Turkey, cranberry sauce, basic stuffing, mashed potatoes. If eating the same thing every year (no matter how tantalizing the tastes) sometimes gets you down, try adding a new dish to your Thanksgiving spread. One or more of these scrumptious sides – straight from our tables to yours – could be the answer. Just click on the titles below for printable cards to add to your recipe box.

Serve in contrasting-colored dishes – orange-hued stuffing in a turquoise bowl, for example, or nice, dark green beans on a bright red platter – for a table that’s as attractive as it is delicious.

Chorizo Corn Bread Stuffing
Makes 4 – 6 servings
“This sweet, savory, and spicy take on stuffing is a hit year after year. Use organic or all-natural sausage to boost the health factor – and the flavor.”

Ingredients
1 pound hard chorizo, diced
1 white onion, diced
1 large carrot, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 cups corn bread, crumbled
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions
1. Cook chorizo in a skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the chorizo and cook until the vegetables have caramelized, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the corn bread, chicken stock, and cilantro. Mix until the bread is just coated – not too dry, not too wet.
5. Transfer to a buttered casserole dish and bake until heated through and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.

Continue reading for Firemen’s Potatoes (Potatoes au Gratin), Classic Baked Acorn Squash, Tarragon-Almond Green Beans, and Apple Cake recipes.

I love pumpkin, apples, and candy corn as much as the next person, but as soon as the last trick or treater is out the door, I’m already salivating at the thought of the Thanksgiving table. Here are a few of the flavors I’m the most excited about using this holiday season.

Nutmeg - When it comes to spices, nutmeg is the Jan Brady of the season (it’s always cinnamon, cinnamon, cinnamon). Although I’d rather not have it on a sticky bun, I’m getting my fix of it whenever I can, whether it be with a sweet or savory dish. In short, this nutmeg butter on baked butternut squash, sauteed spinach, or even on a muffin, is a guaranteed season opener.

Cranberry – My Mom’s cranberry sauce has always been my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, but this holiday season I’m getting to know the berry as more than a side dish. Last weekend, I made a ceviche featuring these tart little suckers with some yellow bell pepper, cucumber, and dill, which brought this traditionally summer dish right into the fall.

Figs – I’m not exactly sure what “Figgy pudding” is, so if any of my guests “won’t go until they get some,” any party I host this holiday season may run the risk of  turning into an all-night affair. In any case, the recipe pictured above has fresh halved figs topped with a chunk of roquefort cheese and a drizzle of good balsamic vinegar. Or try this figgy rendition with goat cheese.

Winter Squash – I recently picked a winter squash up at a farmer’s market out of curiosity, but was unsure of what to use it for. Conveniently, it was already halved and seeded which inspired me to use it as both a baking vessel and a veggie. Simply coat the inside with vegetable oil, fill the hollow with whatever you like (from ratatouille to wild rice), and bake until the top edges are lightly browned and the interior is soft (around 30 minutes depending on size). So delicious.

By Grace Romanowsky of Valenki By ACE, Staff Writer

What are your favorite dishes for fall? Share it in the comments below or tweet us @ruelala.

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Happy Halloween! Whether you’re spending the evening passing out treats or taking the young ones for a costumed stroll around the neighborhood, your kitchen is soon to become a repository for piles of fun-sized goodies. But before the kids chomp it all down, borrow a handful for your own use – and share in the sugar high.

Sweet Salad
Remember Waldorf salad? This easy-to-prepare candy bar apple salad has the same idea – luscious flavors doused in a creamy dressing. Rather than the Waldorf’s classic combination of grapes, walnuts, and marshmallows, this one uses apples, SNICKERS®, and vanilla pudding to create a caramel apple–flavored treat.

Substitute with abandon to suit your tastes (or your pantry). Some suggestions include using a mixture of SNICKERS and HEATH Toffee Bars, pears rather than apples, and different flavored puddings.

Delicious Drinks
When your little monsters return home with bags stuffed full of colored candies, look no further than Skittles®-infused vodka. With each flavor individually bottled and ready to drink, you won’t have to search for a sweet end-of-day treat. But if chocolate and peanut butter is more your style (or you’re only in the mood for a quick nip), try a peanut butter cup martini.

