Warm, Comforting Fall Picnic Desserts
Insulated picnic coolers can be used to keep foods warm as well as cold, so why not include a few warming desserts in your next picnic meal? Just heat foods prior to leaving your house and wrap them in aluminum foil to retain heat. You can use heat packs (follow the instructions carefully) to increase the heat retention. Choose a picnic pack with a separate insulated beverage compartment (like the Cafe Pacifico Coffee & Tea Backpack for 2, pictured, which comes with an insulated beverage flask). We recommend doing this because every time you open your cooler to grab a beverage throughout your picnic (which is generally quite often), warm air will escape. Bring a small extra cooler along if you want a few cold food items as well; insulated totes are a great choice.
We've chosen the following three simple-to-prepare yet delicious user-submitted recipes from Recipezaar.com to satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you warm and cozy on your outdoor excursions this fall. With three classic fall ingredients - apples, cranberries and pumpkin - they'll invoke all the pleasant memories that make fall such a fun time.
Virginia Apple Pudding
By Chuck in Killbuck on Recipezaar.com
Ingredients:
2 cups apples, sliced thin
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Melt butter in a 2 quart casserole dish.
Combine sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and milk to make a batter.
Pour the batter on the butter (without mixing).
Put apples in the center of the batter (without mixing).
Bake in 375 degree oven until batter covers apples and crust browns, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
Note: This is especially delicious if made with Northern Spy apples.
Pumpkin Eggnog Pie
By Divinemom5 at Recipezaar.com
Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups eggnog (from dairy case)
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shell
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In medium bowl, beat pumpkin, eggs, sugar, spices, and salt until smooth.
Slowly stir in eggnog.
Pour into crust, bake 15 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
Bake 45-50 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Cranberry Bars
By Bonnie Young on Recipezaar.com
Ingredients:
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
2 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat together eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla.
Add flour and baking powder and mix well.
Fold in nuts and cranberries.
Pour into prepared 9 x 12 cake pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes
