It's Apple Season!
Here are some more great recipes and fun activities to try with apples that I found... :)


Baked Cranberry and Apple CasseroleMakes 8 servings
When you have some extra time, try this unusual cranberry and apple dessert... I served it with pork chops and corn stuffing and evryone said it was really great, even my sister who doesn't usually like cranberries! It is more fun than the traditional applesauce and it tastes even better... it is just as easy to make as applesauce if you make your own,too!


Ingredients:

11/2 cups tart apples, peeled and sliced
11/2 cups delicious apples, peeled and sliced
2 cups cranberries, washed
1 cup oats
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional
2 tbsp. margarine
Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.
Layer greased 3-quart casserole dish with both types of apples and cranberries.
Combine oats, sugars, and pecans if desired.
Pour sugar mixture over apples and cranberries. Dot with margarine.
Bake for 1 hour.
Calories: 230 Fat: 4g Carbs: 50g Protein: 2g Cholesterol: 0mg Fiber: 3g Sodium: 38mg



Apple Smiles... Joshua really gets a kick out of these!

Materials:
Red apple (unpeeled)
Peanut butter
Miniature marshmallows

Directions:
Cut a crisp apple into wedges.
When laid on its side, each wedge should look like a lip.
Spread one side of an apple wedge with peanut butter.
Add three or four miniature marshmallow "teeth" along the edge.
Spread another apple wedge with peanut butter.
Place it on top of the marshmallows for a big, toothy grin.


Apple Cheddar Spread ...Finely chopped apples give this creamy cheddar spread a sweet flavor. makes 3 1/4 cups (Of 1 Tablespoon servings)
Ingredients:
1 block (8 ounces) nonfat or reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples (about 2 medium)
3/4 cup shredded nonfat or reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup chopped dates

Directions:
Place the cream cheese and cottage cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth. Stir in the apples, Cheddar cheese, and dates. Transfer the spread to a serving dish, cover, and chill for several hours.
Serve with whole grain bagel slices, whole grain crackers, celery sticks, and apple wedges dipped in pineapple juice to prevent browning....

Nutritional Info.:
Calories: 15 Fat: 0g Carbs: 1.8g Protein: 1.8g Cholesterol: 1mg Fiber: 0.1g Sodium: 48mg.




Sour Cream and Apple Bread Pudding... Apples and sour cream add a new dimension to traditional bread pudding.Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

5 cups 1/2-inch cubes firm multigrain or French bread (about 6 ounces)
1 3/4 cups skim or low-fat milk
1/2 cup nonfat or light sour cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free egg substitute
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup diced peeled apples (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup golden or dark raisins
TOPPING
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Place the bread cubes in a large bowl and set aside.
Place the milk, sour cream, egg substitute, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl, and whisk until smooth. Pour the milk mixture over the bread cubes, and set aside for 10 minutes.
Stir the apples and raisins into the bread mixture. Coat a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, and pour the mixture into the dish.
To make the topping, place the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, and stir to mix well. Sprinkle the topping over the pudding.
Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 1 hour, or until a sharp knife inserted in the center of the dish comes out clean. Allow to cool at room temperature for 45 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature, refrigerating any leftovers.

Nutriotonal Info.:Calories: 161 Fat: 0.9g Carbs: 32g Protein: 6.7g Cholesterol: 1mg Fiber: 1.8g Sodium: 180mg.



Fruit and Vegetable Printing....a fun activity for Preschoolers and any age, really!


Materials
Various fruit and vegetables
Paring knife
Print pad or stamp pad
Paper

Directions
Cut fruits and vegetables into halves, quarters, circles, or any other shapes, dip into tempera paints or on a print or stamp pad, and then press onto plain or colored paper.
Apples cut in half will have a star design in the middle (where the seeds are), while green peppers make a great shamrock design.
Cut a potato in half and use a small paring knife to create a relief design: circles, squares, hearts, and so on.
(If you make letters, don't forget to carve them backwards so they will print correctly!)




Apple People

To make the face, peel an apple and remove any bad parts (this is a great way to salvage bruised or otherwise "bad" apples). You should also remove the core. Now let your child use a butter knife to create a face (supervise closely). Give younger children a head start by defining basic facial features.

Place the apple in a bowl of salty water to begin the drying process. The salt will help draw the liquid out of the apple. Let the apple soak for about an hour, then dry it with a paper towel.

Insert a Popsicle stick into the bottom of the apple and rest it in a plastic bottle. Now sit back and watch. Every day, the apple will shrivel a bit, and the face will change -- eventually, you'll have a face that looks as old as the hills.

Your kids can make up stories about the "apple people," or perhaps use them as puppets by decorating the bottle with clothing made of felt, paper, etc. (You might want to weigh down the bottle with sand or some small pebbles to keep it from toppling -- a dishwashing or shampoo bottle works well).




Floor Art...a cool activity for Babies, Toddlers, Preschoolers or any age! Great to combine with Apple Stampers....

Time:
15 to 20 minutes

Materials:
Large piece of paper taped to the floor
Crayons, or felt pens
Masking tape

Directions:
This activity allows your toddler to experience an entirely new dimension in scribbling by using the whole body, instead of just the arm, to move around the paper. Tape the large piece of paper to the floor and begin to draw together, moving about as needed. Cut several pieces of butcher paper into basic shapes (circle, triangle, square, etc.). Tape the edges down completely with masking tape and draw on them.Take this activity outside to a sidewalk or driveway substituting chalk...



An Imagination Station Activity: Fall Sponge Paintings
Age: Preschool through elementary
Time: 30 minutes
Type of activity: Seasonal arts-and-crafts

Materials needed:
· Washable tempera paints
· Clean margarine tub or plate to mix paints
· Paint brushes
· Cup of water
· New kitchen sponge
· White or pastel construction paper
· Newspapers
· Old t-shirt or art smock

Take time out for an activity that starts with a walk in the park -- and ends with your child making a unusual autumn painting.

What to do:

Step One: Take a walk with your child and ask her to show you which trees she thinks are the most beautiful. Have her name the colors she sees. Then, you pick a tree and describe its colors to her. Now you're ready to begin.

Step Two: Cover the table where you will be working with newspapers to protect it from spilled paints.

Step Three: Ask your child put on her art smock or t-shirt to protect her from paint.

Step Four: Dampen the new kitchen sponge and cut it into one-inch pieces.

Step Five: Use the paintbrushes to show your child how to mix different colors on a plate or in a margarine tub. Try mixing different colors until you get one of the colors of your trees.

Step Six: Take the sponge and gently dip it into the water. Squeeze out the excess water, and dab the sponge into the paint. Gently dab the paint onto the paper. The texture will look like trees as seen from a distance.

Step Seven: Repeat steps Five and Six until your child's tree is complete. Ask her to paint a tree trunk and anything else she'd like to include in her picture (more trees, grass, flowers, animals, sun, etc.)



Magic Waxed Paper Pictures
Age: Preschool through elementary
Time: An afternoon
Type of activity: Science Arts and Crafts

You've heard of disappearing ink, but have you heard of magic crayons? Your child is sure to be surprised by her mysterious artwork.

Materials needed:
· Waxed paper (one sheet per picture)
· Water
· Black paint
· Crayons
· A mixing bowl for the paint
· A paintbrush

What to do:

Step One: Color a picture on waxed paper using the crayons.

Step Two: Dilute the black paint with a bit of water in the mixing bowl.

Step Three: Paint the entire sheet of waxed paper with the diluted black paint.

Step Four: Magically, the paint won't cover the picture you've drawn!

Step Five: Let the black paint dry and hang your magic picture for friends and family to marvel over!