Elderberry Apple Pie Recipe

In the fall when the weather turns cool I enjoy baking fresh berry and fruit pies.  One of my favorite pies is apple elderberry.  This recipe is not one you are going to find at your weekly recipe meet  because I came up with it because my husband likes apple pie and I like elderberry so I mixed the fruit so we both had a pie we would enjoy.

I grow elderberries in my yard for the birds but always take from the bush for my autumn recipes.  In august I harvested elderberries by cutting off the dark blue black clusters with my garden scissor and then I put the berry cluster in a colander to wash off before freezing.  

Fresh elderberries are messy; the juice stains and is nearly impossible to get out so I always freeze before using.  When I back with elderberries I always add them to recipe when they are frozen.

Gather ingredients for pie recipe:

2 Cups of fresh elderberries (I use fresh berries that I froze)
4 Cups of peeled, cored and apples
3 Tablespoons of all purpose flour
½ Teaspoon of cinnamon
1 Cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons of salt free butter
2- 9 Inch pie crust

Here is the recipe for elderberry-apple pie:

Add the apples, flour, and sugar to the bowl and mix all ingredients. Then add the frozen elderberries and mix gently to avoid breaking the berries.

Line your pie plate with the pie crust and then pour the apple and elderberry filling into the crust. Top the pie filling with the second pie crust and pinch the top and bottom crusts together. Use a fork to create steam release holes in the top of the crust. Then pat the crust with the butter.

Your oven should be preheated to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and oven rack should be put in the center.

Bake your pie at 450 for ten minutes and then turn the heat down to 400 and bake pie for one hour.

Test to see if the pie is done by inserting a toothpick in the center if the toothpick comes out clean then the pie is done.

Let pie cool before serving then garnish the pie with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream .  My husband enjoys his pie with Andy’s frozen vanilla custard.  It sure is good and is the perfect ending for a autumn day.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Muffin Recipe

It is definitely pumpkin recipe season and if you like pumpkin as much as I do then you will really like this easy pumpkin walnut muffin recipe because I add a secret ingredient that is so delicious.

Last year I made the cake mix pumpkin muffins that had 3 ingredients and muffins were moist but I thought a little bland,  So this year I did some experimenting with the flavor and came up with a recipe that I love.

This pumpkin muffin recipe is easy but oh so delicious because I am adding walnuts and secret ingredient is white chocolate.  When the chocolate bakes it melts into the texture of the muffin and when you bite into the muffin they melt in your mouth.

I made a batch of these muffins a few weeks ago and served at my women's group and the girls said they were delicious and suggested that I serve them as a cupcake with white chocolate frosting and garnished with chopped walnuts.  They are perfect for a Halloween open house or served for brunch or afternoon snack throughout the autumn season

See how nice the pumpkin muffins look of Halloween buffet table.

Halloween Theme Greeting Cards 

All I can say is that pumpkin walnut with chocolate muffins or cupcakes sure are good.  Here is my recipe for pumpkin white chocolate muffins.

For this recipe you will need the following:

18.25 ounce yellow cake mix

1 can 15-ounce pumpkin puree

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup white chocolate morsels

Recipe steps:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Spray the 12 cup muffin pan cups with Pam for baking with flour or use paper liners.
• Combine the cake mix with the pumpkin puree and spices in a large mixing bowl.
• With an electric mixer set at medium blend all ingredients until batter is smooth.
• With spoon fold nuts and white chocolate morsels into the batter.
• Fill the muffin cups 2/3 of the way to the top with the batter.
• Bake for 20 minutes.
• Check to see if muffins are done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean then this is an indication that the muffins are cooked and need to come out of the oven.
• Cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.
This is your basic pumpkin muffin cake mix recipe, with less spice and the addition of walnuts and white chocolate.

My family enjoys these muffins and I hope your family will also.

Yummy Vegetable Casserole that Kids Love

My family consists of picky eaters and I have to hide their vegetables in chocolate zucchini cake or conceal in cheese to get them to eat any nutritious foods.  So when I found one of my mother’s recipes for a cheesy vegetable casserole for adults I knew I could modify it and make it more appealing for kids.

Cheesy casserole for kids, ready to bake

This comfort food casserole is perfect for holiday gatherings; Thanksgiving and or Christmas and a good choice for an open house or anytime when you want a hearty casserole that tastes like comfort food.

This recipe is so yummy and your kids will want a second helping; they will think it is good and will never know that it is made with vegetables.

You will need the following ingredients: 

1. 10 ounce package of frozen mixed chopped vegetables; peas, carrots, string beans and corn are a good mix.
2. 1-1/2 cups of Velveeta cheese
3. 1 can cream of cream of mushroom soup (do not dilute)
4. ½ cup PET evaporated milk
5. Can of French fried onion rings
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Here is the recipe:

1. You will need a two quart baking dish or glass casserole to make this vegetable recipe. Grease the pan with extra virgin olive oil.
2. Cut up the Velveeta cheese and put in a microwave safe bowl.  Melt in the microwave.
3. In a large mixing bowl add the frozen mixed vegetables, salt and pepper mushroom soup, evaporated milk and 1 cup of the cheese. 
4. Mix all of the ingredients together.  Pour into your baking dish.  
5. Top with the remaining cheese and then the French Fried Onion Rings.
6. Bake 350 for 25 to 30 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Beaver Lake in Autumn: A Photographer’s Paradise

Beaver Lake in northwest Arkansas is breathtaking in the fall. Nestled in the Ozark Mountains, this 28,370-acre lake transforms into a vibrant canvas of color when the trees reach peak autumn foliage. Visitors flock here to enjoy hiking nature trails, boating across crystal waters, and capturing unforgettable photographs of the lake, waterfalls, and surrounding forests.

A simple country road becomes magical under a canopy of deciduous trees glowing in shades of red, orange, and gold. Along the way, rustic vintage barns framed by autumn-hued hillsides create postcard-perfect scenes that feel like works of art.

For photographers and nature lovers alike, Beaver Lake offers endless inspiration. Every turn reveals picturesque landscapes, dramatic Ozark Mountain cliffs, and serene waterscapes reflecting the season’s brilliance. Whether you’re exploring rural backroads or standing at the shoreline, the fall season at Beaver Lake is nothing short of magnificent.

One of my favorite autumn traditions is planning a day trip to Beaver Lake in Arkansas. Visitors can choose from rustic shoreline cabins or secluded mountain-top retreats that offer a bird’s-eye view of the lake and the surrounding Ozark landscape. With a camera and zoom lens in hand, I find endless opportunities to capture the brilliant fall foliage, glowing reflections on the water, and the peaceful beauty that makes Beaver Lake a must-see destination in the fall.

Attribution:  mrg.bz/Nlht4v.

Chocolate Peanut Balls - Candy Recipe

This scrumptious chocolate candy recipe is from my mom’s recipe book.  In the autumn season a few weeks before Thanksgiving my mother would start to make an assortment of sweets.  She would fill up decorative holiday tins with chocolate candies and set them aside. These candy tins would then be handed out to coworker, neighbors and friends as seasonal gifts of care and to say thank you.  

Chocolate candy is always well received when you add to a dessert tray at an autumn open house.  These nutty chocolate balls also make a nice afternoon snack with a cold glass of milk

You will need:

1 cup of semisweet chocolate morsels

2 tablespoons butter

1 egg

1 cup sifted powder sugar

½ teaspoon of vanilla

½ cup flaked coconut for recipe

½ cup flaked coconut for garnish

½ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions for chocolate peanut balls

  Photo by Jeremiah Shilhavy

In a heavy medium sized saucepan melt the chocolate and the butter, heat at low.  Stir the chocolate sauce so that it does not burn.  When the chocolate is melted remove the pan from the heat and let it set until it is warm to the touch but not hot.

Using an electric mixer beat the egg into the chocolate until the batter is smooth.  Add the sifted powder sugar and fold into the chocolate mixture with spoon.   

Add the vanilla and mix into the batter. Stir in the coconut and the peanuts.  Using a spoon mix all of the ingredients well.

Chill the chocolate candy mixture in the refrigerator for one hour.  Take a teaspoon of the candy mixer and using your hands roll the candy into a one inch ball. 

Add ½ cup of flaked coconut to a zip lock bag.  Set the rolled chocolate candy ball in the bag of coconut and gently toss.  Garnish the outside of the nutty candy ball with the flaked coconut.

Set the candy ball on a baking sheet. Refrigerate the chocolate peanut balls for one hour before serving.  This recipe makes 30 pieces of candy.

Tips:

This is an easy recipe that you can make with your children.  Candy making is a fun activity for a cool autumn day.

Store candy in an air-tight container in a cool dry place and it will keep for several weeks.

Learn how to melt chocolate by viewing this YouTube video:

 Other chocolate and peanut candy recipes:

Chocolate and Pecan Turtle Candy Recipe

When the autumn weather starts to turn cool I start to think about baking and making candy for the upcoming holiday parties.  I like to make cookies, fudge and chocolate turtle candy.  

When I was a child my mother showed me how to make the chocolate pecan turtles and I would make the candy for my friends at school.  Everyone loves the chocolate and pecan candy and always asked me for the recipe.  

Share this recipe with your children and make candy today.  I know you and your family will think the candy is delicious. 

Recipe:

Gather your ingredients for chocolate turtles

1 14-ounce bag of vanilla and chocolate caramels

½ cup of butter

2 cups of pecan halves

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

2 cookie sheets that are covered with wax paper

Heavy medium sized sauce pan

Instructions:

Step 1

Remove the plastic wrappers from all of the caramels and put them in a heavy saucepan. Heat the pan at low and cook the caramels with the butter.  Stir as the camels and butter melts.

Step 2

Set 4 of the pecans grouped together on the wax paper.  Make up 36 groupings of the pecan halves.  These grouping should be spaced two inches apart.

Step 3

Drop the Caramel mixture by the teaspoonful over the pecans and let cool on the wax paper. The candy cluster is cooled when the caramel is firm.

Step 4

For the top part of the candy you will need to melt the chocolate.  (See video bellow)

Spread the melted chocolate over the caramel and pecan candy.  Set the cookie sheets of the chocolate turtle candies in the refrigerator to chill until the chocolate is firm.   Remove the candy from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.  This recipe makes 36 candies.

Learn how to melt chocolate by viewing this YouTube video: