Taste of Home September - October 2017

Welcome to the Shortcuts issue! Most of us enjoy our cooking time— you probably wouldn’t be reading this magazine if you didn’t! But there are those darn days when time is ultra tight, schedules are packed and getting dinner on the table seems like the impossible dream. Taste of Home shortcuts to the rescue! Inside, you’ll find dozens of delicious recipe hacks and beat-the-clock kitchen tips and tricks. My favorite shortcut is refrigerated pizza crust. Just unroll, load with your favorite combo of meats, cheeses, veggies and condiments, roll it up, and bake. Voilà! Stromboli that’ll disappear in even less time than it took to make it. And if you need more save-the-day ideas, check out our Shortcut Superstars feature, which reveals 25 of the best time-saving ingredients selected by…

Pie for Dinner Serve spicy chicken empanadas, Italian beef potpie or mushroom- Gruyere turnovers. If your pie’s on the savory side, send it! Back-to-School Favorites We want busy-schedule timesavers like slow cooker breakfasts, after-school pizza roll-ups and quick cheeseburger pasta. Share Your Story We want to hear what makes you look forward to fall the most. Whether it’s making slow-cooked applesauce from fresh-picked bushels or the spiced-up chili that stars at every tailgate, tell us about your golden-season celebrations and the recipes that make them extra special. 19th recipe published! WAY TO GO, DIANE NEMITZ! This Michigan reader often baked Honey-Coconut Sticky Buns (page 75) for her B&B guests, and she never once saw any leftovers. GET SOCIAL! 20,985 shares HOT ON FACEBOOK Our Facebook fans went share-crazy for the…

Bacon Cheddar Potato Skins Both crisp and hearty, this restaurant-quality snack is often requested by my family. In fact, now I make these from scratch because they taste way better than the ones you can buy in the freezer aisle. —Trish Perrin, Keizer, OR Takes: 30 min. • Makes: 8 servings 4 large baking potatoes, baked 3 Tbsp. canola oil 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. garlic powder ¼ tsp. paprika ⅛ tsp. pepper 8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese ½ cup sour cream 4 green onions, sliced 1. Preheat oven to 475°. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a ¼-in. shell (save pulp for another use). Place potato skins on a greased baking sheet. 2. Combine oil…

I Like to Eat Apples & Bananas Bread My children love to bake (and eat) all kinds of homemade banana bread. They can make this recipe all by themselves, with just a little help from me to put it in the oven. —Kristin Metcalf, Charlton, MA Prep: 20 min. • Bake: 50 min. + cooling • Makes: 1 loaf (16 slices) 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium) 1½ cups chopped peeled apples (2 medium) ½ cup granulated sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 2 Tbsp. water 2 Tbsp. butter, melted 1½ cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut ½ cup caramel sundae syrup ¼ tsp. sea salt 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine bananas, apples,…

PICK YOUR CHICKEN Lemon-Basil Chicken 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each) 2 medium lemons 1 bunch fresh basil leaves (¾ oz.) 2 cups chicken stock 1. Place chicken breasts in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Finely grate enough zest from lemons to measure 4 tsp. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice from lemons. Add zest and juice to slow cooker. 2. Tear basil leaves directly into slow cooker. Add chicken stock. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, 3-4 hours. When cool enough to handle, shred meat with two forks. Buffalo Chicken 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix, divided 1 cup Buffalo wing sauce, divided 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 oz. each) 1. In a 3-qt. slow cooker, combine 2 Tbsp. salad dressing mix with…

Coal B. Jack RAEANN THOMPSON, BOOKS ART DIRECTOR “Coal’s favorite food is home-cooked beef liver. We have two George Foreman grills solely designated for making his treats.” Guinness ELLIE MARTIN CLIFFE, SENIOR EDITOR “Our hedgehog went crazy for shortbread. When we gave her one for a special snack, she ate it in true Cookie Monster style. Such a mess!” Mr. Pancakes RACHEL SEIS, SENIOR EDITOR “When he’s not too busy admiring himself in the mirror, Mr. Pancakes begs for his special hairball care treats, salmon flavor.” Muffin KRISTIN BOWKER, ART DIRECTOR “The way Muffin the sheep chewed on grass all day, she pretty much served as our family’s lawnmower.”…