Of course, candy makes Halloween sweet but there’s nothing quite like a homemade baked treat. These gluten-free pumpkin spice cheesecake brownies are beloved by kids of all ages—especially by those too old to trick or treat*.
These brownies are ridiculously easy to make. Just prepare one box of Price Chopper gluten-free brownie mix and top it with a pumpkin cheesecake mixture. To make the cheesecake, you combine cream cheese (regular or low fat), canned pumpkin, an egg, some sugar, and pumpkin spice. That’s it! Simply spread the cheesecake mixture on the brownie batter and swirl both batters together lightly with a knife. Pop the pan into a preheated oven and in about forty minutes, you’re rewarded with a rich treat that’s worthy of any holiday.
Although they’re hard to resist, these brownies taste better the day after they’re made. Allow the brownies to cool, cut into squares, and chill overnight. If you can’t wait to serve them, be sure to allow them to cool before serving. Right out of the oven, the cheesecake filling is soft and difficult to cut.
By the way, you’ll have a little canned pumpkin left after you make these brownies. So I included a recipe for a pumpkin spice smoothie.
*Speaking of trick or treat, be sure to check that the candy your child receives on Halloween is safe for his or her gluten-free diet. Jane Anderson at About.com put together an updated list for October 2014. (View the list here.)
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies
For the Brownie Base
nonstick cooking spray
1 box Price Chopper Gluten-Free brownie mix
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Price Chopper butter, melted and cooled
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake Topping
6 ounces Price Chopper cream cheese, regular or low-fat neufatel cheese
1 cup Price Chopper canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 large egg
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 8x8x2-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Prepare the brownie base: Combine brownie mix, eggs, and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl. Mix, either with a wooden spoon or electric mixer, until smooth. Spread 3/4 of brownie batter into the bottom of prepared pan. Set remaining batter aside.
- Prepare the pumpkin cheesecake topping: Cream the cream cheese until smooth in a small mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin and mix until smooth. Add the egg, granulated sugar, and pumpkin spice. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Spread pumpkin cheesecake mixture over brownie base. Drop remaining batter, about one tablespoon each, over pumpkin cheesecake topping. Gently Drag a knife through the brownie base and cheesecake topping to marble.
- Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Chill overnight, cut into bars, and enjoy. Store leftover brownies covered and in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Divide between two glasses and enjoy!
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Look for the Alberto VO5 Salon Series in the Hair Care aisle.
FOOD SHOULD TASTE GOOD HUMMUS and BEAN DIPS
Food Should Taste Good’s Hummus and Bean Dips are crafted with real wholesome ingredients. With delicious varieties including Falafel, Edamame Bean, Black Bean, Lentil Bean and White Bean, these dips offer a unique take on the traditional. Each variety is infused with a burst of delicious combinations of beans, spices and oils – with a flavorful topping you can see. Food Should Taste Good’s Hummus and Bean Dips are gluten free, trans fat free and cholesterol free. These delicious dips are sure to make any snacking experience extraordinary! Look for Food Should Taste Good’s Hummus and Bean Dips in the Deli Department. Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist
I drove out to Reeves Farm on a sunny Friday, with the leaves just hinting at changing their colors, and found my way down a side road with corn growing on one side, and beautiful rows of eggplant on the other side. Pulling in, multiple barns, buildings, trucks and tractors greeted me – along with a nice gentleman who knew I needed a little help getting to the farm office. Following his directions around the side of one large barn, I parked by a high top green house.
Brian and Mark Reeves are the fourth generation of their family to farm in Baldwinsville, New York, just a little north of Syracuse. There is so much work, they have split their responsibilities – Brian does most of the administrative work – the regulatory records for Gap food safety certification, sustainability audits, and salesman to food retailers, planning for next season. Brother Mark handles the HR and equipment management and repair. A third brother, and niece and nephew are also all part of the operation.
