Apple Pumpkin Soup

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples   
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons butter      
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth      
3 cups canned pumpkin
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg & ginger

1 cup unsweetened apple juice    
1/2 cup half and half cream
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, sauté apples and onion in butter for 3-5 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually whisk in broth. Stir in the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Cool slightly. In a blender, cover and process soup in batches until smooth. Pour intoa bowl; cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Just before serving, transfer soup to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the apple juice, cream, salt and pepper; heat through. Yield: 12 servings (about 2 quarts)

Cheesenstein

INGREDIENTS:

2 packages(8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened  

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce    

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

2 cups(8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese   

6 baconstrips, cooked & crumbled

3 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cartons(4 ounces each) whipped cream cheese

Moss-green paste food coloring    

2 pepperoncinis

1 can(4-1/4 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained  

2 slices peeled parsnip

4 colossal ripe olives      

Black decorating gel

1 pretzel rod       

1 small cucumber

Assorted fresh vegetables

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, mayonnaise,Worcestershire sauce and pepper sauce until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese, bacon and onions. Shape into a 5-in.x4-in.x3-in. rectangle; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled.
Unwrap rectangle; place on a serving platter with a 3-in. side on top.Tint whipped cream cheese green; spread over top and sides of rectangle. Add ripe olives for hair, pepperoncinis for ears, and parsnip slices and two colossal olives for eyes. With black decorating gel, pipe the brow, mouth and stitches. Break pretzel in half; add a colossal olive to each end. Press into sides of head for bolts. Cut a small piece for end of cucumber for nose. Serve with vegetables.

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Trick or Treat Turnovers

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 pound ground beef    

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

4 ounces mozzarella cheese cubed   

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup prepared mustard

2 tubes(16.3 ounces each) large refrigerated flaky biscuits
 

1 egg, lightly beaten

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add cheese and mustard; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Cool slightly. Flatten each biscuit into a 4-in. circle; place four biscuits in each of two greased 15-in.x10-in.x1-in. baking pans. Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of meat onto each. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutters, cut out jack-o’-lantern faces from remaining biscuit circles; place over meat mixture and pinch edges to seal tightly. Reroll scraps if desired and cut out stems for pumpkins. Brush with egg. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 8 servings