Sunday Dinner Baked shells with winter squash

A Traditional Favorite With A Seasonal TwistHow did Sundays go from a day when you share a special meal with family and friends, to a day to squeeze in last minute errands and chores? Whether you're interested in bringing back a traditional Sunday sit-down dinner with your loved ones or just looking for new meal options, the Sunday Dinner main-dish recipe can help you bring it all together. From Martha Stewart, this pasta recipe is similar to a traditional "mac and cheese" dish that both kids and adults love. Perfect for a crisp fall Sunday meal, the addition of winter squash might make this a new seasonal favorite.

Consider this mealtime manners tip from Peggy Post, great-granddaughter-in-law of Emily Post, the noted etiquette and manners expert in North America:

A family-style dinner is when side dishes are passed around to each guest, moving clockwise, and each guest serves himself. When someone sitting directly across from you asks for a side dish at a family-style dinner, it should be passed to the right around the table.

Exception to this rule: If someone sitting to your immediate left requests a second helping of a dish, don't send the dish all the way around the table. It's perfectly fine to directly pass the dish to the left.

Baked shells with winter squash

Serves 6

Ingredients:Butter, for baking dish4 tablespoons olive oil2 large onions, halved and thinly slicedCoarse salt and ground pepper2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves1 pound small pasta shells1 package (12 ounce) frozen winter squash puree, thawed1 cup grated Parmesan cheese3 slices crusty baguette, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1-1/2 cups)Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are soft and release liquid, or about 15 minutes.Uncover and raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the onions are browned, or about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of rosemary.Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, about two minutes less than the package instructions suggest. Drain the pasta and reserve 1-1/2 cups of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot.Stir the squash and reserved pasta water into the onions and simmer for about two minutes. Toss the squash mixture and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese with the pasta. Transfer the mixture to a prepared dish.Combine the bread cubes with the remaining Parmesan, rosemary and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top the pasta with the bread cubes and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.

This may be a new, cheesy and easy favorite dish for the winter season!Add a side dish or dessert to your Sunday Dinner

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Peekaboo pumpkin pound cake

A Surprise In Every Slice!There's a pleasant surprise baked into every slice of this fall-inspired pound cake — a pumpkin! Everyone will be asking, "How'd you do that?"

Peekaboo pumpkin pound cake with brown butter pecan icingIngredients:

For the pound cake

1 (14-ounce) box pumpkin bread mix1 (16-ounce) box pound cake mixOrange food coloring

For the icing

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter3-1/2 cups powdered sugar3 tablespoons evaporated milk1 teaspoon vanilla1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)Directions:1Prepare pumpkin bread

Mix up pumpkin bread ingredients according to the directions on the box. Add orange food coloring to make it more "pumpkin-y" looking (less brown).

2Bake and cut

Bake in a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan according to directions. Remove from oven before completely done, about 8-10 minutes less than instructed. Let cool, remove from pan and refrigerate for up to four hours. Cut cold pumpkin bread into large slices. Cut pumpkin shapes from slices.

Align them down the center of a lightly greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.

3Make pound cake

Mix up your pound cake batter according to the directions on the box. Pour over your pumpkin bread cutouts in the pan, making sure to cover the tops of the pumpkins. You may have more pound cake batter than you need. Try not to overfill the pan. Bake according to the directions on the box. Let cool when done.

4Prepare icing

Meanwhile, prepare the brown butter pecan icing.

Put powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. In a saucepan, melt butter and boil, stirring until it starts to brown and form dark flecks on the sides and bottom.

Remove from heat. Pour the melted brown butter and flecks over the powdered sugar. Add the evaporated milk and vanilla. Stir until combined and creamy. Add more powdered sugar if it appears too runny or more evaporated milk if it seems too stiff.

5Ice cake

Remove baked and cooled pound cake from pan and top with brown butter icing. Add chopped pecans, if desired.

Cut into slices and delight your guests with the pumpkin-shaped surprise that peeks out from inside!

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How to build a yogurt bar

New trend alert: Yogurt bars!

