Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchens! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which includes a fast-to-fix, nutritious meal menu, some special ingredient suggestions, picks from the pumpkin patch and more. Read on and you'll discover...

> A Complete Meal in Minutes
> What I Add to Make It Special
> Visit the Pumpkin Patch!
> Newlywed Wings It
> Know Your Onions
> Slow Cooker Serves Savory Meals

A Complete Meal in Minutes

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WHETHER you're enjoying fall colors or raking leaves, autumn tempts even avid cooks to spend time outdoors. Fresh air builds appetites, so you'll want a fast-to-fix, nutritious meal that satisfies. The complete-meal menu here is made up of favorites from three terrific cooks, combined in our test kitchen. You can sit down to eat in about 30 minutes! Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwiches are homemade 'fast food' that's more delicious than the kind you go out for, says Christina L. of Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Black 'n' White Bean Salad is a cool, hearty side dish created by Kay O. of Grants Pass, Oregon. Quick Banana Splits from Doreen S. of Ignace, Ontario are a simple but special way to serve ice cream.

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon water
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound)
4 sandwich buns, split
8 thin tomato slices
1 cup shredded lettuce

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Broil chicken 4 in. from the heat for 3 minutes on each side. Brush with mustard sauce. Broil 4-6 minutes longer or until juices run clear, basting and turning several times. Serve on buns with tomato and lettuce. Yield: 4 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One serving (calculated without bun) equals 3 very lean meat, 1 starch; also, 185 calories, 438 mg sodium, 63 mg cholesterol, 13 gm carbohydrate, 24 gm protein, 4 gm fat.

BLACK 'N' WHITE BEAN SALAD

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro or parsley
1/3 cup cider or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Lettuce leaves, optional

In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, oil and seasonings. Pour over bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Using a slotted spoon, serve over lettuce if desired. Yield: 4-6 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One 1/2-cup serving (prepared without salt) equals 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat; also, 187 calories, 219 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 26 gm carbohydrate, 9 gm protein, 5 gm tat.

QUICK BANANA SPLITS

2 medium bananas
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Chocolate syrup or ice cream topping
Chopped nuts
Maraschino cherries

Slice bananas into four dessert dishes. Top each with 1/2 cup of ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup. Sprinkle with nuts; top with cherries. Yield: 4 servings.

To view a photo, click here.

Take a Shine to Cookware

LOTS OF COOKS love the lustrous look and heftier feel of stainless steel. We do, too--that's why we partnered with our friends at Wearever to create Taste of Home stainless steel cookware.

Our attractive cookset features gleaming stainless interiors and brushed stainless exteriors that will complement any kitchen decor. Other handy highlights include:

Even Heating. An aluminum disc base ensures even distribution of heat with no "hot spots".

Personal Touch Handles. The comfortable, easy-to-grip handles stay cool on the stovetop and are oven-safe to 350 degrees.

Clear View. Saf-T-Glass covers let you watch what's cooking without lifting the lid.

The stainless set consists of a 1-quart open saucepan, 2-quart covered saucepan, 3-quart covered saucepan, 6-quart covered Dutch oven and a 10-inch non-stick fry pan with cover. Open stock pieces include a 1-quart pan with pour spouts, 12-inch saute pan, 3-quart covered chef's pan and 12-inch covered casserole.

We're proud to put our name on this high-quality cookset (you'll find the Taste of Home by Wearever logo on the bottom) and think you'll be proud to own it, too. Find it at Wal-Mart stores nationwide, or log on to www.walmart.com and then, get cooking!

What I Add to Make It Special

WANT TO turn "ho-hum" foods into dishes that'll have family members asking for more? Take a look at the special ingredients suggested by some of our readers:

Super Suppers. Says Jo Anne H. of Colorado Springs, Colorado, "I used to put sweet Italian sausage made with aniseed in my spaghetti sauce. I can't find the sausage anymore, but my sauce still gets raves when I add a bit of aniseed."

Sensational Side Dishes. Field editor Ronald L. of Branford, Connecticut says, "When preparing buttered carrots, I like to stir in a pinch of celery seed. It makes this vegetable side dish a lot more exciting."

Perfect Potato Salad. Says Carolyn S. of Windsor Heights, Iowa, "I mix a tad of prepared horseradish sauce with the mayonnaise I use to dress my potato salad."

Great Grapefruit. "One day when we were out of sugar, I poured a bit of maple syrup over a grapefruit half," remembers Sarah M. of Lehighton, Pennsylvania. "It immediately sweetened every section right to the bottom. Now we use syrup all the time."

Dazzling Desserts. "For an apple pie with a mouth-watering caramel apple taste, drizzle maple syrup over the apples before putting on the top crust," advises field editor Darlene M. of Sublimity, Oregon.