They farm 500 acres, and devote 300 of that to vegetables and berries. The menu of produce is impressive: they grow strawberries, English and sugar peas, yellow, green and gold zucchini, two types of cabbage, cucumber, three types of tomatoes, 4 types of peppers, eggplant, 5 types of winter squash, gourds and pumpkins, and rotate all of their fields with cover crops like clover and rye. The rotation of those crops helps keep the soil healthy – it adds nutrients, while it is growing and when it is all plowed back in to the soil, and keeps topsoil in place. The Reeves also minimize tilling soil as much as possible, again to protect the soil and keep it in place.
With the nights cooling off, they were picking the last of their tomatoes – the cooler summer has pushed harvest a little later 
than usual, but means that tomatoes have been more available past the end of the typical season, which I have to say, makes me pretty happy. Pumpkins are also perfect for picking now – and they really looked beautiful in the field. The Reeves have been working with Price Chopper since 1990 – starting with delivering to one local store. They feel Price Chopper is a good partner because we understand the value of local produce, and we make their produce look great in our store displays, following our own best in fresh philosophy. Reeves Farm is also active throughout the season with the Food Bank of Central New York, based in Syracuse.
Like all successful farmers, Brian applies a lot of science to making sure they have the best produce available. Each year, they evaluate and trial new seeds and varieties of produce. They base their choices on taste, yield, size, appearance and disease resistance. Some varieties are tried and true, like the Jewel strawberries that Brian loves to make shortcake with (see his video/recipe here). Brian is really encouraged by how interested people are in wanting to know how and where food is grown, and hopes that interest lasts in our sound bite world.
Though they are almost done harvesting for the year, they are also planning for next year. The cover crops they grow now are planned to help the field be super healthy for the crops that will be rotated to them next year. The winter will bring a little vacation time away, and the Syracuse University basketball season, and more planning. Brian’s favorite part of farming is farming in the spring – being outdoors, tilling soil and planting, getting their plants off to a good start and waiting for those first strawberries. We will be waiting for them too!
Written By:
Ellie Wilson, MS, RDN Senior Nutritionist
Sitting down with your family, around a meal, catching up on everyone’s day and making plans together is one of the most basic things that families do together. We also know that families have a lot of challenges these days, and may not be able to make that classic family mealtime happen as often as they want. Family Mealtimes Matter is a campaign that we’ve been sharing with our customers for the last six years, with our partners at Cornell Cooperative Extension, to help families focus on making that family time happen in as many ways as possible. Turns out, family mealtimes are one of the most important things a family can do to set children up for good health and success.
It doesn’t matter what meal it is, or even if the meal is really healthy – it is the time together that counts the most. Sharing food and conversation together can help children maintain a healthier weight, which generally means they do better with getting enough nutrients like calcium and fiber, and can protect them from eating disorders. Eating meals together also really improves their language and communication skills, helps them do better in school, and have fewer behavioral problems.
So, even if the meal is not ideal, don’t miss the chance to sit and eat together. It helps children feel secure, bringing you all closer, and creates a little island of time to focus on each other, instead of our increasingly distracting world.
This week, you will find a great Family Mealtimes Matter display in stores, with a handout for some fast, easy, kid and busy life-friendly recipes, and more resources on benefits of family meals. We also have resources online with helpful information updated periodically! We hope we have taken some of the stress out of making a nice meal with your family happen, and we would love to hear from you – any questions you have, what your strategies are for bringing your family together at the table, and more. Written By: Joe Berman
Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility, LEED AP BD&C
Lately I have been thinking a lot about systems, synergies and the co-benefits that are the hallmark of Sustainability. I have been exploring the idea that sustainable actions and behaviors actualize the triple bottom line of People, Products and Planet and that when these elements are aligned and in balance, multiple benefits arise simultaneously from the same source.
