Pumpkin Spice Dip

Recipe by Diabetic Living Magazine

Photo by Eating Well/Diabetic Living Magazine

 

Yield: 16 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), softened 
• ¾ cup canned pumpkin (see Tip below)
• 1 (6 ounce) container vanilla fat-free yogurt
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (see Tip)

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 4 apples, sliced
• 48 honey-wheat braided pretzel twists

 

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, yogurt, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Serve dip with apple slices and honey-wheat braided pretzel twists.

 

 

*Tips:

If you have leftover pumpkin, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag. Refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

It is not recommended using a sugar substitute for this recipe.

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“Candy Corn” Quesadillas

Yield: 24 Servings/2 dozen

Photo by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, cut up
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
• 1 jar (15-1/2 ounces) salsa con queso dip, warmed
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2-2/3 cups crushed nacho-flavored tortilla chips
• 1/2 cup sour cream

 

Directions:

1. In a Dutch oven, combine the first five ingredients; heat through, stirring occasionally. Brush butter over one side of each tortilla.
2. Place one tortilla in a large skillet, buttered side down. Spread with 1 cup chicken mixture; top with another tortilla, buttered side up. Cook over medium heat 1-2 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Turn quesadilla.
3. Spread 1/2 cup queso dip over quesadilla; carefully sprinkle cheese along outer edge. Cook, covered, 1-2 minutes or until cheese begins to melt.
4. Remove to a cutting board. Sprinkle crushed chips over queso dip. Cut quesadilla into six wedges. Place a small dollop of sour cream at the point of each wedge. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

 

Nutritional Facts
1 wedge: 310 calories, 17g fat (9g saturated fat), 56mg cholesterol, 613mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 3g fiber), 15g protein.
Originally published as Candy Corn Quesadillas in Simple & Delicious October/November 2011, p11

 

 

 

Eagle Cheese Bites from Hallmark™

Photo by Hallmark™

Yield: 20 to 24 cheese bites

Ingredients:

• One 8-oz. package cream cheese
• 11⁄2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese 1⁄2 tsp. onion powder
• 1⁄8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese Round crackers for serving
• Black peppercorns
• 20 to 24 whole cashews

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onion powder and garlic powder with an electric mixer. Chill in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
2. Spread shredded Parmesan in a shallow bowl or pan.
3. Remove cheese mixture from refrigerator. Scoop about 1⁄2 tablespoon of cheese mixture into your clean hands and form a ball. Roll the ball in the Parmesan. Shape ball into a slight oval, and place atop a cracker. Add a cashew beak and 2 black peppercorns for eyes. Continue until you’ve run out of the cheese mixture.

Ham Balls with Brown Sugar Glaze

Recipe by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

Photo by Taste of Home©

• 1 pound fully cooked ham, cubed
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup crushed cornflakes
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

 

GLAZE:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Pulse ham in batches in a food processor until finely ground. Combine with the next seven ingredients just until mixed. Shape into 1-in. balls; place in a single layer on greased 15×10-in. rimmed baking pans.
2. For glaze, cook and stir all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Spoon over ham balls. Bake until ham balls are just beginning to brown, 30-35 minutes, rotating pans and carefully stirring halfway through. Gently toss in glaze. Serve warm.

 

 

Nutrition Facts

1 meatball: 52 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 11mg cholesterol, 113mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 0 fiber), 3g protein.

Originally published as Ham Balls in Country Pork

Smokey Bacon Wraps Recipe

Recipe by Taste of Home

Photo by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sliced bacon
• 1 package (16 ounces) miniature smoked sausage links
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar

 

Directions: 

1. Cut each bacon strip in half widthwise. Wrap one piece of bacon around each sausage.
2. Place in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
3. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-40 minutes or until bacon is crisp and sausage is heated through.

 
Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 90 calories, 7g fat (2g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 293mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 0 fiber), 5g protein.
Originally published as Smoky Bacon Wraps in Quick Cooking January/February 2001

Garlic-Parmesan Cheese Ball

Recipe by Taste of Home©

 

Yield: 2 cups/1 Cheeseball

Photo by Taste of Home©

 

Ingredients: 

 

• 11 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers

 

 

 

Nutrition Facts: 

2 tablespoons: 98 calories, 10g fat (5g saturated fat), 21mg cholesterol, 109mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.

 

 

Originally published as Parmesan Cheese Spread in Simple & Delicious November/December 2007

Ogre and Pumpkin Sliders

Photo by Taste of Home©

Yield: 5 Servings, approximately 10 Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 5 teaspoons prepared pesto
• 3 miniature fresh mozzarella cheese balls, halved
• 3 pimiento-stuffed olives, halved widthwise
• 5 slices process American cheese
• 10 hamburger buns, split

 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the egg, bread crumbs and salt. Crumble turkey over mixture; mix well. Shape into ten 2-1/2-in. patties. Grill, broil or pan-fry for 5-7 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear.
2. Drop 1 teaspoon pesto onto five burgers; top each with a mozzarella ball half and an olive half.
3. Cut eyes, nose and mouth from each cheese slice to create a jack-o’-lantern. Place cheese on five burgers; cook until cheese is slightly melted, about 30 seconds. Serve burgers on buns.

