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The 6 biggest mistakes you can make when baking pumpkin pie

Pumpkin pie, with its thick, pumpkin-y custard, fragrant spices, and flaky pastry crust, is about as delicious as Thanksgiving gets. Served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, there is no Thanksgiving dish that arrives with such anticipation. Yet, even the most seasoned bakers know a truly perfect pumpkin pie is no easy task to pull off. Here are a few mistakes you need to avoid in order to make your best pumpkin pie ever: 1. You use fresh pumpkin I can hear you now, “But such-and-such variety of pumpkin makes a delicious pie, just like my grandma made!” Well, if you have a tried-and-true family recipe that you’re used to, then nothing is going to change your mind — nostalgia looms large on Thanksgiving. But for those who want to make a truly perfect pie every time, it’s important to practice consistency. Fresh pumpkins can vary wildly in size…

Pumpkin banana smoothie a delicious breakfast for fall

I know what you’re thinking. It’s not technically even fall yet. If you’re one of those people who can’t even look at a pumpkin until September 21, then I advise you to temporarily seek recipes elsewhere. I’m about to blow up this blog with pumpkin recipes — this Pumpkin Banana smoothie is just the beginning. I love using a bit of pumpkin puree in my fall breakfast smoothies. It’s an easy way to add fiber and flavor while getting in a festive mood. Plus, pumpkin is packed with protein, rich in antioxidants, and high in vitamin A. One trick I can’t emphasize enough is freezing your fruit — or even just half of it. So, say your recipe calls for berries and bananas — make sure your berries are frozen and use a fresh banana. Freezing at least one of your fruits can save you from having to water your…

Winter white hot chocolate with cinnamon

Living in Pittsburgh, it seems hot chocolate is everywhere — and that, in my opinion, isn’t always a good thing. Those watered-down styrofoam cups at freezing cold football games or the overly sweet stuff handed out after cold weather 5Ks, are really consumed out of a need to stay warm, more so than for the enjoyment. It had been a long time since I had a cup ‘o chocolate that I actually enjoyed. But I was feeling a bit Christmassy decorating the house, so I thought I’d whip up something warm and delicious to sip on as we watch holiday movies on repeat. This Winter White Hot Chocolate has a dash of cinnamon to give the cup some complexity. You can add more or less, if you like. Even some nutmeg would taste pretty good. The best part of making drinks like this is always the extras, so if you’re going…

Overnight apple cinnamon raisin french toast casserole

Dishes like this overnight apple cinnamon raisin french toast casserole are particularly great around the holidays when you have guests, but you also want to sleep in. You want it all! And I agree. On top of being easy to make, breakfast casseroles are a great choice because you can prep them ahead of time, and feed an army in to time. Try making customs omelets or stacks and stacks of pancakes when you’ve been entertaining the entire day and night before — yawn! This casserole says “I care” yet, “I also care about my sanity.” Just tear or chop up some bread and apples. Add some raisin and let soak overnight in the creamy french toast egg mixture. The bread will sop up all that delicious flavor and give you super moist french toast, loaded cinnamon flavor. And all the fruit in this dish means that you don’t have…

Slow cooker cinnamon roll oatmeal

This month has been crazy. I’d probably be eating cold cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I didn’t have some help once in a while. I’ve been putting some serious milage on my slow cooker! This cinnamon roll oatmeal is the fourth batch of slow cooker oats I’ve made this month, and it’s definitely one of my favorites. If you’re a fan of cinnamon rolls — and I mean, who isn’t?! — you’re going to love this healthier take on everyone’s favorite decadent dessert. Of course, the cream cheese drizzle makes this not-so-diet-friendly, but you can either skip it, or use it lightly, just for a bit of flavor and fun. Even without the drizzle, you’ll still enjoy the cinnamon roll taste. Oh! And bonus! Your whole house will be filled with the delicious smell of cinnamon. And if you’ve never added eggs to your slow cooker oatmeal before,…

