This is a favorite Fall tradition with my kids and each year it's slightly different depending on what we find at the store
Basic Chex Mix Recipe
Melt 1 stick of butter in the microwave and add 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp onion powder (if you like a stronger flavor your can add 2 tsp of onion and garlic powder), stir to combine.
In a very large bowl add 1 box of the corn chex, 1 box of rice chex, 1 box of golden grahams, 1 bag soup crackers, 1 bag mini pretzels, 1 container pumpkin seeds. Stir to mix up
Pour the sauce over the crackers and stir to evenly coat (I usually have to do this in 2 bowls because I don't have 1 bowl that is big enough to hold it all)
Pour out on 2 baking sheets and bake in a 325 degree oven for 25 (stirring every 8 min to prevent burning
Turn out on a paper sack and let cool
Add the fall fixings and stir to mix.
Store in zip lock bags or air tight containers
Fall Mix in Ideas
Caramel corn
Dried apples
Candy Corns
Reese's Pieces
Honey Roasted peanuts
Caramel bits
It makes a ton so it's perfect to share with neighbors and friends.
1. Wash, peel, core and cut 6 lbs of apples and place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Add 2 cups of Apple Cider, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger
3. Boil until soft (about 20-30 min) Stirring to make sure all the apples get cooked.
4. Puree apples in a food processor and put back in the pot.
5. Add 1/2 cup sugar (1/4 cup brown, 1/4 cup white) 1 tsp butter and a pinch of salt, stir .
6. Taste and make adjustments (ex. more sugar, more cider)
Store in refrigerator or can for later. (See the "I Think I Can, Canning" episode for canning instructions)
Wassail Applesauce
1. Wash, peel, core and cut 6 lbs of apples and place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Add 2 cups of Orange Juice, 1 can crushed pineapple, pinch of ground cloves, 1 cinnamon stick (or 1 tsp ground cinnamon)
3. Boil until soft (about 20-30 min) Stirring to make sure all the apples get cooked. (Make sure to remove the cinnamon stick)
4. Puree apples in a food processor and put back in the pot.
5. Add 1/2 cup sugar (1/4 cup brown, 1/4 cup white) 1 tsp butter and a pinch of salt, stir .
6. Taste and make adjustments (ex. more sugar, more cider)
Store in refrigerator or can for later. (See the "I Think I Can, Canning" episode for canning instructions)
Apple Butter
1. Wash, peel, core and cut 6 lbs of apples and place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Add 2 cups apple cider and boil until soft (about 20-30 min) Stirring to make sure all the apples get cooked.
3. Puree apples in a food processor and put back in the pot.
4. Add 2 cups of orange juice, a pinch of allspice, a pinch of cinnamon and stir
5. Cover and Bring back to a boil, cook until the mixture is thick and a dark brown color. Stir often to prevent burning. You know it is done when the butter sits on the back of a wooden spoon without running off the sides.
Store in refrigerator or can for later. (See the "I Think I Can, Canning" episode for canning instructions)
Apple Fritter Donut Holes
1. Cut biscuits into 4ths 2. Deep fry until golden brown 3. Roll in cinnamon/sugar
4.Chop up 1 tart apple into small pieces and saute in 1 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp sugar until soft
1. Prepare and dice 3 lbs of very ripe peaches
2. In a stock pot bring peaches, 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 pkg of pectin to a full rolling boil, stir
3. Add 5 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/2 tsp butter (Butter helps reduce foaming)
4. Stirring to prevent burning bring back to a full rolling boil and boil for 1 min. 5. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
6. Pour into sterilized jars and proceed with the canning process. Click here to learn how to can.
Canning Basics and Recipes for: Canned Tomatoes, Sweet Lime Pickles and Dill-Lime Pickles
The Waterbath Canning Process
1. Fill water bath with enough water to cover the size of jars you are using and turn the heat on
2. Sanitize the jars, lids and rings in boiling water (make sure they are hot when you fill them)
3. Using the canning funnel, fill each jar with the hot food you are preserving
(make sure the top of each jar is clean and dry)
4. Touching as little as possible (for sanitation) place a DRY lid on each jar and screw down with a DRY ring. Screw down all the way but not too tight.
