Mormon Life - Fall tag

{Food Dish} LDS Living in the Kitchen: Pumpkin Recipes

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:05:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Read about real-life experiences with the delicious (and sometimes daring) pumpkin recipes LDS Living recently published.

The pumpkin-themed recipe section that we published in the September/October 2011 issue of LDS Living (click here to see it online) has actually been in the works for several years. So, when it finally came time to run the recipes, we were thrilled and anxious to try them out for ourselves. Find out how it went down.

Pumpkin Curry Soup
Ashley Evanson, online editor
This soup is a-ma-zing. I made it twice, once with homemade canned pumpkin and the other with canned pumpkin from the store. Honestly, they were both delicious so the homemade stuff didn't make a difference. I'm all about big flavor so I added an extra bay leaf and a pinch more of each spice. The soup actually turned out to be more of a risotto, but you can add less rice if you want it more soup-like. My husband doesn't like pumpkin food (crazy, I know), but he went back for seconds of this curry soup. I highly recommend it.  

Pumpkin Pancakes
Ashley Evanson, online editor
I substituted pumpkin pie spice for all of the spices, and used vanilla yogurt instead of plain. The pancakes turned out pretty good, but I think what made them a hit was the topping I used: apple pie jam. It created the perfect flavor combination with the pumpkin. I had a pancake with plain maple syrup (the cheap kind), and although good, it was nothing compared to the jam. Other topping options: apple butter, peach jam, REAL maple syrup, creme fraiche, or any combination of these.

Cherokee Pow Wow Stew
Whitney Sorensen, intern
As a college student, I generally avoid recipes that involve more than four ingredients or require a lot of chopping. I like to cook, but I hardly ever have ingredients on hand and onions make me cry. But the taste and aroma of this soup more than compensated for the minimal time and effort I put into creating it. While I was chopping away, my roommates came home one by one and wondered aloud what the delicious aroma was. I had to agree: I couldn’t wait for a taste. When it finally came, I knew I would be making this stew again. Soon.

In this recipe, the pumpkin actually acts as part of the stew base, mixing with the beef broth and juice from the canned tomatoes for just the right texture. The recipe didn’t specify, so I chose a red onion for color and chopped all the vegetables rather roughly because I like plenty of crunch in every bite. But be aware, the potatoes will take a while to cook through. For a creamier soup, I added a dollop of light sour cream and some shredded cheese, but it tastes great without these extras.

Pumpkin Joes
Katie Barlow, intern
I’m not a fan of sloppy joes, but I do love pumpkin and was excited to see how this recipe would turn out. Although the pumpkin flavor was subtle, I could definitely tell these tasted different from regular sloppy joes. I loved the richer and more sophisticated flavor the pumpkin and spices added to it and felt this recipe was very easy to make.

I used a food processor to finely chop the onions, and I think that made them too small because they were imperceptible in the final product. My mom said she might have liked the recipe better without the pumpkin pie spice, and after having made it, I’d be curious to try it with different spices like allspice, ginger, and nutmeg minus the cinnamon. I ended up using closer to ¾ cup of pumpkin, which is more than the original recipe called for, because the chili sauce was very overpowering.

Overall I loved the recipe and suggest it to anyone who doesn’t like sloppy joes because it just might change their mind.

Pumpkin Alfredo
Kate Ensign-Lewis, online editor
I was super excited to make this because I’ve had great experiences with pumpkin, Parmesan, and pasta before (actually from that Iron Chef: Pumpkin thing I mention below). But, I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with the final product. This is probably more a function of my execution than of the actual recipe. I think I used the wrong kind of fresh pasta under the sauce (I opted for a sausage tortellini rather than a cheese ravioli, like Sara at Our Best Bites suggested), and also maybe from the Alfredo base I used (my own recipe, not Sara’s recipe). The pumpkin taste was subtle, so it wasn’t a bad taste, it was just a little lackluster. I didn’t have time to try the recipe again with different pasta or Alfredo, but I’m willing to give it a shot since I know what an awesome combo this is. I’ll let you know the results when I do.

Pumpkin Cookies
Kaela Worthen, associate editor
This is my mom’s recipe, and one of my most favorite dessert recipes of all time. These cookies are easy to make, and they’re ridiculously delicious. And best of all, they’re healthy!—for a cookie. The pumpkin makes you feel as if you’re not actually eating anything bad for you. Unfortunately, because of their semi-healthful qualities and not overpoweringly sweet and rich flavor, that also means I can easily gulp down a dozen of them in one sitting. It’s happened—too many times for me to be able to admit. Which probably negates all healthful benefits. If you want to make them even healthier, though, the recipe also works perfectly with whole wheat flour instead of white, and you can also replace the oil with applesauce (I would recommend only doing half and half though, as the texture gets sacrificed if you ditch the oil completely). In an attempt at stopping myself from consuming entire batches in single days, I have also frozen the cookies with great success. They thaw out perfectly (you know, like, 2 days after I’ve frozen them and I’ve already run out of the unfrozen ones and am still craving more).

