The countdown is on so if your menu is not finalized here are a few other options for a missing casserole. Our friends at http://www.loveandlemons.com never lets us down especially for my vegan guest:

Butternut Squash Casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
• 1 heaping cup chopped leeks, white and light green parts, rinsed well
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (or 5 cloves roasted garlic from this recipe, minced)
• Heaping ¼ cup chopped fresh sage, plus about 12 small leaves
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
• Heaping 5 cups cubed sourdough bread (1-inch cubes)
• 1½ cups vegetable broth, more if needed
• 8 tiny pearl onions, peeled and sliced in half
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the butternut squash cubes on the pan and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast 25 minutes or until tender.
2. Reduce the oven heat to 350°F and lightly grease or spray a 7.5×10-inch (or similar) pan with olive oil.
3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, celery, and generous pinches of salt and pepper and cook until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, chopped sage, and rosemary and stir. Add the wine, stir, and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the bread, then 1 cup of the broth, and gently toss until the bread cubes are evenly coated. Transfer to a baking dish and drizzle on the remaining ½ cup of broth, especially over areas that may seem dry. Evenly distribute the butternut squash, pearl onions, and sage leaves through the spaces between the bread. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on top along with a few more pinches of salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on top. Sprinkle on the cranberries and chopped parsley, and serve.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 5 large sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 1 1/4 cup almond milk, more if necessary
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup fresh sage leaves

Crumble Topping

• ⅓ cup whole rolled oats
• ¼ cup pecans, more for garnish
• ¼ cup walnuts, more for garnish
• ½ garlic clove
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ¼ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush an 8×11-inch baking dish, or similar, with olive oil.
• Use a fork to poke a few holes into the sweet potatoes. Place on the baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 60 minutes.
• Make the crumble topping: In a food processor, place the oats, pecans, walnuts, garlic, maple syrup, olive oil, thyme, rosemary, and salt and pulse until just combined. Remove and set aside.
• Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh out of the skins and place in a food processor. Add the olive oil, almond milk, ginger, salt, and several grinds of pepper and process to combine. Spread the mixture into the baking dish.
• Sprinkle with the crumble topping, additional nuts, and sage. Drizzle with olive oil and bake 20 minutes or until the topping is browned and crisp.

Vegan Stuffing

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cipollini onions
• 3 cups chopped & stemmed mushrooms, mix of shiitakes & creminis
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped sage, plus 8 leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons minced rosemary
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 5 cups cubed crusty ciabatta + nine-grain bread*
• 3 lacinato kale leaves, coarsely chopped or torn
• 2 cups vegetable broth, plus more for reheating
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×12 or 9×13 casserole dish.
• In a very large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper, and let the mushrooms cook until they begin to soften, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring only occasionally. Add the garlic, celery, sage, and rosemary, and cook until everything is soft and the mushrooms are golden brown, 8-10 minutes.
• Add the balsamic vinegar, stir, and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the bread and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and toss to coat. Add the kale and cook until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup of the broth and stir.
• Transfer to a casserole dish and pour the remaining 1 cup broth evenly over the stuffing.
• Sprinkle with the dried cranberries, remaining whole sage leaves and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit for at least 15 minutes or until ready to serve.

To reheat, add a bit more stock and bake until warmed through and slightly crisp on top.*Crusty bakery bread works best in this recipe. Soft sandwich bread will become too soggy.

Can’t find any sugar skulls for your alter this year make some! It’s really easy just sugar mix and any size skull mold is all you need. Check out the link below to make your:

• Both decorative and edible, sugar skulls, or Calaveras de azúcar, are one of the most iconic elements of Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration. These cranium-shaped objects are created in sizes from tiny to life-sized and adorned with brightly-colored icing, metallic paper, sequins, or other decorative details. Often, attached to the forehead is a tiny slip of paper featuring a person’s name—the person creating the skull, the one receiving it, or the person being remembered. The skulls are used both as an offering for the dearly departed on a family’s altar and as a sign of affection to the living when given as a gift (a gentle reminder of our own mortality).Visit any Mexican market in the month of October and you will see entire stands dedicated to the sale of skulls made out of sugar, chocolate, amaranth, gumdrop-like gelatin, and other edible materials.
•  You will need a few ingredients and some special equipment to make your own sugar skulls, some of which you may have in your pantry, like granulated sugar and powdered sugar, and perhaps meringue powder and paste food coloring. The quantity of the granulated sugar will depend on how many sugar skulls you will be making and what size they will be. Approximately 1 cup of sugar should be enough for 6 very small skulls, 4 medium, or 1 large. The powdered sugar is used for the decorative icing, and the paste food coloring—best in bright colors—is to tint the icing. The meringue powder, available in supermarkets and baking supply stores, helps to hold the sugar together. You will also need a large bowl, some water, a flat plate or piece of cardboard, an electric mixer, icing decorator bags, and any other decorations you like such as foil, sequins, or feathers. Having a few disposable cups and some popsicle sticks is also handy. Make sure you have a large, dry area for the sugar skulls to dry undisturbed (once for the sugar to dry and solidify, then later for the icing to dry and harden).                                                                                            
• Prepare the SugarThe first step is to ready the sugar mixture to form the skulls. For every cup of sugar, mix in 1 teaspoon of meringue powder and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of water on top. Work the water into the sugar with your fingers until the mixture feels like cool beach sand. This takes a few minutes, so be patient. The sugar is ready when you can press your finger or thumb into it and the print will stay.
• Fill the MoldFill the mold with the sugar paste and press firmly with the palm of your hand. When the skull is full and pressed into the mold, use the back of a knife to scrape off excess sugar and then even off the surface. Lightly re-press the scraped surface to smooth it.
• Remove From Mold and Let DryPlace a piece of cardboard or flat plate over the sugar skull. Hold the skull mold tightly on the cardboard or plate and flip it over. Remove the mold from the sugar and place the skull—plate and all—in a place where it can dry undisturbed. Repeat these steps until you run out of sugar.
• Make the IcingTo make the icing you will need 2/3 cup water, 1/2 cup meringue powder, and 2 pounds powdered sugar. Beat the water, meringue powder, and powdered sugar with a large electric mixer until the icing peaks, about 9 minutes. Divide the icing into smaller portions (disposable cups and popsicle sticks work well for this) and use the paste food coloring to tint each portion a different color. Place the icing in the decorator bags. Snip the end of each bag when you’re ready to decorate. Start very small with the snip; you can make it bigger if necessary.
• Decorate the Skulls Now you are ready to decorate your skulls however you like. Use the icing to create designs. If you’re adding foil, beads, or feathers, use the icing as a glue to attach them. (If you attach non-edible items to the skull, remove these before eating, or use the skulls only for decoration.) You can also use ready-made royal icing or tubes of colored white chocolate to use for decorating your skulls.Place the decorated skulls in a place to dry undisturbed. The icing will harden as it dries. Once dry, attach the skull halves of any 2-piece skulls to each other, which you can do with the icing. Once both the sugar and icing are completely dry, your sugar skulls can be touched, eaten, bagged, displayed, etc. If you do have trouble getting your skulls to dry and harden, try putting them in a warm oven for 2 hours or so.

One of the most common food for celebrating the Dead of The Dead is the Day of The Dead bread. It can be found in most bakeries and markets during the Month of October until Nov 2. Sometimes if you are lucky they may have sugar skulls also. This year I decided to make my own:

Ingredients

500 grams wheat flour
4 tablespoons flax
8 tablespoons water
3/4 cup brown sugar
15 grams active dry yeast
90 grams margarine
1/2 cup almond milk
1 1/2 tablespoon orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon coconut oil

