In honor of the start of my newest therapy group, Cooking Up Social Skills in New York City, I have asked colleagues and friends to share their favorite fall recipes.
Cooking up Social Skills is an 8-week group incorporating therapeutic programming and creative food-based activities to provide essential social skills to young children. Please contact me for more information or if you are interested in enrolling your child in the group.
Easy Pumpkin Krispies Recipe Submitted by Elizabeth M., New York, NY
This recipe was found on Pintrest.
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. vanilla extract
red & yellow food coloring or orange gel coloring
5-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal
mini tootsie rolls
candy for decorations, M&M's, candy corn, etc.
Directions: In a large saucepan, melt and slightly brown butter on medium heat. Add vanilla extract and marshmallows. Stir until marshmallows are completely melted. Add food coloring until desired orange color is reached. Add cereal and stir until completely combined. Turn off heat and let sit for a few minutes, until cool enough to handle.
When mixture has cooled enough, spray your hands with cooking spray and mold cereal mix into circles. (I made nine medium sized pumpkins). Unwrap a tootsie roll and press into each pumpkin top. Add candy for the eyes and noses (we used a little frosting to adhere). Eat and enjoy!
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcake Recipe Submitted by Kate C., Beacon, NY. Therapist (www.KateCroccoTherapy.com)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons espresso powder
2 cups dark-brown sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 cups pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
3 cups of confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and espresso powder; set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and whisk until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined. Sprinkle flour mixture over pumpkin mixture and whisk until fully mixed. Using an ice cream scoop; scoop these little pumpkin babies into their cupcake wrappers and bake for 18-20 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add cream cheese and beat until well combined. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla, beat just until smooth. When the cupcakes cool you can frost them and top them off cinnamon and caramel sauce! For a video demonstration, please go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TDvjEM5Z1g&list=UU1wNI3EDmuCuzwD-kRRwOUg
Matzoh Ball Soup Recipe Submitted by Alana H., Chicago, IL
Ingredients:
1 small broiler chicken (less than 3 pounds) or 1 large package of chicken thighs (for less meat but same flavor)
1 Box Manischewitz Matzo Ball Soup Mix (Follow directions on box)
1 large onion
1 small bunch of parsley
2 parsnips (peeled)
1/3 bag of mini carrots
Kosher salt and pepper
Directions:
Wash chicken and remove any giblets that might come inside the cavity. Put chicken in stock pot and cover with water (stockpot should be filled ¾ with water). Bring chicken and water to a boil and skim off gray residue. Peel onion and add to pot whole. Wash parsley well, trim bottom and add to pot. Wash dill well, trim bottom and add to pot. Add peeled parsnips whole. Add mini carrots. At this point the water level in the pot should be 7/8 full.
Bring soup to boil then lower heat and simmer, covered for 3 hours. If the soup boils over even at the lowest setting, keep cover slightly ajar. After 3 hours remove parsley, dill, onion and parsnips. Remove whole chicken or chicken pieces and remove meat from bone. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper, I sometimes add a couple of TBSP sugar to cut the bitterness of the onion, if needed. Add chicken meat back to soup and let soup simmer another ½ hour or so. Make noodles separately.
Spinach Pie Recipe Submitted by Ilana W., New York, NY
Ingredients:
4 Boxes of frozen chopped spinach
1 egg
½ tsp. salt
¾ cups Matzoh Meal or Breadcrumbs (enough so it is not watery)
16 oz. container cottage cheese (can be lowfat)
¾ cup grated Parmesan
8 oz. shredded Mozzarella (can be lowfat)
Directions:
Defrost spinach – squeeze out excess water and dump into large bowl. Mix in all other ingredients. Once mixed well, pour into 9x11 pan and flatten. Bake at 385 for 45 minutes or until brown and crusty on top
Tip: To reheat I suggest the toaster oven!
Banana Ghosts and Mandarin Pumpkins Recipe
Submitted by Laura L., New York, NY. Therapist (www.DrLauraPsyd.com)
Ingredients:
Mandarin oranges (peeled)
Celery and/or cucumber
Bananas (peeled and halved)
Raisins and/or chocolate chips
Wooden skewers
Baked Apple Recipe Submitted by Sarah, M., Boston, MA
This recipe was found on About Food.
Ingredients:
6 Large baking apples
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2cup raisins
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. butter
Directions: Wash and core apples, then remove a 1 inch strip of peel around the middle of each apple; place in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Combine brown sugar, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl; fill the center of each apple and dot with 1/2 teaspoon of the butter. Add just enough water to baking dish to cover the bottom of the dish; bake, uncovered, at 350 deg for about 30 minutes, or until apples are tender. Baste with juices occasionally. Serve the apples warm with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.