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
Erin Hallstrom, associate publisher
I am a recent convert to pumpkin pie—didn’t really like it until a couple years ago when I decided it was time to become a grown-up and learn to enjoy such an iconic dessert. If only I had tried this shake earlier, then maybe I would have been a pumpkin pie devotee for much longer. This shake brilliantly meshes the tastes of pumpkin pie with the best of all desserts (ice cream). I made no changes to the recipe, and my only suggestion is to keep more graham crackers on hand to add when the top layer of the shake gets eaten.

Pumpkin Roll
Kate Ensign-Lewis, online editor
Sooo good. I actually made this several times when the Lion House first came out with their Lion House Bakery cookbook a couple years ago. I made it first after seeing the photo; then again when my husband requested we make it again; then again when we had an Iron Chef: Pumpkin cookoff with some friends for Halloween (which, by the way, is an awesome way to spend Halloween—but I digress). The pumpkin roll was amazing each time. Once you get the technique of turning out the cake onto a towel and rolling it up, it isn’t that hard. And the cream cheese frosting is TO DIE FOR. A definite must-make for fans of spice and cream cheese.

Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 00:03:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We love pumpkin! Enjoy autumn with some of these great pumpkin recipes and get the most of this delightful orange vegetable.

Fall is often associated with the many colors, shapes, and sizes of squash that abound during this season. Most famous of all is the pumpkin, used as a Halloween decoration and in pies galore. But its uses extend beyond the traditional baked goods. Check out these recipes to find new and exciting ways to introduce pumpkin to your table.

Click here for LDS Living staff reviews of some of the recipes on our Food Dish blog!

Roasted Pumpkin and Apple Galette with Mustard-Maple Glaze
Natalie Perry; Reno, Nevada

3 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped pumpkin flesh (1-inch cubes)
2 large, tart baking apples, cored and diced into ¾-inch cubes
1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or any heat-safe cooking oil)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
Prepared piecrust dough (enough for one crust)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese for garnish

To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 425° F. Place pumpkin, apples, and onion onto a rimmed cookie sheet. Toss with the oil, and then spread them out in a single layer. Roast in the center of the oven until everything is tender and beginning to turn golden (and even darker) in spots, about 35–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool until room temperature. Tip: You can do this a day ahead of time. Simply store the roasted bits in the fridge, covered, until ready to use.

To prepare the crust: Preheat (or reduce temperature) to 375° F. Whisk together the maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.

Roll out piecrust dough into a circle, roughly 12 inches across. Transfer to a clean, rimmed baking sheet. Spread the roasted vegetables on the circle evenly, leaving a 2-inch border all around. Brush the maple-mustard mixture onto the vegetables. Fold the dough toward the center, sealing any cracks or rips. You should have a rustic-looking free-form pie.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let it sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. Cut into slices and sprinkle Parmesan shavings over the top. Serves 4.

Pasta with Pumpkin Alfredo
By Our Best Bites

1 package fresh pasta
10 oz Alfredo sauce
½ tablespoon real butter
¼ cup finely minced onion
½ cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons chicken broth
1 tablespoon choped fresh sage
½ tablespoon fresh thyme

Follow instructions on pasta to cook. In a separate sauce pan melt butter on medium heat. When melted, add onion. Make sure onion is very finely diced to create a smooth sauce without chunks. Saute onions until soft. Add chicken broth and herbs.

Use a spatula to deglaze the pan a bit and get any cooked bits of onion off the bottom. Add pumpkin and whisk to combine. Add Alfredo sauce, stir to combine, and cook until heated through. Depending on the Alfredo you use, you may need to adjust salt and pepper. Serve on top of prepared pasta and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of extra herbs. Pair it with a salad and breadsticks for a great meal.

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake
By Our Best Bites

1/3 cup pumpkin puree, canned or homemade
¼–½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1/16 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1-2 graham crackers

Put everything but the graham crackers into the blender. Start with ¼ cup milk and slowly add more if needed to make the blender process it all. Sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top before serving.

