Okay, I’m getting a little tired of eating pumpkin.

If I was just eating pumpkin all day long it might improve my chances of turning my skin a new shade of orange. Thankfully, that is not the case! [Editor's Note: Worst. Intern. Ever.] I’m allowed to eat other things/balance out the eating of pumpkins with apples and other tasty treats.

My recent favorite snack is toasted pumpkin seeds added to trail mix. This recipe is super easy and cost-friendly for those of us on a college budget. You’ll need to purchase any type of nut based trail mix (if you prefer to make it yourself, you’ll want to get pecans, almonds, and walnuts – but remember that nuts can run pretty expensive). The recipe I followed does involve a few outside ingredients but if you’re not interested in doing that, just ignore me for the next couple of sentences.

If you are interested in making this mixture from scratch: combine 2 cups of honey, 1/8 cup orange juice, 2 tsp. of cayenne pepper and 1 tbsp. of cinnamon in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the nuts. To the nut mixture, add 1 cup of pumpkin seeds (uncooked). Combine the honey mixture with the nut and pumpkin mixture and mix well, until all of the nuts/pumpkin seeds are well coated. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet (I would put foil down first and spray it so it’s not as sticky) and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let it cool after it’s finished baking.

You can add dried fruits like papaya and pineapple to the nut mixture, but I just added Crasins. You’re also free to add as much salt as your little heart desires but I hate salted nuts. If anything, add more cinnamon to really enhance the pumpkin flavor. You can see the entire recipe here.

For those of us that aren’t really up for doing that, just add cooked pumpkin seeds to your favorite trail mix. You can try to sprinkle them with cinnamon but unless you bake the seeds in cinnamon, the flavors won’t hold as well.

The great thing about trail mix is that it’s really easy to just grab-and-go. I’ve been running around a lot lately and it’s just so much easier to pack it and bring it with me to snack on, instead of spending money while I’m out. It’s perfect for snacking in between classes or even to bring with as a late night guilt-free snack while you’re cramming at the library.

All right. Back to my struggle with all things pumpkin and apple. There were a few times last week where I broke down and bought a pumpkin spice latte. Now that I’m officially broke after trying to afford those ridiculous things, I’ve decided I’m only having apple-cinnamon spiced tea to suffice the rules of my challenge. One package costs about the same as buying one Starbucks drink and lasts me about eight days longer.

Like I said last week, I’m kind of over the Starbucks craze. Lots of coffee providers (and the packaged grounds that you can pick up in stores) make their own pumpkin-flavored coffees that don’t hurt my wallet (or my stomach) as badly as Starbucks does. Honestly, I just feel better about supporting local coffeehouses (okay yes, while that does make me part of the 99%, I’m not about to go all Occupy Starbucks on any of you).

I’m kind of running out of great ideas to cook with apples and pumpkins. While they might be useful for expanding my cooking and baking repertoire, I’m finding that only a number of spices actually compliment the dishes, which brings me back to that limited food feeling.

On a lighter note, I am beginning to see my waist-line extend, which is awesome considering the colder months are on their way and I need to reserve as much body fat as possible for keeping warm.

I’m a little nervous that this last week might send me into gag-reflex overload. There is a chance I might start gagging after all this pumpkin and apple inside me. Who knows, pretty soon I might be sharing my apple-pumpkin eating frenzy with my good friend, the Porcelain King. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Finally — summer’s over! It’s time for sweaters, boots, Starbucks’ signature fall drinks, and for those leaves to start falling. You could spend all fall hunched over your computer worrying about mid-terms, or you can get in touch with your seven-year-old self that took time to relish the changing leaf colors, the local pumpkin patches, and of course, the cooler weather.

Here are five things that you probably enjoyed during your childhood that you can still enjoy this fall. (Editor’s Note: especially if you add a little spiked apple cider.):

1. Go Apple Picking: Throw on some jeans, find a cardigan, and head to the nearest apple orchard. Now that fall is here, apple orchards should be open to the public. Not sure where the closest apple orchard is? Check out Pick Your Own for all the details of the farms and orchards near you. Not only will this get you outside to enjoy the nice fall weather, it will give you a reason to bake. Once you pick out those perfect apples, call your mom and ask for her apple pie recipe, make some caramel apples, or brew cider (feel free to add alcohol, of course). Baking isn’t your thing? Well, you know what they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and that can’t hurt either.