Bite-Sized Baking
No matter your preferred taste – sweet or salty, nuts or toffee – trick-or-treat bags are sure to offer a complement to every craving. Use sugar-loaded confections to create candy-recycler blondies, Halloween candy cookies, white chocolate candy corn cookie bars, peanut butter and toffee candy bark, or frozen peanut butter cup banana pops (the fruit makes them healthier, right?). With these desserts on hand, you’ll wish All Hallows’ Eve came around more than once a year.

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

Have any Halloween-inspired treats made it into your recipe box? Share them in the comments below or tweet us at @ruelala.

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I’m a New Englander to the core, and turning on the heat for the first time each fall takes some adjustment. When I need to cool down (if only briefly), there’s no better treat than this healthy banana ice cream. No ice cream maker? No problem. All you need is a blender or food processor.

Here are two ways to create flavor combinations that will entice banana lovers and tolerators alike.

Core Ingredients
2 bananas, frozen with peels on for about 15 minutes (they should have some give when you squeeze them, but still retain that frozen consistency)
Honey, to taste

Batch 1 (for banana tolerators, or fans of sweets)
Also add peanut butter, NUTELLA®, and chocolate chips, to taste

Batch 2 (for banana lovers, or those who prefer simpler flavors)
Also add peanut butter, to taste

Feel free to create additional flavors by adding pumpkin puree, nuts, strawberries – whatever you want.

Directions
1. Peel the bananas, using a sharp knife to cut off the ends and slice through the frozen peel.
2. Cut each banana into thirds and place in the blender or food processor.
3. Add the honey and blend until the mixture has the consistency of ice cream. If needed, scrape the sides of the blender or food processor with a spoon, then blend again. Add in any other ingredients and blend once more.
4. Scoop into bowls immediately, or place in the freezer until chilled to your liking.

Makes approximately two servings.

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

What’s your favorite healthy treat? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @ruelala.

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When there’s a bite in the air and you’ve donned your coziest chunky-knit sweater, there’s nothing better than taking in a view with a hot cider in hand… well, except maybe a hot rum cider. Loosen up that scarf and prepare to be warmed from the inside out with this butterscotch rendition – and when you add ice cream into the equation, it feels like Christmas came early.

What you’ll need:

1.5 cups apple cider
1.5 ounces spiced rum (I like Sailor Jerry or Kraken)
1 ounce DeKuyper Buttershots butterscotch schnapps
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Pinch of cinnamon
Caramel drizzle
Apple slice (optional) for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the cider until it’s almost reached a boil.

2. Transfer to a heat-safe glass or mug (mason jars work too).

3. Add the spiced rum and butterscotch schnapps. Mix.

4. Top with a scoop of vanilla of ice cream (don’t go too big or your cup with overflow).

5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with caramel to your heart’s content.

6. Finish with an apple slice on the rim and enjoy!

By Grace Romanowsky, Staff Writer

What is your favorite apple cider recipe? Share it in the comments below or tweet us @ruelala.

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In honor of my three favorite Food Network chefs (who doesn’t love Rachael Ray, Mario Batali, and Wolfgang Puck?), I’m sharing a mouthwatering recipe from each that I can actually pull off – which means pretty much anyone can. Bon appétit!

I’m a huge fan of Rachael Ray’s 30 Minute Meals and just about every kind of wine, so this Drunken Spaghetti recipe is right up my alley.

Spicy grilled pineapple salsa? Just pass the whole bag of tortillas. It’s dishes like this that actually get me excited for Monday Night Football.

Everyone should have a good eggplant parm recipe up their sleeve, and this one by Mario Batali is how I wow the parents when they come to visit.

Our Five-Star Kitchen: Chef-Selected Cookware Boutique opens Friday, October 19, at 11AM ET.

By Keriann Coffey, Associate Blog Editor

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Been hoarding canned pumpkin puree since the Great Pumpkin Shortage of 2011? Yeah, me too. These recipes are a perfect opportunity to use some up – without falling back on pie.

