Easy Apple Centerpiece
by Rachel Paxton - rachel@creativehomemaking.com

Someone recently shared with me a great, easy idea for making a table centerpiece. All you need to get started is several pounds of Red Delicious apples. The apples you can make into candle holders! All you have to do is use a paring knife to cut a circle out of the top of the apple (removing the stem). Then use a spoon to scoop out enough apple to allow enough room for a votive candle. If you want to use a larger candle, you could scoop out more of the apple. The top of the candle should be flush with the top of the apple.

Stand the apple on the counter and see if it's standing straight. If it's a little lopsided, just slice a little off the bottom of the apple so it will sit nicely. There's lots of ways you can decorate with your apple candle holders.

If you want to decorate your table, you can take a pretty bowl and fill it with apples. Place 2-3 apple candle holders in with the other apples and light the candles for an attractive centerpiece. You can also set several of the candle holders on the table and decorate with greenery from your yard, such as evergreen branches, leaves, berry sprigs, pine cones, etc. Use your imagination. At Thanksgiving we had several card tables set up and I set one apple candle holder and a few pieces of evergreen on each table since there wasn't room for more decoration. You can also set the candle holders around a room, like in a bookcase, on the piano, on the china hutch. Just make sure to set something under it in case the wax spills over.

Some people think these candle holders look a little weird at first, because they're not used to seeing apples used as candle holders, but they look really great and cost next to nothing if you have some apples and votive candles laying around. They will last 2-3 days until starting to spoil. They give a warm, natural
feeling to a home and are very attractive and easy to make.

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For recipes, tips to organize your home, home decorating, crafts, and frugal family fun, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com. To subscribe to their monthly newsletter send a blank e-mail message to FreeRecipes-subscribe@egroups.com.