By Susan of Food Blogga

I always thought dates were unloved Christmas food. Those sad, dry brown fruits stuffed with an almond and dusted with confectioners’ sugar never stood a chance against Christmas cookies and cakes.

My feelings towards dates changed significantly a few years ago. A farmer at the Santa Monica farmers’ market handed me a sample. I took it, thanked him, and walked on. After one bite, I turned around and headed straight for his table where I bought a pound of the biggest, softest, sweetest dates I had ever tasted.

Medjool dates, which are in season from late September through December, are considered the king of dates. Medjools are deep amber-brown and have a slightly crinkly skin that glistens from the fruit’s natural sugar crystals. The tender, sticky flesh tastes like rich caramel with hints of wild honey and a touch of cinnamon. Simply put, they are luscious.

Whether you buy fresh Medjool dates at the farmers’ market or dried ones from the grocery store, be sure to enjoy them this holiday season, because like Christmas, they only come once a year.

Make your breakfast special by swapping your tired bowl of cold cereal for a freshly baked treat. The Wednesday Chef offers wholesome Sweet Potato Muffins studded with moist Medjool dates. Or try my Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones; these sweet-tart scones are low in fat yet high in flavor and make a great addition to any brunch. For a fast, healthy breakfast on-the-go, try my Date and Banana Breakfast Shake.

When it comes to savory dishes, Medjool dates make ideal appetizers. The Bitten Word’s simple yet sophisticated Asiago-Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Smoked Paprika would no doubt be the star of any cocktail party. You could also serve chips with ChileFire.com’s fiery Spicy Date Chutney that is made with chipotle chiles and comes with a warning: Not for the faint of heart.

Medjool dates can elevate simple salads and vegetables to something elegant. The Traveler’s Lunchbox offers a Seafood Socca (a chickpea pancake) that is topped with a Date-Orange Salad, Spiced Honey Sauce, and Crème Fraiche. It’ll be sure to excite your palette. For another flavorful salad, try my Dandelion, Persimmon, and Medjool Date Salad which combines bitter, tangy, and sweet flavors of autumn all in one simple dish. Medjool dates pair well with winter squash and sweet potatoes. For a brightly flavored side dish, try my Roasted Acorn Squash with Medjool Dates and Toasted Almonds that is seasoned with fresh parsley and lemon zest. Next time you make chicken try the WHOLE Gang’s inspired Roasted Whole Chicken with Dates and Caperberries.

Although wonderful in savory dishes, Medjool dates seem destined for sweeter things. Cook Almost Anything Once shares a remarkably easy recipe for Medjool Date Clafoutis made with mascarpone cheese and almond meal. Another easy winning recipe is The Cooking Photographer’s Chewy Medjool Date-Nut Pie made with a store bought crust for a real time-saver. For something more decadent, try Gina DePalma’s Chocolate and Date Pudding Cakes posted at Serious Eats. They’re called “pudding cakes” because of their “very gooey must-use-a-spoon quality.”

Of all the sweets to choose from, cookies are probably the most popular and easiest, and there is no shortage of recipes from which to choose. One Hot Stove’s Date Nut Slices are unique because they’re laced with fragrant cardamom and toasted sesame seeds. For a healthy yet delicious cookie, try Spiced Oats and Date Cookies from Sunita’s World, which are made with whole wheat flour, honey, and flaxseed. If time savers are what you’re looking for then make these Simple No-Cook Sesame Date Bites with savory tahini paste from Veggie Meal Plans. Or try Fat Free Vegan’s impossibly simple Cherry Nut Date Balls, which would make an ideal holiday gift.

So whether you have a warm breakfast scone, a sexy cocktail party appetizer, or a freshly baked cookie, you’ll soon discover that Medjool dates taste delicious any time of the day.

