Acorn Candy Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon prepared vanilla frosting
• 24 milk chocolate candy kisses (such as Hershey's Kisses®), unwrapped
• 24 mini vanilla wafer cookies (such as Nilla®)
• 24 butterscotch chips

Directions

1. Smear a small amount of frosting onto the flat bottom of a candy kiss. Press onto the flat bottom of the vanilla wafer. Smear a little more frosting onto the flat bottom of a butterscotch chip, and press onto the rounded top of the cookie. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Set aside to dry, about 30 minutes

Sautéing vs pan-frying

Sauté and pan-frying, two terms  that are common in cooking that you probably don’t think twice about them.I think that it’s very  important to know some of the  tricks behind both of in order to get the best results every time. Once you know the secrets behind successful sautéing and pan-frying, you’ll turn out dishes with wonderful flavor, texture and texture.

 Sauté in French means “jump” and is a dry-heat cooking method (that is, no liquid is involved) where food is cooked, tossed or stirred over medium-high heat in a small amount of oil. Similar to stir-frying  it can be used to cook a wide range of foods. 

How to Sauté: To properly sauté choose a heavy frying or sauté pan—one with sloped sides is helpful because it’s easier to toss the foods as they cook. A pan with straight sides can work as well. Just make sure that whichever pan you’re using is large enough for the amount of food you’ll be sautéing. In a crowded pan, things will just steam.

Preheat the pan on top of the stove (medium-high heat is a good rule of thumb) and when you can feel heat radiating from the surface when you hold your hand over it, add the oil and swirl to coat—because proper sautéing requires fairly high temperatures, use an oil with a high smoke point like vegetable, canola, peanut.  Before adding the food, the oil should “shimmer” on the pan’s surface and you should hear sizzling and popping when you add the food; if you don’t, it wasn’t quite hot enough. However, if smoke starts to rise from the pan, the oil is too hot.  remove pan and let it down before proceeding. After adding the food to the pan, stir or toss it until it’s cooked according to the recipe you’re following.

What is it? Pan-frying is very similar to sautéing and stir-frying in that it also involves cooking in a pan or skillet on top of the stove. However, unlike sautéing and stir-frying, pan-frying is often used to cook larger cuts of meat like chicken breasts or pork chops, and generally requires more fat (although not so much that it completely covers the food—that’s deep-frying). This technique is most often used to cook breaded items (chicken, pork, etc.) because it helps create a crunchy coating on the surface of the food.

How to Pan-Fry: Like sautéing, choose a  pan large enough to hold whatever you’re cooking without crowding—food in a crowded pan won’t brown well and, in the case of anything breaded or coated, could cause it to become greasy. Also, make sure the pan is fairly heavy—pan-frying requires a controlled, consistent temperature, and lightweight pans tend to have hot and cool spots which result in uneven browning.

To pan-fry, add oil (those with a neutral flavor, like vegetable, canola or peanut work best.   the oil should come about ¼ inch up the sides of the pan. Gradually heat the oil over medium-high. Don’t add anything until the oil has reached 350°F. to 360°F.—cooler temperatures will make foods greasy. To test the temperature, add a small cube of bread first. If it sizzles immediately on contact, the oil is ready. If it just floats, it’s still too cool; if it burns, carefully slide the skillet off the burner and let it cool down for a few minutes before returning it to the heat and proceeding. Pan-fry until food is golden brown on one side then turn it over and fry on the second side until golden and thoroughly cooked

               

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

1 can (12.5 ounces)  White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

2 medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup diced red pepper

4 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup reduced fat Asian-style sesame salad dressing or your favorite vinegarette.

6 large bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves


1. Stir the chicken, carrots, pepper, onions and dressing in a medium bowl.
2. Divide the chicken mixture among the lettuce leaves. Fold the lettuce leaves around the filling and serve immediately.

Squash Pie

Ingredients:
2 9" pie crust
1/2 cup raw cashew pieces
1 cup water
4 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
6 cups cooked pureed winter squash (buttercup, banana, or Hubbard)
 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
4 tablespoons brandy
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a blender, grind the cashew pieces until very fine. Add the water and blend on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch or arrowroot powder and blend on low speed for 30 seconds.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the squash puree, sugars, brandy, and spices.
4. Add the cashew mixture to the squash and mix well.
5. Divide the pie filling equally between the two pie crusts. Top with the chopped walnuts. Bake the pies for 50-60 minutes until lightly browned, cracked, and well-set.
7. Remove the pies from the oven, cool, then refrigerate overnight to allow filling to firm up. Serve cool or at room temperature

Mini Pizza Mummies

Ingredients

• English muffins
• Pizza sauce
• Black olives

• Scallions
• Red or green pepper
• Cheese sticks or slices

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350º F. For each mummy, spread a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto half of an English muffin (toast it first, if you like).
2. Set olive slices in place for eyes and add round slices of green onion or bits of red or green pepper for pupils.
3. Lay strips of cheese across the muffin for the mummy?s wrappings.
4. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the muffin is toasty.

Haunted Forest

What You Need:

• 3 stalks of broccoli
• 3 medium beets
• Wood toothpicks
• 4 hard-boiled eggs
• Grape tomatoes, pea pods,  radishes, sweet red peppers and yellow peppers, and shredded carrot
• Ripe olives, pimiento-stuffed olives, and/or tiny sweet pickles
• 1 ounce tri- colored pasta cooked and drained

To make a haunted forest, first create trees. Cut bottoms from stalks of broccoli to make 6-inch broccoli trees. Slice beets about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to make a base for broccoli trees. Break wood toothpicks in half. Insert three to four toothpick pieces into bottom of each broccoli stalk and then insert into a beet slice. Stand broccoli upright. Cover to keep moist.
To make egg ghosts, use a  1/2-inch aspic cutters to hollow out eyes and mouths to form a face. Cut small pieces of ripe olive to press into hollowed-out areas for eyes or mouth, if desired. Cover to keep moist.
Using your imagination, create creepy creatures with tomatoes, sweet peppers, pickles, olives, and radishes.
Place broccoli trees on serving platter. Cover surface of platter with shredded carrot. Hide egg ghosts in forest along with creepy creatures. Scatter piles of vegetables such as pea pods, beet slices, kohlrabi slices, olives, pickles, and/or any other desired vegetables. Add strips of red pepper to the broccoli branches.
To make moss, used your spinach pasta Drain and place over broccoli trees. Keep platter covered until serving time. If necessary, spritz platter with water to keep it lookin fresh.

Spooky Cat Dip

This is a Halloween night snack

that's both healthy and festive?  No bones about it -- This assortment of vegetables and a bowl of dip arranged in the shape of a spooky Halloween Cat.

Ingredients

• Black Bean Dip

• ASSORTED VEGETABLES OF YOUR CHOICE, SUCH AS
• Celery
• Cherry tomatoes
• Broccoli

• Carrots
• Green beans
• Mushrooms
• Zucchini

Instructions

1. Arrange vegetables in the shape of a cat, as shown. Serve with Black Bean Dip.

Spooky Mouth

Ingredients

• Apples

• Slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

Tips:

If you're not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.

Keeping your pet safe during Halloween

1.Your pet may look adorable in his new costume, but that cape won’t necessarily keep him out of harm’s way. Dressing up your pet for Halloween can be harmful. Costumes should not constrict the animal’s movement, hearing or sight, or impede their ability to breathe, bark or meow. Also, it may be helpful to try on costumes before the big night. If your pet seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, don’t bother.
.
2.Before you and your dog/cat  participate in any Halloween activities, take a closer look at his costume and make sure it does not have small pieces that he could choke on.  Remember cats love to grab things that dangle.  Also, watch out for  outfits which can  can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

3. Putting make-up or face paint on your pet can be harmful. Paints could potentially irritate their skin, or may be eaten. Even make-up that is non-toxic could cause stomachaches.

4.Candy bags are strictly for the enjoyment of trick-or-treaters, not your pet. Chocolate in all forms, especially dark or baking chocolate, can be very dangerous for dogs and cats. Give your pooch their own Halloween candy by treating them to their favorite doggy snack. If you do suspect that your pet has ingested something toxic, please call your veterinarian or your local control center immediately.

