Melon Brains!

1 small seedless watermelon



Use a vegetable peeler to remove the entire green rind, exposing the inner white rind.

Slice off the bottom of the melon to create a flat base that will keep it from rolling. With a toothpick, outline squiggly furrows that resemble the folded surface of a brain.

Finally, carve narrow channels along the tracings with a sharp paring knife (a parent's job) to expose the pink fruit beneath the rind.

Pineapple on the Grill

1 fresh pineapple - peeled, cored and cut into 1 inch rings (Or cut into cubes and put on a skewer after marinating.)
1/4 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 dash hot pepper sauce
salt to taste

Place pineapple in a large resealable plastic bag. Add honey, butter, hot pepper sauce, and salt. Seal bag, and shake to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Grill pineapple for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until heated through and grill marks appear.

Fall Harvest Baked Apples

8 red apples, cored
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 350°F. Place apples in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, lemon juice and vanilla. Bring to a boil, and drizzle equally over apples.

Cover with foil, and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove cover, and continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until apples are tender. Serve warm.

Chocolate Covered Cherries with Pistachios

1/2 cup pistachios, shelled, skinned, and finely chopped
4 ounces dark chocolate, grated
4 ounces heavy cream
1 pound sweet cherries (about 50), pitted, stems intact

Make the cherries: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place the pistachios in a shallow bowl and set aside. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.

Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour hot cream over chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds, stir until the chocolate melts completely.

Holding by the stem, dip the bottom of a cherry in the chocolate mixture, gently shake off excess chocolate, and dip the cherry in chopped nuts. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan.

Repeat with remaining cherries, refrigerate for 10 minutes, and store in a cool, dry place. Cherries will keep for several hours.