You can find more delectible date recipes from all over the internet on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Susan Russo lives in Southern California where she is addicted to local farmers’ markets. She publishes stories, recipes and photos on her cooking blog, Food Blogga, and is a regular contributor to NPR’s Kitchen Window.ß

By Lisa of La Mia Cucina

We’re smack dab in the middle of my most favorite season of all time. Autumn. There’s nothing better than the cooler, crisp air.. the smell of bon fires, newly fallen leaves, and BIRTHDAY CAKE! hehehe Yep, my birthday is in November and although I no longer really care to uhmm.. acknowledge them anymore, this time of the year still kicks off the holiday season for me. Originally I was going to make this a round up of birthday celebration foods, but at the last minute I decided that Autumn is way more special than me turning a year older, attaining another patch of gray hair, and discovering even more body aches than the previous year. Gah.

So without further ado, check out these really fabulous blogs and the foods they make to celebrate Autumn and its bounty. xoxo

Starting us off is Faith over at The Kitchn. Faith stumbled up on this recipe for Crab Apples Poached in Sweet Wine when looking for another use for crab apples. When I first saw the post, I was like, “oh yeah.. crab apples.. the lil apples that used to rot all over our yard when I was growing up.” My parents would never let us eat them.. said we’d get a belly ache! So not only did I snag this recipe because it sounded SO DARN GOOD but I also learned that you CAN eat crab apples if prepared properly!

Next is this delicious Plum Tart from Janine at The Rustic Kitchen. Hello! This tart calls out to me in a very sexy way.. like, put a billowy white halter dress on it and stand it over a subway grate in NYC kinda sexy. Ohhh la la.. *slurp*

Moving right along to another lil number I wouldn’t mind slipping my spoon into - Alanna’s fabulous Apple Cider Indian Pudding. I have always had a soft spot for those “puddings” that are half cake, half decadent sauce - and this one fits that bill perfectly as it SCREAMS Autumn!

Another one I couldn’t pass up from Alanna at Kitchen Parade is her Chicken with Creamy Cider Gravy. I don’t know if you are like me, but I buy way too much apple cider in the fall and although I can easily drink a truck load of it, I always have lots left over.. so finding recipes that use it - especially in a gravy - really makes me happy!

Let’s talk bread, shall we? I found a few recipes for Autumn breads that I instantly fell in love with. Starting with my sweet friend, Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms. She baked this Autumn Harvest Bread that is not only beautiful, but sounds amazingly tasty!

Next on my MUST MAKE BREADS list are a couple recipes from another dear friend, Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Her Winter Squash Bread - Two Ways post had me at the sweet bread, but I ended up proposing to the savory loaf.

Myself.. well I’ve got boatloads of Autumn type recipes that I adore.. but I’m just going to include this one today.. mainly because I haven’t made it in over a year and now that I’ve looked back on it, well I’ll be making it this weekend.. for sure. It’s a lovely little apple cake that’s pretty simple and pretty much tastes like whatever your favorite apple cake recipe tastes like. But the twist - the seductive twist, is the cinnamon sauce you pour drizzle over it.. Dear Jeeberies that stuff is delectible! So yeah! Try this Apple Cake with Cinnamon Sauce the next time you want the perfect cozy night dessert.

Although I am not a gluten-free type of baker/cook.. I LOVE checking out Karina’s Gluten Free Goddess blog. This gal can cook!! Here are two recipes that I had to copy into my files - but believe me, I’m just sharing two with you.. I ended up copying MANY OTHERS. *grin* First is her Roasted Corn Chowder with Chicken, Lime and Cilantro. Perfect for all of that corn that’s sitting in your freezer from the summer’s harvest.

And these Maple Roasted Acorn Squash and Cornbread Stuffing with Curried Apples & Cranberries had me picturing how nice they’d look on my Thanksgiving table this year. I know my family will love this recipe. I can’t wait to hear the “ohhhs” and “ahhhs”!

Finally.. finishing off this list of superb Autumn inspired recipes is another from sweet Michele.. I figure her Molasses Ginger Cookies, a warm cup of cider or freshly brewed tea and snuggles under the down-filled comforter in front of my boob-tube any cold Autumn evening would make all the bad stuff of a stressful day run crying for it’s mommy. Would you agree??

Happy Autumn everyone!! xoxo

You can find more delicious recipes perfect for your Autumn celebrations on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

You can find out more about Lis on her blog, La Mia Cucina.

