Apple Orchard Punch

I don’t usually have strong feelings about punch. But this is by far my favorite punch ever.

It’s perfect for fall, but I honestly think it would be good any time. Heck, I just might go home and make some tonight, just to have around the house. It’s that good!

To be honest, there’s really not a lot to say about the process of making punch. Dump and stir, people. Dump and stire. But I do like floating apple slices in this. You cut them horizontally (so you’re cutting through the core, not down the core, if that makes sense). I love it because when you cut apples that way, where the seeds are makes a star shape.

I am explaining this really poorly. Just try it. It’s pretty

Apple Orchard Punch

Ingredients

• 1 (32 fluid ounce) bottle apple juice, chilled
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 liters ginger ale
• 1 apple
• 1 orange

Directions

1. In a large punch bowl, combine apple juice, cranberry juice concentrate and orange juice. Stir until dissolved, then slowly pour in the ginger ale.
2. Thinly slice the apple horizontally, forming whole apple slices. Slice the orange, just any old way. Float apple and orange slices on top of punch.

Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars

Well, as you can tell from the picture, I made these at Christmas. They were part of the 12 Days of Christmas Goodies, of 2009. And somehow, I never got around to posting this recipe. Which is a shame, because they’re really yummy.

These were super easy to throw together, and the combination of cream cheese, oatmeal and butterscotch is so warm and cozy and comforting. But you certainly don’t have to wait until Christmas to make them. I think they’d be a hit any time of the year

Oatmeal Cream Cheese Butterscotch Bars
adapted from Anne Burrell

Ingredients

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pea-sized pieces, plus more for pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (11-ounce) bag butterscotch chips
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Drape a 9 by 13-inch pan with overlapping pieces of aluminum foil, creating handles for easy removal. Butter the paper, and reserve.

In a food processor add the flour, oats and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Add the 2 sticks of butter, the cinnamon and the butterscotch chips. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture forms clumps when pressed between your fingers. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer, reserve the other half. Bake in the preheated oven just until slightly golden and set, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Beat together the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon zest and juice and vanilla in an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle, or with an electric hand mixer until no lumps of cream cheese remain. Spread evenly over the baked and cooled oatmeal mixture. Sprinkle the remaining half of the oatmeal mixture over the cream cheese. Bake until the top is golden, about 40 minutes.

Cool and chill before cutting. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and using the foil handles, transfer the bars to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares with a sharp knife and serve.

Cook’s Note: For a delicious and healthy variation of this recipe, try replacing the butterscotch chips with tasty dried cranberries.