2. Jump in the Leaves: Once the leaves start falling, don’t let them go to waste. Get your friends together, rake as many as them up as you possibly can, and get to jumping! You loved this a kid, and if you get past it being a kids’ pastime, you will still love it. So many schools have an abundance of quads filled trees and leaves all around them. The crunch of the leaves will be worth it, especially since this amusing activity won’t crunch any money out of your wallet.  Oh, and it turns out jumping in leaf piles is actually good for you:  According to the Children and Nature Network, “Children are smarter, cooperative, happier, and healthier when they have frequent and varied opportunities for free and unstructured play outdoors.” So, since it won’t cost you anything and will make you a happier, healthier, and smarter you — why not?

3. Get Lost in a Corn Maze: Nothing is better than getting together with your friends and heading off campus on a Saturday. And now that fall is here, it’s the season to seek out the closest corn maze near you. Not sure where to look? Check out this list of corn mazes across the nation. Corn mazes these days aren’t just for kids;  many farms get super fancy with their designs turning their cornfields into aerial pictures of Abraham Lincoln on a penny and the elaborate design of a baseball. Since corn mazes usually are on larger local farms, expect a whole day of fun that will bring you back to your childhood — many have petting zoos, pumpkin patches, corn canons (yes — you can shoot corn out of a canon!), and loads of tasty treats.

4. Pick a Pumpkin and Carve It: Now that fall is here, Halloween isn’t far off (!!). While you’re at the local corn maze, you and your friends can probably pick up some pumpkins. If not, don’t worry — pumpkin patches will be in abundance as soon as October rolls around. Remember the first time you helped carve a pumpkin and your parents let you pull out all the seeds? Find a pumpkin that suits you, get a carving kit (they usually cost between $3 to $10) from your local grocery store or Wal-Mart/Target, and get creative. You can do something simple or opt for a more elaborate design. If you really want to get back to your childhood, put the movie Hocus Pocus on while you carve away. Who says you can’t enjoy seasonal activities while in college?

5. Anticipate Halloween: Remember when you were seven and all you could think about was your Halloween costume for that year? Well — get excited and start planning. Although Halloween costumes were a lot less slutty and a lot more cutesy than what you’re probably thinking about now, you should still be excited about finding the perfect costume. Get your friends together and hit up the local costume stores that are probably already popping up. Figure out what costume will best fit you this year. Will it stand alone or work in as a group? Are you buying or making? And, most importantly, what sort of fun-size candies will you be eating when you finally get to wear it?

pass it.

Well my favorite holiday is here. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas cookies; I love pumpkin pie; and I also love dressing up like a slutty Dorothy, cat, nurse, (insert random noun here); but there is nothing I love more than the 20th of April.

You may not usually celebrate this joyous occasion – I have actually only had the pleasure of celebrating it once – but one time was all it took to become an ardent supporter. In light of this, I thought I’d bestow some of my favorite stoned activities with you all so you have some options to spend  the best Monday of the year! So pull a Michael Phelps (read: hit the bong) and enjoy any of the following:

Watch Things
This is not only broad but also very obvious. And why is it obvious? Because it’s so much fun! There are so many enjoyable things to watch that are only more enjoyable under the influence. You could go with a funny movie like  Anchorman or Old School, or pop in an epic TV show like Summer Heights High, The Office, or, of course Planet Earth. You could also throw in a hilarious comedian routine -  Jim Gaffigan’s new one, King Baby, was responsible for me nearly peeing myself last week. Or, my personal favorite, just turn on the iTunes visualizer. Trippy!