By Kalyn Denny of Kalyn’s Kitchen

November is Diabetes Awareness Month, a time when the American Diabetes Association and other groups are joining together in a campaign to raise awareness about a disease that impacts 24 million children and adults in the United States. The ADA defines diabetes as “a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life.”

When your body is not processing sugars and starches properly, controlling them in your diet becomes critical. People with diabetes should pay attention to their carbohydrate choices, limit refined sugar, and concentrate on eating plenty of non-starchy vegetables and other foods which are low on the Glycemic Index, a measure of how quickly food turns to glucose in the body. To help, the American Diabetes Association has identified the Top Ten List of Diabetes Superfoods, so I thought it might be fun to see what food bloggers are cooking from each category of foods on their list.

1. Dried or Canned Beans

Beans are high in fiber and full of complex carbohydrates which digest slowly, and they’re an amazingly versatile for recipes. Lisa at Homesick Texan makes Basic Black Beans, which remind her of Austin, where they’re a side-dish staple, while Katie at Eat This combines black beans with spinach, another superfood, for her Black Bean and Spinach Soup. At Kitchen Parade, Alanna makes black bean soup many times, until she settles on her perfect At Last ! Black Bean Soup (pictured). There are many types of dried beans, and the Thirteen Bean Soup at Use Real Butter sounds good, or for a type of bean soup that’s a bit unusual, how about the Indian Sour Mung Bean Soup from Lisa’s Kitchen?

2. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

Not only are dark green leafy vegetables low on the glycemic index, but they’re loaded with nutrients, and you could hardly find a more diabetes-friendly dish than the Kale and Roasted Vegetable soup at Simply Recipes (pictured.) Another leafy green is chard, which I used recently on my own blog in Spaghetti Squash and Chard Gratin, and Amy from Cooking with Amy also uses it in Syrian Lentil Chard Soup. Collards are another type of healthy greens, and the Slow Cooked Vegan Collard Greens from Wasabimon look like a good choice.

3. Citrus Fruit

You may be surprised to see fruit on a list of foods for diabetics, but citrus fruits are loaded with fiber and vitamin C, and they’re perfect to eat as a snack. If you want to use them in a recipe, might I suggest Fennel, Olive, and Pink Grapefruit Salad from Anne’s food or Mixed Greens Salad with Grapefruit and Warm Shrimp from Bewitching Kitchen.

4. Sweet Potatoes

It wasn’t until I started food blogging that I realized there were lots of options for sweet potatoes besides the sweetened marshmallow-topped type, but now Spicy Sweet Potato Fries are on of my favorite side dishes. Sweet potatoes are a great low-glycemic option to regular potatoes, and there are some creative ways to use them, such as the Baked Sweet Potato Falafel from 101 Cookbooks or Yellow Split Pea Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Kale from Susan at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

5. Berries

Berries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, and there are plenty of ways to eat them besides sugary desserts. For example, Kristen makes Blueberry Salsa at Serious Eats, and Vanessa at What Geeks Eat has an outstanding looking Blueberry Chicken Salad. Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Vinegar from Chaos in the kitchen also looks like a great low-sugar way to use berries.

6. Tomatoes

When tomatoes are fresh from the garden, all you need to do is slice them, drizzle on a bit of olive oil, add some sea salt, and enjoy. The good news is that cooked tomatoes also are loaded with vitamin C, iron, and vitamin E, so eat them up in dishes like Restaurant Quality Crockpot Tomato Soup from A Year of Slow Cooking or Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup from What’s For Lunch Honey. You could also get your tomato vitamins from something like Meat-Filled Zucchini in Tomato Sauce from Lucullian Delights (pictured.)

7. Salmon or Other Fish High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids

As long as you stay away from the breaded-and-fried versions, all fish is a healthy menu option for diabetics, but salmon and other fish that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids have even more health benefits. Even if it’s not grilling weather, things like Chipotle Lime Salmon from Elana’s Pantry or Miso-Marinated Grilled Salmon from Andrea Meyers (pictured) can be cooked on a stove-top grill pan. I also love the sound of Pan-Seared Salmon on Spinach with Tarragon Sauce from Closet Cooking or Poached Sockeye Salmon from Stephen Cooks.

8. Whole Grains

I learned from my friend Susan at Food Blogga that there are 19 types of whole grains, and any one of the grains on her list is a healthful choice, but I’d like to put a word in for quinoa, which is also high on protein and low on the glycemic index. It’s probably one of the lesser known whole grains, but I’m sure the Quinoa Salad with Lime and Fresh Mint from Karina’s Kitchen (pictured) would be a hit with most people. Another quinoa dish that really made me do a double-take when I saw it was the Japanese-Inspired Quinoa from Chocolate and Zucchini. If you’re new to this uber-healthful grain you might want to check out Five Ways to Eat Quinoa at The Kitchn.

9. Nuts

Nuts not only provide healthy fat, but they also have magnesium and fiber, and they’re one of the best foods to snack on for hunger control. There are many types of nuts, but Lydia uses cashews in the Muhammara (Pomegranate, Pepper, and Nut Spread) at The Perfect Pantry (pictured). I’m also intrigued by the Miso, Tahini, and Walnut Paste at Just Bento, which is used as a topping for broiled or baked vegetables, and the Quick Pecan Salad at The Well-Seasoned Cook.

10. Fat Free Milk and Yogurt

I’m a huge fan of fat-free Greek yogurt, and my favorite low-sugar dessert is Greek Yogurt with Agave Nectar and Pecans (pictured), which would be good option for someone with diabetes. Two Fat Als have Greek Yogurt Parfait, another healthy dessert option with fat-free Greek yogurt, mangos, and a touch of honey. If you can’t find Greek yogurt where you shop, Over the Hill and On a Roll can show you How to Make Greek Yogurt, and they have a nifty idea of using it as a spread instead of cream cheese as well.

Whew! There are a lot of new recipe ideas for anyone who’s following a diabetes-friendly or low-glycemic eating plan. Of course you can always find even more recipe options by entering any one of these Diabetes Superfoods into the recipe search engine at FoodieView.

Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn’s Kitchen, where nearly all the recipes will be diabetes-friendly, since she’s focused on creating low-glycemic recipes using fresh ingredients.

Recipe Roundup: Preserving Seasonal Produce

by Meeta Khurana from What’s For Lunch, Honey?

Each season brings along it’s own various varieties of fruit and vegetables. We all have our favorites: be it asparagus or rhubarb in spring or tomatoes and strawberries in the summer or pumpkin, apples and pears in the Fall or a variety of root vegetables in the Winter. There is no better way to enjoy your favorites beyond the seasons than preserving them in jams, jellies, relishes or chutneys.

I will often find myself in the kitchen and different times of the year with the mission to preserve. For me Spring, Summer and Fall are the busiest times of the year when I set out weekends to make chutneys or jams with my favorite fruits and vegetables. So I am already excited in June that I will be enjoying a fresh raspberry jam in November.

I know several fellow food bloggers have lovely huge gardens bursting with fresh vegetables and fruit, I myself have kind neighbors, friends and in-laws who are generous throughout the year and share their bounties with me, Then there are the CSA boxes that come in every week or one picks up produce at their local Farmer’s Markets. Whatever the source is fact is preserving or canning is the unbeatable and inexpensive way to go when you need to use up your surplus produce.

If you are new to preserving, my Preserving 101 is a great place to start. The post includes not only several great recipes for jams, relishes and jellies but also has a few useful tips and tricks to make the beginner feel comfortable.

Otherwise I hope that this roundup with several recipes from across the food blogs will help you find some new flavor twist and give you many more ideas on how you can use your fruit or vegetables to enjoy later on in the year. It’s a good idea to bookmark this roundup as I try to cover fruit and vegetables available throughout the year.

Over at Shiny Cooking you will find a fantastic article about canning peaches. With step by step instructions this is an extremely handy post and one that I myself used this year to can my peaches and apricots. Or maybe you prefer this spicy peach chutney from Anja over at Zwischengang.

Cooking with Michelle takes her ripe tomatoes from her garden and freezes them while I make some gorgeous tomato and apricot chutney. 

Dirty Kitchen Secrets has a brilliant article on pickling and shows you how to pickle cornichos cucumbers and over at The Constables Larder pickled lime is served with a slow baked pork.

