Easy Trail Mix Recipes

Before you set off on your next family walk or outing, try making one of these super easy trail mixes to keep your energy up.

Quick Fix Mix

• 2 cups mini pretzels
• 1 cup cheese snack crackers
• 1 cup honey roasted peanuts
• 1 cup raisins

Place all ingredients into a plastic baggie, seal, and then shake. Enjoy!

Chocolate Popcorn Mix

• 2 cups spoon size shredded wheat cereal
• 2 cups popped popcorn
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 3 Tbsp. milk chocolate chunks

Toss cereal and popcorn into a large bowl. Place the cranberries into a small bowl. Melt the chocolate as directed on the package, and stir. Pour the chocolate over the cranberries and mix lightly. Add the chocolate cranberries to the cereal mixture, and toss lightly. Spread the mix into a single layer on a large piece of wax paper. Let it cool completely before serving.

Fruity Nut Mix

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup dried banana chips
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup unsalted peanuts
• 1 cup dried fruit bits

Place all of the ingredients into a plastic baggie, seal, and then shake. Fast, easy and yummy!


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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Why waste pumpkin seeds when carving out your annual Halloween jack-o-lanterns? Grab those seeds and roast them up on a cookie sheet to bring out their natural flavors.

Roasted Pumpkin seeds are a delicious snack and deliver some substantial health benefits. The seeds are a good nutrition source for iron and zinc, in addition to unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the most valuable of vegetable fats.

Harvesting the Seeds

For flavorful roasted seeds, hand-pick your pumpkin fresh from the pumpkin patch if at all possible. Don't waste the remainder of the pumpkin, have some fun and carve out a scary jack-o-lantern while extracting the seeds.

With that in mind, dig the seeds and pulp out of the pumpkin with a scoop or large spoon and place in a bowl. Dig out the individual seeds to prepare for roasting.

If you decide to wash them first, this will remove some of the natural flavor. It's just a preference. You can let the seeds dry before you roast them, or put them directly in the oven. Keep in mind that dry seeds require less baking time.

Roasting

Spray a cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray and spread them evenly across the sheet. Very lightly spray the seeds before roasting.

Put them in the oven and bake at 300° for about 35 minutes, until they're a toasted, golden brown. Salt the seeds to your preference and consider adding additional seasoning and spices such as garlic salt, Worcestershire, Cajun or accent seasoning.

Want to sweeten them up? Coat them with melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon before roasting. By giving the seeds a familiar flavor, you'll also have kids munching on this seasonal treat.

Allow the roasted pumpkin seeds to cool before eating. Store the seeds in an air-tight container or bag for up to a week to retain flavor and freshness.

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Pumpkin Dip Recipe

Here is another unique way to eat pumpkin. This dip is delicious with fresh apples and pears slices!

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) softened cream cheese
• 1 can (15 oz.) of solid pack pumpkin
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• Fresh apple and/or pear slices

Beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, vanilla, ginger and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until smooth. Serve with fruit. Refrigerate any remaining dip.

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Low-Fat Pumpkin Bars Recipe

These pumpkin bars are low fat and provide a healthy alternative to satisfy your sweet tooth. They will make a welcome addition to any Halloween or Fall Harvest party and they are absolutely delicious.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups pumpkin
• 1 cup applesauce
• 4 egg whites
• 1 tsp soda
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Mix ingredients together and spread on a jellyroll pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 350°. Cool the bars and frost.

Frosting

• 3 oz. cream cheese - fat free
• 3/4 stick oleo
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar (added gradually)

Spread the frosting evenly over the pumpkin bars and you're finished!

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Popcorn Balls Recipe

Popcorn balls are a traditional Halloween treat. This recipe is very basic and makes some great tasting popcorn balls for your Halloween trick-or-treaters. It's easy to make colored popcorn balls by adding some food coloring or orange flavored gelatin.

Recipe Ingredients

• 8 c. popped popcorn
• 2/3 c. light corn syrup
• 2/3 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Combine the corn syrup, sugar and salt in a large kettle and heat on medium heat while stirring until dissolved. Add the popcorn to the kettle and toss. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until mixture becomes very sticky. Remove from heat.

Shape popcorn into balls with clean hands and cool. Wrap the balls in plastic wrap and seal tightly with a twister.

