Materials:
Apple corer
Large Rome Beauty apples or small, round gourds
Candles
Waxed paper
Aluminum foil
Autumn leaves, pine cones, twigs

Using an apple corer, make a straight hole about halfway through the middle of the apple or gourd. Remove the core piece. The candle should fit snuggly inside. If it doesn’t, wrap the bottom of the candle with waxed paper. Repeat for as many apples and gourds as you would like. Place several candle holders on a plate or serving tray covered with aluminum foil. Decorate with leaves, pine cones etc.

You will need:
Paper
Autumn leaves, preferably just picked from the tree
Colored pencils or crayons

Start by taking a sheet of paper and folding it in half width-wise. Place a leaf, vein side up, inside the folded sheet. Use the colored pencils or crayons to gently rub over the leaf so that the leaf becomes visible on the top of the paper. Use a variety of colors to create a multicolored effect. Remove the leaf and repeat with other leaves and colors. Mail to a friend or relative. Smaller versions can be used as place cards.

You will need:
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 bag (10 oz) mini marshmallows
Yellow food coloring
8 cups combined peanut butter and chocolate puffed corn cereal
1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces like peanut or plain M & M’s.
Spray oil
10 lollipop sticks
Tan and green raffia

Line a large baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside. Melt butter or margarine in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted and smooth. Tint with food coloring until you reach desired color. Add cereal and 1/2 cup chocolate pieces. Stir to evenly coated. Remove from heat.

Spray hands with oil and quickly divide mixture into 10 oblong pieces. Push lollipop sticks halfway into each oblong piece and shape to look like an ear of corn. Place on cookie sheet covered with waxed paper and press remaining 1/2 cup chocolate pieces into each “ear”. Let treats set. Tie or tape raffia to lollipop sticks to resemble corn husks.

Ingredients:
1 pint cranberry juice cocktail
1 quart apple juice
1 cup water
6 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan. Let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain and serve.

You will need:
2 lbs. firm apples cut into quarters
1/2 cup apple cider
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground allspice
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Place the apples, cider and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and pass through a food mill. Return to saucepan and add the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cook over low heat and stir occasionally, until very thick and dark brown, about 2 to 3 hours. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Ingredients:
1/2 tsp non-iodized salt
3 lbs. sliced Kirby (pickling) cucumbers
1 lb. sliced white onions
3 cups apples cider vinegar
4 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. turmeric
2 quarts ice water
2 cups water

Make a brine by adding the salt to the ice water. Chill the cucumbers in the brine for one hour. In a large pan, combine the vinegar, sugar, mustard seeds, turmeric and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Add the cucumbers and onions and cook for about 5 minutes or until the pickles start to lose their color. Remove from heat and let cool in the liquid. Refrigerate in a non-metallic container.

Ingredients:
1 cup plain canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1 store bought graham cracker pie crust

In a medium sized bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugar and spices together. In a large bowl, soften the ice-cream. Add the pumpkin mixture and stir until well blended. Use a mixer if necessary. Spoon the mixture into the pie crust, smoothing the top. Place in a freezer for several hours, until firm.

Your kids will love putting these treats together which also double as edible name cards.

Materials:
Ice cream sugar cones
Ribbon
Assorted candies like fruit-shaped Skittles
Cake icing in a tube

Tie a decorative ribbon around the ice cream cone. Write the person’s name on the cone with the cake icing. Fill the cone with the candies and place at the table where you would like that guest to sit.

This Native American craft is a sure hit with children and will keep them occupied before or after dinner.
Materials:
Corn husks, available at craft stores or use the corn you eat for dinner
Large bowl of warm water
Twine or rubber bands
Scissors
Construction paper
Markers
Glue

Soak the corn husks in warm water for about an hour or until they become soft. To form the head, gather several damp husks together, fold in half  crosswise, and tie them about 1/2 inch from the top of the folded end. To make the arms, tightly roll up a single husk and secure at either end. Place under the head and tie underneath the arms at the waist. To fashion a skirt, arrange husks evenly under waist. For pants, divide in half from the bottom and tie at the bottom of each leg. Now you can make outfits for your dolls with the construction paper. Draw faces with the markers and glue on braided twine hairdos.

What’s the best answer to someone who calls you a turkey? To find out, get your calculator and try this: Enter 1000, subtract 53, multiply by 400 and add 9. Turn your calculator upside down to see the answer.