Lydia over at The Perfect Pantry uses cider vinegar to make a delectable cranberry and pear chutney, while I spice my cranberry and pear chutney with a hint of star anise. 

As citrus fruit will be coming into season in a few months, I found this perfect kumquat chutney recipe from Citron & Vanille, which can be used with a variety of meats. Lemons make a dreary day turn bright yellow and this lemon curd will brighten your day for sure. You can use it not only for desserts but it’s perfect on a wholewheat roll for breakfast too!

EatMakeRead has a great chutney recipe using figs. Kelly’s raisin, fig and ginger chutney is mouthwatering to say the least. I love figs too and often make this fig and ginger preserve when figs are at their ripest and sweetest.

Savory Sweet Life has an exquisite relish recipe for a red bell pepper relish, which can be enjoyed with a variety of cheese and crackers. Peter from Souvlaki for the Soul makes an extravagant caramelised fennel relish with Ouzo. I can hardly wait to try this myself. Jo shares her grandmother’s recipe for orange pinapple cranberry relish - a recipe which has been passed down from generation to generation. Hot dogs and burgers will enjoy that added zing with this cucumber and zucchini relish. It’s easy to make and big on taste.

Kevin from Closet Cooking is always the one to come up with delicious and unique recipes and I absolutely adore his green tomato and jalapeÒo jam. It’s got the perfect tartness with the right amount of heat to it.

Culinary Travels of a Kitchen Goddess makes a regal damson jam, which she then goes on to use in her Autumn fruit crumble. A hint of cinnamon adds gives this plum cinnamon preserve a delectable highlight.

Always Order Dessert preserves quince with this great vanilla bean and anise poached quince recipe and she share an super tip on peeling quince. Another great way pf preserving fruit is making candy or pate de fruits like Linda from make life sweeter does. She makes a delicious quince candy, which can be enjoyed for weeks. Lynn from Cafe LynnLu also makes sweet treats with her pineapple pate de fruit.

Vanila Basil has a great recipe for pickling beetroot, which is perfect in salads or just on it’s own. Allie makes a lovely pickled vegetable mix using purple cauliflower. Local Lemons shares the secret behind canning heirloom tomatoes with a lovely tomato sauce and I share a my favorite and versatile roasted tomato sauce to be used on pizzas and with pasta.

Finally an extravagant pear and champagne confit from Cake and Commerce rounds up this medley of preserving produce.

Meeta is a passionate food writer, cook and photographer. She experiments in her kitchen and presents her flavor combinations in exciting new dishes. Her blog What’s For Lunch, Honey? was selected as one of the Top 50 Best Food Blogs by Times Online UK and offers over 500 recipes all peppered with a good dose of life.

By Susan Russo of Food Blogga

Don’t wait for Thanksgiving to enjoy sweet potatoes. These tasty tubers are already plentiful at farmers’ markets and grocery stores across the country.

Sweet potatoes are loved for their creamy, smooth flesh and sweet flavor. They’re also getting a lot of attention for their high nutritional value. Considered a “super food,” sweet potatoes are excellent sources of fiber and vitamins A and C. People watching their weight prefer them too since they’re digested more slowly than white potatoes and keep you satiated longer.

Although sweet potatoes are available year-round, they are best during the cooler seasons of autumn and winter. They’re highly versatile and can be steamed, boiled, baked, roasted, sautéed, and even grilled. They add sweetness to any breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert and are usually ranked high on people’s lists of favorite vegetables. So don’t wait any longer. It’s time to get cooking with sweet potatoes.

How could your day not be wonderful when you start it off with a stack of these luscious Sweet Potato Pie Pancakes from Closet Cooking or a big and tender Sweet Potato Waffle from Feeding Maybelle? If you’re on-the-run, then grab a Healthy Pineapple Sweet Potato Muffin from Jersey Girl that’s packed with heart-healthy flaxseed and palate-pleasing pineapple.