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Know Your Onions

MOST EVERYONE cooks with onions, but not all cooks know the difference between storage onions (fall/winter onions) and sweet onions (spring/summer onions).

Harvested in late summer, storage onions are stored and shipped to markets through March. These red, white and yellow varieties have tough, dry skin and are very flavorful. Spring/summer onions are dug in spring and sold through summer. They're sweeter and milder than storage onions because of a high water and sugar content.

The storage onion's pungent flavor makes it good in dishes that cook a long time or need intense seasonings. Spring/summer onions have a delicate taste and are excellent in salads or lightly cooked dishes.

When selecting onions, look for short, tight necks and dry, papery skins. Onions should be firm with a minimum of blemishes. Avoid those with spots of gray or black mold on the skin and those that have started to sprout.

Slice or chop onions just before using them in recipes, since their flavor deteriorates and the aroma intensifies the longer they stay cut. (If the odoriferous orbs make your eyes water, refrigerate them for 30 minutes before slicing.)

Chopped or sliced onions can be frozen and used later for cooking. Freezing makes them too limp for fresh use.

The goodness of this versatile vegetable is more than skin deep--onions are healthful, too. They have a variety of natural chemicals linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The bountiful bulbs are low in sodium, contain no fat, add dietary fiber and are a good source of vitamin C.

"My grandmother believed onions were the natural cure for anything that ailed a person," recalls Cathy G. of Alamosa, Colorado. "She put them in everything except birthday cake!"

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"The first time I made this change-of-pace dessert for my family, they gobbled it up," recalls Elizabeth M. of Tayloville. "Now I make it often."

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 cups sliced peeled tart apples
Pastry for a single-crust pie (9 inches)

PUMPKIN LAYER:
3/4 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream, optional

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt. Add water and butter; bring to a boil. Add apples. Cook and stir for 4 minutes. Place pastry in a 9-in. pie pan; add apple mixture. In a bowl, whisk pumpkin, milk, sugar, egg, cinnamon and salt until smooth; pour over apple layer. Flute the edges or decorate with pastry leaves. Bake at 375 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. If necessary, cover edges with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time to prevent over-browning. Cool completely. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 6-8 servings.

FESTIVE PUMPKIN DIP

Surprise family and friends with this unusual hors d'oeuvre shared by Roanoke field editor Evelyn K. The satisfying dip is perfect for the holidays or anytime.

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup chopped dried beef
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
1 round loaf (1 pound) Italian or pumpernickel bread
Fresh vegetables, crackers or corn chips

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin, taco seasoning and garlic powder until smooth. Stir in beef, peppers and olives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, cut top off bread; scoop out bread from inside, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (save the bread from inside to make croutons or bread crumbs or save for another use). Fill shell with cream cheese mixture. Serve with vegetables, crackers or corn chips. Yield: 3 cups.

CURRIED PUMPKIN SOUP

Peoria field editor Eleanor D. says, "This soup is wonderfully warming, and the curry flavor enhances the pumpkin."

1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon cooking oil
2 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
Dash pepper
1/2 cup half-and-half cream or evaporated milk
Chopped fresh parsley, optional

In a saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion in oil until tender. Add broth, pumpkin, lemon juice, curry powder, sugar, salt if desired and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in cream; heat through. Garnish with parsley if desired. Yield: 4 servings. Diabetic Exchanges: One 1-cup serving (prepared with low-sodium broth and evaporated skim milk and without salt) equals 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat; also, 67 calories, 60 mg sodium, 3 mg cholesterol, 11 gm carbohydrate, 3 gm protein, 2 gm fat.

To view a photo, click here.

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If you're ready to deck the halls and your dining room, click here for Country Woman Christmas 2003.  As a Taste of Home newsletter subscriber, you're entitled to get it at a BIG savings--10% off the regular price.  Plus, you'll get 2 FREE GIFTS!

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Newlywed Wings It

GOOD COOKING requires knowledge...or at least a bit of pluck, discovered Ruth A. of Follansbee, West Virginia.

"I grew up in a small town and rarely visited the rural countryside," Ruth explains. "One evening shortly after we were married, my husband, Frank, and I were preparing dinner. He was flouring chicken pieces and handing them to me two at a time to put in the skillet.

"As he handed me a pair of chicken legs, I asked, 'Are these the front legs or the back legs of the chicken?'

"Through his laughter, Frank could barely inform me that chickens have just two legs. From then on, all our Sunday drives were in the country."

GREAT for stews and other one-pot meals, Taste of Home's 1-1/2-quart Slow Cooker gives you home-cooked results--without having to be home. Best of all, its stoneware crock removes easily to go into the dishwasher! Features low, high and keep-warm settings, plus stay-cool handles for easy moving. You can check on your recipe without lifting the see-through tempered glass lid.

To order Taste of Home's 1-1/2-quart Slow Cooker from Country Store On-line, click here.

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