By Jennifer Low

2 apples, peeled and cut into large dice
1/2 540-mL can cherry-pie filling
1/3 cup (75 mL) vanilla cake mix
couple pinches of cinnamon
1/2 cup (125 mL) water
1/4 cup (50 mL) melted butter
vanilla ice cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Spread apples in an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish. Dollop pie filling over top and spread out; filling doesn't need to be perfectly even.
3. Sprinkle cake mix over top, squeezing out bigger lumps as you go. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of cake mix.
4. Mix together water and butter. Drizzle over top of mixture to moisten cake mix.
5. Use the handle of a spoon to poke mixture every couple of inches to blend in liquid slightly. Liquid doesn't have to be perfectly mixed in. If there are some little bits of dry cake mix left on top, that's fine.
6. Bake for 40 min. or until top is golden and edges are bubbly. Scoop and serve with vanilla ice cream. Yum!

Magic Pretzel Wands & Frozen Banana Pops

mini bananas

skinny wooden popsicle sticks

large pretzel rods

dark chocolate, melted

candies, coconut, etc., for decoration

white and milk chocolate, melted, for drizzling

For banana pops: Freeze bananas on sticks. Remove from freezer and dip in chocolate. Decorate with your choice of toppings and refreeze on tray until firm.

For magic pretzel wands: Dip pretzels in chocolate and decorate! Rest on tray and allow to harden. Serve in a large glass vase as a chic cocktail party snack or as a treat for the kids!