5. Keep an eye out for decorative edible items like Halloween pumpkins and candy corn, when participating in this year’s festivities with your pet. While these are considered to be relatively nontoxic, they can be harmful, causing stomach upset in pets who nibble on them.

6.Do not take your pets trick or treating. It’s possible that your dog could get spooked by a ghost goblin and a dog bite or fight could occur.

7.It is also a good idea to keep a leash handy if you are handing out candy and your dog is on the lively side. It’s easier to control them with the leash, than with your hip at the crack of your front door

8.Use common sense, take a few extra precautions to be safe, and have fun on you Halloween hauntings.


I know this is not the norm for this site, however, I think the safety of our four legged friend is very important during the holiday seasons and I will also at some point be including tastey treat recipes for both dogs and cats...

Carved Pumpkins

Tools and MaterialsPumpkins
 Carving saw
Plaster scraper
Masking tape
Black floral spray
Battery-powered light
Awl
Waxed paper Straight pins

Carved Pumpkins How-To1. Make a 4-inch round hole in the bottom of your pumpkin with a carving saw; scrape out flesh.
2. Place pumpkin on newspaper in a well-ventilated area. Wrap masking tape around stem, and coat pumpkin with black floral spray. Let dry for 30 minutes; remove tape.
3. Draw desired pattern and  enlarge or reduce to fit your pumpkin, and cut outside the perimeter. Tape to pumpkin.
4. Use needle tool to outline the shape with close-set holes. Cut out design with saw. (If necessary, touch up pumpkin with floral spray.)
5. Place battery-powered light inside. For a muted glow, affix a sheet of waxed paper behind the cutout with straight pins before adding

Halloween Punch

Prep Time:
10 MinReady In:
1 Hr Ingredients

• 1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened grape soft drink mix
• 1 (.13 ounce) envelope unsweetened orange soft drink mix
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1 liter ginger ale

Directions

1. To make a frozen hand, wash a disposable glove, fill with water, seal with a rubber band and freeze until hard.
2. Stir together grape soft drink mix, orange soft drink mix, sugar and water until solids are dissolved. Combine with chilled ginger ale just before serving. Dip the frozen hand briefly in warm water, then peel off the glove. Float the prepared hand in the punch bowl for a ghastly effect.

Pumpkin Bread

1 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup water
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. Cinnamon
4 eggs
1 cup cooked pumpkin
2 tsp soda
3 cups sifted flour


Beat together nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar, oil, eggs and salt.  Add and mix in order, pumpkin, water, soda, flour and nuts.  Grease well  3(1lb) loaf pans.  Fill each 2/3 full.  Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.  Turn out on rack to cool...

Deviled Eyes

There are many ways to make deviled eggs look spooky.  You can dye the yolks and hand-painted veins on the whites and then use olives to make these bloody Deviled Eggs, plus you can always use the  basic recipe which is just as tasty without the bloodshot effect for other events.

6 hard-boiled eggs (separated into whites and yolks)
1/3 cup creme fraiche
1 teaspoon sriracha or other spicy asian chili sauce
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon spicy mustard
1/4 lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
salt to taste
red food coloring (to your color preference)
sliced black Kalamata (pitted) olives

Hardboil the eggs, slice lengthwise, and put all the yolks into a mixing bowl. Mash all ingredients except olives together with the cooked yolks and add food coloring until the yolks are the desired color. Spoon yolk mixture back into egg whites. Top each half with a sliced olive as the pupil. Dip a toothpick into the red food coloring and lightly draw "bloodshot" veins across the whites. Arrange on a tray and serve to horrified guests.

BLOODSHOT EYEBALLS

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Blue ring-shaped hard candies (such as Life Savers)
Thin black licorice whips
1 tube chocolate decorating icing
1 small tube red glossy decorating gel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 3/4-inch slices of dough. Place on
ungreased cookie sheets; gently pinch corners to form shape of a
human eye.

Place 1 raisin in the center of each hard candy. Place candy in the
center of each cookie. Press short lengths of licorice on top of each
cookie to make lashes.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cookies cool on pan for 1 minute, then
transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

When cool, use chocolate icing as eyeliner on top of each eye. Use
decorating gel to draw bloodshot veins running through eyes.