Crock pot apple cinnamon oatmeal

Is there anything better than waking up to a hot breakfast on a cold fall morning? Sometimes we need an extra boost to drag us out of that warm bed. Next time the weather forecast calls for gloomy, grey showers, set this recipe in your crock pot the night before. You’ll look forward to gobbling up this super filling, healthy, hearty fall breakfast. It’s perfect as-is, but you can dress it up with all sorts of toppings. It’s easy to make, and you’ll be satisfied for hours. If you’re on a diet, leave out the brown sugar and it will still taste great. However, at just 1/2 tbsp per serving, you might be able to find it in your diet to enjoy this touch of sweetness. Crock pot apple cinnamon oatmeal Serves 4-5 Ingredients  1 cup steel cut oats (no substitutions) 4 cups water 1 large Honeycrisp apple, chopped 1…

Easy peaches and cream protein smoothie

With just a few ingredients, this smoothie will be your go-to breakfast throughout the whole peach season. There is nothing quite like the sweet taste of a delicious, juicy peach in the summertime. Add a pinch of cinnamon, some skim milk, and Greek yogurt for protein, and you have a healthy, nutritious peaches and cream-like smoothie to get your day started the right way. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to share this recipe with you. I make it all the time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Peaches and Cream protein smoothie Serves 2 Ingredients 5 ounces low-fat greek yogurt 8-9 ounces frozen peaches (or use 1 large peach, pitted + 1 cup ice cubes) 3/4 cup skim milk 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional) Directions Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender. Blend until smooth. Enjoy right away. ALSO…

Cooking and canning your own crockpot applesauce

October is National Apple Month — but we don’t need an official title to tell us that. Apples are everywhere. Grocery stores, local shops, farmers markets. I’ve seen whole bushels for sale for just $6. They’re probably piling up in your fridge drawer by this point, and you may be wondering what to do with all of  them. Crockpot applesauce is your answer. A variety of apples works best when making applesauce. Granny Smiths are great, but mixing them with Gala, Fuji, Jonagold, Cortland, Yellow Delicious or pretty much any apple that is firm and full of flavor will make the best sauce. And what’s better still? You can make your applesauce and can it now, and be stocked for the rest of the year. You’ll eliminate loads of sugar from your diet along with whatever other scary preservatives go into store-bought applesauces. The whole process only takes an afternoon and your house will smell…

Is Buttered Popcorn your favorite jelly bean flavor? Survey says, probably

Americans eat more than 16 billion jelly beans every year on Easter, and while some people happily gobble them down by the handful, others are more particular about their flavor choices. Candystore.com analyzed more than 10 years of sales data as well as SurveryMonkey and Facebook polls of more than 12,000 candy consumers to determine the most loved flavor in each of the 50 states and the most loved flavors overall. With the results in, it’s clear that Buttered Popcorn is America’s favorite jelly bean flavor. It’s smooth, salty flavor is an interesting cross of savory and sweet. Despite the number of people who despise black licorice, the controversial flavor came in second place. Other top polling flavors included cinnamon, watermelon, cherry, juicy pear, orange, and green apple. Source: CandyStore.com Individual states could either love or loathe their results. Alaska, Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina and New Jersey all put…

Kale, Butternut Squash salad with sliced almonds

This filling, savory salad is just what you need to stick to your healthy diet. It’s loaded with flavor, but also packs a punch with tons of heart-healthy kale. One cup of kale contains contains a mere 33 calories, but 206 percent of your daily recommend vitamin A (healthy hair and skin), 134 percent of your vitamin C (immune system), and a whopping 680 percent of your vitamin K. Yes, that much! It’s one of the best foods around for fighting inflammation and maintaining healthy bone density. And kale is packed with fiber which will keep you fuller longer, while also aiding in lowering cholesterol. Enjoy kale in this salad and all your salads and feel your best. Kale, Butternut Squash salad with almonds Serves 2-3 Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash 1 tbsp cinnamon 1 tsp light brown sugar 1 bunch kale, stems removed 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3…