Caramel Apple Bar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/4 cup shortening

1 3/4 cupsGoldMedal®all- purpose flour

11/2 cupsquick-cooking oats

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 1/2 cups coarsely chopped peeled tart apples (3 medium)

3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 bag (14 ounces) caramels

1. Heat oven to 400 °F. Mix brown sugar, butter and shortening in large bowl. Stir in 1 3/4 cups flour, the oats, salt and baking soda. Reserve 2 cups oat mixture; press remaining oat mixture in ungreased rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches.

2. Toss apples and 3 tablespoons flour; spread over mixture in pan. Heat caramels over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted; pour evenly over apples. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture; press lightly.

3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender. For 36 bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows while warm. Store covered in refrigerator.

Recipe from Betty Crocker

Pumpkin Muffin and Chocolate Drizzle

Pumpkin Muffin

1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree

1 box of spiced cake mix

Chocolate drizzle

1 bag of Hershey chocolate caramel Kisses

1/2 cup of milk

Mix pumpkin puree and cake mix together. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

Unwrap Hershey’s Kiss and mix with milk in double boiler till thick liquid consistency.

Drizzle chocolate on muffins once cooled. Makes around one dozen muffins.

Recipe from the fruglegirls.com

Caramel Apple Cider

4 cups apple cider

3 tablespoons caramel syrup(the ice cream topping)

1/2 tablespoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

4 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Mix it all in together—stir, and cook on low for about 4 hours.

Recipe from Crockpot365.blogspot.com

Pumpkin Hummus

1-2 cloves roasted garlic (see #1)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons water

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

⅔ cup pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

½ teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary (more to taste)

salt to taste

1. To roast the garlic, I like to simmer the peeled cloves in a small saucepan with olive oil for 15-20 minutes over low/medium heat. The garlic gets the roast-y flavor and then you get some bonus garlic infused olive oil out of the deal. Bam.

2. Puree all ingredients except rosemary in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add more oil or water as needed. Stir in the rosemary (I found that the blender didn’t really like the tough rosemary pieces in there so I just stirred it in at the end).

3. Serve with warm naan, apple slices, crackers, carrots, wheat toast, roasted vegetables, pita bread and/or anything in the world.

Recipe from PinchofYum.com

Kaylyn Peterson/Managing editor

Kaylyn Peterson can be reached at [email protected]

Photos by Kaylyn Peterson/Managing editor