Don’t get me wrong. A good pumpkin pie is the king of autumn desserts. But compared to these dishes from our copy team’s pumpkin party? There’s no contest. Click on any (or all) of the savory and sweet titles or thumbnails below for a printable card you can add to your recipe box.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
Serves 8–10

Ingredients
1 pound dried cavatappi or penne rigate pasta
1 quart whole milk
1 stick butter, divided
1/2 cup flour
8 ounces apple-smoked Gruyère cheese, grated
8 ounces Cheddar cheese, grated
4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mustard powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (optional)
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until just al dente. Drain, set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Meanwhile, heat milk in a small saucepan over low heat, being careful not to let it boil or burn.
3. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk constantly until combined, about 2–3 minutes. Add in the milk, whisking until smooth and thick, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Gruyère, Cheddar, and Gorgonzola cheeses, pumpkin puree, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground mustard, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper.
4. Add the pasta and stir until evenly coated. Pour into one 10” x 14” baking dish, or use two slightly smaller ones.
5. Melt the remaining two tablespoons of butter in the microwave, then mix with the panko and Pecorino Romano. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the top of the pasta and bake for 30–40 minutes, until top is golden brown and bubbly.

Continue reading “Fall Entertaining: Pumpkin Party Recipes” »

Nothing’s better on a crisp fall morning than curling up in your comforter and having breakfast in bed. Whether it’s waffles doused in maple syrup or pancakes with a chocolate chip smile, it’s this kind of home cooking that always starts the day off right. Check out these sweet recipes, then treat someone you love (or, yourself) to a tasty, home-cooked wake-up call.

Give kids a spooky breakfast with mummy sausages that just scream Halloween.

Not a morning person? These sticky buns are sure to rouse even the latest sleepers. Trust me, with this much gooey goodness they’ll have to get up.

These crispy, warm popovers (topped with a little jam, of course) are sure to please every overnight guest.

And lastly – well, this isn’t actually a recipe, but who can resist crazy pancake faces?

Our Sundays in the Kitchen: Comfort Food Essentials Boutique opens Friday, October 12, at 11AM ET.

By Keriann Coffey, Associate Blog Editor

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Our copy team gathered last night to celebrate autumn with an all-too-seasonal pumpkin party. From sinfully sweet treats to hearty, savory delights (emphasis on the former), the writers brought some serious culinary competitors to the well-adorned table. Here are some quick tips to help you throw a gourd-themed bash of your own:

Décor
Start your décor off right with these beautiful DIY Pumpkin Planters that are so easy to make (plus you have seeds left over for a quick-baked snack). Add themed serving platters and – of course – more pumpkins, and the mood will pretty much set itself.

Activities
Pumpkin carving, while the ultimate October activity, is logistically tricky. Instead, pick up some medium-sized pumpkins and set out paint pens, mod podge (equal parts glue and water), tissue paper, stick-on moustaches, and whatever else appeals to you, then let your guests decorate to their hearts’ content. No messy goop to clean up, and everyone gets to create their own take-home favor.

Food
A variety of dishes is the key to hosting a successful meal, so decide on a theme and ask guests to bring a favorite to share. Our spread included baked brie with pumpkin butter, salad topped with pumpkin seeds, pumpkin-stuffed ravioli, and enough delicious, pumpkin-infused baked goods to cover a tabletop. Offer mulled cider, red wine, or pumpkin spice martinis, and you’ll be glad that, by the time your guests say good night, you’re already at home.

By Jess Huckins, Staff Writer

Have a great pumpkin-themed party idea? Share it in the comments below or tweet us @ruelala.

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October just feels like the month of pumpkin. So what better way to celebrate falling leaves, breezy evenings, and the (unofficial) start to holiday preparations than with a little spiced martini?

On my hunt for the perfect season-toasting beverage, I found hundreds of fall drink recipes. Of course I’d love to have everyone over to try them all out, but I settled on one fool-proof option: the pumpkin spice martini.

I took all the best ingredients (Bailey’s Irish Cream and spiced liqueur) and added a few extra touches, because who doesn’t love a cinnamon sugar rim? The end result: a grown-up, slightly more fun version of the spiced latte.

By Brianna Lapolla, Staff Writer

What’s your favorite pumpkin drink recipe? Share it in the comments below, or tweet us at @ruelala.

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