Cherokee Pow Wow Pumpkin Stew
Darla Barton-Knoles; Modesto, CA

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups beef broth
2 pound small new or fingerling potatoes
4 carrots, sliced, or ½ pounds baby carrots
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tsp Lawry’s seasoning salt (optional)
1 can (14.5 oz) whole diced Italian-seasoned tomatoes, chopped
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Place beef in the saucepan and cook evenly until brown. Transfer meat to a 2-quart or larger slow cooker. Mix in remaining ingredients and simmer in high for 3–4 hours or low for 6–8 hours. Serve with salad, cheese and crackers, cornbread, or tortillas. Serves 8.

Pumpkin Cake Roll
By Lion House

3 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts
powdered sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 (3-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 10×15-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, and grease paper. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer until lemon colored. Gradually add sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; fold into egg-pumpkin mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth out top, and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake for 15 minutes. 

Lay a clean kitchen towel out on the counter. Sprinkle powdered sugar on kitchen towel. Turn the warm cake onto towel and remove parchment paper. Roll up cake and towel lengthwise. Cool in refrigerator or freezer. 

While cake cools, beat margarine and cream cheese together until smooth. Beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Unroll cake and spread with filling. Roll up again. Cut cake roll in half. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap until served. Store in refrigerator, or freeze for later use. Cut rolls in 1-inch slices to serve.

Pumpkin Curry Soup
Lisa Jerret; California 

4 tablespoons butter 
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed 
2 cups canned pumpkin
4 cups water
6 chicken bouillon cubes 
3 chicken breasts, seasoned, cooked, & cubed
 1 bay leaf 
1/2 teaspoon curry
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pepper 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 cups half & half 
2-3 cups cooked rice  

Melt butter in sauté pan. Sauté onion and garlic in melted butter. Add everything but half-and-half and cooked rice. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add half and half and rice and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Lee Davi; California

Serves 8

2 cups flour
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
3 eggs
1 cup yogurt
¾ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices (may substitute with 1 ½ or 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice instead). In a separate bowl, beat eggs well with electric hand mixer until frothy; add yogurt, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter onto a preheated, oiled griddle, using ¼ cup batter for each pancake. Cook pancakes slowly over a low-medium heat for approximately 4–6 minutes, flipping as soon as you see air bubbles start to break. Serves 8.

Pumpkin Sloppy Joes
Geri Thomas; Tooele, UT

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 finely chopped onion
12 ounces chili sauce
1/2 cup pumpkin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 8-oz can tomato sauce

Mix and brown together the ground beef and onion. Add the chili sauce, pumpkin, spices, and tomato sauce. Simmer mixture about one hour. Serve on buns.

Pumpkin Cookies
Vicki Worthen; Boise, ID

1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup cooked or canned pumpkin
½ cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cup flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
raisins (optional)
chopped nuts (optional)
chocolate chips (optional)

In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar, pumpkin, oil, and vanilla. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Stir until smooth. Blend in raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° F for 12–15 minutes. Makes 3–4 dozen.

{Food Dish} Fall Comfort Foods

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:17:00 -0600

by Ashley Evanson
source: MormonLife.com

Hooray! Today is the first day of autumn, and that means it’s time to whip out all of your favorite fall comfort foods. (Swimsuit season is over so it’s okay to eat pumpkin cookies and caramel apple cider, right?) Enjoy these delicious fall time recipes, or comment below on your own favorites.

Photo from Crumpets and Cakes.
French Apple Tart

Photo from The Fig Tree.
Pumpkin Maple Macaroni & Cheese

Photo from Beyond the Plate.
Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Chanterelles, Sage

Photo from Running to the Kitchen.
Pumpkin Banana Smoothie

Photo from Chocolate and Carrots.
Pumpkin Pie Crepes

Photo from Everyday Occasions.
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Browned Butter

Photo from Honest Cooking.
Apple Spelt Pound Cake

Photo from The Peach Kitchen.
Apple Pie Dip & Cinnamon-Sugar Tortilla Chips

Photo from I Adore Food.
Carrot Soup

Photo from Our Best Bites.
Caramel Apple Cider

--

Ashley Evanson is the online editor at LDS Living. She loves eating Costco hot dogs, Pinterest (addicted!), and America's Funniest Home Videos.

Perfect Picking

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:00:00 -0700

by Joy Bossi and Karen Bastow
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: How can you tell when those fruits and vegetables are at their prime and ready to harvest? There is often a window that may only last a few days and you certainly want to eat or preserve those veggies when they are at their best. Here's a description of the most common vegetables and fruits typically grown in home gardens:

Beans Green beans--the color green that is--are not supposed to look like a beaded necklace in a little green sleeve. The pods should be picked when they are still straight, without bulges. Same goes for yellow or purple "green" beans.

