Fall is Here

I don't know about you, but I love anything pumpkin. Fall is a favorite season at our house. We love having yummy soups, wassail, and pumpkin desserts. See a few of our family favorites below!

Pumpkin Mousse

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk

1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant butterscotch pudding mix

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup fat-free whipped topping, divided

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Combine the pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and allspice; fold into pudding. Fold in 1/2 cup whipped topping.

Transfer to individual serving dishes. Refrigerate until serving. Garnish with remaining whipped topping. Yield: 4 servings.

~Taste of HOme

Pumpkin Fudge

1 tablespoon plus 3/4 cup butter, divided

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 package (10 ounces) cinnamon baking chips

1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Line a 13-in. x 9-in. pan with foil and grease the foil with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside. Cube the remaining butter and place in a large saucepan; add the sugars, milk, pumpkin, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage).

Remove from the heat. Stir in cinnamon chips until melted. Stir in the marshmallow creme, pecans and vanilla. Transfer to prepared pan. Chill until firm.

Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Discard foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 pounds.

~Taste of home

Simple Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients and drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheet (cookie scoop works well). Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Super Easy!!

Creamy Italian Chicken

Serve this flavorful crockpot chicken recipe over rice or noodles.

Cook Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
• 1 stick of butter, or for less fat 1/3 cup water
• 1 package (8 ozs.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 can (10 3/4 ozs.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
• 1 can (4 ozs.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained (optional)
  
• Hot cooked rice or noodles (I like fettuccine)
  

Place the chicken breast halves in a slow cooker. Combine salad dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour cream cheese mixture over chicken. Cook 1 to 3 hours longer or until chicken juices run clear. Serve Italian chicken with rice or hot cooked noodles.
Serves 4.

Tex Mex Beef

1 roast (rump or large chuck)
1 cup mango salsa
1 cup regular salsa
1/2 brown sugar

Cook on low 5-6 hours, shred and server in burritos or salad, cafe rio style!

Chili Verde

1 1/2 pounds pork contry style ribs, diced to cubes

1 14.5 oz can chicken broth

1/2 can Rotel tomatoes

2 cups tomatillos

2 roasted green chiles and 1 Poblano, seeded and diced

2 jalapenos (omit for milder taste)

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons oil

Roast peppers in the oven until the skins are bubbly on all sides. Remove skins and seeds from center. Cut into smaller pieces, add to blender. Boil tomatillos and jalapenos until they change color (about 5 min.) Cutting any larger ones to smaller pieces, add to blender. Remove skin and rough chop garlic, add to blender. Blend until well mixed. Add Rotel to blender and pulse lightly. Add chopped onion to crockpot, poor in blender mixture. Add oil to frying pan and brown pork. Add chicken broth to deglaze pan. Add pork mixture to crockpot. Add remaining dry ingredients to crockpot. Cook on low 4 hours. Serve as smoothered burritos or with warm tortillas as a stew.