Just ask YumSugar, there's no one who gets more excited about Thanksgiving than yours truly. It's my favorite holiday and while I've been telling myself not to worry about it, the time has come: We are officially in November and I'm ready to talk turkey. And mashed potatoes. And gravy. And cranberry sauce. Well, you get the idea! To encourage you to start thinking about the big day, I rounded up our best Thanksgiving recipes.

• Cranberry Sauce - Once you learn how easy it is to make cranberry sauce, you'll definitely want to shelf the jellied can variation and reach for the real thing.
• Pecan Pie- If you purchase a premade pie crust, this classic pecan pie comes together in minutes. No electrical equipment necessary!
• Brussels Sprouts and Bacon Hash - Think outside the box. Instead of serving traditional mashed potatoes, offer your family this Brussels sprout, bacon, and potato hash.
• Pumpkin Cake - Need a dessert that will impress? Make this three layer

It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without these classic ingredients. But there are excellent reasons to eat them on other days, too: They're delicious, they're easy to cook, and each happens to be a nutritional superstar.

CRANBERRIES

A staple of the Thanksgiving table, these pucker-inducing berries are surprisingly versatile, brightening both savory and sweet dishes. Their high content of pectin (a naturally occurring thickening agent) makes cranberries particularly well suited for sauce. Cranberry sauce is one of the quickest and easiest holiday sides to make from scratch. Fresh cranberries are high in vitamin C. They are also a good source of antioxidants.

15 Cranberry Sauces That Will Add Zest and Zing to Your Thanksgiving Plates.

How to Buy

Peak season for cranberries runs from October through December, though frozen cranberries are available year-round. You can stock up on fresh cranberries when in season and store them in the freezer. Whether fresh or frozen, cranberries

Here in the Northeast United States, the growing season for vegetables and fruits is coming to an end.

Some vegetables, though, continue to be harvested. Still available at local farmers' markets are cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leeks, parsnips, collard greens and some salad greens.

Continue reading on The Delicious Truth Blog

I'm on Facebook and Twitter too!

Pumpkin Cheesecake



From SWEET UTOPIA: Simply Stunning Vegan Desserts, by Sharon Valencik. Photo copyright Milan Photography

You will love this scrumptious, creamy, easy-to-make Pumpkin Cheesecake. It's cholesterol-free and vegan, with no eggs, dairy, nuts or cholesterol. No one will know the difference! You can get nondairy, soy-based cream cheese, such as Tofutti brand, in your supermarket or specialty store.

Yield: 8 servings

Crust
1 Graham Cracker Crust prepared in a 9-inch pie pan

Filling
1 1/2 cups silken tofu, well drained
1 cup soy cream cheese
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all the filling ingredients in a food processor or blender and process until smooth and creamy. Pour into the cooled crust. Bake for 55 minutes, or until lightly browned and the edges are set. Cool, cover loosely, and refrigerate for 8 to

For several years my husband and I have hosted a big pre-Thanksgiving bash for our friends. Until we started throwing these parties, I had done little but set the table for Thanksgiving dinner. I had never carved a turkey before or made gravy, and my pie-making skills were a joke. Now I have it down to a science.

Here are 5 steps to help you host a stress-free Thanksgiving:

1. Have a game plan. I used to make fun of my mom for all the lists she wrote before a party. A list of what she was making. A list of who was coming and what everyone was bringing. A grocery list. A list of what she would do when. As much as I hate to admit it, she was right. It's so much less stressful when you have a plan. Get recipes, full Thanksgiving menus and day-by-day planners in EatingWell's Complete Thanksgiving Guide.
2. Delegate. You don't have to make everything. If you're hosting, plan to make the turkey, then say, "Yes!" whenever someone offers to bring something. Keep track of what

[Photograph: Pumpkin Whoopie Pies]

We really can't get enough pumpkin, whether in cookie, pie, bread, or chili form...

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds: After removing all that sticky pumpkin pulp from the seeds, throw them into a bowl and combine with olive oil and salt. For a spicy kick: add paprika and chili powder. For more pie-esque flavors: add cinnamon and nutmeg (but keep the salt). Once seasoned, spread the seeds on a baking sheet and roast them at 350 °F for about 15 minutes. Let them cool, then prepared to be addicted.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies: These little dessert hamburgers are such a crowd pleaser. If you want to make friends: serve these. Originally an Amish treat, whoopie pies are now appearing in bakeries all over. This version involves two cakey pumpkin cookies made with three whole cups of pumpkin puree, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon, which get sandwiched with cream cheese frosting.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cakes: How do you enjoy pumpkin when you're Paula Deen? Like this. You start

Capture the flavors of fall with these essential spices. From sweet nutmeg to spicy cinnamon, these fall spices can help enhance many of your favorite recipes.


Allspice: Sold whole or ground, it combines the flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Compliments sweet breads, carrots, pork or poultry.
Recipes: Streusel Pumpkin Sweet Rolls, Gingerbread Pudding Cake




Nutmeg: The warm, sweet and spicy flavor enhances baked goods, whits sauces, custards, spinach and squash. Sold whole or ground.
Recipes: Pumpkin Pancakes, Chunky Orange Marmalade Cookies




Pumpkin Pie Spice: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice and mace that's great with pumpkin, squash or baked goods.
Recipes: Spiced Pecans, Jumbo Pumpkin Pecan Muffins




Cloves: Found both whole and ground, this spice goes well with sweet breads, carrots, onions, potatoes, chocolate and fruit.
Recipes: Autumn Pot Roast, Spiced Pear Bread




Cinnamon: With its mildly-sweet-to-bittersweet flavor, this spice is a nice addition to baked

I love pumpkin - it's one of my favorite things about fall. Whether it's fresh or canned, you can put this sweet squash in just about anything. From sweet breads to savory dishes, pumpkin can enhance even the simplest of recipes. Our 5 Sensational Pumpkin Recipes highlight the best of this versatile fall squash.

Sensational Pumpkin Recipes

• Pumpkin Lasagna
• Ginger-Streusel Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Sloppy Joes
• Pumpkin Cranberry Biscotti
• Pumpkin Pie Dip

• 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• Dash pepper
• 9 no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• In a small skillet, saute the