Ghoulish goodies

It’s true — the kitchen is the heart of the home. Ever notice how people always gather there? Whether baking treats, fixing dinner or spending time with family and friends, the kitchen is my favorite place to be. Since my day job is Senior Culinary Specialist for the Nestlé Test Kitchens, you can bet I love to stir things up. This space lets me pass along to you some of my best recipes, tips and baking secrets.

With a chill in the air, it’s the time of year when hobgoblins haunt the neighborhood, begging for treats! This year, make it a ghostly gathering by hosting a Halloween party and calling all witches, warlocks and skeletons together for some spooky fun.

Have a hoot with your crowd by including kids of all ages to share in the fun — costumes strongly encouraged! Ask the kids to scare up some spooky music or soundtracks to set a ghostly mood. Bob for apples (it’s harder than it looks!), have a ghost-story-telling contest, and scare up oodles of fun and tasty treats for the best Halloween yet!

To make sure your goblins will be gobblin’ (sorry, I couldn’t resist!), conjure up fixings for the best party ever. Plan a menu of devilishly fun foods — your best pot of chili, plenty of snacks and some great autumn goodies from your kitchen.

This sweet ‘n’ spicy Harvest Pumpkin Apple Bread is just about impossible to resist, with its sweet apple and spicy cinnamon flavors wrapped up in the season’s first pumpkin dessert. Time it just right so you can pull a just-baked loaf from the oven as your guests arrive – Mmm! Your home will be filled with the scent of the season and before you can say “Trick or Treat!” you’ll be enjoying delicious mouthfuls of this delectable delight.

Bring a cheerful jack-o’-lantern indoors by baking up this Big Pumpkin Cookie ahead of time. Cookie dough is appropriately shaped into a visitor from the pumpkin patch. Have some of the neighborhood teens help you bake this monster-sized cookie, or perhaps kids can each make their own to prepare for your party.

Divide your ghostly guests into teams and have them decorate the cookies into jack-o’-lanterns.

“Provide orange and white icing, and Halloween-themed decorator’s sprinkles.

“Vote for “scariest,” “fanciest,” “most creative.”

“Provide hot apple cider to keep the decorating teams fueled.

“Use a disposable or digital camera for a snapshot of the cookies before they are devoured.

And check out some of my favorite autumn treats for baking at www.VeryBestBaking.com.

No tricks, all treats!

Harvest Pumpkin Apple Bread

(Makes 2 loaves; 12 servings per loaf)

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups granulated sugar

1 can (15 ounces) 100% Pure Pumpkin

4 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple juice or water

1 large baking apple, peeled, cored and diced

PREHEAT oven to 350■ F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans.

COMBINE flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, vegetable oil and apple juice in large mixer bowl; beat until just blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in apples. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans.

BAKE 65 to 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove loaves to wire racks to cool completely.

Approximate nutrition information per serving: 260 calories; 90 calories from fat; 10g total fat; 1.5g saturated fat; 35mg cholesterol; 260mg sodium; 40g carbohydrate; 1g fiber; 27g sugars; 3g protein

Big Pumpkin Cookie

(Makes 6 servings)

1 package (18 ounces) Refrigerated mini sugar cookie or mini chocolate chip bar dough

Decorator candies and icing (optional)

Melted semi-sweet chocolate morsels (optional)

PREHEAT oven to 325° F. Grease large baking sheet.

SHAPE dough into 8-inch pumpkin shape on prepared baking sheet.

BAKE 16 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 2 minutes; carefully loosen cookie with spatula. Cool completely on baking sheet on wire rack.

DECORATE as desired.

Approximate nutrition information per serving: 90 calories; 30 calories from fat; 3.5g total fat; 1g saturated fat; 10mg cholesterol; 70mg sodium; 14g carbohydrate; 0g fiber; 7g sugars; 1g protein