Eat Stuff
Another very stereotypical example of a fun but often overlooked thing to do while high is eat. To maximize the fun of eating while being high, choose things that have very distinct tastes, flavors or sensations, like green apples and blueberries (cold). If fruit isn’t your thang (because who chooses something healthy when everything sounds so good), you can just build snacks out of your favorite ingredients. My friends and I usually end up with something  (rice cakes) smothered with peanut butter and chocolate chips. Yeah, it sounds weird right now, but get back to me after you take a few hits.

Delving even deeper into the unhealthy department would be Starburst, Skittles, and sherbet, which all happen to be very fun to eat while high. You may worry about getting fat from all the snackity snacking, but don’t be. You’ll burn all those calories laughing at your hand or the funny shapes of the clouds…on the ceiling.

Tune in
I love listening to music in any state, but rocking out while high is definitely one of my favorites. Just last week I was listening to Pink Floyd’s, Dark Side of the Moon, one of few classic rock bands I never fully understood and realized, “Wow, this is why everyone loved this stuff!” It was just so….awesome. Besides classic rock and that awkward genre of music labeled “chill,” electronic music sounds particularly phenomenal when high. Hell, everything will sound new, different and awesome when you are high, so pop in that Paris Hilton CD and rock out.

Go places
Sure, it’s tempting to lay around eating Tostitos when you’re high, but get up and go somewhere!  Even the most mundane activities take on a whole new level of fun when there is some cannabis in your system. Need some ideas? Here are some of my favorite de-stoned-ations: the beach, the woods, a park (or anything cool outdoors), anywhere in the sun, a bowling alley, a jungle gym, a concert, a diner (so much food!), the movies, the zoo, a museum, a long walk, or shopping (though I did end up buying some weird things at Target).

Other
Costumes, shadow puppets, prank phone calls and playing with iChat (if you are lucky enough to have a Mac) are also awesome.

Whatever fun things you plan on doing while you are high, be responsible. I know I am probably not a portrait of responsibility by any means but I have made a lot of mistakes and have learned from them. If you are consuming marijuana, don’t eat too much; it can be a very uncontrollable and terrifying experience. If you are high, don’t drive. Seriously, don’t do it. Not only is it dangerous, but you could really eff up your future if you are caught. Plus, it’s a lot easier to eat a peanut butter smothered rice cake when you’re not clutching a steering wheel. Finally, don’t get a haircut. Just trust me on this one.

Peace out, potheads, and have a great 4/20!

Seriously, who doesn’t love some combination of cinnamon and apple? No matter how you make it, you literally can’t go wrong with this stuff.

Apple pie has always been an American fave, sure, but that term “easy as pie” doesn’t really apply to me. What is easy about cutting up a billion apples, making a crust and then waiting to eat it? So when I decided I wanted something similar, I made myself something akin to a mini apple pie, sans the irritating process of cutting up apples. Preparation can be a bit bothersome, but trust me, it is WORTH it.

For Da Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspon salt
2/3 butter (or 1/3 butter and 1/3 olive oil to be a little healthier)
6 tablespoons cold water

For Da Apples:
6 large Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 cups water
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Do It Up:
1. Preheat your oven to about 400F.

2. The pastry is easy: mix up the flour and salt in a bowl, then cut in the butter or butter/oil mix until everything is kind of crumbly. You might need a helping hand or just be really careful at this point, but you’ll need to pour in the water tablespoon by tablespoon while mixing to get that nice doughy ball of…well, dough.

3. Get a rolling pin (sprinkle a little flour on the counter and on the pin to make sure the dough doesn’t stick). If you don’t have a rolling pin, use a flat glass, or, at last resort, get a heavy textbook to flatten that sucker out. It should be about 24 by 16 inches, but there’s always room for error – if it’s not exact, then hey, it’s not exact. Cut this up into six even pieces.

4. Now core them apples! To core an apple, just cut the top off, then grab a handy spoon and to scoop out the core and the seeds. Somewhere in here, you’re also gonna wanna put the sugar, the water, the vanilla extract and some of the butter in a saucepan. Let it boil until the sugar is dissolved.

