Cooking Light’s Tasty Fall Seasonal Recipes (Access Hollywood Live)

With Halloween just a few weeks ago, the great pumpkin is in full celebration. But, pumpkins aren’t just for Halloween and Thanksgiving pies, they’re also a nutritional powerhouse.

Cooking Light magazine’s new recipe book, “The New Way To Cook Light,” has some tasty seasonal recipes. Contributing editor Frances Largeman-Roth shared a few of her pumpkin favorites on Access Hollywood Live.

VANILLA-BOURBON PUMPKIN TART

(serves 8)

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 5 cookie sheets)

1 tablespoon finely chopped pecans

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Cooking spray

Filling:

1 cup (8 ounces) â…“-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/3 teaspoon ground allspice

Remaining ingredient:

1/2 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. To prepare crust, combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle butter over crumb mixture; stir with a fork. Firmly press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes or until lightly browned; cool on a wire rack.

3. To prepare filling, place cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin and eggs; beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Add bourbon and next 5 ingredients (through allspice); beat 1 minute or until combined. Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared pan. Place pan in a large roasting pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until center barely moves when side of pan is tapped. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve with whipped topping.
Serves 8 (serving size: 1 wedge and about 1 tablespoon whipped topping).

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SWEET CHIPOTLE SNACK MIX

(serves 19)

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 large egg white

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup unsalted cashews

1 cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place egg white in a bowl; stir with a whisk until foamy. Add almonds, cashews, and pumpkinseed kernels; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with spice mixture; toss well to coat. Spread nuts in an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring once. Turn oven off. Remove pan from oven; stir snack mix. Immediately return pan to oven for an additional 15 minutes (leave oven off). Remove pan from oven, and place on a wire rack; cool completely. Store snack mix in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Serves 19 (serving size: 3 tablespoons).

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APPLEJACK-SPIKED HOT CIDER

(serves 8)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

10 black peppercorns

8 whole allspice berries

5 whole cloves

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

6 cups apple cider

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 (2-inch) orange rind strips

2 (2-inch) lemon rind strips

3/4 cup applejack brandy

Directions:

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and next 4 ingredients (through cinnamon sticks), and cook 1 minute.

Add cider and next 4 ingredients (through lemon rind), and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Strain; discard solids.

Serve immediately. Serves 8 (serving size: about 2/3 cup).

Cooking Light’s The New Way to Cook Light is in bookstores now.