Blueberry Pumpkin Bread: A New Tradition

(NAPSI)-What do blueberries and pumpkins have in common? Both are native to the Americas. Blueberries, in fact, are one of only three fruits that originated in North America. (The others are Concord grapes and cranberries.)

European settlers in the 17th century were not familiar with blueberries or pumpkins. Blueberries were a delightful new discovery and they found many ways to enjoy them in baked goods and puddings, drying the berries for winter use. Pumpkins quickly became a staple for soups and stews, pies and breads.

Now, Blueberry Pumpkin Bread puts the two together for an ideal combination. You'll want to make several loaves so you'll have plenty to give to friends and to keep for yourself.

For more nutrition information and great blueberry recipes, visit www.blueberrycouncil.org.

BLUEBERRY PUMPKIN BREAD

1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup orange juice

2 large eggs

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, not thawed

White icing, optional

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan. In large bowl with electric mixer, beat pumpkin, sugar, orange juice, eggs and oil until smooth, about 1 minute. In small bowl, stir flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice; add to pumpkin mixture; stir just until combined. Spoon ½ of batter into pan; spread evenly. Stir blueberries into remaining batter in bowl and spoon over batter in pan; spread evenly. Bake until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 60 to 65 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes; turn out onto rack; cool completely. May be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 1 month. If desired, drizzle with White Icing.

Yield: 1 loaf (8 servings)

White Icing: In bowl, combine 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons softened butter. Add 1½ to 2 tablespoons milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla; beat until smooth; drizzle over cake. Makes about ½ cup.

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Pumpkin Or Sweet Potato? Tips And Topping To Make The Best Pie

(NAPSI)-'Tis the season for pie making. This recipe for Sweet Potato Pie features a stunning fig and toasted pecan topping that works equally well on pumpkin pie. Whether you prefer pumpkin or lean toward sweet potato, these baking tips will reward you with pie perfection.

Luscious, sweet, moist, dark Mission or golden California Calimyrna figs are simmered in brandy and maple syrup and swirled with toasted pecans. Spooned over a silky-smooth sweet potato filling, this showy, classic pie is even more appealing when you realize it started with a refrigerated pie crust.

For more recipes and fig tips, visit Valley Fig Growers at www.valleyfig.com.

Perfect Pie Tips

• For optimum baking results, use a glass or dull-metal pie pan. Avoid shiny metal or disposable aluminum pans, which reflect heat and prevent crusts from browning. Dark pans may cause crusts to brown too much.

• To keep baked edges from getting too brown, cover the edges with foil after the first 15 minutes of baking. Use a 12-inch-square piece of foil. Cut out a 7-inch circle from the center, and gently fold the foil "ring" around the crust's edge. Be careful: The pie will be hot!

• Use a hot oven temperature during the first 15 minutes of baking.

• Cool the pie on a wire rack to help prevent a soggy bottom. The rack helps air circulate.

Sweet Potato Pie With Fig And Pecan Topping

Pie:

1 refrigerated pie crust (½ of 15-oz. package)

15 ounces canned sweet potatoes, packed in light syrup

⅓ cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

¾ cup whipping cream

Topping:

¼ cup butter

¼ cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup stemmed, chopped Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice or Sun-Maid Figs

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon brandy or water

½ cup chopped, toasted pecans

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Prepare one 9-inch pie crust according to package directions for filled pie; do not bake.

Drain sweet potatoes; mash or whirl in food processor until smooth (potatoes should measure 1⅛ cups). In medium bowl, whisk together sweet potatoes, brown sugar, spice and salt. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, and cream. Pour filling into crust.

Bake pie 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350º, shield edge of pie with foil to prevent overbrowning, and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes or until center moves slightly when shaken. Remove pie to wire rack to cool.

For topping, in small saucepan, stir butter and brown sugar over medium heat until melted. Stir in figs, maple syrup and brandy. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until reduced to a thick, glossy syrup. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Spoon evenly over warm pie.

Cool. Chill for up to 8 hours before serving. Makes 8 servings.

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Cost, Nutrition And Convenience: Raising The Bar On "Value" Meals

(NAPSI)-A burger and fries for under $5? This is one type of value meal featured at fast-food drive-thrus. Sure, saving money makes us feel good about the foods we purchase, but value means much more than low cost.

If you're looking to get the most value from your meal, remember three things: cost, nutrition and convenience. These are key elements that, combined, create a valuable meal you can feel good about.

So how do you prepare a meal that is budget friendly, convenient and nutritious? The secret is knowing how to get the most out of your foods and your wallet without making your taste buds and bank account suffer. And it's easier than you may think.

Following are a few low-cost ways to get the most from your meal without cutting corners on taste and nutrition:

• Turn one nutritious meal into two. Transform leftovers into flavorful lunchtime delights. Wrapped in a flour tortilla, the remaining meats and veggies from a classic stir-fry make delicious fajitas or stuffed quesadillas. Sprinkle with cheese for added calcium or top with a few more greens, such as peppers or spinach, for an extra boost of essential nutrients.

• Eat fresh. Shop local. Check out your local farmers' markets for fresh produce. Farmers' markets provide a large selection of the freshest produce and generally have low prices because farmers are able to set their own prices-allowing you to get more for your money.

• Plan ahead. Prepare a variety of pasta noodles-macaroni, fettuccine, spaghetti and rigatoni-and store in plastic containers to be used later in the week. Showcase noodles in a pasta bar format with a variety of mix-ins, such as lean ground beef or turkey, tuna fish, chicken, asparagus or zucchini. Top these with marinara, melted cheese or a dash of Parmesan and you can have a delicious meal in less than 20 minutes.

• Power up with pumpkin. Keep an extra can of pure pumpkin in the pantry for a quick and easy way to boost nutrition. Pumpkin can be added to homemade chili, pasta sauce and even mashed potatoes. The added pumpkin in this Easy Pumpkin-Pasta Bake recipe provides an excellent source of vitamin A and fiber. And at 10 servings, this family-style dish can be prepared for under $1.40 per serving-perfect for a potluck or weeknight dinner.

EASY PUMPKIN-PASTA BAKE

(Makes 10 servings)

1 box (14.5 ounces) whole wheat penne or other short-cut pasta, prepared according to package directions

Nonstick cooking spray

1 pound (about 4 links) sweet or spicy lean Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) marinara sauce

1 can (15 ounces) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

½ cup water or dry red or white wine

4 tablespoons (0.75 ounce) shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Spray 3-quart casserole dish or 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

COOK sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Stir in garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in marinara sauce (reserve jar). Add water or wine to jar; cover and shake. Pour into skillet along with pumpkin and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Stir well. Stir in prepared pasta. Spoon into prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese; cover.

BAKE for 15 minutes. Carefully remove cover; bake for an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutritional Highlights Per Serving: 7g dietary fiber, 18g protein, 130% of your vitamin A DV, 6% of your vitamin C DV, 15% of your calcium DV, 15% of your iron DV.

For more budget-friendly and nutritious recipe ideas, visit Meals.com. And for more "Plus Pumpkin" tips and complete nutrition information for the recipe above, visit http://www.VeryBestBaking.com.

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Minty Holiday Desserts Offer Healthier Entertaining Options

CC Note: Our staff members just adore the peppermint flavors. These recipes received the Fayette Front Page coveted "Four Chocolate Covered Strawberry" award.

(NAPSI)-The holidays bring more than stockings filled with goodies. Days can be filled with school events, shopping, decorating and party menu planning. Yet even the most experienced hostess may need ideas for delicious, make-ahead desserts that won't be too filling. Fortunately, creating scrumptious treats that taste indulgent but are easy on the waistline is simple with the right recipes.

Create delicious desserts with the refreshing holiday flavor of peppermint. And when made with Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Peppermint Light Ice Cream, they have a third fewer calories than those made with full-fat mint ice cream but also a rich creamy texture not often found in light ice cream.

For example, Peppermint Ice Cream Lollipops are a jolly treat to serve Santa's elves of any age. They feature the favorite combination of ice cream and cake with a candy cane handle and can be made ahead, leaving you a little more time for holiday fun.

Peppermint Ice Cream Lollipops

(Makes 12-14 servings)

1 box yellow cake mix

Powdered sugar

2 cartons Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned Peppermint Light Ice Cream

Small candy canes or striped sugar sticks

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two 10x15-inch rimmed baking pans (jelly-roll pans) with parchment or waxed paper. Coat with cooking spray. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide batter between both prepared pans. Bake 12 minutes until golden brown and top springs back when touched. Remove from oven and sprinkle cake with powdered sugar.

Run a knife around pan to release edges. Place a clean towel over cake and invert pan. Remove pan and paper lining. Starting at long edge of cake, roll up cake and towel. Place cake seam side down on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with second cake.

Soften ice cream at room temperature about 10 minutes. Gently unroll cooled cakes. Scoop about 4 cups of ice cream onto each cake and spread evenly, ¼-inch thick. Reroll cakes without towel. Wrap in plastic and place in freezer until firm, at least 4 hours.

Slice cake 1-inch thick. Cut a slit in side of slices and insert candy canes. Serve immediately or wrap decoratively in plastic, twisting ends like lollipop wrappers. Freeze until ready to serve.

Have these ingredients on hand for a quick, creamy, adult dessert in a glass.

Peppermint Ice Cream Espressos

(Makes 2 servings)

Dreyer's/Edy's Slow Churned

Peppermint Light Ice Cream

2 servings brewed espresso, about ¼ cup each

2 tablespoons Kahlua or amaretto

Whipped cream

Pour ¼ cup hot or cool espresso into a demitasse cup or aperitif glass. Add Kahlua or amaretto. Add small scoops (about ¼ cup) of peppermint ice cream to espressos. Pipe whipped cream on top and serve immediately.

More Free Recipes

Ice cream lovers can find additional dessert ideas-including recipes made with two other seasonal favorites, eggnog and pumpkin-at icecream.com.

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Halloween Party Recipes So Delicious They're Scary!

PRNewswire -- Just as you can count on Count Dracula showing up on your doorstep on Halloween, you can count on the cooks at Cabot Creamery Cooperative to whip up some fiendishly delicious recipes for the witches and warlocks dancing to "The Monster Mash" at your Halloween party.

"Most people are pretty good at pulling together a fun and scary Halloween party," says Cabot senior vice president of marketing, Roberta MacDonald. "But you don't want to frighten your guests with ghoulish recipes," she added with a laugh. "So our favorite Cabot cook has created some frightfully delicious recipes that are sure to be a big hit with ghosts and goblins of every age. There's no trick to making these treats, and best of all, they're easy to make, and good for you, too."

Cabot's Reduced Fat Butternut Squash Soup is the perfect Halloween party starter, and Cabot's delicious Pumpkin and Habanero Cheddar Souffles are sure to add some spice to your dinner menu. Serve both along with a tray of mixed crackers, cut vegetables and individually wrapped 3/4 ounce bars of Cabot's award-winning cheddar (available in Sharp Cheddar and 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar), and you have a bewitchingly tasty party combo sure to please everyone.

For these and a host of other delicious Cabot recipes, please visit Cabot's website at: http://www.cabotcheese.com/recipes

Reduced Fat Butternut Squash Soup
Makes 4-6 servings

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup sour cream (low-fat or regular)
1/2 cup grated Cabot 50 % Reduced Fat Cheddar
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Several chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

1. In large saucepan, combine squash and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce
heat to medium. Simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and let stand until slightly cooled; puree in batches
in blender.
3. Return puree to saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir in sour
cream, cheddar, butter and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stir until heated through (do not allow to boil). Taste soup, adding
sugar if squash was not particularly sweet. Serve sprinkled with chives.

Pumpkin and Habanero Cheddar Souffles
Makes 8 servings
8 mini pumpkins
4 large eggs
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 ounces Cabot Habanero Cheddar, diced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place uncut pumpkins in large shallow dish and add 1/4 inch of water;
cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, or until tender. Let
cool.
3. Reheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4. With paring knife, remove tops from pumpkins. Remove and discard seeds,
then scoop out flesh, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell.
5. Place four cups of pumpkin flesh in mixing bowl. Separate eggs,
stirring yolks into pumpkin flesh and placing whites in separate bowl.
6. Stir flour and baking powder into pumpkin mixture, then stir in cheese.
Season with salt and pepper.
7. Whip egg whites into stiff peaks. Fold into pumpkin mixture. Spoon
souffle mixture into pumpkin shells.
8. Place on baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until puffed
and set.

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Pumpkin Cheesecake With Maple Glaze

CC Note: Yum, Yummy, and Yummier!!!

(NAPSI)-A classic cheesecake is easily dressed up for the party season with the addition of pumpkin and a dramatic maple glaze studded with raisins and nuts. As elegant as it looks, this cheesecake is easy to make and is best when made a day ahead.

For the best texture, be sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. This is especially important for the cream cheese to whip into a creamy texture. Run a blunt knife around the edge of the cake after baking in order to reduce the chance of cracks appearing on the top, suggest the experts at the Sun-Maid Growers of California test kitchen.

With the cheesecake made the day before the big event, all that's left is to whip up the glaze just before the party begins. If you plan to travel with this dessert to a party (and what hostess wouldn't be delighted by such a marvelous dessert?), carry the chilled cake in the springform pan and glaze separately. Upon arrival, simply remove the outer ring of the pan and pour the glaze on top of the cheesecake. For more decadent dessert ideas, visit www.sunmaid.com.

Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake

1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup melted butter or margarine

3 8-oz. packages softened cream cheese

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 16-oz. can pumpkin

3 eggs

¼ cup maple syrup

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 300° F. Combine crumbs, sugar and butter. Press firmly on bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

With mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, maple syrup, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until edge springs back when lightly touched (center will be slightly soft). Cool and chill.

Raisin Nut Glaze

2 tablespoons water

4 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine

½ cup pure maple syrup

½ cup chopped nuts

½ cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

Combine water and cornstarch. In small saucepan, melt butter. Add maple syrup and cornstarch mixture; cool and stir until slightly thickened. Add chopped nuts and raisins. Spoon over chilled cheesecake.

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