[1] Stuffed Puffs S’mores Kit: chocolate-stuffed marshmallows plus graham crackers (all photos © Stuffed Puffs).

[2] A bag of Stuffed Puffs, individually wrapped with Halloween packaging (year-round bags, not individually wrapped, are also available).

[3] The chocolate inside.

How do you make a big, fluffy marshmallow even better? Stuff it with chocolate.

S’mores around the campfire is been a yummy tradition: a stick, a fire, two toasted marshmallows, a square of chocolate and two graham crackers turn into a delicious chocolate marshmallow sandwich.

While there have been numerous creative uses of s’mores (see our recipe list), as well as flavored marshmallows and chocolate-covered marshmallows, there’s now a true innovation:

Stuffed Puffs.

These marshmallows filled with soft chocolate (photo #3) are a game-changer, both in the marshmallow category and for making S’mores.

Stuffed Puffs were created by Michael Tierney. What seems like an obvious idea, he says, was actually born around a campfire.

While it may seem like a simple idea, it’s very hard to execute—which is why it hasn’t been done before. It took Tierney seven years to work out the details.

Now that chocolate-filled marshmallows are a reality, S’mores lovers no longer have to juggle marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers over the heat—be it a campfire, fireplace, grill or gas stove.

Stuffed Puffs also solve the problem that marshmallows often do not get hot enough to melt the chocolate.

With the chocolate inside the marshmallow, Stuffed Puffs has ingeniously solved the problem: The chocolate melts while the marshmallow toasts. It’s fail-safe.

Stuffed Puffs are a great gift for Halloween and Christmas…but they’re also a treat that requires no holiday.

Whether toasted or out of the bag, just enjoy them!
 
 
BUY STUFFED PUFFS:

 
 
>>>FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT STUFFEDPUFFS.COM<<<

October 23rd is National Boston Cream Pie Day.

Boston Cream Pie is actually a layer cake, not a pie. Two yellow cake layers are filled with vanilla cream and iced with chocolate ganache.

Here’s more about it, and how it got its name—plus a recipe to bake your own from scratch.

But let’s skip the “pie” for a moment, in favor of Boston Cream Cupcakes (photo #1).

Inspired by the original Boston Cream Pie—created at Boston’s Parker House Hotel over 150 years ago—a kit created by King Arthur Flour enables even novice bakers to achieve beautiful results.

The recipe makes moist, golden cupcakes with a rich cream filling and a swirl of fluffy chocolate frosting on top.

With the “surprise” cream filling, they’re a fun, easy homemade dessert or snack.

 
We like this kit as a gift for young bakers or prospective bakers, and have put it on our holiday gift list.

But you don’t need to wait until then to enjoy Boston Cream Cupcakes.
 
 
GET YOUR KIT AT KINGARTHURFLOUR.COM

[1] Adapting Boston Cream Pie to cupcakes (both photos © King Arthur Flour).

[2] The kit: Ready, set, bake!

[1] Autumn mac and cheese, with whole wheat pasta, sweet potatoes and kale (photos #1 and #2 © North Carolina Sweet Potatoes).

[2] Beautiful sweet potatoes, grown in North Carolina.

[3] This variety of kale is variously called black Tuscan, dinosaur or lacinato (photo © Good Eggs).

Macaroni and cheese is a favorite in many households: comfort food that sticks to your ribs.

For an autumn touch, this macaroni and cheese recipe incorporates sweet potatoes and kale—not just as seasonal accents, but for added nutrition, too.

It also uses whole wheat pasta, and changes things up by using rotini instead of elbow macaroni.

Originating in northern Italy, rotini are spirals or twists like fusilli, but shorter—about 1-½ inches long, with a tighter spiral that helps retain the sauce better.

They are popularly used in pasta salads as well. For other substitutes, try fusilli, gemelli, penne, rotelle or torchio.

This recipe was developed by the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission, which has many recipes for sweet potatoes (including a sweet potato ice pop!).
 
 
RECIPE: AUTUMN MAC & CHEESE

Prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 30 minutes. Be sure not to cook the pasta beyond al dente, because it will get softer when baked.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°. Coat the inside of a large casserole dish with olive oil or butter.

2. PREPARE the pasta according to package directions, cooking to al dente. While the pasta is cooking…

3. Sauté the kale and spices in olive oil for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly wilted. Set aside.

4. DRAIN the cooked pasta and let cool for 5 minutes. Once cooled, add the pasta, mashed sweet potatoes, spices, and kale to medium bowl and stir to combine.

5. WHISK together in a small bowl the eggs, milk and cheese, and add to the pasta and sweet potato mixture. Mix well and and pour into a large casserole dish. Top with the extra mozzarella.

6. BAKE for 30-35 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the top begins to brown.

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*Italian Seasoning Recipe: Combine 2 tablespoons dried basil, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 2 tablespoons dried parsley, 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon dried thyme. Store in a tightly-capped container.