Yogurt bars are the new "must-have" at baby showers, wedding showers and weekend brunches. Learn how to make one here!

Yogurt bars make for a super fun treat to have at any shower, brunch or birthday celebration (and no, we're not talking about the frozen yogurt kind… though that would be fun, too!). They're healthy, offer plenty of variety and are still fairly unique. Best of all, yogurt bars are rather simple to put together with a little know-how. We've got plenty of tricks up our sleeves that we're sharing with you today with regard to building a perfect, one-of-a-kind yogurt bar.

1Gather the supplies

There are a few different ways to serve your yogurt, depending on how formal you want to go. For casual parties, simply serve in clear, plastic cups that hold between 10 and 16 ounces. This gives guests plenty of room to add toppings without making a mess. For more formal gatherings — such as a fancy brunch or intricate wedding shower — serve in glass or plastic flutes. You can use your own if you happen to have them or purchase plastic ones from a party store or your local dollar store. Other musts include:

Bowls for the toppingsSpoons for the toppingsSpoons for the guestsLabels2Make a sign and labels

The next step is to create a sign to hang over your yogurt bar. We love this spring mantel sign and you can easily adjust it to say "Yogurt Bar" instead of "Spring." Once the sign is complete, you'll need to make labels so your guests know which topping is which. Make sure to include whether or not the topping has nuts or any other possible allergens. You can create vintage labels on cardstock or simply handwrite the items on note cards.

3Buy the ingredients

Ah — onto the fun part! It's time to purchase the yogurt and a few different toppings. It's totally customizable — so feel free to make it healthier by serving mostly fresh fruit or a little less healthy by serving candy toppings and sweets! Here are a few suggestions to get started:

Two to four flavors of yogurt: Vanilla, Greek, strawberry and plainFresh fruit: Strawberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, peach chunks, raspberries and blackberriesDried fruit: Mango, pineapple, blueberries and raisinsNuts: Almond slivers, pecans and chopped walnutsGranola: Cinnamon-flavored, maple-flavored and originalSweets: chopped candy bars, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, honey and sprinkles (match the sprinkles to the theme of the shower or brunch)

We also suggest making homemade whipped cream so guests can dollop a bit on top of their creations. To make, simply beat 2 cups of whipping cream on medium speed until peaks form, then add a few big spoonfuls of powdered sugar and a tablespoon of vanilla. Mix again until well-blended. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Learn how to make your own yogurt >>4Set up everything

About one hour before the party, place any dry, nonrefrigerated items in proper bowls and place correct label in front of them. Set up all serving utensils on the table and hang up your sign. Thirty minutes prior to guests arriving, slice all fresh fruits and place in bowls, followed by placing yogurt in proper serving bowls. We recommend keeping these items refrigerated until the guests will be eating. Finally, make yourself a parfait and enjoy!

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3 Thanksgiving-inspired popcorn recipes

A fall twist on a classic snack

Forget about microwave popcorn bags! Making homemade popcorn is simple, inexpensive and delicious. These Thanksgiving-inspired versions take movie night to a whole new level.

It's always a great time to enjoy popcorn, but these fall versions add a special holiday twist! Enjoy them during movie nights or put them out as a fun appetizer at your next holiday party. You can certainly buy plain popcorn at the grocery store to use in these recipes, but popcorn is actually very easy to make at home. Unpopped kernels will stay fresh with your dry goods for quite some time, so this is both an economical and convenient way to enjoy popcorn. Check out these simple instructions on how to make foolproof air-popped popcorn at home.

Pumpkin caramel popcorn

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients:15 cups plain popped popcorn1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, cubed3/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light corn syrup1/4 cup molasses1 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice1/4 teaspoon saltDirections:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the butter, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, pumpkin pie spice and salt to a boil. Stir briefly to combine the ingredients and then allow them to boil for three minutes without stirring.Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour onto the popcorn. Stir until evenly coated.Spread the popcorn evenly on the prepared sheet pan and place in the oven. Allow to cook for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and break into pieces (or enjoy as clusters). Serve popcorn warm or at room temperature.

