Linda Medeiros, Independent Director with The Pampered Chef

11/11/2025

Looking at things through another lens can change everything.

11/10/2025

November 10 - National Vanilla Cupcake Day
Cupcakes can be traced back to 1796 when a recipe notation for a cake to be baked in small cups was written in American Cookery (by Amelia Simmons). The earliest known documentation of the term cupcake was in 1828 in Seventy-five Recipes for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats in Eliza Leslie's Recipes cookbook.

Vanilla Cupcakes
This classic is a piece of cupcake to make with the Deluxe Stand Mixer

Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
⅔ cup (150 mL) vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla extract
½ cup (125 mL) milk
1½ cup (375 mL) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180° C).
Add all the ingredients into the bowl of the Deluxe Stand Mixer. Select MIX for 2 minutes. Press Start.
Place a cupcake liner into each well of a 12 well Muffin Pan. Equally divide the batter between the wells.
Bake until lightly golden-brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-22 minutes.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and immediately transfer to a cooling rack.
Cool completely before adding frosting or icing.
Yield:
12 servings
Nutrients per serving:
U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 250, Total Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 30 mg, Sodium 65 mg, Carbohydrate 29 g, Fiber 0 g, Sugars 17 g (includes 17 added sugar), Protein 3 g

11/10/2025

Which side would you pick? Besides all of them 😂

11/10/2025

2qt. Square Insulated Serving Bowl makes all the difference. Keeps food hot or cold for up to 2 hours — perfect for bringing in from the patio or serving holiday favorites. The double-walled stainless steel and lid trap heat, and its shape fits stacked burgers, carved turkey, or waffles—space saving and fridge-friendly. The large lid handle and hook make serving easy, even with oven mitts. It’s designed to meet the moment, whether hosting friends or keeping dinner warm.

11/09/2025

November 9 - National Greek Yogurt Day

In Greece, they call it straggisto I.e strained yogurt. The name "Greek" yogurt was first used to describe products manufactured by Fage, a company in Athens, Greece. However it became popular after Chobani, a company created in the US by a Turkish man, started using the term too.

WHIPPED GREEK YOGURT

SERVE WITH FRESH FRUIT, AS A PARFAIT, OR EVEN BY ITSELF, THIS CREAMY WHIPPED YOGURT IS AS VERSATILE AS IT IS DELICIOUS!

INGREDIENTS
1 cup (250 mL) (whole or 2%) Greek yogurt
1 cup (250 mL) heavy cream
¼ cup (60 mL) honey
½ tsp (1 mL) vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to the bowl of the Deluxe Stand Mixer. Set to WHIP.
Serve as is or refrigerate until chilled and thickened. Serve with fruit, over poundcake, or over pancakes or French toast.
Yield:
8 servings of ¼ cup (60 mL)
Nutrients per serving:
U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 150, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Sodium 55 mg, Carbohydrate 10 g, Fiber 0 g, Sugars 10 g (includes 9 g added sugar), Protein 4 g

Cook's Tips:
Look for yogurt that contains only milk and active cultures. And stick to yogurts that are strained vs thickened with gum, gelatin or pectin. Unstrained yogurts will not whip as light or thick.

11/09/2025

11/09/2025

We all know the Christmas versions of these Pretzel Hugs...but check out this Fall version! How cute are these little treats?!

How to make Candy Corn Pretzel Hugs
Place a sheet of parchment paper, aluminum foil, or a silicone baking mat down on a baking sheet.
Arrange pretzels in a single layer on cookie sheet.
Place an unwrapped Hershey kiss on top of each pretzel.
Put baking sheet in a preheated oven, 250 degrees, and bake for about 4-5 minutes. TIP: *If the chocolate isn't soft, place back into oven for an additional 1-2 minutes.
Remove cookie sheet and quickly place one candy corn on top of each Hershey kiss.
Place sheet in refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes to allow to set up.
Serve and enjoy!

11/08/2025

November 8 - National Cappuccino Day
When the cappuccino drink was first introduced in Italy, it was named after the Capuchin friars because the color of the espresso mixed with frothed milk was similar to the color of the Capuchin robe. The name, whimsical in a world of utilitarian coffee-drink names, stuck; we borrowed it into English in the late 1800s.

Creamy Cappuccino Cheesecake
With a chocolate cookie crust, coffee-flavored filling and a cocoa dusting, this cheesecake is as stunning as it is delicious.

