BITE INTO FALL'S FAVORITE HARVEST FRUIT

by Home Style Furniture

Be it the shiny apple Mom routinely packed in your lunch box or fond memories of your great aunt’s famous apple pie, fall’s favorite fruit is a slice of nostalgia.

Simply delicious, apples offer a golden opportunity for culinary magic. Can you believe there are more than 7,500 apple varieties worldwide? Talk about mass appeal. With their cornucopia of color—from ruby red and mellow yellow to lime green—apples tempt with various tastes and textures, from crisp and tart, to subtle and sweet.

Choose the Right Apple

Some apples are perfectly yummy right off the tree. Others hold up wonderfully in pies, crisps and baked goodies. A slice of advice from the experts:

Best for eating out of hand: Braeburn, Cameo, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Honeycrisp, McIntosh.

Best for apple pies, crisps, etc: Braeburn, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Newtown Pippin, Winesap

Tip: Pies and crisps, especially, call for sweet-tart, firmer apples that hold their shape and flavor in the oven. To mellow a tarter apple (e.g., Granny Smiths), try more than one apple variety in your pie.

Best for caramel apples: Tart Granny Smith apples have become the standard since they counter sweet caramel. Some folks find them a little too sour. Try the same apples recommended for pies for your caramel apples.

Frown on Brown Apples

Yes it’s true, brushing on lemon juice does keep sliced apples from browning, as do other citrus fruits such as lime, orange and pineapple. To avoid any hint of citrus taste, soak apple slices in apple juice until ready to serve. Another option: Mix two tablespoons honey and one cup water. Soak apple slices in mixture for 30 seconds.

Content provided by: +Tailbase  & Ashley Furniture

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DELICIOUS PUMPKIN BREAD RECIPE

by Home Style Furniture

The long, hot summer days are coming to an end. As wonderful as it’s been to gorge on juicy fruits and sweet, luscious berries, it’s time to savor the flavors of fall. Fresh fall harvests are in full swing and pumpkin is one of the most popular autumnal ingredients. Turn the seasonal bounty into a slice of heaven with this quick pumpkin bread recipe.

One-Pan Pumpkin Bread

(Recipe from BettyCrocker.com)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 45-55 minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 eggs

2-1/3 cups Bisquick™ Original baking mix

1-1/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans (or raisins, if you prefer)

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.

Generously grease bottom only of 9×5 loaf pan.

Stir all ingredients except nuts in pan with fork until moistened; beat vigorously for 1 minute. Stir in nuts.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes.

Run knife or metal spatula around sides of loaf to loosen; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Content provided by: +Tailbase  &  Ashley Furniture 

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Victoria's Day: Remember Together

by Home Style Furniture

This weekend is the perfect occasion to gather everyone you love to honor people who died while in the military service. Maybe some of them were in your family circle; take advantage of this special day to remember what they did for your country. Make this day a perfect moment to spend time with your close friends and family. What better way to have a good time with people we love than talking and eating a good meal around a beautifully decorated table, within the theme of the Victoria's Day?

5 tips to succeed in preparing a Victoria's Day table:

1)   Cook beforehand

Make the most of the time with your guests, get ahead! As soon as possible during the day, cut peppers into strips, homemade sauces ... simmer sauces in bowls and place them in the refrigerator. Also you can make chicken and meat skewers. You will just have to take them out in good time.

2)   Multiply tastes

Forget skewers from the supermarket, as they are bland and uninviting.

Lean rather towards ribs, chicken wings or meat slices, etc.

Just as well, add some sausages and match your chicken or meat with a slice of bacon, harmonized with mashed potatoes or runner beans for side dishes. In addition, make marinades with some spices and herbs such as mint, coriander, basil, oregano, thyme.

3)   Incorporate some marinades and sauces

To provide relief texture and give a good taste to your grilled, mix different marinades.

For example, you can mix soy sauce, honey and coriander.

N.B. honey is cooked with meat sauces, but it is just as good as fish sauces.

Do not forget the cold sauces for meat lovers. Also, add a lighter yogurt sauce and mint to join vegetables. Finally, on the table’s corner, put mayonnaise and ketchup, as always acclaimed.

4)   Don’t forget exoticism

Squeeze limes to make a marinade, use coconut milk to sweeten a sauce and season your dishes with a pinch of pepper.

Do not hesitate to prick your skewers on a pineapple cut in half.

5)   Create your personalized dessert

To end your meal, the dessert has to be light and creative. We recommend some fruit jars with cream or exotic fruit salad and ice coconut balls.

Nevertheless, you have the opportunity to be creative!

Think up braised fruits. Hand out sheets of aluminum to your guests and ask them to make their own selection. Besides it's fun!

Vary pleasures by mixing mango wedges, melons, apples or apricots. Prepare even skewers of fresh fruit. Finally, end your evening with skewers of marshmallow to melt on the barbecue and dip them in melted chocolate for food lovers.

Don’t forget the right cocktail!

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www.tailbase.com