Finishing decor
2 tablespoons melted margarine
Refined sugar to cover bread

Directions

1. Mix the flaxseed with the 8 tablespoons of water, let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Place the flour in a bowl, form a hole in the center and pour the linaza, sugar, yeast, margarine, almond milk, orange zest and salt.
3. Mix dough by hand or using the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer, mix on low until dough comes together.
4. Grease a mixing bowl with coconut oil, add the ball dough and cover it loosely with plastic wrap.
5. Place the bowl in a warm spot in the kitchen, let it rise for two hours or until it doubles in size.
6. Once dough is ready, gently punch the dough down to deflate then roll onto floured surface. Knead the dough a few times until smooth. Knead in more flour if dough is still sticky.
7. Preheat Oven 350 F
8. Separate 1/4 of the dough, divide it into three parts, stretch two of these into strips and mark your fingers well to form the bones. Make a ball with the remaining dough and knead to make a large bun.
9. Using a pastry brush and water apply the bones strip to the large bun one going from one end to the other end. Apply the second bone strip on top of first from one end to another end to make an X on bun. On top of the bun place a small dough ball.
10. Place the bread on to oiled baking tray, let stand for 30 more minutes.
11. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
12. Let bread cool for a few minutes and brush with melted margarine and sprinkle sugar over the bread for the finishing touch.

A treat for everyone in the family who doesn’t love pretzels! This was one recipe I was a little scared to tried but going to do it! Thank you loveandlemons.com my kids are so excited:

Ingredients

For the pretzel dough

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 pkg. (¼ ounce) active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
• 1½ cups warm water
• 4½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil, more for brushing
• Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling

For the poaching water

• 6 cups water
• 2 tablespoons baking soda

Instructions

• Prepare the pretzel dough: In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, yeast, and water and proof for 5 minutes or until foamy.
• In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, place the flour, salt, olive oil, and the yeast mixture. Mix on medium-low speed for 5 to 6 minutes, until the dough is well-formed around the hook. If the dough is very dry after 3 minutes, add 1 tablespoon of water.
• Transfer the dough to a clean lightly floured work surface and gently knead to form into a ball. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Brush a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of olive oil and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot for 60 to 90 minutes, until the dough is almost doubled in size.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean (not floured) work surface and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll one piece of dough into an 18-inch rope. Grab the ends of the dough rope to make a U shape. Cross one of the ends of the rope over the other, leaving a wide loop of dough below them. Then, wrap the dough ends around each other again to create the pretzel’s twist. Fold the twist towards you, into the center of the dough loop, to make a pretzel shape. (See step-by-step photos above). Place it onto the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining dough.
• Prepare the poaching water: In a large pot, combine the 6 cups of water and the baking soda and bring to a boil. Drop pretzels, one at a time, into the pot. Boil for 30 seconds, then lift out using a slotted spoon and place onto the baking sheet. While the dough is still wet, sprinkle with coarse salt. Use a sharp knife to cut a 4-inch slit along the bottom of each pretzel.
• Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Heavy cream is a common ingredient in a lot of recipes from desserts to casseroles. So if you need a quick sub because the store is out or you are vegan here are other ingredients you can use for your recipe:

1. Butter and milk

Heavy cream contains more fat than milk does, so a combination of butter and milk can act as an excellent replacement in many recipes.

When there is no heavy cream to hand, people can use the following mixture in its place:

• three-quarters of a cup of milk
• one-quarter of a cup of melted unsalted butter

This substitute will not whip in the same way that heavy cream does. It can, however, replace heavy cream in baked goods and creamy sauces.

2. Oil and dairy-free milk

To make the equivalent of 1 cup of a dairy-free heavy cream substitute, try the following recipe:

• measure out two-thirds of a cup of rice or soy milk
• mix well with one-third of a cup of extra light olive oil or melted dairy-free margarine

This substitute will not whip like heavy cream. People can try using these substitutions in a variety of dishes to determine which combinations work best for them.https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

3. Full-fat coconut cream

Full-fat coconut cream has a creamy texture. It whips in a similar way to heavy cream, and the two are close in consistency.

To make coconut whipped cream, follow these steps:

• chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight or until firm
• open the can and pour away the liquid, leaving just the solid coconut cream
• scoop the cream into a chilled bowl and whip with a handheld mixer or blender

Coconut whipped cream can substitute dairy whipped cream as an accompaniment to desserts. This non-dairy substitute has a distinct coconut flavor, which means that it will not be suitable for use in all dishes.

Coconut cream is an alternative to full-fat coconut milk that people can use in both sweet and savory dishes.