For a satisfying lunch or light dinner, treat yourself to a bowl of spicy, fragrant Curried Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Red Lentil Soup from Dinner With Julie. Or warm up with my hearty and nourishing African Sweet Potato and Peanut Butter Soup made with sweet pineapple, brown sugar, and creamy coconut milk. For latkes that are big on flavor but small on calories, try these Baked Sweet Potato Latkes with cinnamon-spiked light sour cream dipping sauce from Erin Cooks. You’ll be surprised at how well sweet potatoes and crab get along in these crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside Sweet Potato Crab Cakes from One For The Table.

Tired of plain ‘ol mashed potatoes? Swap the butter for some heart-healthy olive oil and make my Mediterranean inspired Olive Oil, Caramelized Onion, and Sage Mashed Sweet Potato. With pomegranate season upon us, you’ll have to try my sweet and tangy Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate Glaze.

Sweet potatoes casseroles are a perennial favorite. No wonder. They taste just like dessert! For a traditional version laced with aromatic spices, try this Sweet Potato Casserole from Ramblings from a Gypsy Soul. Craving something more exotic? Then Greedy Gourmet’s Caribbean Chickpeas and Sweet Potato Casserole, flavored with lime and coriander, is for you. The folks at Cooking By The Seat Of My Pants know that everything tastes better with bacon, so every Thanksgiving they make their famous Twice Baked Sweet Potato Casserole with Bacon.

When it comes to desserts, sweet potatoes have an affinity for pecans and brown sugar. That’s why you should make Culinography’s Ode to Carolina Sweet Potato Praline Bread or Serious Eats’ Sweet Potato Cake with Pecan Streusel. Both are insanely sweet, sticky, nutty, and irresistible.

The Food Librarian smartly paired sweet potatoes with chocolate in her mile-high, chocolate frosted Halloween Sweet Potato Cake. It’s frightfully delicious! Don’t let being gluten-free stop you from enjoying sweet potato cake. Try this remarkably moist Sweet Potato and Apple Coffee from Gluten-Free Gobsmacked.

Perhaps the most beloved of all sweet potato desserts is Southern sweet potato pie, and Homesick Texan has corralled the best recipe out there: her Uncle Richard’s Sweet Potato Pie.

Whether it’s breakfast waffles or dinner time casserole, sweet potatoes have a way of always fitting in, deliciously.

You can find more delicious recipes from all over the internet using sweet potatoes on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Susan Russo lives in Southern California where she is addicted to local farmers’ markets. She publishes stories, recipes and photos on her cooking blog, Food Blogga, and is a regular contributor to NPR’s Kitchen Window.

By Andrea Meyers of Andrea’s Recipes

With a crispy snap in the air, I can feel the coming of autumn. The nights and mornings have been chilly, the summer garden is dying down, the mums are starting to bloom, and I find myself craving warm comfort foods. Pumpkins are an autumn favorite for us because there are so many things to make with them, but our favorites are soups, breads, and desserts. Here are some ideas to get you started on an autumn pumpkin cooking and baking adventure.

Soups

Pumpkin soup is popular around the world and acts as a palate for a variety of spices and flavors. Meeta’s Spiced Lamb Pumpkin Goulash is flavored with cloves, allspice, and chiles, a winning combination with a bit of a kick. Susan puts a Mexican twist on her pumpkin soup with jalapeno, cumin, cayenne, and some chili beans. Melissa’s experimental pumpkin soup with carrots and smoked paprika sounds perfect for autumn. Stephanie’s Jamaican pumpkin soup is flavored with ginger, garlic, allspice, turmeric, and nutmeg, a flavor combination sure to turn your thoughts to a sunny beach.

Breads

Pumpkin bread is one of my autumn favorites and food bloggers know how to create lovely flavor combinations. Karina’s Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chai Bread has apple cider (or juice or orange juice), chai spices, cranberries, raisins, and pecans, and you can even add chocolate chips if you feel adventurous. Maria’s Pumpkin Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel makes a perfect autumn breakfast that young and old will enjoy. Peabody’s Pumpkin Spice Bread with a Maple Cheesecake layer in the middle will keep the cheesecake lovers in your life very happy. Meeta’s Roasted Pumpkin and Chocolate Bread Pudding starts with a whole wheat challah base and adds pumpkin, chocolate, and spices, so even if it’s not technically pumpkin bread you still get full pumpkin goodness with bread.

