Fabulous Fall Food

For those of you who like to cook...and I'm one of them!...here are some yummy recipes to make this time of year smell and taste fabulous. They are very do-able. Trust me. I only do do-able.

BUTTERNUT APPLE SOUP

Bring to boil in pot, then reduce and simmer until tender:
2 (20-oz) bags frozen, cut up butternut squash
1-2 apples, peeled and quartered
4 C. chicken broth
1-2 cinnamon sticks (remove after simmering)

Blend until smoothness you want (I do mine in a blender until a little lumpy -- let it cool first!)

Return to pan on low and add:
1 C. half and half
1/4 C. butter
2 T. maple syrup
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmet
1/4 t. ginger

Garnish with apple slices and nutmeg...yum!!

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EASY, DELICIOUS BREAD

Combine in a large bowl and let sit for 10 min:

3/4 C. sugar
3 C. warm water
2 T. yeast

Beat and add to yeast mixture:
1/3 C. oil
1 egg

Add to mixture:
1 T. salt
~ 8 C. flour, until just sticky (you'll have to do the end of this by hand)

Cover bowl and let dough rise until double (~30 or 40 min), repeat. (You don't have to knead it.) Divide bread into 3 bread pans and let rise until double. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Rub tops with butter. I served this recently with butter and CREAMED honey...yummy!!
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And, to top it all off...

JODY'S PEANUT BUTTER BARS (a friend in Ithaca gave me this)

Tip: make this on two smaller cookie sheets instead of one regular, or YOU WILL EAT THE WHOLE SHEET. Trust me. The other one freezes well, and when you want more...just thaw it out and spread on the frosting! Dangerously good idea.

Mix:
1 C. butter, softened
2 eggs
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 C. peanut butter (I've only used the "regular"--I haven't tried the "natural")

Mix and add to other mix:
2 C. flour
2 C. oatmeal (hey! you're using food storage, right?)
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt

Spread in greased cookie sheet (remember what I told you...). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 or 15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool a bit. Spread with chocolate icing. Jody recommended Better Crocker milk chocolate frosting and I haven't dared to try any substitute. If you're anything like me, you're absolutely powerless against these.