4. Evaporated milk

Evaporated milk is thicker and creamier than regular milk. People wanting a more healthful substitute for heavy cream can try using evaporated milk instead to reduce the number of calories and the amount of saturated fat in a recipe.

Evaporated milk contains 338 calories per cup, compared to 809 calories per cup of heavy cream.

However, evaporated milk does not whip like heavy cream.

5. Brown rice and low-fat milk

For savory dishes, such as soups, people can use a mixture of brown rice and low-fat milk to create an alternative to heavy cream. Unlike other healthful substitutes, such as low-fat milk and yogurt, this cream substitute will not curdle when people add it to hot food.

Use the following steps to make 3 cups of a healthful, savory substitute for heavy cream in soups:

• mix 2 cups of unsalted chicken stock and a half-cup of uncooked instant brown rice
• bring to the boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 25 minutes
• let it stand for 5 minutes then blend in 1 cup of 1-percent low-fat milk until smooth

Using the brown rice mixture in place of heavy cream will significantly reduce the number of calories and the amount of fat in the dish.

6. Cashew cream

Cashew cream is a versatile substitute that people can use when making sweet or savory recipes.

To make cashew cream, use the following recipe:

• soak 1 cup of raw cashews in water for 2 hours
• drain the cashews
• mix the cashews with three-quarters of a cup of filtered water and a pinch of salt
• blend until smooth
• store in the fridge in an airtight container to allow the cream to thicken

To whip cashew cream, chill it first and then lightly whisk it using a handheld mixer or blender. This cream can act as a vegan alternative to whipped cream on desserts.

People can also use cashew cream instead of heavy cream to thicken creamy soups or tomato sauces.ELECTION 2020Voting feels good.

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7. Pureed tofu

Pureed silken tofu can replace heavy cream in many recipes, although it will not whip. Add 1 cup of pureed tofu in place of 1 cup of heavy cream.

Silken tofu adds an extra protein boost to a meal. A 100 gram (g) portion provides 4.8 g of protein and only 55 calories.

8. White beans

Pureed pulses can replace heavy cream in soups and stews. They will thicken the dish and add nutrients, protein, and fiber.

Add 1 cup of pureed pulses in place of each cup of heavy cream.

Blended white beans are a high-protein addition to savory recipes, providing 19.02 g of protein per cup and 299 calories.

Halloween is one of the most exciting holiday for me and my kids, I love to check out Martha’s website she always has great recipes and fun decor! So here is another pumpkin recipe for all pumpkin lovers that can’t get enough during the season:

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 large whole eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Pate Brisee for Plum Crumb Pie
• 1 cup whipped cream, or creme fraiche (optional)

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Have ready eight 4-inch metal pie pans, and prepare an ice-water bath.
• In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups sugar and 1 cup water; set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Cover, and bring to boil; cook until condensation washes down sides. Remove cover; boil until syrup turns deep amber in color. Quickly submerge pan in ice-water bath.
• Working quickly, divide caramel among the pie pans; swirl each to coat bottom. Set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour milk into a saucepan, and set over high heat. Bring just to a boil; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, whole eggs, and egg yolks. Mix in vanilla and warm milk; pass through fine sieve, discarding solids. Divide mixture among pie pans, filling two-thirds full. Transfer pie pans to a roasting pan.
• Loosely drape piece of foil over top of roasting pan, transfer to oven, and add enough boiling water to the roasting pan to come halfway up sides of pie pans (always fill roasting pan with boiling water after transferring to oven, to avoid burning). Bake until centers are nearly set — a thin-bladed knife inserted into centers should come out clean — 60 to 65 minutes. Transfer roasting pan to wire rack to cool. Remove flans from water, and dry bottoms of pie pans. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate flans overnight.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready four 5-inch flan rings or fluted tartlet tins; line two baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pate brisee to an 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out eight 7-inch circles. Ease a circle into each flan ring, letting excess drape over top. Fit dough into bottom corners of rings, using knuckles to work dough from top down, not from the center out. Using a rolling pin, roll over tops of rings, creating neat tops and removing any excess dough. Prick bottom of each shell several times with a fork. Transfer shells to baking sheets, and chill 30 minutes.
• Line shells with foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 20 minutes, and remove foil and weights. Bake until shells are golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes more. Transfer baking sheets to a wire rack, and let shells cool, 1 hour. Remove shells from rings.
• When ready to serve, place shells on 4 dessert plates. Unmold flan by running a knife carefully around edge of pan, and invert it over a shell; caramel sauce will flow, filling shell. Repeat with remaining shells and flan. Top with whipped cream or creme fraiche, if desired.