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No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

These peanut butter and chocolate bars are so easy to make and clean-up is a snap. With only 5 ingredients, this is one of the simplest recipes for no-bake cookie bars.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Melt the butter and peanut butter in a medium saucepan on low heat. Add the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Pat the mixture into a 9x13 inch cake pan. Melt the chocolate chips and spread on top of the bars. Cool before cutting.

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Kitty Litter Cake Recipe

If you really want to gross out guests at your Halloween party, make a Kitty Litter Cake! To complete the recipe, transfer it to a lined kitty litter box and serve it with a new pooper scooper. It's delicious -- if you can get past the illusion.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 pkg. Spice or German Chocolate cake mix
• 1 pkg. White cake mix
• 1 pkg. white sandwich cookies
• 1 pkg. white vanilla pudding mix
• 1 pkg. small Tootsie Rolls
• 1 new kitty litter box
• 1 plastic kitty litter lining
• 1 new pooper scooper (optional but recommended)

Instructions

Bake the cake mixes separately, according to the directions. Prepare the pudding mix and put in the fridge to chill.

Use a blender or food processor to crumble the sandwich cookies. Do this in small batches and scrape often, because it will stick to the sides.

After the cakes cool, crumble them into a large bowl. Add half of the cookie crumbs and pudding. Gently mix and add to the lined kitty litter box.

Unwrap the Tootsie Rolls and put in the microwave to soften them up a little. Reshape the ends so they are more rounded and not square. Add about 10 of these to the mixture.

Sprinkle more of the cookie crumbs over the top. Soften 3 or 4 more Tootsie Rolls and add them to the top of the mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs and serve with a clean pooper scooper!

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Homemade Caramel Apples Recipe

Halloween means tasty treats for ghosts and goblins. Traditional goodies are always a hit at Halloween parties. Make your own mouthwatering, homemade caramel apples with this easy recipe to celebrate the Halloween holiday.

Ingredients

• 8 medium-sized apples
• 2 (14 oz.) pkgs. caramels (try chocolate!)
• 1/4 c. water

Wash and dry the apples. Insert popsicle sticks into the stem of each apple. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and add them with the water in a medium sized saucepan. Heat on low while stirring until the caramel is completely melted.

Dip each apple into the caramel until the apple is completely covered, allowing the excess caramel to drip off. Scrape bottom if necessary. Place apples onto greased waxed paper and let them sit for about 15 minutes or until caramel is completely set. Store in the refrigerator.

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Healthy Halloween Treats

Great news! Although kids expect candy and chocolate bars on Halloween, there's several healthy alternatives for their treat bags that won't disappoint. We all know that fruit is nutritious but parents are reluctant to let their children eat it due to tampering concerns. What else is there?

Try individually wrapped foods that taste good and aren't loaded with sugar. Here's our favorite Halloween handouts for trick-or-treaters. They aren't perfect but they're much better than traditional junk treats.

Cereal Bars

Fruity flavors make cereal bars a popular snack for all ages but they're not all created equal. Read the labels. Look for whole grains, fiber, and real fruit.

Pudding Cups

Those little pudding cups pack a punch. Sugar-free or reduced calorie servings still offer that creamy texture and rich flavor that provides instant gratification.

100 Calories Packs

You've seen them everywhere. Chips, crackers, and cookies. 100 calorie snack packs typically aren't nutritious but they help with portion control and satisfy the munchies.

Microwave Popcorn Bags

Popcorn is always a treat but who really needs all that salt and imitation butter? No worries. Just hand out bags of light popcorn or those 100 calorie mini bags. Movies anyone?

Sugarless Gum

It's not bubblegum but it's much easier on teeth. Handing out sugarless gum will ease your guilt and parents will appreciate one less piece of candy to worry about.

Hot Cocoa Mix Packets

These single-serving packets don't have to be sugar-free but it's a wise choice. They're inexpensive and available in different varieties of chocolaty goodness.

Raisins

Raisins are often overlooked for Halloween treats but they're full of natural sweetness. Hand out those mini boxes and you may have kids coming back for more, those sneaky little devils.

String Cheese

Kids love cheese! What's great about string cheese is that it's individually wrapped and available in light, low calorie, and low-fat versions. Not bad, not bad at all.

Mini Boxes of Cereal

Yes, they're the same mini boxes you loved as a kid. Nothing's changed except that they're more difficult to find. Don't give up. Some stores that don't usually stock them will get some in for the Halloween season. Grab 'em while you can.

