Dear $$firstname$$,

Greetings from Taste of Home! With colder temperatures moving in, it's nice to have a combination that'll warm you up on a chilly night. Invite some friends over for a hearty fall meal that includes Super-Duper Chili and Mexican Corn Bread. You'll also find lighter recipes and some delicious recipes (like Chocolate Spiders) that are perfect as Halloween treats.

Many of you have asked us to include Nutrition Facts for more recipes. We love hearing your feedback and ideas, and, more importantly, being able to deliver on them. So now you can check the Taste of Home Recipe Finder to find Nutrition Facts for more than 31,000 recipes online.

You can also click on the name of any recipe below to view it in Recipe Finder, print it and save it to your own "recipe box."

• In this issue:
• Hearty Meal for Fall
• Time to Get Baking & Cooking!
• Looking for Lighter Fare
• Halloween Treats
• Experience the 1940s

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Hearty Meal for Fall

No one ever guesses the "secret ingredient" in Super-Duper Chili from Elizabeth Mays of Nunnelly, Tennessee. A can of mushroom soup is what makes the chili so thick and creamy. Take this spicy concoction to a fall potluck or church dinner and watch folks warm up to it!

"I work at an elementary school," says Sandy Gaulitz from Spring, Texas, "and a couple times a year we have a gathering where everyone brings a favorite dish to pass. A friend shared this delicious Mexican Corn Bread and it was a big hit."

The light dressing for this crisp, colorful Fresh Vegetable Salad lets the fresh flavor of the vegetables come through. "For variety, I sometimes substitute sliced zucchini for the cucumber," says Harriet Stichter from Milford, Indiana.

"When we're asked to take a dish to a potluck, we often make this scrumptious Chocolate Chip Cake," says Abigail Crawford from Lake Butler, Florida. "It's easy to transport and fun to serve because everyone likes it!"

SUPER-DUPER CHILI

• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cans (15-1/2 ounces each) hot chili beans
• 1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 8 ounces process cheese (Velveeta), cubed
• 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook the sausage and beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 14 servings (3-1/2 quarts).

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MEXICAN CORN BREAD

• 2 packages (8-1/2 ounces each) corn bread/muffin mix
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn
• 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) sour cream
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

In a bowl, combine corn bread mix and onion. Combine the remaining ingredients; add to the corn bread mixture just until moistened. Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.

Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until lightly browned and the edges pull away from sides of pan. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 18-24 servings.

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FRESH VEGETABLE SALAD

• 2 cups sliced celery
• 2 cups thinly sliced cauliflower
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 2 cups thinly sliced carrots
• 2 cups sliced cucumber
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
• 3/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced

In a large serving bowl, combine the celery, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, cucumber and onion. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over vegetables and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 12-14 servings.

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CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

• 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 5 tablespoons grated German sweet chocolate, divided
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes, milk, oil and eggs. Beat on low speed until moistened. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons grated chocolate. Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan.

Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Combine confectioners' sugar and remaining grated chocolate; sprinkle over cake. Yield: 12 servings.

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Looking for Lighter Fare?

Herbed Pork Chops (and other meats) really perk up when they're seasoned with this homemade herb blend. Watching your sodium? Leave out the salt...and you'll still get plenty of flavor with this recipe from Jean Morgan of Roscoe, Illinois.

"My husband refused to eat Wilted Green Salad until this recipe was suggested by a friend," says field editor La Vonne Hegland of St. Michael, Minnesota. "He likes this milder dressing with just a subtle hint of vinegar. Turkey bacon adds a satisfying crunch."

"Crusty on the outside and tender on the inside, Favorite Buttermilk Bread is my family's all-time favorite," shares Michele Surgeon of Medford, Oregon. Honey helps the crust bake up golden brown, wheat germ adds extra nutrition and the wonderful flavor will likely make it your family's standard for homemade bread, too.

HERBED PORK CHOPS

• 1/3 cup dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 cup dried marjoram
• 1/4 cup dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons rubbed sage
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 boneless pork loin chops (1 pound)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Rub 1/2 teaspoon herb mixture over each pork chop. In a nonstick skillet, brown chops in oil for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reaches 160°. Store remaining rub in a covered container. Yield: 4 servings (1-1/4 cups rub).

Nutrition Facts: One serving equals 190 calories, 9 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 62 mg cholesterol, 51 mg sodium, 0 carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 25 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1/2 fat.

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WILTED GREEN SALAD

• 10 cups torn leaf lettuce
• 6 cups torn fresh spinach
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Sugar substitute equivalent to 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 turkey bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

In a large salad bowl, toss the lettuce, spinach and onions; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, water, oil and sugar substitute to a boil. Pour over lettuce and toss; sprinkle with bacon. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts: One serving (2 cups) equals 71 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 6 mg cholesterol, 132 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

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FAVORITE BUTTERMILK BREAD

• 6 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 3 cups warm 1% buttermilk (110° to 115°)
• 3/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted and cooled
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup toasted wheat germ
• 9 to 10 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the buttermilk, butter, honey, salt, baking soda, wheat germ and 4 cups flour; mix well. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto a heavily floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface; divide into thirds. Divide each portion into thirds; shape each into a 12-in. rope. Braid three ropes; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Place in a greased 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pan. Repeat with remaining dough.

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3 loaves (12 slices each).

Nutrition Facts: One slice equals 183 calories, 4 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 11 mg cholesterol, 275 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.

Editor's Note: Warmed buttermilk will appear curdled.

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Halloween Treats

"For fun flavor, try this snack of Mini Corn Dogs," says Geralyn Harrington of Floral Park, New York. "They're simply cornmeal dough wrapped around mini hot dogs with a tangy dipping sauce."

"These irresistible M&M Oat Bars can sweeten any holiday," says Renee Schwebach of Dumont, Minnesota.

"Turn your kitchen into a 'web site' by preparing a batch of these creepy candy Chocolate Spiders," says Sandi Pichon of Slidell, Louisiana.

Find more Halloween recipes using the Taste of Home Recipe Finder.

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