Brown butter sage popcorn

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients:15 cups plain popped popcorn1 stick (4 ounces) butter, cut into pieces8 sage leaves1/4 teaspoon saltDirections:

Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a saucepan. Once the butter has melted, add the sage leaves to the pan. As the butter begins to foam and bubble, whisk it regularly.Continue whisking for several minutes until little brown specks begin to appear on the bottom of the pan. Once the butter has a nutty aroma, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool with the sage leaves.Once the butter has cooled to lukewarm or room temperature, remove the crispy sage leaves and allow them to drain for a moment on a paper towel. Chop the leaves and set them aside.Toss the browned butter with the popcorn. Add additional salt if desired. Garnish with chopped sage leaves.

Gingerbread popcorn

Makes 15 cups

Ingredients:15 cups plain popped popcorn1-1/2 sticks (6 ounces) butter, cubed3/4 cup sugar1/4 cup light corn syrup1/4 cup molasses1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger1 teaspoon ground cinnamonPinch of fresh grated nutmeg1/4 teaspoon saltDirections:

Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. Place the popcorn in a large bowl and set aside.In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the butter, sugar, corn syrup, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a boil. Stir briefly to combine the ingredients and then allow them to boil for three minutes without stirring.Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour onto the popcorn. Stir until evenly coated.Spread the popcorn evenly on the prepared sheet pan and place in the oven. Allow to cook for one hour, stirring every 20 minutes.Remove from the oven and break into pieces (or enjoy as clusters). Serve popcorn warm or at room temperature.

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Mediterranean quiche recipe

Date Night Dishes…
The Best GiftGive her the gift of relaxation this Christmas by preparing a surprise breakfast in bed. If your kitchen skills are lacking, she'll even appreciate a properly presented bowl of cereal or a few store bought pastries. It's the thought that counts and this thoughtful quiche recipe idea will score you a few points for sure.

Ladies, if you are reading this, step away but feel free to forward to the man in your life. This one is for the guys. After several long weeks filled with baking, decorating, shopping and doing all things thoughtful for everyone else, the lady in your life deserves a special treat. Sure, she'd love jewelry or that new handbag she has been eyeing, but what she'll really appreciate is some old fashioned pampering. If you are on a budget, this gift is even better. Get up a little early on Christmas morning and get to work playing Santa. Breakfast in bed, complete with a mimosa or two, will not only show her how much you appreciate all she has done to make the holidays brighter, but it will also save you one trip to the mall.

No need to get crazy with a four course meal -- all the extra noise may wake her up. Prepare a quiche, which you can even do the night before, with her favorite ingredients and pop it in the oven. Serve it with a side of fresh fruit and some hot coffee. A little relaxation on Christmas day will be the best gift of all.

Mediterranean quiche

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:1 pie crust6 eggs1 cup feta cheese, divided in half1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped1/4 cup artichoke hearts, chopped1/4 cup roasted red peppers, diced1/4 cup Kalamata olives, diced1/2 cup diced tomatoesSea salt and pepper2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely choppedDirections:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.Prepare pie crust or use a store bought version and lay it in the bottom of a pie dish.In a large bowl, mix eggs, half of feta cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and olives. Add salt and pepper and garlic and stir to combine.Pour mixture into the pie dish. If it is really full, place pie dish on a cookie sheet in case it spills over.Bake for 45 minutes or until the center is firm and doesn't jiggle when you take it out. If the crust starts to get too brown, cover with a piece of foil.When it is cooked, slice and top with diced tomatoes and feta cheese. Serve hot.

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Gluten-free goodie of the week Peppermint brownie cakes

Indulge In These Sweet Treats!This is a gluten-free dessert with double duty for the holidays: These little chocolaty cakes taste amazing and they look so festive displayed on a tray!