Originally published as Ogre and Pumpkin Sliders in Halloween Party Favorites 2009 2009, p13

Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies

A classic goes wild!

Here’s a twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie that will leave you spellbound this Halloween.

Spider Cookies with Chocolate Chips

by Colleen Riley for Real Simple.com

Photo: Philip Friedman; Styling: Colleen Riley

Yield: 24 Cookies

Ingredients: 

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room teperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup, plus 24, chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon canola oil

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Fold in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips.
3. Drop mounds of the dough (about 1 ½ tablespoon each) 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. Press one chocolate chip, pointed-side down, into the top of each cookie. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway though, until golden brown around the edges, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Place the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and oil in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted. Dip a toothpick in the melted chocolate and draw legs around the exposed chip.

 

Just a Note: To make the spiders even spookier, press red Nonpareils into the chocolate chip (you may need to use tweezers) when the cookies first come out of the oven.

 

I want my Mummy!

Pillsbury™ Offers a Fast Easy Way to Make Halloween Tasty

Photo by Pillsbury™

 

Ingredients:

• 1 package Pillsbury™ Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated chocolate chip cookies
• 1 container (1 lb) vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
• Neon orange and green food colors
• Candy eyes

Directions: 

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies as directed on package. Cool completely.
2. Separate frosting into 2 small bowls; add food colors to make desired neon orange and neon green colors.
3. Spoon colored frostings into decorating bags fitted with flat basket weave tip #45. Squeeze bag to pipe frosting in crisscross pattern over cookies to look like mummy bandages. Attach candy eyes. Let stand until set, about 20 minutes.
4. Be creative with any color you choose to decorate your mummies. If you don’t have food color on hand, use vanilla or chocolate frosting. Don’t have candy eyes? Use miniature candy-coated chocolate candies instead.
   

   Wrap it Up! Use colored frosting to create the “mummy” look and add candy “eyes.”

Don’t have decorating tips or bags at home? Instead, spoon frosting into a resealable food-storage plastic bag, and cut about 1/4 inch off corner of bag to pipe mummy bandages onto the cookies.

 Chocolate Chip Werewolf Cookies

 Get creative with these cookies that will leave your guests howling for more.

Halloween party guests will go barking mad over these Werewolf Cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury™ Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated chocolate chip cookies (24 cookies)
• 1- 1/2 cups ready-to-spread chocolate frosting (from 16-oz. can)
• Assorted small candies

Directions:

1. Bake cookies as directed on package. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, spoon frosting into resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut tiny hole in bottom corner of food storage plastic bag.
3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cookies to resemble hair. Attach candies with small amount of frosting to decorate face as desired.

 

 

Banana Ghosts and Berry Ghouls Recipe

Yield: 18 Servings (1-1/2 dozen)

Photo by Taste of Home©

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white baking chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3 medium firm ripe bananas
• 18 Popsicle sticks
• 1 package (14 ounces) vibrant green Wilton candy melts, melted
• 12 fresh strawberries, hulled
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted

 

Directions:

1. In a microwave, melt white chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Peel bananas; cut in half widthwise. Insert sticks into bananas. Dip into melted chips, coating fruit completely; allow excess to drip off. Insert stick into a styrofoam block to stand.
2. Insert a stick into each strawberry. Dip into green coating; allow excess to drip off. Insert into styrofoam block. Let stand until set. Using melted chocolate, pipe faces onto ghosts and ghouls.
3. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least 20 minutes. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Originally published as Banana Ghosts and Berry Ghouls in Ultimate Halloween 2012, p81

Concrete and Glass Shards recipe

Photo by Hershey Kitchens®

Yield: Approximately 3/4 pound candy

Ingredients:

• 1/4 to 1/3 cup (about 10) crushed JOLLY RANCHER Original Hard Candies,*  divided
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY’S Premier White Chips
• 2 teaspoons shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)

 

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheet or tray with wax paper. Place candies in heavy-duty food storage bag; crush with rolling pin.
2. Place white chips and shortening in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at Medium (50%) 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving at Medium in 15 second increments, stirring after each heating, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
3. Set aside about 1 tablespoon crushed candies; stir remaining crushed candy pieces into melted chips. Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet; spread to about 1/2 inch thickness. Gently tap cookie sheet on countertop to even out thickness of mixture. Sprinkle reserved candy pieces over surface. Repeat tapping cookie sheet on counter until candy is desired thickness.
4. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in cool, dry place. About 3/4 pound candy.

* Amount of candy can be increased or decreased according to your own preference.