Just a nice homemade apple butter. (I halved the recipe and it made just over eight  1/2-pints.)

Ingredients
9 quarts of applesauce, fresh or canned
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of allspice (or nutmeg)
4 cups sugar, Splenda or frozen concentrated grape/apple juice.

See step-by-step instructions on making and canning apple butter here.  Read more about my experience here.

“This are delicious and so moist! They’re the perfect compliment to any fall mean I didn’t have a jelly roll pan (and I have no idea what that is), so I used a 11×14″ baking dish. They came out more like cake than bars for me. So, so good though!”

Ingedients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 can (15 oz.) 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 cup finely shredded carrot
4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon milk

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.

2. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder and baking soda in small bowl. Beat granulated sugar, butter and brown sugar in large mixer bowl until crumbly. Add eggs, egg whites, pumpkin and carrot; beat until well blended. Add flour mixture; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.

3. Combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and milk in small bowl. Mix well. Drop teaspoonfuls over batter; swirl mixture with spoon.

4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

(Submitted by Tiffany)

“Such a great fall treat, before it gets too cold.  This is especially with homemade cider and ice cream!”

Ingredients
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
2 quarts apple cider or juice
Ground nutmeg

1. In each of eight chilled glasses, place 1/2 cup of ice cream. Add 1 cup of cider or juice to each; sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve immediately.

(Submitted by Tiffany)

Makes 18 bars

“I was a little skeptical about this recipe.  Squash in cheesecake can’t taste good, could it?  It does!  These cheesecake bars are delicious!  My anti-squash fiance loves them.  If you love cheesecake, you must try this recipe!   FYI – I used two packages of reduced-fat cream cheese.”

Ingredients

9 low-fat graham crackers (4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking or steel-cut)
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons nonfat milk
8 ounces nonfat cream cheese, at room temperature
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature
1/2 cup squash puree
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray

2. Process graham crackers, oats, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup flour and butter in a food processor until finely ground. Add milk; pulse until completely moistened.

3. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the prepared pan and evenly pat into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat both cream cheeses and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally. Beat in squash puree until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Finally, beat in vanilla, cinnamon, salt and the remaining 3 tablespoons flour. Scrape the filling into the pan, spreading evenly over the crust.

5. Bake until set and the edges are light brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.

TIP: To make your own squash puree, halve and seed one medium acorn or butternut squash. Place, cut-side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven until soft, about 50 minutes. Cool, then scrape out the flesh with a fork. Or simply use frozen (thawed) or canned squash puree. Find frozen squash puree near other vegetables in the freezer section and canned squash near the canned pumpkin.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

(Submitted by Tiffany)

“Great use for winter squash and it really does taste better than pumpkin pie!”

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup winter squash, peeled and cubed (I used butternut squash)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 T. corn starch
1 egg, beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
1 t. cinnamon
1 pinch each of ground allspice, cloves, ginger and nutmeg
9″ pie shell, unbaked

1. Bring squash and enough water to barely cover to a boil; simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.  Drain.  Cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F

3. In food processor, combine squash, brown sugar, corn starch, egg, evap. milk, cinnamon and other spices.  Process until smooth.  Pour into pie shell.

4. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean.

(Submitted by Webmaster)

Makes 2 dozen muffins

“These are so delicious! I made a dozen with cranberries and a dozen with raisins. I can’t even choose which I like best! They’re perfectly moist and the cranberries add a touch of color to go with any thanksgiving dinner.  I was a bit skeptical about using unsweetened cranberries, but the flavors just go so well together!”

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup frozen or fresh cranberries, chopped (or raisins)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine first four ingredients.

2. Mix eggs and sugar in separate bowl. Add pumpkin and oil; mix well. Stir into dry mixture, just until moist. Fold in cranberries or raisins.

3. Pour into lined cupcake pan. Bake 18-22 minutes. *These taste SO much better the next day!*

(Submitted by Tiffany)

“This is more like the pumpkin pie filling than a pudding.  It’s delicious though! ”

Ingredients
15oz solid packed pumpkin
12oz can evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk baking mix
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream

1. Mix together all ingredients except whipped cream. Pour into greased slow cooker. Cook 6-7 hours on low or until internal temperature reached 160 degrees F.

2. Top with whipped cream and serve.

(Submitted by Tiffany)