This appetizer recipe comes from my aunt’s friend and I LOVE IT!!! My aunt brought this dish to my sister’s bridal and baby shower and it was a big hit. Since we live in Orlando it’s easy to find yuca, also known as cassava.

Here’s a list of ingredients:

• yuca - I get frozen yuca from Publix or Wal-Mart
• bacon
• toothpicks
• guava paste - found in the Hispanic aisle
• water

Boil the yuca for 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into bite size pieces. Wrap half a piece of bacon around it and secure with toothpick. Make as many as you want. Like baking pan with foil and place yuca on it. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes or until bacon is cooked.

Guava Sauce: Use about 1/4 of the guava paste, cut into pieces and melt in saucepan. Add water as needed to desired consistency.

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup water

1 yellow cake mix

1 package instant jello pudding

2/3 cup oil

1 cup chocolate chips

Mix all together and pour into greased loaf pan.  Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes (until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.)

Fall has arrived in Florida! The highs are now only in the 80s. I know many of you have lived elsewhere and remember what a “real” fall feels like, but I haven’t, so I’ll take what I can get!

One thing we look forward to each October is the annual St. Joseph’s pumpkin patch and carnival. We plop the kids amidst the pumpkins and try to get some good shots, then ride the rides and eat some funnel cake. This year the carnival will run October 16 – 19. The pumpkin patch usually lasts until Halloween. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church is located on Alafaya just south of 50.

For me, October also means candy corn. Even though it’s available year round, I limit my candy corn consumption to the month of October only, to make it more of a treat.

Another fall tradition we’re establishing is a trip to Green Meadows Petting Farm. It’s a bit pricey for what it is, but there’s an Entertainment Book coupon that makes it more reasonable, and a coupon on their site that reduces the price $2 a ticket. In addition to the animals, there’s a pony ride, train ride, and hay ride. You can also milk a cow! You get a free pumpkin from their pumpkin patch if you go in October. My tip is to go during a weekday when there aren’t as many people there.

And last, fall means pumpkins (click for good recipes) – pumpkin desserts, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin shakes, roasted pumpkin seeds, and carving pumpkins. Over the past few years, we’ve experimented with vcarious pumpkin-carving strategies. The first year we decided to carve pumpkins, I got a little ambitious and decided to do a pumpkin for each member of our family – a big one for Matt, and medium one for me, and a littler one for Evie. But, needless to say, that was a lot of cleaning and carving! I might need to put that tradition on the shelf until the kids are old enough to clean and carve their own, and then perhaps we can have a contest! Do you have any pumpkin-carving traditions or strategies?

What activities do you and your family enjoy at home and around town during fall? I’d love to hear!

——————————————————————————————————
To receive articles by email enter your email in the box below. After pressing the “Subscribe” button you will be asked to enter letters in a gray box. You will then receive an email called “Activate your Email Subscription to: Craving Grace”. In that email click the provided link to confirm you want to subscribe.

Candy Corn is the signature candy for Fall. So why not try to make it at home instead of buying it at the store? It may not be as cheap but it might be fun. I love Candy Corn and used to eat tons of it every October.  Now I just have a little bit - too sweet and all - for me at least.

Thanks to SweetCandyCorn for this recipe and all things candy corn!

Photo source from sugar-skull.com.

Home-made Candy Corn

* 1 cup sugar
* 2/3 cup white corn syrup
* 1/3 cup butter
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
* 1/4 tsp. salt
* 1/3 cup powdered milk
* food coloring

Combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup in pan and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Turn heat low and boil 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

In a separate dish, combine powdered sugar, salt, and powdered milk. Add all at once to the mixture in the pan. Add food coloring if desired. Stir until cool enough to handle. Shape as desired.

——————————————————————————————————
To receive articles by email enter your email in the box below. After pressing the “Subscribe” button you will be asked to enter letters in a gray box. You will then receive an email called “Activate your Email Subscription to: Craving Grace”. In that email click the provided link to confirm you want to subscribe.

I made this for dinner the other night and it was SO good! Yum! I’ve actually made this recipe several times. It’s quick and easy to make. Don’t let the fancy name fool you.

This recipe comes from Epicurious and was in Gourmet Magazine. So I can’t say if it’s healthy or not. I’ll share my healthy options below. If you try it let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds precooked polenta (in a tube), cut into 4 (1/2-inch-thick) rounds
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casing removed
1/2 pound mixed sliced fresh wild mushrooms
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups bottled marinara sauce

Accompaniment: grated Parmesan

Preheat broiler.

Broil polenta rounds on a lightly oiled large heavy baking sheet 3 to 4 inches from heat until lightly browned in spots, about 7 minutes. Turn rounds over and sprinkle with cheese, then broil until polenta is golden in spots and cheese is melted, about 7 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then cook sausage, breaking up lumps, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and boil, scraping up any brown bits, until reduced by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir in sausage and tomato sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Serve ragout spooned over polenta.

My Healthy Version: I use sweet Turkey sausage and omit the Parmesan cheese. When cutting the polenta I just cut the whole tube into 1/2″ slices and I’ll brush olive oil on one side when broiling.