Gift Certificates

You can't be certain how they're spent but chances are, the parents will have input. Fast food restaurants now have healthy alternatives and if the trick-or-treaters make the wrong choice, it's on them.

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Harvest Potatoes Recipe

This recipe is my overall favorite Harvest recipe and makes a perfect potato side dish. Once you taste it, you'll probably get cravings for it from time to time (like I do) and anyone else you make it for will ask you for the recipe. You can substitute the Cornflakes in the topping with other cereals too, such as Chex, Total or Rice Krispies.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (32 oz) frozen hash browns
• 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 cup (8 oz) French onion dip or sour cream
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup diced onions, browned in butter or minced onion
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. pepper

Topping

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 cups crushed corn flakes or crushed Chicken in a Biscuit crackers

Instructions

Mix together the first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place in a greased cake pan.
For the topping, mix together the last two ingredients and spread over the potatoes. Bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes.

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Harvest Corn Bake Recipe

Corn and Swiss cheese are the perfect combination for this harvest day side-dish. You can easily substitute the cracker crumbs with your favorite brand of crackers, cereal or seasoned bread crumbs.

Recipe Ingredients

• 2- 9oz. pkgs. frozen, cut corn
• 1 1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese, divided
• 1- 6 oz. can evaporated milk
• 1/2 c. finely diced onion
• 1/2 c. Chicken in a Biscuit cracker crumbs
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook the corn in salted, boiling water. Drain. Add the egg, milk, onion, salt, pepper & 1/2 c. Swiss cheese with the corn. Stir and put into a 10x6 baking dish. Combine the melted butter and cracker crumbs and sprinkle on top of the casserole. Top with 1 c. Swiss cheese. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.

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Ghoul-Ade Halloween Drink Recipe

This recipe makes some creepy black Halloween punch for your party. It's made with Kool-Aid, is cheap, and it makes for some good witches brew!

Tip - Serve the drink in a large black bowl to simulate a cauldron. Add a "frozen hand" ice cube to creep out your guests! Here is the Frozen Hand Recipe so you can make your own.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 envelope of orange Kool-Aid - unsweetened
• 1 envelope of grape Kool-Aid - unsweetened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 quart (bottle) chilled Sprite, 7-UP, or ginger ale
• 3 quarts of cold water

Mix the Kool-Aid packets together with the sugar and water in a large pitcher(s). Before serving, add the Sprite or soda. Serve over ice cubes.

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Frozen Hand Recipes

Don't use regular ice cubes to keep the Halloween punch chilled, creep-out your guests with a frozen hand in the punch! There are 2 simple options to this recipe:

Recipe # 1

• 1 rubber glove with no lining
• 1 qt. water
• Food coloring -- This can match the color of your punch, or stick out like a sore thumb (Pun intended)
• 1 bread twist or rubber band

Add the food coloring to the water, mix, and pour into the glove. Tie it off tightly with the twisty or rubber band. Place on a flat surface (that will catch any drainage) and freeze the glove until it's solid. Remove the glove and place in the punch before serving.

Recipe # 2

This option is simple but it's going to match the color of your punch -- because all you need to do take some actual punch and freeze it in the glove. This option is tastier than frozen hand recipe #1 since the punch will not dilute when the hand melts.

Another variation of this is to simply freeze some Squirt or Mountain Dew into the glove, which adds a more realistic look to the hand. Make sure the flavor compliments the punch.

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Deviled Eggs Recipe

Deviled Eggs compliment any holiday or family meal. This recipe is easy and can be modified to make it lower in fat and sodium. Store them immediately in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Recipe Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 3 Tbsp. Miracle Whip or low-fat mayo
• 1 tsp. prepared mustard
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt or salt substitute
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• Paprika

Put eggs into large saucepan. Add cold water to cover the eggs. Bring to boil. Turn heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Run cold water over done eggs. Peel eggs under cold running water. Cut each egg lengthwise in half. Remove yolks and put in bowl. Add Miracle whip, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika. For a fancy look, spoon mixture into a pastry bag and then squeeze into the egg whites.

