Thursday, September 20, 2018

Fun Festive Fall Food

It's that time of the years when we do a lot of fun and yummy goodies.
Kids are back in school, there are backyard bonfires and cookouts, football parties, and even Mom & Dads coming home from a long day at work - looking for a treat as well.

I like to have things that can be eaten as a treat or as part of a meal.
Today I will give you a couple of my favorites.


CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALSA
15 oz. can of black beans (drained)
16 oz.  can of corn (drained)
3/4 C sweet onion, chopped
3/4 C bell pepper - chopped
1 C tomato - chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced (if you have it)
1 tsp. pepper
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
1/4 C oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a large serving bowl, cover and refrigerate for 3 - 4 hours.
Great with tortilla chips or corn chips.  Fun with pitas or tortillas - or just in a bowl eaten with a spoon!
Pretty much ingredients that we all have on hand at anytime.
Great for cookouts, football parties or after school snacks - and pretty healthy too!!!!  Ssshhhh don't tell them that part!


MARSHMALLOW FRUIT DIP
(This is a family/friend favorite)
8 oz. pack of softened cream cheese
7 oz. jar marshmallow crème
1/4 c sugar
Mix together till smooth.  Great for dipping fruit of all types.  We especially like with apples, bananas and strawberries.  Also yummy with ginger snaps or vanilla wafer cookies.
This was always a MUST on our camping trips for munching away.


Another fall favorite - candy corn and salted peanuts mixed together!  Tastes like a Pay Day candy bar!


FALL CIDER
4 C apple cider
2 C cranberry juice
46 oz. can of apricot juice
1 C orange juice
3/4 C sugar
2 - small cinnamon stick
1 orange - peeled and sectioned
Pour ALL ingredients into a slow cooker and heat on low until warmed through.  Remove cinnamon sticks and orange sections before serving.
Serve warm.
This is good for football parties or campfires and cookouts.  Warm up a tummy after school on a nice cold day.  Pretty healthy too!
*You could even 'adult' it up with alcohol added to each glass.


CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESE BALL
8 oz. pack cream cheese - softened
1/2 C butter - softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar -  packed
3/4 C mini chocolate chips (or what you have)
3/4 C chopped pecans.
Cream  the cream cheese, butter and vanilla till fluffy.  Add sugars and mix well.  Fold in chips.  Cover and refrigerate for a couple hours.  Shape into a ball and refrigerate one more hour.  Uncover and roll in pecans just before serving.
Yummy served with vanilla wafers or sugar cookies.  (I like it with pretzels too)
Makes a great snack, dessert, or cookout treat.


Hope this makes an afternoon or evening a little more enjoyable.
YUMMY IN YOUR TUMMY!

6 comments:

  1. Hello Cheryl,
    Your recipes sound delicious! I am planning to try the salsa for Sunday when the children and grandchildren come over after church. I am a FALL person. Love the colors and the crisp air...and also the food. I just finished rearranging my table centerpieces and I looks so cozy!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh good, glad you found something you will like. There is nothing bad about it.
      Tomorrow is our last real summer day (maybe) - then we go to the 70's for highs. I look forward to no more 90's.

      I bet your home looks so nice. Have a great time with the munchkins on Sunday!

      Delete
  2. Those recipes look really good, Ill have to try them! Thank you for the info on your greenhouse. We get really high winds here, so we may have to build one ourselves. Love that you use yours as a cat house! We live in the country and I have lots of cats! All dumped out or rescued. Theres a good sized old block pumphouse out by the barn that I put my cats in at night! I have cooling and heat for them and a makeshift patio where they are safe from preditors. All spayed and neutered so we aren't making more!! Also have a few spoiled ones that stay in the garage at night too!! Well thats more about my cats than you wanted to know! Lol What I like best about your blog is you are so content and satified. You are a woman of faith that lives her faith. phyllis

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Phyllis you are welcome on the info. Bless your heart - I love that you are a 'cat lady' too!!! Every cat we have and take care of came to us - so rescued. We were up to about 9/10 at one time. Now we have 2 outdoors and 3 indoors. Yes we have a cat door, a heat mat under their bedding, and a heater for those bitter cold nights! Oh the things we do for our fur babies.
      Then there are the 'wild' critters - that is another story too!

      Thank you for the compliment. I used to be a person that spent and wanted THINGS - but it sure didn't make me happy. Life is simple and I love it. Nothing fancy or glitzy about us. What you see is what you get!!
      Have a good weekend.

      Delete
  3. I love the peanuts with the candy corn. But I would eat the whole bowl.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, me too. I love that stuff. I don't have it around often for that reason!!!

      Delete