Beets, Turnips, Rutabagas Beets should be between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball when you pull them. And the same goes for turnips and rutabagas. (Don't knock them until you've tried them. They really are good in a stew, Cornish Pasty, or medley of roasted root vegetables. Notice they are vegetables? You are eating the roots! Carrots and onions are veggies, too. Technically you are eating an onion bulb, but it still counts as a vegetable.)

Carrots Carrots can stay in the ground even after the first frost--making storage from summer to about November a snap. Of course you can harvest as soon as they are big enough to look like carrots. But, how do you tell, since they are underground? Pull one and check! Just go out and get one when it's time for the Sunday roast or a picnic veggie plate. If your soil has dried out a little, use a spading fork to loosen the soil before trying to pull up the carrots. This will prevent you from coming away with just a handful of the lacy leafy greens.

Cucumbers Cucumbers--another of the lovely fruits--play a hide-and-seek game with you, and the winner gets the cucumber. Vines that were chugging out four, five, or six cucumbers a day can suddenly stop altogether. No new blossoms, no fruit, nothing to pick at all. That signals the start of the game. You need to very carefully, perhaps even on bended knee, search under every leaf and stem until you find the bulging, no longer little, cucumber that is probably even turning a little yellow on one side. Pick that blasted over-blown cucumber and it will be like releasing water behind a plugged watering furrow. Whoosh—overnight blossoms appear, and in less than a week you are back to making little cucumber sandwiches! Pickling cucumbers usually have little pokey spines on them and can be picked from the time they are two inches long. Slicing cucumbers, usually the ones with the smooth skin, can be picked when they are from 6-16 inches long, depending on the variety.

Melons Remember, melons don't store well at all! Therefore, eating is the only answer to the question of what to do with them once they are ripe. But that brings us to yet another question--how do you tell when they are ripe?

Watermelons should be good to eat when the little pigtail tendril opposite the stem that hooks the watermelon to the vine is dried up and the underside of the melon has changed from a dull cream color to yellow.

Rather than, or sometimes in addition to, the tendril checking, some gardeners prefer the "thump-thump" method. An unripe melon is supposed to sound like you just thumped somebody's head. I've heard it said "your own" head, but I think that complicates the method by the echo you hear through your skull. (At least that's my excuse for not getting the underripe diagnosis "correct.") Ripeness is signaled when the thump sounds like a solid whack against your chest. The oh-rats-it's-too-ripe sound is like you thwacked your abdomen.

Some melons "slip" or come off the vine easily when ready. Many muskmelons and cantaloupes do this. It is an easy way to judge the melons--just lift and tilt, and if they drop off the stem easily, they are ready! Sometimes it does lead to over-ripe fruit because nobody went out and checked yesterday or the day before when they were perfect, but now they are mushy and have a yucky taste.

Corn Fresh corn is an absolute treat--and with the super sweet varieties it almost qualifies as a dessert! Picking corn is easy--grab the husk-covered ear and twist it off the stalk. Being able to tell if it is ripe is another skill all together. Peel back the husk a little--just a little, because you may need to leave that ear on the stalk a while longer--to expose the little kernels. Poke one with a fingernail and if juice squirts out it's time to pick. If the little kernel still has the silk attached or is rather flat instead of plump, you need to wait a couple of days. If the kernel is big and tightly packed against the other kernels and when you poke with a fingernail it just dents in, sorry Charlie; you waited too long.

With the newly developed super sweet varieties of corn, you can actually put the ears in the fridge for a day or two and it will still be perfectly sweet and ready to eat. In the "olden" days, it was often said that the way to have a perfect ear of corn on the cob was this: Get a big pot of water and bring the water to a boil. Only after it's boiling do you go to the garden to pick the corn. Then you start running back to the kitchen, but if you fall down on the way by the time you get up, the corn is too old and you'll need to go back and pick fresher ears!

Most corn has been harvested by September.

Onions Onions meant to be used as green onions, or scallions, can be pulled as soon as they are pencil-sized. Leave them in the ground with enough space, and some of them will grow to "slice them for a hamburger" size. They should be pulled before a hard frost.

Peppers Ripe peppers have a much sweeter taste than the not-quite-ripe green ones. Sweet or bell peppers will change color when they are ripe! So be daring and let them become red, yellow, orange or purple peppers. Hot peppers change color too. The color changes when they approach their full size.

The hottest parts of the pepper are the seeds and the whitish ribs on the inside of the fruit. (There's that fruit thing again! Seeds inside equals fruit.) You can tone down the heat a little by removing those parts before chopping or slicing or stuffing or whatever tasty thing you do with your peppers. And do be careful when handling those fiery gems. Be sure to wear gloves and remember to wash your hands very well with soap and water before rubbing your eyes, nose, or any other sensitive areas.

Tomatoes One of the reasons gardeners and eaters love home-grown tomatoes is that there is actually flavor in them thar red/yellow/orange "tomaters." That wonderful taste difference can be explained at least in part because home gardeners actually let the tomatoes ripen before picking them. Commercially produced tomatoes must be picked green so they can survive the long journey to your local market, hence the flavorless crunch of store-bought offerings.

But to really rank higher on the delight scale than those from the grocery produce department, tomatoes must be picked when just perfectly ripe--or very close so they can ripen on your counter.

Tomatoes need to be uniformly the color intended (red, yellow, orange, purple, and so on), and need to nearly fall into your palm when you put your hand under the fruit and lift with a slight twist. Sometimes the little stem comes with the tomato, sometimes not--it doesn't matter. But if you're tugging rather vigorously before the tomato reluctantly gives up its home, you should consider coming back in a day or two and try it again. Remember, actual taste is worth waiting for.

Summer Squash In order for summer squashes such as zucchini and yellow crookneck to be at their tender best, pick zucchini when they are a maximum of six to eight inches long. The baby squash that are so expensive in the store are yours for the picking, too. Just snap off any summer squash when they are only 2 to 3 inches long, and you'll have a gourmet's delight.

If your family is from Italy (or not) and has a traditional recipe for stuffed zucchini, you may want to let one, two, or more approach 12 inches long. This will take only an extra day or two, so don't let your family heritage lull you into a lackadaisical approach to squash harvest. Vigilance is the watchword for tending the summer squash plot. And when picking, always keep an eye out for the one hiding under one of the huge leaves--oh, it's there all right. And if left alone to continue its zucchini or yellow squash tendency, it will not only turn into that baseball bat, but because the seeds inside are starting to mature, the entire plant will concentrate on that one fruit, and stop producing the little squash that are soooo good to eat.

Harvest From Fruit Trees

Apples Cut an apple in half to check for ripeness--dark brown seeds indicate a ripe apple, but maybe still not at the peak of the sweetness. Many apples are sweetest after the first couple of light frosts.

Peaches For peaches to be at their sweetest, the sunshine should hit the fruit. Proper pruning in the early spring should create an open-centered tree to expose the fruit to the sun. A ripe peach should fall into your hand when you put your palm under the fruit and lift up and twist slightly. The fruit should give slightly when you squeeze gently. They develop their sweetest flavor when ripened on the tree, so don't be in a hurry to pick them.

Pears Pears need to be picked while still green, both in color and ripeness. If left to ripen on the tree, pears develop "stone cells" which feel very gritty when you chew the fruit. Pick the pears just as the little tiny spots or dots appear on the skin. Put them on the counter or in a paper bag to finish ripening. Check every day and when they are yellow and give slightly when you squeeze them, they are ready to eat.

Plums A gentle squeeze and then a taste test will let you know if they are ripe--and will really jolt the old taste buds if they aren't!

--- Excerpted from Joy in Your Garden: A Seasonal Guide to Gardening, by Joy Bossi and Karen Bastow, Cedar Fort 2010. Now available at amazon.com.

A Great Escape

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:00:00 -0600

by LDS Living Staff
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: The weather is changing, making it the perfect time for you to curl up with a good book. But that's not the only reason to read in October. October is a month to escape to somewhere fantastic, without having to leave your home. It's National Book Month, when people everywhere are encouraged to read just for the pleasure of it.

With fall here and settling down, it's important for kids - and everyone else, for that matter - to remember the delights that come from reading for enjoyment. Here are some tips from the National Book Foundation for getting the whole family involved in National Book Month, and perhaps creating some lifelong habits of reading good books.

Family trips to the local library. Encourage each family member to check out at least one book.
Family reading night. Set aside time to read each week. Afterward, hold family discussions, giving each member a chance to talk about the book they are reading.
Family game nights about literature. Play some of your favorite family games with a literary twist, like charades based on favorite book titles.
Reading with your kids. Not only does this help your child realize the importance of reading, it is a great opportunity to spend one-on-one time together.

The American Library Association, which was founded in October 1876, also has programs in place to encourage reading. Visit ala.org to find out more.