Courtesy of Betty Crocker, these treats incorporate additional gluten-free goodies to make this a decadent treat for anyone -- the York Peppermint Patties and candy cane crumbles scream holiday festivities! If you're looking to add even more flair to the look of these gluten-free brownie cakes, use red and green muffin cups with this recipe. These are a chocolate (and mint) lover's dream!

Gluten can be found in many different foods and products, from ketchup to soy sauce to candy and seasonings. While SheKnows.com tries to ensure these recipes are gluten-free, carefully read the ingredient labels of all food and food products you use for these recipes to ensure they are also gluten-free.

Serves 12 people

Ingredients:1 box Betty Crocker® Gluten Free brownie mix1/4 cup butter, melted3 eggs12 mini York Peppermint Patties3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips3 (2-inch) gluten-free candy canes, coarsely crushed12 baking cupsDirections:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place paper baking cups in each of the 12 regular-sized muffin cups. In a medium bowl, stir the brownie mix, melted butter and eggs until well blended. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.Place one Peppermint Pattie on top of the batter in each cup; press each pattie into the batter, about 1/4 inch.Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until the edges are firm. Cool for about five minutes, and remove the cakes from the muffin pan and place them on a cooling rack. Cool completely, for about one hour.In a small microwavable bowl, microwave the chocolate chips on high for about one minute (check and stir every 10 seconds). Stir until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate on each brownie cup. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

Paired with the taste of mint and the festive candy cane crumbles, chocolate makes this gluten-free dessert something everyone will enjoy this holiday season!

More gluten-free goodies to try

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Photo credit: Betty Crocker

5 Ways sugar hurts your health

Sweet Talk On HealthThough sugar is one of the most maligned foods, it continues to pervade -- in excess -- the American diet. Sugar is one of the major components in many, if not most, food and beverage products from obvious junk foods to so-called health foods, and even foods that aren’t considered a sweet. It’s up to you as the consumer to read labels and choose low-sugar foods, as well as to reduce your family’s intake of the sweet stuff. Here are five ways sugar hurts your health and why you need to limit your sugar intake.

5 Reasons to reduce your sugar intake Sugar hurts your heart

Research conducted at The Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta shows that as the amount of sugar went up in participants' diets, so did their risk for heart disease. A diet high in sugar is associated with a reduction in HDL ("good") cholesterol. Further, according to the American Heart Association's scientific statement on sugar, a high intake of added sugar increases the risk of high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, other risk factors for heart disease and stroke, as well as inflammation, which is also associated with heart disease.

Sugar promotes weight gain

Many foods that are high in added sugar are also high in calories. Consuming too many calories is the primary cause of weight gain and obesity. In addition, added sugars provide calories but no nutrients. Sugar-laden foods, particularly those that lack fiber, can cause carb or sugar cravings that keep you eating nutrient-poor, high-calorie foods and perpetuating a cycle of overeating and weight gain. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests drinking water instead of sugary beverages and limiting foods with added sugars as a means to promote health and healthy weight maintenance.

Sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes

Since consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain, it can also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends limiting sugar intake and opting for artificial sweeteners as a way to satisfy your sweet tooth, curb cravings and control your blood sugar. Limiting your sugar intake and monitoring your calories can help prevent, as well as manage, type II diabetes.

Sugar zaps your energy

That energy drink or specialty coffee may sound like the best solution to boost your energy, and you will get a surge of energy, but the high sugar content in these drinks is also going to lead to a drastic energy crash once the sugar (and caffeine) is out of your system. You'll end up more lethargic and even hungrier for something high in sugar or empty carbohydrates. Opt instead for whole foods with natural sugars, such as fruit, plain yogurt or even a raw trail mix for sustained energy.

Sugar is bad for your teeth

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), foods and beverages high in sugar can promote cavities and tooth decay. Sugar feeds the bacteria that produce acids that erode your tooth enamel. Frequent snacking or drinking of high-sugar items increases your risk of cavities and eventually dental disease because it repeatedly exposes your tooth enamel to these acids. The ADA suggests limiting foods with added sugars, brushing and flossing regularly and chewing sugarless gum for 20 minutes after meals to help prevent tooth decay.

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