Bread Bowl Spinach Dip

1 round loaf of bread

2 packages of frozen chopped spinach

3/4 cup low fat sour cream

3/4 cup miracle whip

1/2 jar of artichoke salad (marinated artichokes, roasted red peppers and green olives)

pepper

Thaw frozen spinach and drain all water.

Put spinach into a medium bowl.

Chop up artichoke salad into small pieces.

Add sour cream, miracle whip, and chopped artichoke salad to spinach. Mix well and add pepper to taste.

Cut a hole out of the top center of the round loaf of bread.

Remove center and rip into pieces for dipping.

Fill hole in loaf with dip.

Serve with bread bits and pita!

Glazed Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups of wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and the butter. Add pumpkin, egg, vanilla extract and beat until creamy.

Mix in dry ingredients.

Drop cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Glaze

Combine 1 cup confectionery sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk. Add milk as needed to get drizzling consistency.

Candy Corn Bark

1/2 bag of oreo cookies
few hand fulls of pretzels
2 bags of white chocolate wafers or chips
1/2 bag of candy corn

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Crush oreos and pretzels and spread on parchment.

Heat white chocolate in the microwave slowly...
1 minute on high heat then mix...repeat until melted.

Spread white chocolate over the oreos and pretzels.
Sprinkle with candy corn.

Let sit until chocolate has set. Then break into pieces by hand.

Sugary deliciousness!

Halloween Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1 package of Trader Joe's Vanilla Bean Cake Mix

1 stick butter

1 cup cold low fat milk

2 eggs

Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

Prepare batter according to box.

For the icing:

1/2 package of reduced fat cream cheese

1/2 stick butter (softened)

3/4 cup confectionary sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

a few drops of red and yellow food coloring

Beat cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer.

Incorporate confectionary sugar and vanilla extract.

Add drops of food color until it's the orange you like.

Top with jimmies and sprinkles!

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Collect seeds from a pumpkin.

Rinse in water and try to remove all stringy pumpkin pieces.

Dry seeds then place on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. 

Cook at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until crispy.

Turkey Chili

2 lbs ground turkey meat
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 can tomato paste
8 teaspoons low sodium beef bouillon
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/2 cup dry lentils
2 cans low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed

In a large kettle, brown turkey and pour off fat.
Add onion, pepper and garlic.
Cook and stir until tender.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Serve with cheese.

Preserving Fresh Basil

Take 2 cups of fresh basil and put it into a food processor. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Process until well blended.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drop spoonfuls of the basil mixture onto the sheet
and freeze for an hour or until frozen.

Store these little basil pods in a plastic bag in the freezer for up to two months.

Add them to any sauce or soup.