Receive autumn’s hues with these colorful recipes

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In the short space between now and next week’s Kitchen Kapers column we will have changed seasons!

Another year’s arrival of autumn is imminent now. First day of Autumn 2015 is September 23.

That big day now is less than a week away!

The newly arriving season soon will be producing for our enjoyment yet another all-new abundance of richly colorful fall season hues.

The green summer season has completed its work assignment. Now all that ubiquitously bountiful emerald beauty will be transformed by artistic Mom Nature’s flaming red, orange, yellow and gold leaves into an equally colorful all new grand work of art.

That multi-colors annual major big outdoors show soon to be produced by Mom Nature might inspire some or maybe all of us to want to do a bit of colorful art on our own.

More than a few of us will be picking up pen, pencil or paint brush and canvas and heading out the door to try, to the best of our abilities, to copy nature’s fine seasonal art and to express the fine emotions and feelings created by another autumn’s so colorfully rich beauty.

Colorful culinary arts created in our kitchens, inspired by all this exquisite surrounding autumn-color scene, can be just as visibly and flavorfully tangible as Mother Nature’s and all the artists’ nature-reflecting works.

Grand as Mom Nature’s art is, culinary artists’ work has one very special aspect no other art can emulate.

The best thing about them is that the culinary arts can be eaten and greatly enjoyed!

Enjoy every bite of your artful endeavors with these colorful-as-nature recipes below from Apopka’s hometown home chefs!

 

LORENA DeWITT’S

ORANGE TOMATO SALAD

Recipe from First Baptist Church of Apopka’s Taste & See

2 packages orange Jell-o

1 number two (20 ounce) can tomatoes

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon chopped onion

1 cup chopped nuts

1 cup diced celery

Make the Jell-o, using two cups boiling water. Mix the tomatoes, salt, baking soda and onion and place the mixture over low heat. Bring to boiling point and remove from heat.

Strain mixture and add tomatoes to the Jell-o. Divide mixture in half when it starts to congeal. Add chopped nuts and chopped celery to one-half of the mixture. Pour mixture into Jell-o mold. Fill the balance with the plain mixture. Cool completely until congealed.

AUDREY KARWANDY’S

COLORFUL CREAMY TUNA

GARDEN WEDGES

Recipe from Favorite Recipes of Sweetwater Oaks

2 cups Bisquick baking mix

1/2 cup cold water

1 (eight-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 

1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/2 cup sliced green onion

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 (6-1/2 ounce) can tuna, drained

1/8 teaspoon red pepper sauce

2 medium stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1/4-inch slices

Assorted fresh vegetables (sliced mushrooms, cherry tomato halves, chopped broccoli)

Shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the baking mix and water until soft dough forms, then beat vigorously for 20 strokes.

With flowered hands, beat the dough into an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan, forming a half-inch rim. Bake until crust is light brown, about 10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, horseradish, pepper sauce and tuna. Spread mixture evenly over crust. With celery slices, divide into six wedges. Top the wedges with vegetables and cheese.

Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut into bite-size pieces or serve with small knife and let guests cut their own. Refrigerate any remaining appetizer.

IMPOSSIBLE GREEN BEAN PIE

Recipe from Favorite Recipes of Sweetwater Oaks

8 ounces fresh green beans, cut lengthwise into strips

1 (4-ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about four ounces)

1-1/2 cups milk

3/4 cup Bisquick baking mix

3 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease pie plate (10 in. x 1-1/2 in.). Heat the beans and half-inch salted water (half teaspoon salt to one cup water) to boiling. Cook uncovered for five minutes, then cover and cook until tender (5-10 minutes). Drain.

Mix beans, mushrooms, onion, garlic and cheese in pie plate.

Beat remaining ingredients until smooth, for fifteen seconds in blender on high speed, or one minute with hand-held beater. Pour into pie plate.

Bake until golden brown and knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean (30-35 minutes). Let stand for five minutes before cutting. Refrigerate any remaining pie.

EDNA JAMES’ 

fruit-cakeORANGE GUM DROP

FRUIT CAKE

Recipe from Lake Ola Baptist Church’s Treasures from Heaven

2 sticks butter

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

3-1/2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 can (or bagged) coconut

1/2 pound raisins or dates

1/2 pound chopped orange gumdrops

2 cups chopped pecans

1 pound maraschino cherries

1/2 cup buttermilk

Cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix dry ingredients, coconut, raisins, gumdrops, nuts and cherries. Add buttermilk. Batter will be very stiff.) Pour into tube pan or loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for three hours or less.

SUZI Q. KEY’S

HOT APPLE CIDER

Recipe from Lake Hill Baptist Church’s Treasures from Heaven

1/2 gallon apple cider

1/2 gallon cranberry juice

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 cinnamon sticks

3 whole allspice

6 whole cloves

In a Dutch oven, combine all ingredients. Heat to boiling. Remove from heat. Let sit for at least 12 hours. Reheat and serve. (Also can be reheated and served from a crock pot.)