Let the kids help with this fun Halloween recipe.

As you get ready for parties or trick-or-treaters this weekend, try these delicious pumpkin muffins. They're moist and so quick to make!

Halloween Pumpkin Muffins

1 (18 1/4-ounce) box spice cake mix

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can cream cheese frosting

Halloween candies for decorations

Mix cake mix, pumpkin, and water well (no oil or eggs necessary). Line 24 muffin pans with cupcake liners and fill each 2/3 full. Bake in 350 degree oven 18—22 minutes. Remove and let cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting, and decorate with Halloween candies, if desired.

You can put a few drops of yellow and red food coloring in the frosting to make it orange.

(From Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers, page 258)

A great start for a brand new book

Our new book is back from the printers and Sunday QVC invited me to show it off on the In The Kitchen show with my friend David Venable.

It's called Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches.

We prepared a whole spread of food from the book and David sampled a good bit of all of it.

Here's a variation on the traditional pulled pork sandwich that we call "Juicy Pig Hoagies" (p. 173). It's delicious alone, but I like to serve it with Southwestern Salsa Coleslaw right on the bun.

(I've put this recipe on my website. If you'd like a copy, just click here.)


We're so excited to get to debut this third 'Fast & Fabulous' cookbook on QVC.

We put more color photographs in this cookbook. Here David shows the page featuring Craisin Carrot Tea Sandwiches (pg. 145) and Mini Crab Melts (pg 163).

We had such a good time that they've asked us to come back!

So if you get a chance, tune in Friday, Oct 9th at 3 pm (Eastern) on QVC's "By Popular Demand" show.

Better yet, give QVC a call and maybe I'll get to talk to you on air!

Here's the new book. It's only available on QVC right now.


~ Gwen

Barbara Moseley's turn on QVC

We love visiting QVC and getting to see the beautiful Pennsylvania countryside. However, recently it was Barbara who was in front of the cameras instead of me.

She was featured on QVC's Smart Cooking show with our new book 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes.

She says this is her favorite part....makeup!


You can watch the video of it on QVC's website. Just click on the word "Video" above the photo of our 5-Ingredients book.

I wanted to give you a recipe that was featured on that last QVC segment: Malted Milk Ball Pie. You can see it here in the very lower left corner of the screen. It's just heavenly!

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Malted Milk Ball Pie

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened
2 cups crushed malted milk balls, divided
1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust
1/3 cup marshmallow creme
1 (8-ounce) carton frozen Cool Whip, thawed

Mix ice cream and 3/4 cup crushed malted milk balls. Spread into crust. Freeze.

Combine marshmallow creme, 3/4 cup crushed malted milk balls, and whipped topping. Spread over frozen ice cream mixture. Freeze again.

Just before serving, top with remaining 1/2 cup crushed malted milk balls. This is absolutely fabulous!

{Recipe from: 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes, page 255.}

Book signing at Everyday Gardener in Jackson

This Thursday Patty Roper is going to be signing copies of her new book, Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations, at The Everyday Gardener in the Fondren area of Jackson. She'll be there from noon until 3:00 p.m. Thursday, September 17.

View their website at EverydayGardener.com

The address is 2905 Old Canton Road, Jackson, MS. If you're out that way please stop by and say hello. (For directions or questions, you can reach the store at 601-981-0273)

Cooking at the library?

Our own Melinda Burnham, from Quail Ridge Press, was the featured speaker at the Pearl Library on Friday, August 28th for their "Brown Bag Lunch" series, sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Over 30 people stopped by over the lunch hour to watch as Melinda prepared several dishes -- and gave out delicious samples.

All the recipes for her cooking demonstration came from the books 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes and Fast & Fabulous Party Foods and Appetizers. She showed the audience how easy it is to cook great food without spending a lot of time or money.

Thanks, Melinda, for a great presentation!

At Patty Roper's book signing in Madison

We went out to Patty Roper's book signing in Madison on Saturday. The new Everyday Gourmet store is so nice and has everything you'd ever need in your kitchen. It also connects to the adjacent Viking Cooking School, which is also very impressive.




All of the food I sampled was just wonderful. Patty had baked several of the recipes from her new book, including some delicate pink Parisan Macaroons (pg. 69) and Spicy Cheese Hearts (pg. 137).

Patty was set up in the front of Everyday Gourmet, just to the right as you entered the store. It was a beautiful day and sunlight just flooded the store's oversized windows.

Patty also displayed samples of some of the tablescapes she designed for parties. The one closest to you in this photo is from a Tie The Knot Party, a get-together for groomsmen where she decorates each place setting with mens ties. How adorable!

Barney and our granddaughter sample some of the delicious cookies.

Here I am with Patty Roper (center) and Marlana Walters (left) one of the owners of The Everyday Gourmet store where the signing was held.

Book Signing Aug 22 at Everyday Gourmet in Madison, MS

If you're close to the Jackson metro area, I hope you'll make plans to come by The Everyday Gourmet's grand opening of their new Madison, MS store on Saturday, August 22nd.

One of our authors, Patty Roper, will be there signing copies of Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m. You'll get to sample some of the party food from her book as well as see her ingenious ideas for elegant-but-affordable table decorations.

I'm going to stop by while she's there. I hope you will, too!

AUGUST 22, 2009

10 am ~ 4 pm

The Everyday Gourmet (New Location)

1107 Highland Colony Parkway

Madison, MS

Come meet Patty Roper, editor of Mississippi Magazine and author of 4 popular books on entertaining, including Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations.

Happy Birthday Mary Beth! And thanks for a great show.

Barbara Moseley, Patty Roper and I are in Pennsylvania today for QVC's special two-hour program My Time With Mary Beth: A 50th Birthday Celebration. We showcased our new book Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations and had the best time seeing -- and tasting -- all the wonderful foods that go along with the book's party themes.

This was our national debut for this lovely new book.

Calla Lilly Sandwiches made with bread rounds and cream cheese filling.

Here's a cute and easy little puppy dog cake that's made with two cupcakes.

Easy miniature wedding cakes for each party guest.

So many great ideas for party food. So little time!

Like to watch the video?
Click below to go to QVC.

Select the tab marked "Video".
Then click on "On Air Presentation".

'Easy Parties' to make its debut on QVC

(Click here to read more)

Be sure to watch QVC on Wednesday, August 12 at 9:00 am Eastern/ 8:00 am Central.

I'll be on the program "My Time With Mary Beth" to offer Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations, a brand-new cookbook written by Patty Roper and published by our company, Quail Ridge Press.

This lovely full-color how-to book on entertaining takes you step by step through hosting a whirlwind season of social events from a poolside brunch or holiday dinner party, to a bridal shower or at-home wedding reception.

Inside are 30 complete party plans with more than 250 recipes, stunning full-color photographs, and easy-to-follow directions for creating striking table decorations, giftwrapping, and party invitations—all made with simple, everyday materials.

Patty Roper is the editor of Mississippi Magazine and authors the popular "Easy Does It' column. She'll be with me at QVC and may get to say hello on the air.

Hope you can tune in and watch!

~ Gwen

Did you see this month's Quail Ridge Press newsletter?

Every month, Barbara and I write a newsletter to send out to all our friends. We usually put in a new recipe or two, along with some special prices on one of our books. For August we've got a special $10 cookbook offer for book 500 Fast & Fabulous 5-Ingredient Recipes.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, you can get your name on the list by clicking here.

~ Gwen