5. Sprinkle a little brown sugar and cinnamon onto the dough. (Quickie tip; if you don’t have brown sugar, I think they sell cinnamon sugar in stores; you could use that instead. In a crunch – literally – ground up Cinnamon Toast Crunch works!), then put the apple on top of it. Put more sugar inside of the apple and about half a spoonful of butter (hey, no one said this was healthy). Now, bring up the two opposite corners of the pastry so that they touch. Do the same with the other two corners. Then, pinch and form the sides (gently!) to form a little dough cocoon around your apple. When you’re done, put them in a greased baking dish..

6. That saucepan should be ready now. If there’s any extra butter, put it in, then pour what’s in there over the dumplings (don’t over do it, though; you want to put some on when they come out, too). Now bake that sucker for about an hour. When they’re done and the entirety of your apartment complex/dorm has come into the basement because they can smell your delectable desert, take them out and pour the last of the sauce over them. (Quickie Tip: These guys go GREAT with a scoop of vanilla ice cream right on the side.)

7. Use your rolling pin to fend off hungry friends and family, and enjoy!

After a week filled with tests, papers, about five gallons of coffee, and way too much spiked apple cider (Quickie Recipe: Apple cider + apple brandy, varying the amount of brandy for the amount of drunk, is f*ckin’ delish), a few of my friends and I decided to be a bunch of kids. We hunted down a corn maze and got utterly lost in it, went to a pumpkin patch, and picked apples.

We didn’t do anything particularly stupid or sophomoric — unless you count getting in a fight with a 10-year-old over the existence of infinity. No, we just had fun. Fall is my favorite season, and I hadn’t properly enjoyed it in years ’til last weekend. The only thing missing was a hay ride…

This week was/is slightly worse, with a ten-page-paper that was due yesterday (that still isn’t done, shhh) and a psychology test tomorrow I haven’t really studied for. But this weekend, after dealing with trying to write a paper for an outrageously vague professor (who I think really only teaches because he a) likes to hear his voice b) likes to make students feel stupid) and studying for a test in a class I sometimes think I’d enjoy more if it weren’t for the tests, we’re doin’ it again. No, not the corn maze and pumpkin bit. But hey. Come on, you guys. You honestly mean to tell me that you wouldn’t go to FrightFest if given the chance?

I’ve also done yoga twice this week. I have yet to work up the balls (probably because they’re still ovaries) to actually go to the yoga class my school offers, since I’m not sure how I feel showing up in an old band t-shirt and a pair of $5 Target sweatpants when everyone else is wearing stuff that I feel like they could go out on a date in. I know you’ve probably heard all of your gym-buddies say it, but yoga really DOES get those happy-endorphins flowing. I found a nifty little 15-minute routine that I’ve been going by, and while I’m not saying that I suddenly have the ability to breeze though War and Peace in about three hours, I do feel…well, lighter. And that’s a hell of a change from last week.

So. Moral of these past two weeks’ story?

Calm the hell down.

The important thing about candy apples (to me anyway) is that the crunchy coating your parents wouldn’t let you eat because of the cavity potential has to have some flavor. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love sugar. I am addicted. And rarely am I picky about how it’s done. But to me, apples coated in a plain crunchy sugar coating just doesn’t have that wow factor that I expect from Halloween and carnival themed goodies. My favorite candy apples are those with sweet cinnamon coating that’s so crunchy when you cut a piece off or bite into it, you inevitably end up with crispy little candy bits on your lap. The kind that would stick your teeth together and give your mum nightmares when you were a kid. Yeah…that kind.

Anyway, in an effort to be able to give myself and my friends this crazy addictive food all year round, I hunted down a recipe. A lot of them called for cinnamon oil, which is just silly to me. I can’t munch on cinnamon oil the same way I can little candies. I like the following because the apples get their nice red color from the cinnamon red hot candies, and also a wicked great flavor. To me, this is the perfect candy apple.

You will need:

8 apples (and therefore 8 friends to share with or a really big appetite)

8 wooden skewers

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup red cinnamon candies, like Red Hots

1. First, because you don’t want these puppies sticking, lay out a piece of aluminum foil on a baking sheet and give it a good spray with some non stick cooking spray.