Ingredients
20 creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, finely chopped (about 1 ½ cups/ 375 mL)
3 tbsp (45 mL) butter, melted
3 pkgs (8 oz/250 g) cream cheese
1 cup (250 mL) sugar
¼ cup (60 mL) flour
½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
1 cup (250 mL) sour cream
3 eggs
½ cup (125 mL) cold brew coffee
Optional: cocoa powder for dusting
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F(160°C). Lightly grease the 9" (23-cm) Springform Pan with oil. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter in a small pour. Pour into the pan and press the crumbs into the bottom of pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes; remove from oven.
Add the cream cheese to the Deluxe Stand Mixer and set to BEAT for 45 seconds, press start. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt to the cream cheese; beat for another 45 seconds. Add the sour cream and eggs. Set to MIX for 1 minute. Add the coffee and mix for an additional 1 minute. Pour the filling over the crust.
Fill a large baking pan with water and place on the lower rack in the oven. Place the cheesecake on the upper rack.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Turn the oven off and keep the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven to a cooling rack. Loosen the collar of the pan and allow it to cool for 2 hours then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
Dust the top with cocoa powder before serving, if you’d like.
Yield:
16 servings
Nutrients per serving:
U.S. nutrients per serving: Calories 320, Total Fat 23 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Cholesterol 95 mg, Sodium 260 mg, Carbohydrate 24 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugars 17 g (includes 15 g added sugar), Protein 5 g

Cook's Tips:
Tip: Cooled espresso or strongly brewed coffee works, too!

11/08/2025

Sarah Josepha Hale, the author of "Mary Had a Little Lamb", was named the Mother of Thanksgiving after years of lobbying to make it a national holiday. Numerous letters finally paid off in 1863 when President Lincoln officially declared it a national holiday.

11/07/2025

November 7th - National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day
This delicious day has been around since the early 2000s and is celebrated to appreciate the unique flavor combination of bittersweet chocolate and almonds.
MOLTEN CHOCOLATE SKILLET BROWNIE
2.3
BAKED RIGHT IN OUR SIGNATURE 12" SKILLET, THIS DECADENT BROWNIE HAS TUNNELS OF CHOCOLATE SAUCE AND IS TOPPED WITH TOASTED ALMONDS.

INGREDIENTS
1 package (19-21 ounces) fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to make cake-like brownies)
1 bar (4 ounces) fine-quality bittersweet chocolate
2 cups water
1 jar (12 ounces) chocolate fudge ice cream topping
1/2 teaspoon Double-Strength Vanilla
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped
Powdered sugar
Vanilla ice cream or thawed, frozen whipped topping (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray bottom of Signature (12-in.) Skillet (do not use stainless cookware) with nonstick cooking spray. In Classic Batter Bowl, prepare brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Spread batter over bottom of skillet. Cut chocolate into small pieces using Crinkle Cutter. Sprinkle chocolate evenly over batter.

Combine water and ice cream topping in Large Micro-Cooker®; whisk until well blended using Stainless Whisk. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-6 minutes or until mixture comes to a full boil. Whisk until blended; stir in vanilla. (Mixture will be thin.) Carefully pour ice cream topping mixture over brownie batter in a circular pattern.

Bake, uncovered, 35-40 minutes or until sauce is bubbling around edges. (Top of brownie will appear very saucy, but will thicken as it cools.) Using Silicone Oven Mitt, carefully remove skillet from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack.

Coarsely chop almonds using Food Chopper; sprinkle evenly over brownie. Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar using Flour/Sugar Shaker. Spoon brownie into Simple Additions® Small Round Bowls using Nylon Spoon and serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping, if desired.

Yield:
16 servings
Nutrients per serving:
Calories 350, Total Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Carbohydrate 46 g, Protein 4 g, Sodium 140 mg, Fiber 1 g

Cook's Tips:
To toast almonds in the microwave oven, place almonds in Small Bar Pan; microwave on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring after each 30-second interval. Cool completely.

If desired, 1 teaspoon vanilla can be substituted for the Double-Strength Vanilla.

If desired, 4 squares (1 ounce each) bittersweet baking chocolate or 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels can be substituted for the bittersweet chocolate bar.

11/07/2025

One needs to go… which one?