The Great Pumpkin Cake

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons Watkins pumpkin pie spice
1 (18+ ounce) package yellow cake mix
3/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts

In a large mixing bowl combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and spice. Pour combined mixture into your greased 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix over top of the mixture -- sprinkle, but do NOT stir. Drizzle melted butter over it all and top it off with a handful or two of chopped walnuts. Bake for 1 hour at 350°F, or until a toothpick comes out of center clean.

Best served unfrosted with a big scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream on the side. However, your kids might want to eat it with a big scoop of orange tiger-tail ice cream.

Hot Cinnamon Candy Apple

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups corn syrup
1/3 cup hot cinnamon hearts candy
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon Watkins cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Watkins vanilla
1/4 teaspoon Watkins cloves
3/4 teaspoon Watkins red food coloring
6 of your favorite type of eating apple, medium size
6 wooden skewers (often found in the produce dept.)

First prepare the apples for candy coating by washing them and removing the stems. Take a skewer and stab it right into the middle of the apple at its blossom end, and repeat for each apple. Be careful not to poke the skewer through the other side of the apple though. If wooden skewers are unavailable, a Popsicle stick with one end sharpened can be used in a pinch.

In a small or medium sized saucepan set on medium heat combine sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon candies, and water. Stir and keep stirring until everything is dissolved. Then stir some more just to make sure it's all dissolved. Once everything is dissolved, add cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and food coloring to the mix.

Now boil mixture to 300°F on the candy thermometer, or until the syrup is slightly brittle when tested in cold water. Remove from heat and quickly dip your apples into your candy coating and be sure to coat them well. Slowly twirling the apple will help spread the syrup over the apple.

Place them with the skewer pointing up on waxed paper or a greased cookie sheet and allow them to harden. They will be quite hot for a while so make sure you let them cool completely to room temperature before eating!

Cucumber Dill Dressing

Ingredients:
3/4 cup/180 mL plain non-fat yogurt
1 large peeled and seeded cucumber, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup/125 mL)
2 tbsp/30 mL Watkins Organic Dill
2 tbsp/30 mL dried fruit pectin
2 tsp/10 mL sugar
1 tsp/5 mL lemon juice
1/4 tsp/1.2 mL
To taste, freshly-ground Sea Salt

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Chill until serving time.

Makes about 1-1/4 cups/325 mL, 2 tbsp/30 mL per serving.

Chocolate-Dipped Cinnamon Crisps

Ingredients:
4 small flour tortillas
Cooking Spray
1/2 cup/125 ml sugar
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 ml Watkins Organic Cinnamon
1/2 cup/125 ml semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp/10 ml vegetable shortening

Cut each tortilla into eight wedges. Spray with cooking spray and place on baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF/205ºC for 4 to 7 minutes or until light golden brown. Meanwhile, combine sugar and cinnamon in plastic bag. When tortilla wedges are brown, spray again with cooking spray and place a few at a time in sugar/cinnamon bag; shake to coat well. Place on a piece of waxed paper. In small saucepan or in microwave, melt chips and shortening. Place pan in warm water to keep chocolate soft. Tip wide end of each tortilla wedge into melted chocolate; place on waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden.

Makes 32 wedges, 4 per serving.

Celebration Cream Cheesecake

HEALTHY LIVING RECIPE CONTEST WINNER! - DESSERTS
By: Valerie Putsey, IN

Ingredients:

Crust
1 ¼ cups organic chocolate cookie crumbs
4 ½ tbsp organic sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp organic butter, melted

Filling
½ cup organic heavy whipping cream
1 package (12 oz.) white chocolate morsels or chunks
2/3 cup water
¼ oz. unflavored gelatin
2 (8 oz.) packages organic cream cheese, softened
1/8 tsp Watkins Lemon Extract
1 tsp Watkins Pure Vanilla
1 (14 oz.) can non-fat organic sweetened condensed milk

Garnish
1/3 – ½ cup organic pecan halves
¼ cup organic chopped pecans
1 (5.3 oz.) package chocolate coated candies
2-3 tsp Watkins Organic Cinnamon


Directions:
Crust – lightly coat 10x14 or 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press mixture firmly on bottom of baking dish, set aside.

Filling – In a medium bowl, beat whipping cream on medium for 1 minute: refrigerate. In a medium bowl, microwave 1/3 package of white chocolate morsels until melted, stirring after each 30 seconds. Set aside. Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan, let stand for 1 minute. Heat water on low, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed, add melted morsels. Continue mixing adding lemon extract, vanilla extract and condensed milk until well blended. Stir in gelatin and fold in whipping cream. Pour over chocolate crust and refrigerate 2-3 hours until set, or overnight.

To serve, garnish with pecan halves around outer edge of cake. Sprinkle with candies, chopped pecans and cinnamon.

Hint – options are limitless with garnish and candies. Use different colored candies for different occasions. And try different Watkins Extracts for other flavor combinations.

Cantina Style Spiced up Shrimp Samplers

HEALTHY LIVING RECIPE CONTEST WINNER! - APPETIZERS
By: Margee Berry, WA

Ingredients:
½ cup peeled cubed organic avocado
¼ cup light mayonnaise
1 tbsp fresh limejuice
1 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp chipotle flavored hot sauce
½ tsp Watkins Organic Garlic Powder
½ tsp Watkins Organic Black Pepper
1 tsp Watkins Organic Chili Powder
½ tsp Watkins Organic Cumin
1 box (7 to 8 oz.) medium to large size organic multi-grain crackers
½ lb cooked medium peeled and de-veined shrimp
½ cup trimmed fresh organic cilantro for garnish

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mash avocado, mayonnaise, limejuice, maple syrup and hot sauce with fork until slightly smooth. Stir in garlic powder, black pepper, chili powder and cumin. Spoon mixture onto crackers then top each with a shrimp and garnish with cilantro sprig.

Buttermilk Dressing

ngredients:
1 cup/250 mL buttermilk
1/3 cup/80 mL nonfat plain yogurt
1 tbsp/15 mL powdered fruit pectin
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Watkins Organic Onion Powder
1 tsp/5 mL
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Organic Parsley
Sugar to taste
To taste, freshly-ground Sea Salt

Whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Chill until serving time.