfect treat to make with your kids for a movie or game night, FHE dessert, etc...

Gooey-but-oh-so-good Chex Mix
1 cup butter
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup sugar
6 cups Rice Chex
6 cups Golden Grahams
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup coconut
1 cup Craisins
1 cup white chocolate chips

Stir butter, Karo syrup, and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Pour over the top of combined remaining ingredients. Mix well. Spread mix on wax paper and let sit for 1 hour or longer--if you have some self-control :o)

**I have found over the years that the white chocolate chips melt too much for my liking when I pour the hot butter/syrup/sugar combination on. So now I reserve the white chocolate chips and sprinkle them on top of the Chex mix while it's cooling on the wax paper.