Breakfast

We enjoy pumpkin at breakfast in all sorts of baked goods, but Kevin shows how he makes his oatmeal then stirs in pumpkin puree, brown sugar, and spices to make Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, surely a family pleaser. Kelly can’t decide if her Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding should be for breakfast or dessert, but with pumpkin bread, maple syrup, cream cheese, and pecans, I would probably vote for both. Sarahs’ Delicious Pumpkin Pancakes have mashed banana in the batter as well as pumpkin, surely giving them a wonderful moist texture. One of my family’s favorite autumn breakfasts is Pumpkin Scones with a crunchy cinnamon sugar topping, an easy breakfast you can even make ahead.

Pies & Tarts

Pumpkin pies and tarts are as classic as a little black dress for autumn parties and dinners, and it’s easy to come up with creative variations. Kalyn’s Reduced-Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake is sure to please anyone on a low-sugar diet, and even those who aren’t. Mango Power Girl has a gorgeous eggless Chocolate Spice Pumpkin Tart with a chocolate crust that will bring exclamations of delight. Karina’s vegan crustless gluten-free Pumpkin Pie will make everyone happy, and Meeta’s savory Pumpkin Feta Tart makes a beautiful brunch dish or even an appetizer. You can’t go wrong with any of these.

Cakes

Pumpkin cakes are easy to dress up or keep casual depending on what you want, but either way they are delicious. Our busy family enjoys simple cakes for dessert, and there is plenty of inspiration to share. Nicole spices her casual Bundt Pumpkin Spice Cake with pumpkin pie spice mix, but you can mix up your own with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Barbara’s simple Pumpkin Fruit Cake has a mix of dried fruits with the pumpkin, a delicious cake to whip up when you need an easy dessert. Katrina makes her simple pumpkin loaf cake look beautiful with a clementine cream cheese frosting between the layers. Lori’s simple Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for potlucks since you can slice the oblong cake in any size pieces you need.

Cookies

Pumpkin cookies are another popular dessert, and they run the range from bar cookies to drop cookies and to whoopie pies. Julia’s Pumpkin Pie Snickerdoodle Bars would capture any pumpkin lovers eye, with a snickerdoodle layer, a pumpkin pie layer, and white chocolate and pumpkin pie spice drizzle on top. Nicole combines pumpkin, chocolate, and pumpkin pie spice to make her memorable chewy Pumpkin Spice Fudge Cookies. Amy makes her mother’s recipe for Pumpkin Cookies, a beautiful way of sharing her mother with her own children. My own family likes Spicy Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, which are really cookies, with a decadent cream cheese filling and even crystallized ginger.

There are many things you can make with pumpkin, and you can find many more recipes in the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Andrea Meyers enjoys the autumn harvest, including carving jack-o-lanterns, roasting pumpkin seeds, and making her family’s favorite pumpkin bread and pumpkin pancakes.

By Rachel Rappaport of Coconut & LIme

Apple Cider is no mere juice. It is an unfiltered, nonalcoholic beverage that gets its translucent color from suspended bits of apple. While it is delightful as-is, it can also be used in other ways.

Looking for a breakfast treat? Try these apple cider pancakes. Apple cider muffins come together in a snap and are perfect for a weekend breakfast. A high fiber option would be this apple cider variation on hot oatmeal.

Last year I made some yeast-raised apple cider doughnuts. Cake doughnuts are a lot denser but also have a delightful apple cider flavor. While doughnuts are great for breakfast, they make wonderful snacks as well.

Try this hot mulled cherry apple cider at your next brunch.

This roasted butternut squash salad with cider dressing looks perfect for a light dinner or lunch. Afterward, you can serve this apple cider pudding cake.

This apple cider cheddar fondue looks perfect for chilly nights at home.

Live far from an orchard? Try making apple cider yourself at home. Another variation is this red, delicious looking crab apple cider. Then you can make this mulled apple cider rum.

You can find even more delicious recipes including apple cider on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Rachel Rappaport is a food writer and recipe creator who lives in Baltimore, Maryland. You can check out over 600 of her original recipes at her award winning food blog, Coconut & LIme.

