Apple Blondies

Nonstick cooking spray

3/4 cup butter

2 medium apples, peeled (if desired), cored, and chopped (1 3/4 cups)

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Cooper's Mill Apple Cinnamon Syrup

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Recipe Apple Icing (below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 13x9 baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges.  Light coat foil with cooking spray.  In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.  Add apples, cook about 12 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.  Remove apples from saucepan and set aside.  In the same saucepan melt remaining butter over medium heat.  Remove from heat.  Stir in both sjugars and apple syrup until smooth.  Stir in eggs and vanilla until combined.  Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  Stir in coooked apples.  Spread batter in prepared pan.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until evenly browned and edges are puffed.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Spread Apple Icing over bars.  Let stand until icing is set.  Use edges of foil to lift uncut bars out of pan.  Cut into bars.  Makes 36 bars.

Apple Icing:  In a small bowl stir together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup Cooper's Mill Apple Cinnamon Syrup, and 2 Tablespoons melted butter.  Stir in enough milk (about 2 tablespoons) to make a thin spreading consistency.  (May substitute Maple Syrup for the Apple Syrup.)

Apple Cherry Cake

1 packet Country Home Creations Apple Cherry Dip Mix

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1 ¼ cups water

1/3 cup oil

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, place ALL ingredients.  With an electric mixer, blend on low speed, then mix on medium speed for 1 minute.  Pour batter into greased bundt or tube pan.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until done.  Cake is done when top springs back to touch or when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool slightly and invert onto a serving platter.  Pour glaze (below) over warm cake. Spoon any excess glaze back onto cake.

Glaze:  1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon marschino cherry juice or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-2 tablespoons to reach desired consistency

Slow Cooker Potato Broccoli Soup

3 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1 large onion, cut into wedges

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 14.5-ounce cans vegetable broth

12 ounce can evaporated milk

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 lb. broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces

8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Snipped fresh chives

Combine potatoes, onion and garlic in slow cooker.  Add 1 cdan of the broth, evaporated milk, 1/2 tsp. of salt and the nutmeg.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 7 hours.

Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl and add 1/2 cup water.  Cover with plastic and microwave 3-4 minutes, until tender.  Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the broccoli; add remaining broccoli to slow cooker along with remaining can of vegetable broth and 1 cup of the cheese.  Puree with an immersion blender until completely smooth.  Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 cup cheddar, reserved broccoli, sour cream and pepper.  Blend well.  Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chives just before serving.

Apple Cider Punch

6 cups apple cider

2 cups orange juice, cranberry-raspberry juice or orange-mango juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 750-ml bottle sparkling white grape juice or sparkling wine

Chill all ingredients.  In punch bowl or large pitcher, combine chilled apple cider, fruit juice and lemon juice.  Slowly add sparking grape juice or sparkling wine.  Serve immediately.  Makes about 11 1/2 cups.

Fruit Medley Wraps

4 flour tortillas (6 inch)

1/3 cup Philadelphia Whipped Mixed Berry Cream Cheese Spread

1 red apple, cut into thin slices

12 each green and red grapes, halved lengthwise

1 oz. Baker's Semi-Sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Spread tortillas with cream cheese spread.  Top with remaining ingredients.  Roll up.