2. Go ahead and get the apples ready by giving them a good wash. Dry them and remove their stems, and then stick the skewers in the stem ends.

3. Next, combine the water, corn syrup, and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then continue to cook, without stirring, until it reaches 250 degrees.* Wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush occasionally to prevent crystallization (which would totally ruin that sugary goodness).

4. Once the candy reaches 250 degrees, add the cinnamon candies and stir briefly to incorporate. Continue to cook, washing down the sides, until it reaches 285 degrees.**

5. Remove from heat and give the candy a good stir so that it is smooth and even. Hold an apple by the skewer (make sure it’s secure!) and dip it in the candy, tilting the pan at an angle and rotating the apple to cover it completely with a smooth, even layer. Bring it up out of the candy and give it a good, slow twirl to remove the excess (you have seven other apples so can’t get crazy yet) and set it on the prepared baking sheet. Finish up the other apples in the same way.

6. Allow them to cool at room temperature and then have at it! These are best in the first 24 hours so they’re ideal for sharing!

*If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can still make these with ease. Use the cold water test for the candy stages. The hard ball stage is at 250 degrees. A bit of the candy (really, just a bit) dropped into ice water should ball up and hold it’s shape, but still be sticky. **The soft crack stage is at 285 degrees. A bit of the candy dropped into ice water will form firm but pliable threads.

[Recipe courtesy of About.com, photo from flickr]

So, how do you feed the in-class hunger? You’re in college, so no one is going to reprimand you for eating, but that doesn’t mean you should go buckwild and order pizza to the lecture hall, Spicoli-style.

Here are the best and worst snacks for those mid-class munchies.

THE BEST

Cereal Bars, protein bars, PowerBars, you know, the edible bars that don’t serve alcohol: These are lightweight, filling and easy for on-the-go. If you have a long day of classes, throw a couple of these suckers in your bag and you should be set for the day. If you’re heading to the dead silent section of your library, stay away from the extra-crunchy bars, as you might receive dirty looks from people trying to study.

Nuts!: Almonds, peanuts, cashews, whatever your nut of choice is, throw a handful in a baggie and bring ‘em! They’re great protein and fill you up, fast.

Bananas: If this snack isn’t annihilated courtesy of your twenty pound Calculus book, bananas are one of the best mid-class snacks. Sure, you might look a little ridiculous eating it, but bananas are quiet and not stinky, two very irritating factors of the “in class snack.”

THE WORST

Apples: Okay, so this fruit might look super academic, but it is absolutely the most irritating snack in class. Yes, apples have lots of awesome vitamins and fruit is great and blah blah blah, but please, consider the people sitting in front of you. I had a pre-law class last year and every day of the entire semester, some chick who sat behind me, consumed a Red Delicious apple. I have Vietnam-esque flashbacks whenever I hear the crunch of an apple.

Cheetos: So much wrongness. There is absolutely nothing beneficial about cheetos, especially when they’re paired with Britney Spears or a 8:00 Business Calculus class.

Salads: Why do people think this is an acceptable class food? Yes, salads are great and awesome for in your apartment and the dining hall, but in the middle of a class? They’re loud and ninety percent of salad dressings reek like gym socks to anyone who’s not eating. Save the caeser salad for after the lecture on the extinction of polar bears.

What have your worst in-class food experiences been? Any suggestions for non-irritating munchies?

I ended up buying 5 pounds of apples.

When I got home, I decided it was time to put all my energy to good use and bake a pie. I turned up loud, energetic music and started up the oven. As a semi-professional cook, making delicious things was always a kind of therapy, and was a way to channel my emotions. I asked one of my male friends if baking a pie was an appropriate response to a breakup, and I was told, “Only if you’re planning on throwing it at his face while it’s still steaming hot.” Aah, right to the point.

So now I present the:

I’m-Too-Good-For-Him-Anyway Apple Pie:

8 cups of peeled, sliced apples (Approx 1- 1 1/2 lbs)

1/3 cup sugar

2-3 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 pie crusts (Store bought. You can find them in the refrigerator section) ‘

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

1.) Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

2.) Peel, core and slice your apples. Slices can be thick, thin, whatever you want. Word of caution: thick apples will stay kind of firm, whereas thin apples will bake into kind of a mush.

