Whether you are preparing for a Halloween party or celebrating the beautiful autumn leaves, here are some delicious fall-themed recipes your family will enjoy this season.
Dinner in a Pumpkin
- 1 medium pumpkin*
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups chopped assorted vegetables, such as celery, carrots, onions, green pepper, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, etc.
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups prepared brown rice
Cut off top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out pulp and seeds. Preheat oven to 350° F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat, add assorted veggies, and sauté until tender. Add meat, breaking up into small pieces and cooking until browned. Stir in soy sauce, soup, and cooked brown rice. Mix well. Spoon mixture into cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin on baking sheet. Bake 1 hour, or until inside meat of pumpkin is tender. After you scoop out the yummy stuff inside, don’t forget to scrape out the insides of the pumpkin! It tastes just like spaghetti squash! * Check the size of your oven to make sure pumpkin will fit.
White Chocolate Monster Munch
- 1/2 (10 oz.) package mini pretzel twists
- 2 1/2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
- 2 1/2 cups Corn Chex cereal
- 1 cup peanuts (or mixed nuts)
- 1 (12 oz.) package candy corn M&Ms
- 2 cups candy corn
- 1 (12 oz.) package white chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
In large bowl (or two medium bowls), combine first 6 ingredients. Set aside. In microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips and vegetable oil on high power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is smooth and melted. Pour melted chocolate over cereal mixture and stir until cereal is evenly covered with white chocolate. Spread mixture on 2 large baking sheets lined with waxed paper. Let cool then break apart into chunks. Store in airtight container.
Mini Corn Dog Muffins
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 to 10 all-beef hot dogs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Preheat oven to 375° F. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl and whisk to combine. Add eggs and buttermilk and whisk until well combined. In separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Stir to combine. Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until combined. Spray mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and spoon 1 tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one piece of hot dog into the middle of each cup. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin 5 minutes before serving.
Spooky Smile Cookies
- 1 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Additional sugar, for rolling cookie dough
- 1 cup Nutella
- 1 (10 oz.) bag mini marshmallows
Preheat oven to 350° F. In large bowl, cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter with electric mixer. Add eggs, flour, baking soda, and vanilla extract and mix well. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar, place on ungreased cookie sheet, and use fork to make a crisscross design on top. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cookies cool completely. Spread Nutella on smooth side of each cookie. Cut cookies in half horizontally. Line rounded edge of one cookie half with marshmallows and place another cookie half on top to make a smile!
Baked Broccoli Mac ’n’ Cheese
- 1 (12 oz.) package elbow macaroni
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup fat-free chicken broth
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and broccoli, and cook according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside while preparing sauce. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt 1½ tablespoons butter. Add onion and cook over low heat about 2 minutes. Add flour and cook another minute, or until flour is golden brown and mixture is well combined. Increase temperature to medium-high and whisk in milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to bubble and becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Once sauce is thick, remove from heat, add cheese, and mix well until cheese is melted. Add cooked macaroni and broccoli and mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish. In small bowl, combine seasoned breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle over top of pasta. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
Candy Corn Cupcakes
- 1 (15.25 oz.) white cake mix
- Ingredients called for on cake mix box (oil, eggs, water)
- Yellow and red food coloring
- Buttercream frosting
- Candy corn for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin tins with 24 cupcake liners. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Divide batter equally into three small bowls. Leave first bowl of batter white. In second bowl, add about 12 drops yellow food coloring. Stir well; add more coloring if you’d like brighter yellow. In third bowl, add 15 drops yellow food coloring and 5 drops red food coloring to make an orange batter. In each cupcake liner, drop spoonful or 2 of yellow batter and spread batter to the edges of the liner as evenly as possible. When yellow batter is all gone, repeat process with orange batter, making sure to spread orange to edges so no yellow batter is showing. Finally, repeat with white batter, once again spreading it to edges so no orange batter shows. Bake cupcakes according to directions on package. When they are finished cooking, remove from oven and let cool. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and top with candy corn for garnish.
