Frecklebox Blog

Nothing is more comforting and inviting on a cool autumn day than a warm kitchen smelling of cinnamon and sugar. Dust off your cookie sheets and measuring cups from their summer vacation, and cook up some delicious, kid-approved fall treats with your family.

Applesauce
Forget the jarred stuff; homemade applesauce is better than anything you will buy in the store and only requires a few ingredients. This makes a small batch of about four servings:

• 4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (Fuji or Golden Delicious apples work well)
• ¾ cup water or apple juice
• ¼ cup sugar (brown or white or a combination)
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Let the apples cool slightly, then mash with a potato masher and serve with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Cranberry-Orange Relish
This delicious sauce isn’t just for Thanksgiving. It is a tasty addition to everything from turkey sandwiches to cheese and crackers (and it’s also a very pretty gift when you save it in glass jars).

• 1 lb. fresh cranberries
• 2 oranges, peeled, seeded and quartered
• 1 to 2 cups sugar, to taste

Place cranberries, oranges and orange peels in a food processor and grind until coarse. Sweeten to taste with sugar.

Zucchini Bread
Kids won’t even realize this rich bread has vegetables in it! Try not to burn your mouth eating it straight out of the oven.

• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 3 cups flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour two loaf pans. Add oil and sugar to beaten eggs and mix in oil and sugar. Mix in zucchini and vanilla. Stir in all the dry ingredients and nuts and divide batter into the two pans. Bake for about an hour or until cooked through. (If any of the bread lasts until the next day, pack a small piece in your child’s Frecklebox lunch box as a surprise dessert.)

What are your kids’ favorite homemade fall treats?