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How to Roast and Season Pumpkin Seeds (Pepitas)

Quick Summary: Don’t throw out those pumpkin seeds. Boil, season, and roast them for a crunchy, healthy snack or garnish. This recipe uses smoked paprika and garlic, with Mexican spice variations including chile-lime and spicy seasonings. Works with any pumpkin or winter squash seeds. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 10-25 min | Makes: 6 servings …

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Calabaza en Tacha (Candied Pumpkin) Recipe

Calabaza en Tacha (aka candied pumpkin) is one of the traditional treats served on Mexico’s Day of the Dead Celebration, “Dia de Muertos”. The flavor is similar to what is served in the US as candied yams or sweet potatoes, but the key ingredients to this Mexican recipe include piloncillo syrup, cinnamon sticks, orange peel …

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Mexican Chili: Turkey, Squash, Poblanos & Black Beans

Quick Summary: A Mexican-style slow cooker chili with turkey (or leftover Thanksgiving turkey), butternut squash, poblano peppers, and black beans. Smoky depth comes from ancho and chipotle chile powder. Prep: 30 min | Cook: 6 hours (slow cooker) | Serves: 6 This Mexican-style turkey chili is great for using up Thanksgiving leftovers, but it’s also …

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Best Heirloom Winter Squash Varieties: 10 Picks for Flavor and Cooking

Quick Summary: Heirloom winter squash varieties offer superior flavor compared to commercial hybrids. Top picks include Blue Hubbard (roasting), Sweet Meat (soups), Cinderella/Rouge Vif D’Etampes (pies), Long Island Cheese (classic pumpkin pie), Butternut (versatile), and Red Kuri/Hokkaido (nutty and sweet). Cure squash for 1-2 weeks after harvest to harden skins for winter storage. Read time: …

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Roasted Root Vegetables: Sheet Pan Method for Easy Fall Dinners

Quick Summary: Root vegetables like carrots, beets, and parsnips roast beautifully on a sheet pan at high heat, developing crispy edges and sweet, caramelized flavor. This recipe pairs them with easy breaded pork chops for a one-pan fall dinner. Prep: 25 min | Cook: 35 min | Serves: 4 Jump to: RECIPE | Roasted vs …

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Green Tomato Kimchi: How to Ferment End-of-Season Tomatoes

Quick Summary: Green tomato kimchi combines unripe tomatoes with napa cabbage, chile peppers, garlic, ginger, and fish sauce, then ferments for 3-5 days. The result is a spicy, tangy condiment that keeps for months refrigerated. A great way to use end-of-season tomatoes. Prep: 10 min + 1.5 hr salting | Ferment: 3-5 days | Makes: …

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Quick Pickled Green Tomatoes: Varieties, Safety, and Recipe

Quick Summary: Quick pickled green tomatoes are refrigerator pickles that don’t require canning. Use firm green tomatoes, either unripe red varieties or heirloom greens like Aunt Ruby’s or Green Zebra. Despite myths, unripe green tomatoes are safe to eat. The pickle is ready in 24 hours and keeps refrigerated for one month. Prep: 30 min …

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Mexican Sausage Banderillas with Spicy Pizza Sauce

Quick Summary: Banderillas are flour tortilla-wrapped hot dogs, fried until golden and served with a creamy, spicy chile de arbol sauce. The sauce blends toasted dried peppers with evaporated milk and mayonnaise for heat with richness. Total time: under 15 minutes. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 10 min | Serves: 12 Jump to: RECIPE | …

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Tuscan White Bean and Sausage Stew with Cabbage (Slow Carb, 30 Minutes)

Quick Summary: A hearty Italian stew with Italian sausage, cannellini beans, and braised cabbage in a light cream sauce. Ready in 30 minutes, slow carb compliant (without panko topping), and freezes well for batch cooking. Prep: 10 min | Cook: 35 min | Serves: 6 Jump to: Recipe. | Ingredients | Soup vs Stew vs …

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Pumpkin Pancakes: Stovetop or Sheetpan for a Crowd

Some of the tastiest Winter squash varieties are gigantic, resulting in leftover pumpkin/squash puree after cooking. What to do with it? Make some delicious, savory (or sweet) pumpkin pancakes! Pumpkin pancakes work equally well with canned pumpkin. Bonus: you can make them in a skillet or baked in a sheetpan. Jump to: RECIPE | Savory …

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Mexican Pumpkin Ancho Soup (Savory, Not Sweet)

Quick Summary: Roasted pumpkin or winter squash pureed with smoky ancho chile, mint, and coriander. Savory rather than sweet, with the roasting bringing out the squash’s natural depth. Make-ahead friendly and freezer-friendly. Prep: 20 min | Cook: 30 min (plus roasting) | Serves: 10 Jump to: RECIPE | Best Squash Varieties for Soup | Ingredient …

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Preserving Fresh Herbs as Homemade Herbal Infused Salts

Summer offers an abundance and variety of fresh herbs that are so much better to cook with than the dried herbs of Winter. There are many ways to preserve fresh herbs for year-round cooking, and making herbal salts is one of the easiest preservation methods. Keep these salts by your stove for a burst of …

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