Cook’s Notes

If you do not use the exact sizes of the pans called for in this recipe, just be sure that they are close to these sizes and that the pastry shell you make is slightly larger than the custard.

Every year I look forward to going to Disneyland for Halloween I love the decor they really go all out. And all the baked goodies and ghostly popcorn tins make me feel like a kid again. Since I won’t be spending Halloween Time at Disneyland this year, I will be making some of the magic at home instead. Thanks to Disneyland for posting a lot of their favorite Halloween Treats:

Oogie Boogie Gummy Worm Cupcakes

Ingredients:
Chocolate cupcakes
White canned frosting
Gummy worm candy
Gel food coloring

1. Make 24 chocolate cupcakes.
2. Mix yellow food coloring into the frosting. Stir in small amounts of green food coloring until reaching a bright green.
3. To make Oogie Boogie’s pointy head, trim a cupcake into a cone shape. Spread a small amount of frosting onto the base of the cone-shaped cupcake and adhere to the top of another cupcake.
4. Carefully cover the cone shape with green frosting. Make a hole into the cupcake where the worm will come out of his mouth. Poke the gummy worm into the hole, and then begin to draw his mouth with the black decorating gel around the worm. Add spooky eyes to finish.

TIP: Crumble the cupcake pieces to look like dirt to decorate the plate!

Ingredients
1 homemade or store bought Pie Crust
2 tablespoons butter (softened)
½ cup granulated sugar
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup dark corn syrup
1½ cups pecans (chopped)
¼ cup pumpkin puree
whipped cream (for garnish)
cinnamon sugar (for garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out pie dough to ⅛ inch thickness and line a 9-inch pie plate, allowing excess to drape over edge. Fold over edges and crimp, then trim any remaining excess. Line the pan with parchment and pour in baking beans or weights. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crust is light golden.
2. Meanwhile, cream butter and sugar, then add beaten eggs, vinegar, salt, vanilla, and corn syrup. Stir in pecans and pumpkin puree.
3. Pour filling into prepared pie crust. Place pie on baking sheet. Bake on center rack of oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack. Serve with a garnish of whipped cream and cinnamon sugar. *Note: If crust is browning before center is cooked, tent edges of pie with foil and continue baking.

Ingredients

Pumpkin Beignets
1/2 tsp. dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup hot water
1 egg
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp. salt
vegetable oil, for frying

Maple Glaze
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

Pumpkin Beignets
Sprinkle yeast over warm water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve. Let stand for 5 minutes. Combine flour, pumpkin puree, sugar, heavy cream, hot water, egg, shortening, and salt in a large bowl; stir in yeast mixture. Mix dough just until combined and smooth. Let dough rest in bowl, covered with a clean kitchen towel, 30 minutes. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface. Pat to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Heat three inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Fry beignets until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes, turning as soon as they brown on one side. Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

Maple Glaze
Combine butter and maple syrup in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until butter melts. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle warm beignets with maple glaze and serve immediately.

And of course who can forget their candy apples and rice crispy treats!

