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Autumn Treasures
by Arleen Kaptur
The colors of the Season: Crimson and Burgundy Reds, Bittersweet
Oranges, Sun Yellows, Hunter Green, and Beige - these brilliant hues of
autumn can be mixed, matched, or just enjoyed - your choice!
Outdoor Decorations:
Haystacks, scarecrows, pumpkins, in all shapes and sizes, bushel baskets
of gourds, apples, Indian apples, and squashes. Corn stalks, and Indian
corn are decorative touches that add so much to areas around your home.
Use these Harvest items on porches, decks, or on steps and near your
door-ways. Wheat, mums, and willows add a Fall dimensions to flower
arrangements and centerpieces. Use the colorful leaves available under
your centerpieces, on windowsills, mantels, shelves, etc. wherever you
need a "touch of color" and the warm hues of a very exciting season of
the year.
Party Themes:
After the Pumpkin Patch Supper - after a hard day of searching for and
choosing the gourd that truly symbolizes Fall, your family and friends
will need some nourishment!.
Apples Galore Fun-Time Feast - Apple picking is fun - don't forget the
camera - as everyone reaches for that one treasure on the very tippy-top
of the tree. But picking apples, sampling, and breathing in the aroma of
the orchard excites appetites, creates instant giggles and fun, and
old-fashioned enjoyment! Let everyone make their own taffy apples, of
course, with adult supervision, with the hot taffy, and add sprinkles,
nuts, etc.
Raking Leaves Party Time - Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn - stories
from the past - get family, friends, and relatives pitch it with racks,
brooms, and baskets to rake and clean up your landscape, but "jumping
in" is just part of the fun. Also, if your area permits, burning leaves
is truly the aroma of Autumn - great to sit around, munch on apples, and
dream about the Holiday Season just ahead. Throw in a great meal and you
have - instant party time fun!
Harvest Time Bon-Fire Get-together - Freshly baked apple pies, grilled
hot dogs, chips, and apple cider - it just doesn't get any better than
this!
However you decide to celebrate - enjoy Autumn and Nature - it only
comes once a year - but the memories will last a lifetime!
Table Décor:
Make a centerpiece of one large pumpkin, surrounded by smaller ones,
baby squash, gourds, acorns, and leaves. Let your imagination go wild!
Use fall leaves that have been dried between sheets of waxed paper on
windowsills, shelves, and mantels. Use large leaves or baby pumpkins as
place cards and tie napkins with "autumn colored" yarns, or raffia. Add
an acorn, or pinecone and you have a very impressive napkin ring.
Colorful felt placemats with cut-outs of apples, leaves, etc. hot-glued
on are fun and inexpensive.
Meal-time Menus:
Cornish game hens, with wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes,
cornmeal fried tomato slices, tossed green salad, and chocolate mousse
Beef Stroganoff on poppy seed noodles, green beans, garlic biscuits, and
taffy apples
Italian sausage and pepper grilled sandwiches, English pea salad, ice
cream sundaes
Harvest Pork Roast, pan-fried squash and tomatoes, baked potato, and hot
apple pie
Beverage: Try cider, apple lemonade, tea, of apple juice
Use a large pumpkin to serve stew, soup, or chili. Use smaller pumpkins
as individual servings of these "cooler" weather treats.
Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches
4-6" long Italian sausages 4-6" Hoagie or submarine rolls
2 tsp. olive oil
2 red/green sweet peppers cut in strips
1 hot pepper, diced 2 onions, sliced into rings
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
Place sausages on grill or broiler. Grill until thoroughly cooked, about
10 mins. Cut rolls in half, scoop out tops and reserve "insides" for
bread crumbs. Place rolls on grill and brown until golden. Place oil in
pan, add onions, and sweet peppers. Heat until soft. Warm spaghetti
sauce in pan. Chop hot pepper and place in small bowl and drizzle olive
oil over. On each roll, place sausage, peppers, and onions, and top with
sauce. Sprinkle cheese, place under broiler for a minute or two, until
cheese is melted. Great tasting, and you may just have to double this
recipe!
Taffy Apples
6 apples, washed wooden sticks
1 (16ozs.) bag caramels
2 tbs. water
Insert stick into each apple. Microwave caramels and water in glass bowl
on high for 3 minutes, stirring after each minute until sauce is velvety
smooth. Dip apples into hot caramel and turn until completely coated.
Scrape excess from bottom and dip into nuts if desired. Cool on waxed
paper and enjoy!
Potato Wedges
2 tbs. vegetable oil
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
5 potatoes, unpeeled
Spread oil in bottom of baking pan. Combine all the ingredients, except
potatoes in bowl. Cut each potato into wedges and thoroughly dip into
mixture. Place in single layer in pan and bake, uncovered (350) for 45
minutes.
Autumn Cider
1 gallon apple cider
1 can (12 ozs.) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 lemon, thinly sliced
several cinnamon sticks
In large bowl, combine cider and lemonade until combined. Pour into
hollowed-out pumpkin. Place lemon slices on top and float a few cinnamon
sticks as well. Ladle out into glasses with a little crushed ice.
However, you decide to enjoy Autumn, do just that - ENJOY!
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