(Feature Impact) Fall flavors and Halloween decorations make an ideal seasonal combination. These Cinnamon Spiced Ghost Cupcakes are the perfect example, with the warmth and sweetness of the cake offering a tasty base for piles of frightful frosting. All it takes to transform a swirl of white buttercream into a spooky ghost is a couple dots of food coloring, chocolate chips or another candy of choice.

They’re simple to make, easy to personalize and fun for all ages, whether you’re baking a tray for kids to decorate or bringing them to a Halloween party. Add sprinkles, a dusting of cinnamon or decorations that fit your theme.

Find more seasonal recipes to enjoy at Culinary.net.

Cinnamon Spiced Ghost Cupcakes

Recipe adapted from The Marble Kitchen
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 16 minutes
Servings: 12

• 1 1/4    cups all-purpose flour
  
• 3/4       teaspoon baking powder
  
• 2          teaspoons ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2       teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 6          tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1/2       cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/4       cup brown sugar
  
• 1          egg, at room temperature
  
• 3/4       cup milk
  
• 1          teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:

• 1          cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1/2       teaspoon salt
  
• 4          cups powdered sugar, sifted
  
• 3-5       tablespoons heavy cream, at room temperature
  
• 1          tablespoon vanilla extract
  
•             black food dye or chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. Using electric or stand mixer, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar about 4 minutes on medium or medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing well and scraping down bowl.
4. In small bowl or measuring cup, whisk milk and vanilla. Set aside.
5. Add 1/3 dry ingredient mixture to butter mixture and beat until combined. Add 1/2 milk mixture and mix well. Continue alternating dry and wet ingredients.
6. Bake about 16 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle of cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
7. To make frosting: Using electric or stand mixer, beat butter and salt on medium-high speed 5 minutes, scraping down bowl halfway through.
8. Reduce speed to low and add sugar 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream until 3 tablespoons have been added. Stop occasionally to scrape down bowl. Once all sugar is in, add vanilla and beat on medium-low 1 minute until light and fluffy. If desired, add additional cream 1 teaspoon at a time until frosting reaches preferred consistency.
9. Place buttercream in piping bag with large round tip. Pipe tall mounds of frosting on each cupcake in ghost shapes (wider on bottom, narrower on top). Add dots of black food dye or chocolate chips for eyes.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:

Culinary.net

The kitchen is calling your kids for this sweet, fun-to-make Halloween confection.

Yield: Varies
Ingredients

• 8 cups air-popped popcorn
• 7 ounces marshmallow cream
• 1/2 cup reduced fat peanut butter
• 1 cup candy corn

Directions

1. Combine marshmallow cream and peanut butter in a large bowl; mix until smooth.
2. Stir in popcorn and candy corn and mix until coated evenly.
3. Drop by heaping spoonfuls on wax paper or non-stick surface and allow to cool.
4. Store in airtight container.

Nutrition Facts

280 calories
7 g total fat
1 g saturated fat
0 mg cholesterol
160 mg sodium
52 g carbohydrates
1 g fiber
29 g sugar
6 g protein
148 mg potassium

(Feature Impact) Protein has long dominated nutrition headlines. Now, dietitians encourage people to pay close attention to another important nutrient: fiber.

One whole grain quietly gaining recognition for its impressive nutritional profile and versatility in the kitchen is sorghum. It’s a naturally gluten-free whole grain that provides both fiber and protein, contains naturally occurring antioxidants and supplies essential nutrients including magnesium, iron and B vitamins.

One reason sorghum is attracting attention is its fiber content. Whole-grain sorghum contains a type of fiber called resistant starch, which research has shown can contribute to healthy body weight and improved insulin resistance.

Unlike many refined gluten-free products that are lower in fiber, sorghum delivers the benefits of a whole grain while remaining naturally gluten-free. Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or simply want to enjoy a wider variety of whole grains, sorghum is an easy addition to your menu.

Another reason nutrition experts are taking a closer look at sorghum is its antioxidant content, specifically its health-promoting polyphenols.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is how easy sorghum is to cook with. Whole-grain sorghum offers a mild, slightly nutty flavor and pleasantly chewy texture, making it a delicious alternative for brown rice, quinoa or farro in grain bowls, soups and salads.

Pearled sorghum cooks faster, making it ideal for busy weeknights. Sorghum flour can replace wheat flour in pancakes, muffins and quick breads, while popped sorghum creates bite-sized crunchy kernels for a fun snack or topping for yogurt, soups and salads. For example, this Sorghum Fall Harvest Salad makes it easy to add more fiber to your plate, pairing whole-grain sorghum with seasonal produce like kale, butternut squash and apples.

Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean following the latest trend. Sometimes it simply means rediscovering nutritious foods that have stood the test of time. With its combination of fiber, protein, antioxidants and naturally gluten-free, whole-grain goodness, sorghum is an ancient grain worth adding to your pantry.

You can find dozens of recipes, cooking tips and meal ideas at SorghumCheckoff.com/recipes.

Easy Sorghum Swaps for Everyday Dishes

If you’re looking for ways to add more sorghum to your meals, these easy swaps make it simple to enjoy this versatile grain in recipes you already love.

• Replace rice. Use cooked whole-grain or pearled sorghum instead of white or brown rice in grain bowls, stir fries, burrito bowls and side dishes.
• Swap for pasta. Stir cooked sorghum into pasta salads or use it in place of small pasta shapes in soups for a hearty twist.
• Mix into salads. Add cooked sorghum to green salads, grain salads or vegetable salads for extra texture and whole-grain nutrition.
• Boost your breakfast. Stir cooked sorghum into oatmeal, yogurt parfaits or breakfast bowls then top with fruit, nuts or cinnamon.
• Bake with sorghum flour. Replace wheat flour in pancakes, muffins, cookies, waffles or quick breads with sorghum flour for a mild, slightly sweet flavor.

Sorghum Fall Harvest Salad

Recipe courtesy of Sorghum Checkoff

• 1          cup roasted butternut squash, cubed
  
• 1/4       cup olive oil, plus additional for drizzling, divided
  
•             salt, to taste
  
•             pepper, to taste
  
• 2          tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  
• 1          tablespoon sorghum syrup
  
• 1          teaspoon Dijon mustard
  
• 4          cups kale, chopped
  
• 1          cup cooked whole-grain sorghum
  
• 1          small apple, diced
  
• 1/2       cup pecan halves, toasted
  
• 1/4       cup dried cranberries
  
• 1/4       cup red onions, diced
  
• 1/3       cup feta cheese, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss cubed butternut squash with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste.
2. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and golden.
3. In a jar or small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sorghum syrup, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper, to taste, until emulsified.
4. Add chopped kale to a large bowl. Massage with a drizzle of olive oil 1-2 minutes until tender.
5. Arrange precooked sorghum, roasted squash, apple, pecans, dried cranberries, red onion and feta cheese on top of kale.
6. Drizzle with sorghum syrup dressing just before serving. Toss lightly to combine or serve dressing on the side.

SOURCE:

United Sorghum Checkoff