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Cornbread Recipe

Cornbread makes an excellent addition to any holiday meal. This recipe is one of the best, quick and easy ways to make cornbread. It makes about 9 servings but if you need to feed more people, double the recipe and add some baking time.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. Bisquick or pancake mix
• 3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 c. whole milk
• 1 egg
• 4 Tbsp. melted butter
• 4 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 375°. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat vigorously for one minute. spread the batter in a greased 8x8x2" pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until done.

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Chex Snack Mix Recipe

This snack mix uses the Chex cereals and provides a tasty alternative to ordinary Halloween candy, with more nutritional value. It's a perfect addition to your Halloween or Thanksgiving party menu. Alter the recipe any way you like to satisfy your individual taste.

Recipe Ingredients

• 4 c. Corn Chex
• 4 c. Rice Chex
• 1 1/2 c. salted peanuts
• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1/4 c. peanut butter
• 2 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. Accent seasoning
• 1 c. candy corns or autumn mix

Toss the Chex cereal and peanuts in a large mixing bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the butter, peanut butter, Worcestershire, salt and Accent seasoning until melted together. (Make sure your heat is set to low to medium to avoid scorching.) Pour the mixture over the cereal and peanuts, and mix together.

Spread into a greased cake pan and bake for about an hour at 250°, occasionally stirring. Cool and stir in the candy corns or autumn mix. Store in an airtight container.

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Bloody Peanuts

If you're looking for something easy and quick, you'll love this recipe. With only two ingredients, you can't go wrong. Don't skimp on the barbeque sauce. Look for a good brand, pick one of your favorites. A cheap brand will not turn out as well.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 can of peanuts
• Up to 1/2 cup of BBQ sauce

Combine the peanuts and barbeque sauce until the peanuts are entirely coated (not too heavy.) Spread them out on a foil-lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 300° for about ten minutes. Times will vary depending on how thickly coated the peanuts are. Check frequently and remove from the oven when the peanuts appear to be covered with dried blood.

Let sit until completely cooled. Transfer to a serving bowl.

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Baked Pumpkin Squares Recipe

You're wasting a wonderful resource if you carve your pumpkin into a jack-o-lantern and throw out the rest. Most people buy pumpkins only for it's decorating ability and don't think twice about the nutritional value it has.

Since pumpkins are a variety of squash, there are many recipes available for pumpkins. Bake up a delicious side-dish to your favorite Harvest meal. You'll appreciate not only the fresh baked aroma of pumpkin, but the tasty addition to your meal.

Find the freshest pumpkin you can from a genuine pumpkin patch or farmer's market and whip up a side dish with this simple baked pumpkin recipe.

1) Cut the pumpkin into serving-sized squares and arrange on a cookie sheet and bake at about 350° until they're tender and lightly browned.
2) Add optional seasonings such as chopped onions and peppers, bacon bits, chives, honey, brown sugar and sour cream.
3) Melt butter on them while they're still hot and voila, a yummy addition to any meal!

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Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

This basic cookie dough recipe can be used for delicious decorated Halloween cookies and is so easy to make. After the dough is mixed and chilled, use your imagination and decorate your cookies with M&Ms, licorice, candy, cake decoration gel and frosting. Make pumpkins, spiders, ghosts and jack-o-lantern cookies!
Recipe Ingredients

• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 3/4 c. brown sugar - lightly packed
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Put the butter, both sugars, salt and the baking soda in a large mixing bowl and beat with a mixer for about 3 minutes. Blend in the eggs and vanilla extract. Reduce the mixer speed and add the flour gradually. Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes on an un-greased cookie sheet.
This cookie dough is best used when chilled so try to mix it up ahead of time to allow for a couple hours in the refrigerator. Chill between batches.

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Apple Salad

Autumn is a wonderful time for this refreshing apple salad. It makes a perfect dessert for the holidays and is easy to transport to family gatherings and parties.
Recipe Ingredients

• 1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple, un-drained
• 2/3 c. sugar
• 1 (3 oz.) pkg. lemon Jello
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 c. diced, unpeeled apples
• 1 c. diced celery
• 1/2 c. chopped nuts
• 1 c. whipped topping

Combine the sugar and pineapple in a saucepan. Bring to boil and boil for three minutes. Stir in the Jello until dissolved. Add the cream cheese and stir until thoroughly combined. Cool. Fold in apples, celery, chopped nuts, and whipped topping.
Pour into a 9", square baking dish. Chill in fridge until firm.

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