Ingredients

• Your favorite kind of apple–any kind will do (the rounder the better)
• 1 bag caramel bits
• 2 cups white chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips plus a handful more for eyes
• colorful gels to decorate

Special Materials

• Lollipop stick (we recommend using one at least eight inches long)
• Plastic squeeze bottle (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse and thoroughly dry apple, then insert an eight-inch lollipop stick into the stem end of it.
2. Prepare caramel bits according to package until melted.
3. Dip apple into melted caramel until evenly coated. Spoon caramel over apple if necessary, making sure to allow excess caramel to drip off.
4. Scrape caramel off bottom of apple, then set apple on a wax-paper-covered plate and refrigerate for at least one hour. Once caramel has set, take apple out of refrigerator.
5. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler. Once chocolate is melted, dip caramel-covered-apple into white chocolate until evenly coated. Spoon white chocolate over apple if necessary, making sure to allow excess chocolate to drip off.
6. Scrape white chocolate off bottom of apple, then set apple on a wax-paper-covered plate and refrigerate for at least one hour. Once white chocolate has set, take apple out of refrigerator.
7. Use remaining melted milk chocolate as “glue” to stick on two large chocolate chips on the apple for eyes, draw the rest of features—eyebrows, smile, and dots. We suggest placing melted chocolate in a plastic squeeze bottle or a re-sealable sandwich bag for drawing features.
8. Same steps can be used for rice crispy treats just cut into circle to join two smaller circles as the ears to the bigger circle for the head. You can use a toothpick to hold in place while chocolate sets.

It’s October and it’s pizza Friday win win!!! So what a surprise to mixing these two pizza and pumpkin. See pumpkin puree is good in all kinds of recipes:

INGREDIENTS

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée
• 1 cup water (or vegetable stock)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Pizza

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup sliced Spanish chorizo, or Polish kielbasa
• 1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1 (16-ounce) pizza dough, store-bought or homemade
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• ½ cup shredded fontina cheese
• ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup fresh sage leaves
• ¾ cup loosely packed fresh arugula
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the sauce, place a medium saucepan over median-high heat with 1 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add the onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes have blistered, another 5 minutes. Add the pumpkin purée and water, and stir until fully combined. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and bring to a simmer. Lower the flame and cook until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
2. To prepare the pizza toppings, set a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Once hot, add the chorizo and cook until brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sliced mushrooms, cooking until also browned, another 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Sprinkle a pizza stone, pizza pan, or baking sheet with cornmeal, set aside.
4. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into about a ½-inch thick round circle. Transfer the dough to the prepared pizza stone (or baking pan or baking sheet), and fold the very edge over the top of the pizza to create a thick crust. Spread the center evenly with the pumpkin pizza sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella, fontina and parmesan cheese. Top with the sautéed chorizo, mushrooms and sage leaves. Bake until puffed up, the cheese has melted, and the pizza is golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Top with arugula and pumpkin seeds right before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 Bags Ghirdardelli Classic
White Chocolate Chips (11oz.)
• 1 Package Golden Oreos
• 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
• 6oz. Cream Cheese (Softened)
• 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

Directions

1. Using a food processor, grind the package of Golden Oreos until finely ground.
2. Mix all ingredients, except the white chocolate chips, together in a bowl until
   smooth. Chill the mixture for 25 minutes.
3. Begin rolling the chilled mixture into small balls the size of a ping-pong ball,
   and set aside on a baking sheet. Freeze the balls for 25 minutes.
4. Following the melting instructions on the back of the package, melt the white
   chocolate chips in a small sauce pan over the stovetop. Remove the balls from
   the freezer and dip each ball into the mixture using a fork, lightly tap the fork to
   remove any excess chocolate.
5. As soon as the chocolate coating dries, they are ready to serve!

Ingredients

• 2 Bags Ghirdardelli Classic White
Chocolate Chips (11oz.)
• 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
• 1 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Splash of Vanilla Extract
• Cooking Spray

Directions:

1. Line a 9×9” baking pan with aluminum foil, then spray the lining with cooking spray.
2. Cook the pumpkin puree over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously.
3. Add the condensed milk to the pumpkin puree, stirring until the mixture combines.
   Then add the white chocolate chips.
4. Continue to cook, over low heat, and stir frequently until the chocolate chips
   have melted into the mixture.
5. Add the pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and continue to cook for 5 more minutes,
   stirring every 30 seconds.
6. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into the lined, 9×9 pan. Place in the refrigerator
   for 4 hours to cool, then cut into small pieces for serving.
7. Tip! Fudge can be stored by refrigerating in an airtight container for up to 7 days