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Pumpkin Butter

1 3/4 cups solid pack pumpkin puree
1 cup applesauce
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix solid pack pumpkin puree, applesauce, apple juice, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer approximately 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

ENJOY!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

This is a healthy snack that you and your kids will love. It even has spinach in it but i would keep that to yourself (:

Ingredients
nonstick cooking spray
2 cups old fashion oats
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup balance trans-fat free margarine, chilled
1 cup no-sugar-added blueberry spread
1/2 cup spinach, puree


Instructions
Preheat oven to 375?. Coat an 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and vanilla and stir to mix well.
Add the margarine and cut it quickly into dry ingredients with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and is no longer powdery. Do not over mix?bits of margarine will still be visible.
Set aside about half of the oat mixture; press the rest firmly into the pan. Bake until lightly browned at the edges (but not fully baked), 13 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the preserves with the spinach puree in a small bowl.
Spread blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer, then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Bake until topping is slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars

after the butter is added

puree the spinach

eat & enjoy

Carrot cake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cocoa, set aside. In another bowl, stir together the eggs, vanilla and oil. Stir in the dry ingredients until they are completely absorbed. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared pans.
Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter and confectioners sugar in a medium bowl. Beat until smooth, then stir in the coconut and nuts. Frost cake when cool

serves 12 people

Banana nut bread

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 medium bananas, slices

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the butter mixture until smooth. Finally, fold in the sour cream, walnuts and bananas. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool loaf in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely