Pumpkin Beef Mac-n-Cheese

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 onion, diced small
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
4 tablespoons butter

 6 to 8 ounces evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

6 ounces Velveeta cheese, cubed small
1 cup of cooked pumpkin puree

Directions:

Cook ground beef until browned. Add onion and cook until tender.Set aside.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente and drain. Return to the pot and melt in the butter. Toss to coat. Add the ground beef and onions.

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, paprika and mustard. Stir into the pasta and add the cheeses. Add more evaporated milk if need. Over low heat continue to stir until cheeses are melted and creamy. Add the cooked pumpkin puree.Stir until incorporated and cook until hot and bubbly.

Serve as a side or alone.

Jack-A-Lantern Cake Pops

Halloween is my favorite time of year and what's more fun than making cake pops. These funny sweet treats will dress any spooky table up for fright night!

1 box cake mix of choice

Cake pan

1 can (16 ounces) white frosting mix

2 bags of orange candy melts (16 ounces each)

2 to 3 tablespoons shortening

Clear sanding sugar if desired

36 lollipop sticks (Wal Mart or any craft store will have these)

Green piping gel or frosting for the stem if desired

Piping bag or toothpicks to put on stems

Black gel food coloring or fruit roll ups

Small (tiny) paint brush or tooth pick to paint faces on

Sheet pan

Wax or parchment paper

Block of styrofoam to hold finished cake balls while they dry

Use any flavored cake mix you desire, vanilla, yellow or chocolate

Cook cake mix according to package directions. When done, cool the cake and cut the cake into squares. Crumble cake squares to a fine consistency. Discard any real brown or hard edges. Add the canned frosting about 2 tablespoons at a time and continue to add until the mixture resembles play dough. It will depend on how moist your cake is as to how much frosting is needed. You will usually need about 3/4 can of frosting. When mixture is right, roll into balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoon per ball) You can use a melon baller or small cookie scoop for measurement, if desired. Place balls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper When you have all of the balls (makes about 36) on the cookie sheet, place in freezer for about 15 to 20 minutes to hold the shape. Next, melt the candy until smooth. Beat in shortening a little at a time until the melts are smooth and can be easily dipped. Take your lollipop sticks and dip the tips into the candy melt mix and insert them 1/2 way into the balls. Again return them to the freezer to set sticks about another 15 to 20 minutes. When sticks are set, dip cake balls in the candy melt mix and twist around until coated. VERY gently tap off any dripping candy. At this point you will need the styrofoam block to place the cake balls in as they are finished. Let the candy coating set up on the counter or in refrigerator. If you are going to sugar the balls, do so before the coating is completely hardened, When the coating has set up you are ready to paint the faces and stems or cut fruit roll ups into eyes and mouths. Have fun!

Pumpkin Corn Chowder

This soup is one of our absolute favorites during the fall season.  We start about September of every year saying, "It's almost time for Pumpkin Corn Chowder!".  It's definitely a soup you have to try before you say you don't like pumpkin. It's very subtle and flavorful.  And the bacon just sends it to another level. The best part about this soup for me is... it's time to make it!

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/2 pound bacon, cut into 1" pieces
1 bag frozen bell pepper mix
or 1 green and 1 red bell pepper sliced length wise
2 medium onions, sliced length wise
2 cans whole kernel corn or 2 -1 pound bags frozen corn
1 large 32 ounce box chicken stock or 4 cups homemade
1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
1 package fajita seasoning
3 cups half and half
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
In a stock pot, cook bacon on medium high until crisp. Add peppers and onions and cook until tender. Stir in corn and broth. Cook for 15 minutes. Add can of pumpkin and seasoning package. Continue to cook on medium-low for 1 1/2 hours. Cool soup down so cream won't curdle. Whisk cream in slowly and begin to heat again.  Do not boil!
Season with Salt and Pepper as needed.

Serve suggestions; drizzle of balsamic or cream and rustic artisan bread.

Enjoy!