How to make homemade caramel corn in the microwave with no more than a few ingredients and a paper bag. (No mess, no fuss!) Just add some shake-it-up energy for some good family fun! A few years back, my book club read Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season . We were a group of mostly young mothers, some at home, some working outside the home. Many of us were caught up with creating memorable holidays for our families. We’d wanted it all! The shopping, the gifts, the wrapping, the food, the parties, the decorating, the tree, the concerts, the church programs, the special outfits, the … you get the picture. We had become “Christmas Machines” and had lost the real spirit of Christmas. The book and our discussion helped us think about the holidays in a new way. Many of us decided to pare back our holiday activities to those we found most meaningful. For families with children, making caramel corn some afternoon ju

This fruity chutney has been my favorite cranberry condiment for more than twenty years. It's cranberry for grown-ups, thick with that wonderful sourness of fresh cranberries plus dried fruit and toasted nuts, deepened with a splash of brandy. And it's a season-spanning chutney, good for Thanksgiving but also as a side or hostess gift during the weeks before and after Christmas. Real Food, Fresh & Seasonal. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Great for Meal Prep. Great for Gifts. Potluck & Party Friendly. Not just vegan, Vegan Done Real . Naturally Gluten Free.

Cranberry Orange Relish is that old-fashioned family favorite, you know the one, where you grind cranberries with a whole orange and sweeten it with sugar? In my contemporary version, a little fresh ginger brightens the mixture. It's especially icy-good when ground at the last minute with frozen cranberries. This is a contemporary version of an old favorite Thanksgiving recipe, the Cranberry Orange Relish. While the relish can be made in advance, it’s quite special when made at the very last minute with frozen cranberries. The result is an icy froth rich with bright ginger. This was discovered by accident awhile back but it’s so good that now I make it only when the dish can be served right away! Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-

My long-time recipe for pumpkin bread, almost elegant in its very simplicity. The crumb is firm and moist, spiked with autumn spices and studded with seasonal nuts. Make Autumn Pumpkin Bread in traditional loaves for slicing – or use the same batter to make Pumpkin Bread Muffins! Fresh & Seasonal, a Fall Classic. Budget-Friendly. Rave Reviews.