3.) Toss the apples with the lemon juice, then mix in the sugar and cinnamon

4.) Add vanilla and give it a last stir.

5.) Unfold your pie crust into your tin or baking dish. Make sure there’s a little crust overhanging your pie pan.

6.) Pour or layer your apples into the crust

7.) Unfold and lay the top crust over your apples. Using a fork, seal the edges of the pie by making fork indentations along the outside.

8.) Using the tip of your knife, mark the top. Draw a picture, make an X, do whatever you want. This will allow steam from your pie to escape to prevent it exploding all over your oven.

9.) If you want a pretty finish on your pie, brush a little egg white over the top crust, and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.

10.) Put your pie in the oven. Set a kitchen timer, your watch, or your cell phone to about 30 minutes. Check your pie when the timer goes off and if your pie isn’t dark enough, add 10 more minutes to the bake time.

[scrumptious photo from lickyourownbowl.files.wordpress.com]

Well, she didn’t. I never got to taste this mythical culinary delight. However, I often wondered if my grandma, who was a bright and feisty little thing, if she was tricking them into remembering it more fondly than they would have if she’d kept making it.

I’ve never been able to track down my grandma’s recipe, but I was able to find something comparable–and I gotta tell you, for cake, it’s amazingly low-fat. It’s also amazingly delicious.

So, have at ye, apple cake lovers! Make my grandma proud! (Eat, eat, you’re all skin and bones!)

Not Quite My Grandma’s Apple Cake

(serves 10)

Stuff That Goes In It

2 1/2 cups of chopped, cored apples

2/3 cups of packed brown sugar

1 cup of flour

1 cup of whole wheat flour

1/4 cup of margarine

1 1/2 cups of buttermilk

1 tablespoon of cinnamon

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of salt

This Is How We Do It, Baby

(1) Mix the sugar, margarine, and buttermilk with an electric mixer in a big ol’ bowl.

(2) Add the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, apples, salt, and both kinds of flours to the mix. Stir that shiz like mad till blended.

(3) Spray non-stick stuff into a square 8-inch baking pan.

(4) Spread the mixture into the pan and even it out.

(5) Put the pan in the oven and bake it at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes (or until you stick in a toothpick at the center and it’s clean when you pull it out).

(6) Enjoy!! (And no regrets–yay low-fat!)

[Image courtesy of www.delsole.co.uk]

In good news, though, it tasted great. And it ended up looking exactly like something else I like a lot—pizza.

So if you too want to try dessert pizza, here’s all you need: about 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries, 1 small sliced apple (optional), 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water, enough pie dough for 1 small pie (use your discretion), 1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon milk, and a little bit (not more than a tablespoon) of brown sugar, oats, and flour.

After you’ve sliced your strawberries and apple, toss them in a small saucepan and warm them on medium heat until they’re bubbling.

Add the sugar, and mix the cornstarch and water together. Add those, too. The mixture will thicken after a few seconds. Keep bubbling away for another few minutes until it’s quite thick. You can also preheat the oven to 350 at this point.

In the meantime, prepare your “crust.” First, melt the chocolate chips and the milk in a small pan. Stir or whisk them until they’re velvety smooth. Turn off the heat. Roll out the pie dough quickly until it’s very thin (1/8” or thinner). Then take a pastry brush or a spoon and paint the bottom of the crust with the melted chocolate. You’re doing this because it tastes excellent (duh) and also because it will prevent the fruit mixture from making the bottom soggy.

Then make your topping. Stir together the flour, brown sugar, and oats (use more brown sugar than flour or oats, but make the mixture to taste).

After your fruit mixture has simmered for a while and the chocolate coating on your crust has hardened a little bit, pour the fruit over the chocolate. Don’t overfill it—eat some of the fruit mixture plain if you have to.

Fold up the corners, and try to make sure that there aren’t any leaks.

Sprinkle on the topping…

… then bake for about 30 minutes. Mmmm!