By Kalyn Denny of Kalyn’s Kitchen

It’s not hard to understand the appeal of the Crockpot slow cooker, since everyone has times when they’re just too busy to cook, but we’d all love to have a good meal ready when we get home. I’m a fan of the crockpot, and use it often all year round. If you’re new to crockpot cooking, or don’t use your crockpot nearly enough, here are some tasty-sounding slow cooker ideas, sorted by cooking time to help you when the schedule isn’t leaving much time to cook.

I’m sorting recipes by the cooking time the food blogger has recommended first, but many crockpot dishes can be cooked for a longer time on low or a shorter time on high, so if a recipe appeals to you, check the individual blog to see if there is an alternate cooking time that will work. Now dust off that slow cooker and get cooking!

Slow Cooker Soups or Stews to Cook All Day:

Soup weather is rapidly approaching, so let’s start with soups you can throw in the slow cooker and leave all day. If you’re really going to be gone for a long time, you might opt for the Moroccan Lentil Soup (pictured) from Stephanie at A Year of Slow Cooking, which cooks on low for 8-10 hours and makes plenty for leftovers. Chels from We Are Not Martha tested out her Slow Cooker Chili on a day she was home to watch it, but now says she’s ready to let it cook all day while she’s at work. Eat This serves up spicy Chicken and Hominy Stew that cooks on low in about 7 hours. The Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup from Sweetnicks cooks for 8-10 hours, and what a budget-friendly recipe! Finally, I love meatballs, green chiles, and cilantro, so the Slow Cooker Mexican Meatball Soup from Simple-Nourished-Living seemed like a perfect combination.

Other Slow Cooker Dishes That Can Cook All Day

What if you’re going to be gone all day but don’t really feel like soup or stew? No worries, because there are plenty of other slow cooker options that can cook all day, like the Ropa Vieja from The Perfect Pantry (pictured) which cooks on low for 9 hours. At Baking Bites Nicole cooked the meat for her Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwich for 7 1/2 hours and it was falling-apart tender. The Slow Cooker Beef and Potatoes from Cooking by the Seat of My Pants cooks for 8 hours on low. If you have 7 hours, you can make Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage from Columbus Foodie, seasoned with a surprise ingredient. Thai Pork with Peanut Sauce from Savour Fare cooks on low for 8 hours, and when you get home, you just need to cook the rice. Life’s Ambrosia has Slow Cooker Pulled Pork that cooks for 8 hours, giving you plenty of time to buy the buns. If you can find the intersting Anasazi beans, you can make Slow Cooker Anasazi Beans from A Fridge Full of Food, which cook in 8 hours. Finally, who wouldn’t love to come home to The Inadvertent Gardener’s Slow Cooker Roast Beef with Fresh Sage and Dried Tomatoes?

Slow Cooker Dishes to Cook in 3-6 Hours
When you’re going to be gone for part of the day, having a dish that cooks in 3-6 hours is a perfect way to use the slow cooker. I love the sound of the Chicken Tortilla Soup from Andrea Meyers (pictured) which cooks in 5-6 hours. My Kitchen Cafe used the slow cooker for Maple Brown Sugar Ham which she says she’ll cook on low for 4-5 hours next time. At The Feast Within, Gabi makes Slow Cooker Black Beans that can cook in 4 hours on high. Alanna from A Veggie Venture says her Slow Cooker Peanut Soup was perfectly done in 6 hours. The Healing Vegetable Curry from Karina’s Kitchen cooked in the crockpot for 6 hours when she didn’t want to heat up the kitchen. Finally, one of my personal favorite crockpot dishes is Chicken Fajitas in the Crockpot (pictured) which I usually cook on high for about 3 hours.

If you haven’t been giving your slow cooker enough time on the kitchen counter, I hope you’ll try at least a couple of these crockpot ideas from great cooks. You can also find lots more Crockpot Recipes in the recipe search engine at FoodieView.

Kalyn Denny also blogs at Kalyn’s Kitchen, where she shows her love of crockpot cooking with an entire section of Crockpot Recipes in the recipe archives.