Yield: About 18 cookies.

Popcorn Balls

5 quarts popped popcorn
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup margarine
2 teaspoons cold water
2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallows


In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine,
cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir
until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture
with the popcorn, coating each kernel.

Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated
popcorn into balls.

Makes 20 popcorn balls 

Graveyard Brownies

What You Need

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate, divided

3/4 cup butter or margarine

2 cupsgranulated sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp.vanilla

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp.decorating gel

24 NUTTER BUTTER Cookies

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cupBAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut, tinted greenHEAT oven to 350°F.
LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Microwave 4 chocolate squares and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in granulated sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Spread onto bottom of prepared pan.
BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool completely in pan. Meanwhile, use decorating gel to decorate cookies to resemble gravestonesMICROWAVE remaining chocolate squares and COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted; stir until well blended. Add powdered sugar; mix well.
USE foil handles to lift dessert from pan; spread with frosting. Stand cookies in brownies; add small amount of coconut at base of each to resemble grass

Crescent Mummy Dogs

Prep Time:
30 Min

Ready In:
50 MinIngredients

• 1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations™ refrigerated flaky dough sheet
• 2 1/2 slices American cheese slices, quartered
• 10 large hot dogs
• Cooking spray
• Mustard or ketchup, if desired

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Crescent Rolls: Unroll dough; separate at perforations creating 4 rectangles; press perforations to seal. Recipe Creations: Unroll dough; cut into 4 rectangles.
3. With knife or kitchen scissors, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough. Slice cheese slices into quarters (1/2 slice cheese, cut in half).
4. Wrap 4 pieces of dough around each hot dog and 1/4 slice of cheese to look like "bandages," stretching dough slightly to completely cover hot dog. About 1/2 inch from one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for "face." On ungreased large cookie sheet, place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down); spray dough lightly with cooking spray.
5. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot. With mustard, draw features on 'face.'

Footnotes

• High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 15 to 19 minutes.

Spooky Witches Fingers

Prep Time:
35 Min

Cook Time:
20 Min

Ready In:
1 Hr 15 MinIngredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup whole almonds
• 1 (.75 ounce) tube red decorating gel

Directions

1. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer; gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, continually beating; refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
3. Remove dough from refrigerator in small amounts. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon at a time onto a piece of waxed paper. Use the waxed paper to roll the dough into a thin finger-shaped cookie. Press one almond into one end of each cookie to give the appearance of a long fingernail. Squeeze cookie near the tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles. You can also cut into the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to help give a more finger-like appearance. Arrange the shaped cookies on the baking sheets.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are slightly golden in color, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Remove the almond from the end of each cookie; squeeze a small amount of red decorating gel into the cavity; replace the almond to cause the gel to ooze out around the tip of the cookie.

                           

Nutritional Information

Spooky Witches Fingers

Servings Per Recipe: 60
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 68

• Total Fat: 4.1g
• Cholesterol: 12mg
• Sodium: 76mg
• Total Carbs: 6.9g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.4g
• Protein: 1.1g

VIEW DETAILED NUTRITION
About: Nutrition Info

Chicken in Su-Dried Tomatoe Sauce

Prep Time: 15 min.
Co
Ingredients:



2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken with Herbs Soup  OR  Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup Chablis or other dry white wine *

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata or oil-cured olives

2 tbsp. drained capers

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup drained, coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes

8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves (about 2 pounds)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)

Hot cooked rice, egg noodles or mashed potatoes

Directions:

Stir the soup, wine, olives, capers, garlic, artichokes and tomatoes in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours** or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the basil, if desired. Serve with the rice.
*You can substitute Swanson® Chicken Broth for the wine, if desired.
** Or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

Serves 8.ok Time: 7 hr. 

Salmon in Parchment

. When you want something out of the ordinary, this is an easy and elegant recipe to try. It requires cooking parchment, which you will find in rolls or sheets at kitchen-supply stores and even many supermarkets. Parchment-wrapped food turns into taut packages as steam inflates the sealed pouches. (Be careful when slitting them open to avoid being burned.) The results are a delicate mix of textures and aromas that's sure to please.  Serves 4.

Ingredients:
8 oz. thin spaghetti
1 tbsp quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, chopped
1 cup carrots julienned
1 cup zucchini, julienned
1 cup asparagus tips
1 cup red bell pepper, julienned
24 oz. salmon fillet, cut into four 6-ounce pieces
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 large sheets of parchment paper


Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cook thin spaghetti in rapidly boiling water until al dente, drain, toss with a bit of olive oil, salt and chopped fresh dill or parsley.
3. Rinse salmon fillets and pat dry. Spread Dijon mustard evenly over the top of each one.
4. Prepare the parchment: fold each piece of parchment in half. With scissors, cut the shape of half a heart from the folded side. (Remember Valentine's you made in grade school?) Open the heart shape and place 1/4 of the pasta on the center of the paper, top with a salmon fillet, and add the vegetables. Bring the sides of the heart over the fish and fold the edges together starting at the top of the heart, overlapping the folded edge as you go. Fold the tip several times to secure it.
5. Place the pouches in the middle of the hot oven and bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately in the sealed pouches, opening them just before eating

Planting a Fall Vegetable Garden

The end of summer does not have to mean the end of your vegetable garden. There are several vegetables that actually grow better in the fall. There are less problems with insects, plenty of rain and little worry that your plants will bolt to seed. You'll enjoy the cool air as much as your plants.
If you've been succession planting all summer, you may have your fall garden already growing. But if your vegetable plants are looking a bit worse for the wear, some cleaning up and prepping is in order. Take a stroll though the following articles and plan to be harvesting vegetables for the holiday table.

1. Preparing Your Vegetable Garden for Fall Planting

The abundance of a summer vegetable garden can turn to chaos in the fall. Cucumbers that didn't get picked, lettuce that bolted, fallen tomatoes - all of these things can make it hard to find a spot to plant something new for the fall. Even if you've stayed on top of things, your soil has probably taken a beating and fall is a great time to add in some compost. If you're thinking of planting a fall vegetable garden, it only takes a little time and effort to get your garden in shape to start over. You'll have to do it eventually, you might as well derive some benefit from the effortis traditionally thought of as peak vegetable gardening season, but fall has some qualities that make it extremely favorable for crops that prefer cooler temperatures or wetter conditions.

• The weather is milder
• Many insect pests are getting ready to hide out for winter
• The breeze keeps flying insects at bay
• The soil actually becomes that illusive "moist, but well-draining"
• Although many vegetables grow and mature well into the fall, most need to be started before the nights turn cold. In climates with early frost dates, your fall garden will need to be started in mid-summer, late July through August. Even though the daytime temperatures remain high, evening temps will start to fall and the length of day light is decreasing. So choose varieties with short days to maturity and get them in the ground on time.
  As for gardeners in areas that experience extreme heat and infrequent rain during the summer, fall is the ideal vegetable gardening season. This is when you can grow your warm season vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers. Many can continue growing throughout the winter, switching over to the cool weather vegetables as your rainy season moves in.
  

  Preparing for a Fall Vegetable GardenIf you've been tending your vegetable garden all summer, keeping it weeded, removing diseased or spent plants, not stepping on the soil... you garden won't need much prep for the fall. Just clear the space, maybe add some compost and start planting. But if you're like most of us, your garden probably got a little ahead of your best efforts and could use some attention before you start a second season of planting. Don't worry, it's not a lot of heavy lifting and it's not terribly time consuming.

  1. Clean the GardenThere may already be holes left from pulling or harvesting plants, but try can clear out as much as you can.
     