5. Place each jar in the wire rack
6. When the water bath is simmering lower the rack of jars into the water. Place on the lid and wait for a full rolling boil
7. Once the water is boiling start the timer (15 mins for quart jars, 10 mins for pint or 1/2 pint jars)
8. After the correct amount of time, use the gripper to bring out the jars and set on a towel
9. Observe the "popping" sound of each jar as the seal sets.
Store in a dry, cool (such as a pantry) place for up to a year or more.
If they haven't popped after 15 or so min. Store in the fridge and use contents within a couple of weeks.
**Waterbath canning is only safe when the food being canned has a high enough acid or sugar content. Pressure canning can be used to most other foods.
The Key to Crunchy Pickles
For the pickles we washed and cut (into 1/4 in slices) about 5 pounds of cucumbers and then split them among the sweet and dill recipes. We soaked all 5 pounds in a solution of 1/4 cup pickling lime to 1 gallon of water. The cucumber soaked in that solution overnight
The next day we drained and throughly rinsed the cucumber slices and let them sit in ice cold water for 3 hours. The colder the water the crisper they will be so keep adding ice to the bowl throughout the 3 hours.
Sweet Lime Pickles
(For about 2 1/2 pounds of cucumbers)
1. In a large stock pot add 4 cups sugar, 4 cups white vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp pickling spice (a dash of salt if desired) and some green food coloring (also optional)
2. Bring that to a simmer and then add the cucumbers and bring to a boil.
3. Fill jars and continue with the canning process
Dill-Lime Pickles
(For about 2 1/2 pounds of cucumbers)
1. In a large stock pot add 1 pint of white vinegar, 1 quart of water, 4-6 Tbsp pickling salt (if you like salty pickles add 6, if you like less salty pickles add 4 or 1/4 cup) and 3/4 Tbsp dill seed and bring to a boil
2. Add dill stems and dill heads to each jar (you can also add a clove of garlic if desired)
3. Pack each jar with as many cucumber slices as you can and then ladle in the hot liquid to within 1/2 in from the top
4. Continue with the canning process
Homemade Signature Pickles
A hybrid of dill, sweet and bread and butter with a few surprise thrown in.
1. In each sterilized jar add a sprinkle (about 1/4 tsp) of: minced onion, celery seed, mustard seed, dill seed, fresh dill sprig. Pack with cucumber slices.
2. In a stock pot combine using this ratio: 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 Tbsp pickling salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric. (multiplying for larger batches of pickles, but using the same ratio)
3. Bring liquid solution to a boil and pour over cucumbers, filling to 1/2 in from top of jar
4. Continue with canning process.
Canned Tomatoes
1. Blanch tomatoes then cut out the core and peel them
2. dice them up and put them in a large stock pot
3. Bring to a boil and proceed with the canning process
**For extra flavor add some salt to each jar**
For yummy recipes using these canned tomatoes see Here
Pickled Okra
3-4 lbs okra
1. Rinse okra and trim stems
2. In a large stock pot bring 4 cups water, 4 cups white vinegar, 1/4 Tbsp + 1tsp pickling salt, 1 tsp garlic powder to a boil
3. In each sterilized jar (about 12 pints) add 3 sprigs of dill, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp whole peppercorns
4. Pack as many okra has will fit in each jar, pour hot vinegar mixture into each jar (to within 1/2 in from top) and continue with the canning process.
Canning fresh fruit
1. Blanch, Peel and slice fruit
2. Place in sterilized jars
3. Bring syrup to a boil
Light syrup : 1/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water
Medium syrup: 1/2 cup sugar to 1 cup water
Heavy syrup: 3/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water
4. Pour syrup over fruit till it’s 1/2 in from top of jar
5. Following canning processing directions above
**Pressure canning can be used for most other foods that don't have a high enough acid or sugar content.
1. Wash, peel, core and cut 6 lbs of apples and place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. 
1. Wash, peel, core and cut 6 lbs of apples and place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. 
1. Wash, peel, core and cut 6 lbs of apples and place them in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. 
2 pie crusts
5. Remove from heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
