Articles Written By: Kevin Fawley

Fall Treats to Bake in November

Sweet potato, pumpkin, apple—these are a few of the ingredients that flourish in the fall, so it makes sense they’d also play a starring role in your baked goods. If you’re looking for some sweet autumn treats to make this month that are a little more creative than pumpkin muffins and apple pie, try these recipes.

Gingery Sweet Potato Pie [Country Living]
The distinct addition of ginger lends a rich, complex flavor to this otherwise traditional sweet potato pie. You can make your own pie crust or buy one pre-made to cut back on prep time. Then bake about four small sweet potatoes and mash them with milk, eggs, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and, of course, sugar. Fill the pie crust with the sweet mixture, bake it, and top with homemade (or storebought) whipped cream.

Pumpkin Crisp [Delish]
Sure, pumpkin pie is delicious, but pumpkin crisp in a cast-iron skillet? You really can’t beat that. This recipe guides you in mixing together pumpkin puree, eggs pumpkin pie spice, heavy cream, and vanilla with ample amounts of sugar. Next, you’ll craft a crumbly topping using flour, brown sugar, salt, butter, and pecans. Pour the creamy mixture into a greased cast-iron skillet, sprinkle the buttery crumbs on top, and bake for about 45 minutes—then enjoy a slice a la mode.

Apple Dumpling Bake [Taste of Home]
This recipe is much easier than apple pie, and it features one unexpected ingredient: Mountain Dew. Apple slices wrapped in crescent rolls simmer in the sweet, bubbly beverage with sugar, butter, and cinnamon for about 35 minutes. The result? Flaky, golden-brown rolls bearing the perfect balance of tart Granny Smith apples and sweet soda and sugar. For an extra-delicious dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Shop Freshly Plucked Produce and More at Allandale Farm

Allandale Farm is committed to providing the very best food to the Boston community, from “field to store.” First and foremost, that refers to its own fields. That’s where they grow everything from summer tomatoes to fall pumpkins to winter squash, harvesting it all year long and selling it in the market within a few hours.

The rest of the stock comes from other local purveyors. For example, Thatcher Farm provides the glass bottles of milk. Sidehill Farm is in charge of yogurt. Plymouth and Blue Ledge Farm craft the artisan cheeses, and Valicenti Organico makes the pasta and sauces. Of course, this time of year, you’ll also find plenty of pumpkins, gourds, and mums! Come to the farm to browse the selection—social-distancing guidelines are in place, masks are required, and the registers have been placed outside for the time being.

The Best Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin, No Carving Knife Necessary

It’s the season of fall festivals and pumpkin-picking! That also means you might be gearing up to carve your annual jack-o’-lantern. But these creative DIY ideas might convince you to put down the carving knife and do something different this year.

Crayon Drip Pumpkins [Good Housekeeping]
This customizable craft gives you tons of artistic license over your pumpkin. You can leave the pumpkin in its natural orange state or paint it white, black, or really any color. Just make sure the color of the pumpkin canvas goes well with whatever crayons you have on hand! After the paint dries, unwrap the crayons (leftover stubs work, too) and situate one near the stem of the pumpkin. Use a hairdryer to melt it and send the wax drips artfully cascading down the pumpkin. Repeat with as many crayons/colors as you want!

Yarn-Wrapped Pumpkins [Two Shades of Pink]
Here’s a fun way to put extra yarn or twine to good use: wrap your pumpkins in it. This tutorial showcases a few different ways that you can swathe pumpkins or gourds in any shade of yard. Simply loop the yarn around the pumpkin horizontally, continuing to stack up layers until you reach the stem, or twist the yarn vertically and weave it back and forth from bottom to top. Then wrap the stems in some string of a different color as the final flourish.

Gingham Painted Pumpkins [Kelly in the City]
If you love the sweet, classic look of gingham, this might be the DIY for you. In true farmhouse-chic fashion, the tutorial creates checkered pumpkins that are much more stylish than a jack-o’-lantern. Start by painting the entire pumpkin white. Once the white base dries, add vertical stripes in the hue of your choice. Choose a darker shade of the same color to create vertical stripes and achieve that cute gingham effect.