     • Weeds - If they've been hiding out under plants, get rid of them now and do it before they go to seed.
     • Spent Plants - Get rid of everything possible. You can leave your tomatoes and peppers to ripen, but many other plants, like early planted beans, cucumbers and lettuce, are pretty much done for the season and they're just harboring disease and pests. Dispose of anything diseased, compost the rest.
     • Fallen Fruits - If you've been lax about cleaning up small fruits that have dropped off the plant, make sure you get them out of their now. Rotting fruits attract pests.
     One last note, if this will be your 2nd planting season, make note of what was where, so you can rotate your crops as best as possible.
  2. Move Existing Mulch to the SideYou are going to want to freshen the garden soil and the easiest way to do that is to remove the layer of mulch. If it's still in good condition, you can re-use it for the fall. Most likely a lot of it has decomposed already and you'll need to add a bit more.
     Straw makes an excellent mulch for vegetable gardens because it is easily scattered and moved about. It also makes a wonderful home for spiders, who will assist in controlling your pest population.
     Another good choice for mulching in the fall is shredded leaves. If you have a supply of fallen leaves, either run them through a shredder, pill them up and mow them or corral them and run the string weeder through them like a blender. Wet them down well, after you spread them, or they will blow away. A light top dusting with compost will also help control them. Unshredded leaves tend to form a mat that doesn't let water through to the soil.
  3. Loosen the SoilIf your soil has gotten compacted during the course of the summer, fluff it up a bit with a garden fork. You don't need to do major tilling. Just enough to allow the new plant roots to move around and for water to get through.
  4. Amend the soilIf you are feeling diligent, fall is a great time to test your soil. A lot of amendments take time to have an effect on the soil. (Our Chemistry Guide has an easy soil pH test using cabbage juice.)
     At the very least, replenish the soil by working in some compost. You can top dress with it or work it in while you are loosening the soil. Have your planting layout done before you add the compost, so you add it where the plants will be growing and not in the paths.
     If you choose to use manure, make sure it has thoroughly composted for at least 6 months. Fresh compost can burn plant roots and can pose a serious health risk to humans, when used on vegetable plants.
     I also like to add some slow acting organic fertilizer, when I loosen the soil. You can add individual amendments, like green sand or blood meal, if that's what your soil test recommends. But if you're plants aren't showing signs of nutrient deficiencies, a general purpose fertilizer will to the job.
     When you're done adjusting your soil, rake it out. Raking evens out the surface, breaks up any remaining clumps and creates furrows to catch water.
  5. Prepare for WinterIf you are planning on using any kind of frost protection, like a cold frame or hoop cover, consider getting your structures in place now. Putting them out early will guarantee they are there when you need them and will help prevent hurting the plants and their roots, once they are growing. Don't put the covers in place yet, just the framing.

  Now you're ready to start planting. 
  Lettuce - Lettuce can be planted pretty much all season. In really hot weather, it can get bitter and bolt to seed. But most varieties take less than 50 days to mature, so you can start planting in mid-August and succession plant into fall. The plants may grow more slowly than in the spring, because the temperature is getting cooler, rather than warmer and because the days are shorter, but the flavor will be sweeter and crisper. Lettuce plants will require some protection against frost.
  Lettuce is shallow rooted and is a great choice for containers. If you plant your fall lettuce in pots, it's very easy to move it indoors, to protect it from frost. Planted this way, you could have fresh lettuce well into winter.
  Peas - Peas are another vegetable that loves to luxuriate in cool weather. Many short varieties will be ready to harvest within 50-60 days. They will germinate more quickly in warm weather, but they will also need more water and a little protection from the strong sun, while they are young. But by the time they are ready to start flowering and forming peas, the days and nights should be the perfect temperature in fall, to keep them going.
  Radishes - Radishes like to grow quickly and in cool, moist soil. Most of the problems associated with growing radishes in the spring (woody texture, hot and bitter taste, small bulbs...) will be alleviated by planting them in the fall.
  You might also want to experiment with some of the "winter" radishes, like ‛Round Black Spanish'. They tend to grow more slowly than globe radishes and do not like heat. They prefer being planted in mid-summer and allowed to develop into fall. You can harvest bulbs in late fall to winter or allow them to over-winter in the soil and harvest next spring. They grow very much like turnips.
  Spinach - If you've been frustrated by your spinach bolting before it's even large enough to eat, you are going to love growing it in the fall. Spinach only takes about 30-40 days to mature and even less, if you like small, tender leaves. You can get several succession sowings of spinach in throughout the fall. Spinach seeds are also perfect for winter sowing.
  Swiss Chard - If you've been harvesting your Swiss chard as cut-and-come-again, you won't even have to reseed it. The plants have probably slowed down a bit during summer, but with a little cool air and water, they will switch back into full production. They may even survive the winter, but harvest them quickly in the spring, before they start to bolt to seed and get tough and bitter.

