Cooking with Tammy: The Teal Pumpkin Project

Have a Safe Halloween and enjoy some Allergen-Friendly Treats!

Celebrating Happy Halloween next week means a week full of sweet treats and candies. Certainly, one night a year it’s okay to splurge, but if you are hosting your own Halloween party here are some spooky treats that will make Halloween safe for those suffering from severe food allergies!

Let me share with you about “The Teal Pumpkin Project”. The Teal Pumpkin Project is a way to make trick-or-treating safer and more inclusive for the one in 13 children living with food allergies, and many others impacted by intolerances and other conditions. Placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep signals that, in addition to candy, you offer non-food trinkets and treats that are safe for all trick or treaters.

To find out how you can help or to find ideas for non-food treats you can hand out this year, visit https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/living-teal/teal-pumpkin-project

Here are some Allergy Free Recipes you may try this year!

Pumpkin Spice Cookie Bars

Egg-Free and Nut-Free

½ cup shortening

¾ cup sugar

½ cup canned pumpkin pie mix

¼ cup molasses

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

Icing

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened

3-4 tablespoons 2% milk

Food coloring, optional for decorating

Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin pie and molasses. In another bowl, whisk next 6 ingredients, gradually beat into creamed mixture. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk, wrap. Refrigerate several hours, until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 375degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough to 1/3 inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2 ½ pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 8-10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For the icing, beat confectioners’ sugar, butter and enough milk to reach spreading consistency. If desired, tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies like pumpkins as desired.

Candy Corn Cookies

Nut-free and Egg-free

1 ½ cups butter, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Yellow and orange paste food coloring

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt, gradually beat into cream mixture.

Divide dough in half. Tint 1 portion yellow. Divide remaining dough into two-thirds and one-third portions. Color the larger portion orange, and leave the smaller portion plain.

Shape each portion of dough into two 8 inch logs. Flatten top and push sides in at a slight angle. Place orange logs on yellow logs, push sides in at a slight angle. Tope with the plain logs, forming a slightly rounded top. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap and cut dough into ¼-inch slices. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake until set, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Yields: about 5 dozen.

Allergy-Free Caramel Popcorn

Recipe is free of common food allergens and contains no dairy, soy, nuts, or peanuts

6 cups of popcorn (popped)

1 1/2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Pour popcorn into a large mixing bowl.

Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Heat on medium, stirring to mix.

When the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring. Gently wash down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals that have formed.

Continue to boil until mixture reaches 320 degrees, the caramel stage. Use an instant-read candy thermometer, or follow our Candy Temperature Guide to determine when the syrup is done.

Remove from heat and pour over popcorn, stirring with a large spoon. Allow to cool slightly, then dump out popcorn onto waxed paper to continue cooling.

To make popcorn balls: Work quickly before popcorn has cooled. Use greased hands (ouch) or a moldto shape popcorn into balls. Press popcorn together tightly, and set on waxed paper to cool. Yields: 6 1-cup servings

Nut-Free Trail Mix Recipe

This recipe is peanut free and nut free

2 parts sunflower seeds or roasted pumpkin seeds

2 parts raisins

2 parts nut-free granola

2 parts dried fruit (such as apricots, cherries, or dates)

1 part nut-free chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. Yields: 4 servings.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Snack Mix

This recipe is gluten free

5 cups Chocolate Chex

4 cups Cinnamon Chex

1 cup salted cashew

1 cup dried banana chips

6 tablespoons butter, cubed

1 cup flaked coconut

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 teaspoon coconut extract

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the cereals, cashews and banana chips. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Add the coconut, honey, cocoa, extract and cinnamon; stir until blended. Pour over cereal mixture and toss to coat.

Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread onto waxed paper to cool. Store in an airtight container. Yields: 3 quarts, 24 servings.

Note: Read all ingredient labels for possible gluten content prior to use. Ingredient formulas can change, and production facilities vary among brands. If you’re concerned that your brand may contain gluten, contact the company. This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

S’More Bars Recipe

This recipe is nut free.

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups flour

¾ cup graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

5 milk chocolate candy bars

1 cup marshmallow crème

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Set aside 1/2 cup for topping.

Press remaining mixture into a greased 9-in. square-baking pan. Place candy bars over crust; spread with marshmallow creme. Crumble remaining graham cracker mixture over top.

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container. Yields: 1-1/2 dozen, 18 servings.