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november

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Cheesecake-filled pumpkin bread

If you love fall baked goods but aren’t a fan of super sweets, this cream cheese filled pumpkin bread recipe will satisfy your seasonal cravings. You’ll love this bread-like snack and its slightly sweet center. It’s dense, decadent and the perfect fall treat to make for breakfast, dessert or just about anytime. Also try this Classic Pumpkin Roll recipe. cheesecake-filled pumpkin bread Ingredients Bread 1 cup canned pumpkin puree 1/2 cup canola oil 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1-1/2 cups flour 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp ground ginger Filling 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/3 cup sugar 2 tbsp flour 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract What else you’ll need: 9×5 inch loaf pan electric mixer nonstick cooking spray cooling rack toothpick Directions Preheat oven to…

Mistakes you should avoid when cooking potatoes

Potato problems? Potatoes may seem basic, but there are a lot of ways to mess them up. Whether they come out partly raw, mushy, or generally flavorless, the good news is there is usually a simple solution. Read on and see what you might do differently next time to achieve those perfectly tender, flavorful spuds you salivate over. You don’t choose the right potato for the job. You’ll come across more than a dozen different kinds of potatoes at the grocery store, so how do you know which will work best for your recipe? Well, a good rule of thumb is to use russet potatoes for baking or steaming, and use red or gold potatoes for roasting or sautéing. Russets and yellow potatoes are best for mashing. Round red potatoes and fingerling potatoes are best for boiling. Not sure what to use? Those round white potatoes that you see at…

Classic pumpkin roll recipe

Pumpkin rolls are a classic fall dessert that everyone goes crazy for. This homemade pumpkin roll recipe will give you the most deliciously moist spongey spiced pumpkin cake with dreamy cream cheese filling rolled up inside. These rolls might look difficult, but don’t let that perfect swirl intimidate you. It’s actually quite simple! Just follow these easy directions and you’ll master this must-make dessert in no time. Classic Pumpkin Roll Ingredients For the pumpkin cake: 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground allspice 1/4 tsp salt 3 eggs, room temperature 2/3 cup pumpkin puree (I like to use Libby’s) 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar For the cream cheese frosting: 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature…

20 sweet ways to use up leftover Halloween candy

Extra large haul this year? Fewer trick-or-treaters than you expected? Whatever the reason, come November 1 you may be left with a lot more candy that you counted on. Here are 20 ideas for what to do with all that candy: Donate it Get it out of the house. 1. Make care packages for grandparents or great grandparents If older relatives don’t have heaps of leftover Halloween candy of their own, send them a care package with some candy, a card, and add a printed picture of the kids (or your pets) in costumes. They would surely appreciate your thoughtfulness. 2. Donate it to the troops Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops will send it to deployed troops around the world or distribute it to veterans in VA Hospitals across the country. Operation Shoebox will pack up your candy and ship it to troops overseas. And Operation Gratitude will send it to…

The best apples for eating fresh

It’s fall and apples are everywhere. If you’re tempted to stock up while they’re in season, think first about how you’ll use them. Will you be baking? Making applesauce? Or do you prefer to eat them fresh, right out of your hand? If it’s the latter, here’s a list of delicious apple varieties you should try. Tart Apples These apples are best if you’re not looking to satisfy a sweet tooth. Braeburn Available: Mid-to-late October Braeburn are a great all-purpose apple, but their sweet and tart taste and crispy bite make them perfect for eating fresh. Cortland Available: Late September Cortlands originated in 1898, and they’re still as popular as ever. Their white flesh is juicy and tart, while still offering some sweetness. Goldrush Available: Late October Goldfish doesn’t easily brown, making it a great pick for snacking or salads. They also store well for up to seven months. Granny…

Pumpkin pie with a pecan sandy crust

How do you make a Thanksgiving classic pumpkin pie even better? Replace your basic pie crust with this delicious pecan sandy cookie crust instead! Pecan candies bring a delicious buttery, nutty goodness to everyone’s all-time favorite holiday pie. The unexpected twist adds some mild fun without upsetting the pumpkin pie purists. Note: Process cookies in a food processor or place cookies in a  zip-top bag and crush with a heavy rolling pin.  Pumpkin pie with a pecan sandy crust For the crust:  2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs (about 1 package of Keeblers Pecan Sandies or 20 cookies) 5 tbsp melted butter 1/4 tsp salt For the pie: 3/4 cup sugar 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground ginger 2 large eggs 1 can (15 ounce) pure pumpkin puree (Libby’s 100% pure pumpkin is my favorite) 1 can (12 fl. ounce) Evaporated Milk…

Homemade pumpkin pie spice blend

Do you know what’s in that pumpkin pie spice blend you purchased? Chances are, if you’re a fan of pumpkin spice, you might have some idea. But I’m here to convince you that making your own is the way to go. Here’s why: You’ll save money Spices don’t come cheap. Buy the good stuff, and you’ll be plunking down $5-15 for just a few tablespoons of various spices, and more if the spice is labor intensive to grow or harvest. But you’re buying pre-mixed spice blends, you’re choosing to spend more on spices than you even need to. You’ll get much less product, for way more money, and that mix is so highly specialized, it’s way more limited in use. You’ll save space Most spice blends are made from your basics. You’re probably already equipped to make pumpkin spice (and many other spice mixes) simply by having a reasonably well-stocked…

Old-fashioned caramel apples

Crisp fall apples, bathed in delicious, gooey caramel — it’s a Halloween delight you simply must make this year! The good news is that they’re super easy to make and tons of fun to personalize. Dip them in crushed nuts, candy or Oreos then decorate with drizzles of white or milk chocolate.  The combos are endless. These goodies will rival those fabulous gourmet caramel apples you see in candy store windows — but you can enjoy them for a fraction of the cost. Make them as favors for your Halloween party or as a sweet treat on Oct. 31 for the whole office. Classic Caramel Apples Recipe Ingredients 8 large tart apples (I like Granny Smith) 1 cup butter 2 cups packed brown sugar 1 cup light corn syrup 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 tsp vanilla extract What you will need 8 wooden chopsticks Candy thermometer 8 fun straws…

These states are the most obsessed with pumpkin spice

Pumpkin spice products have been available for several weeks now, but according to new data from Grubhub, it looks like most Americans prefer to wait until fall actually starts to enjoy these festive fall treats. The new data shows which states order the most pumpkin foods and when the popularity of these products spike. To conduct this analysis, the popular food delivery service looked at orders each fall month, then compared them to the rest of the calendar year. The analysis found that October is peak month for pumpkin and pumpkin-spice-flavored goods, with 118% more orders than usual levels. November comes in second most popular month for these products, with 92% more orders, and September is the third most popular month. These findings vindicate all those who argue that pumpkin spice offerings should be kept out of August — it turns out, we’re not really buying the stuff in the…

Why you shouldn’t stuff your turkey the traditional way

The idea of a juicy, stuffed turkey serving as the centerpiece to Thanksgiving feast can get just about any of us drooling. So I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But cooking your stuffing inside the bird might not be the best idea. It sure is delicious, but you could end up with dry meat or worse — foodborne illness that will definitely leave your holiday less than merry. Here’s what the experts say, as well as a few alternatives for stuffing that bird: Why you shouldn’t cook stuffing inside a turkey The most important rule to follow when cooking a turkey is that the bird — and anything inside — reach a safe temperature. The USDA has instructed that both bird and stuffing need to reach 165ºF or your meal poses the risk of carrying harmful bacterial like salmonella or E. coli. Of course, you might just…