6 Delicious Do-It-Yourself Dressing Recipes

It is  much cheaper and tastier to make your own dressings from scratch. Most dressings require only a few basic ingredients and then you'll have the perfect topper for any salad, meat or fish dinner. Best of all, now you can experiment with all kinds of  wonderful dressings without having to purchase a big bottle, plus you will always know the list of ingredients.

1. Salad Dressing Mix:

Ingredients

• 1 Tbs. ground dried dill
• 1 Tbs. ground tarragon
• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds
• 2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. dehydrated lemon peel
• 2 tsp. dehydrated onion
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions

Mix all ingredients well, pour into jar and seal tightly. Store in a cool, dark place.

2. Ranch Dressing

My Recipe Notes:

Ingredients

• 1/2 C. low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
• 1/4 C. soy mayonnaise
• juice of 1/2 lemon or 1 1/2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt-free all-purpose seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl with 1/4 cup of water. Whisk together until smooth. Transfer to a lidded bottle. Keeps up to 1 week, refrigerated.

3. Bacon Dressing:

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bacon, diced
• 1 sm. onion, diced
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 1/2 C. water
• 3/4 C. cider vinegar
• 1/2 C. brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. corn starch

Directions

Fry bacon until very crisp. Drain well. Add onion, mustard, pepper, parsley, water, and brown sugar. Mix vinegar and cornstarch together until smooth and free of lumps, and add slowly to the other mixed ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for one more minute. Remove from heat, and prepare greens for salad. Serve warm over tossed greens.

4. Asian Sesame Dressing:

My Recipe Notes:

Ingredients

• 1/2 C. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. dark sesame oil
• 1/3 C. rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey or maple syrup
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger or pinch ground ginger
• 1 Tbs. sesame seeds

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a lidded bottle and shake well. Keeps up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator

5. French Dressing:

Ingredients

• 1/4 C. high quality ketchup
• 1/2 C. soy mayonnaise
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 Tbs. honey or maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp. paprika

Directions

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and whisk together. Transfer to a lidded bottle. Can keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated.

6. Caesar Salad Dressing Mix:

My Recipe Notes:

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/8 tsp. garlic granules or powder
• 2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients to blend. Place mixture in a plastic bag or 1-pint glass jar. Attach a label with instructions as follows: Caesar Salad Dressing: Combine the mix, 1/2 C. olive oil, and 1/4 C. herb or wine in a glass jar. Shake until well blended. Chill before serving with salad. This makes about 3/4 C. of the dressing. Store in a cool dry place and use within 3 to 4 months.

 

 

Sausage Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 lb. breakfast sausage
• 1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk
• 1 1/2 slices bread, cubed
• 5 eggs
• 2 C. cheddar cheese, grated
• Season to taste

Directions

Prepare evening before. Cook sausage and drain thoroughly on paper towels. Beat the 5 eggs and evaporated milk slightly. Add sausage, cubed bread and cheddar cheese. Pour into 9 X 9 in. casserole and cover with plastic wrap. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until firm, in a preheated 350 degree oven.

 

Slow Cooker Chicken in Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Prep Time: 15 min.
Cook Time: 7 hr










2 cans (10 3/4 ounces each) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken with Herbs Soup  or  Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

1 cup Chablis or other dry white wine

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata or oil-cured olives

2 tablespoons drained capers

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 cup jarred sun-dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped

8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)

2 cups regular long-grain white rice, cooked according to package directions (about 6 cups)


1. Stir the soup, wine, olives, capers, garlic, artichokes and tomatoes in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken and turn to coat.
2. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with the basil, if desired. Serve with the rice.
Easy Substitution: You can substitute Swanson® Chicken Broth for the wine, if desired.
Easy Substitution: This recipe is also delicious served over hot cooked egg noodles or mashed potatoes, instead of rice.
Time-Saving: Or you may cook this recipe on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
Makes: 8 servings.