Recently, I attended the Food Marketing Institute Energy and Store Development Conference in St. Louis, MO. While I was there I was profoundly struck by the pervasive focus on energy conservation through high efficiency building technologies and big data driven solutions. Every manufacturer, product sales representative and service provider that I spoke with was touting the improved performance of their product or process and all were quick to point out how much energy and money I would save if I would just purchase what they were selling. I was incredibly pleased to see the extent to which energy conservation has been embraced as one of the core value drivers for supermarket industry technology! I found everyone that I spoke with was keenly aware of the importance of energy conservation to Sustainability efforts in the industry and all appeared to be interested in pushing conservation approaches to support sustainability goals for the organizations that they worked with.
Though I have recently seen immense progress in the industry towards high efficiency solutions, I believe that a true valuation and dedicated focus the on benefits of green house gas (GHG) reduction potential associated with energy conservation measures is still a significant area of improvement available to food retailers. The majority of the people that I spoke with at the conference were concentrating on the energy conservation and financial improvement aspects of their technology or service. While this is a step in the right direction, I found that few individuals appeared to concentrate on the environmental impact improvements that are such a significant co-benefit to high efficiency approaches. As thrilled as I am that the industry is moving in a more energy conservation oriented direction, we need to be better at understanding and communicating the full impact of this movement, as those capabilities should further motivate us to pursue the entire triple bottom line approach as a guiding motivator.
While we are demonstrating focus on innovative high efficiency technologies and improved economic performance, the environmental aspect of our decision making process needs to be equally considered. We need to be able to hit these 3 birds with 1 stone. If and when the environmental impact reduction of a chosen approach becomes as important a decision making criteria as improved financial performance then we will have truly moved in a more holistic and sustainable direction as an industry. Written by Jane N. Golub
Director In-Store Marketing Programs
DIXIE ULTRA MOMENTS PLATES
YoCRUNCH CEREAL BOWLS
Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to choose between the delicious crunch of cereal and the smooth creaminess of yogurt for breakfast? Now you don’t! Introducing YoCrunch Cereal Bowls.
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Available in 4 delicious combinations:
- Special K with strawberry or vanilla Greek yogurt – At only 150 calories and with 12 grams of protein, this is the perfect breakfast with the taste of luscious strawberry or creamy vanilla mixed perfectly with healthy and crunchy Special K cereal.
- Frosted Flakes with vanilla yogurt – The fantastic way to sweeten your morning with family favorite crunchy Frosted Flakes on top of creamy vanilla yogurt.
- Froot Loops with vanilla yogurt – The colorful and delicious way to delight your family with the great “frooty” taste of Froot Loops on top of our creamy vanilla yogurt.
VANITY FAIR DESIGN COLLECTIONS
Soft and strong, with a cloth-like texture, Vanity Fair Design Collection Napkins add a special touch your family and guests will appreciate.
Their 2-ply printed napkins are perfect for any meal, any time of the week from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. Make your next occasion just right with Vanity Fair’s exceptionally versatile and extremely durable Design Collection napkins.
Look for Vanity Fair Design Collection Napkins in the Paper aisle.
WHOLLY GUACAMOLE MINIS
Written by Jane N. Golub
Director In-Store Marketing Programs
DOLE GARDEN SOUPS
LITE-A-LOON BALLOONS
Dave, one of 10 siblings and the only one left farming from his family, is a busy, generous man who works hard to balance the needs of the farm with that of his growing family. He and his wife Becky have adopted 3 children and hope to add a new baby, visiting the same day of my visit, to their family. Dave’s family has farmed this land since 1701, and their older children are starting to take on some small chores. Despite the long family farming history, Dave’s father did the lion’s share of building the business up. At one point, they were shipping 4,000 tons of carrots to Beechnut and Birdseye, but as transportation costs escalated, they started to look out for other partners, and started delivery directly to the Cobleskill Price Chopper in 1986.
Shaul Farms is, like all of the farms Price Chopper works with, GAP certified. Food safety is of paramount importance to Dave, and to Price Chopper. He offers that national food safety issues, like the incident in Colorado, where melons processed on unsanitary machinery caused illness and some deaths, has impacted retailer demand for those items – he had so few orders, he decided not to grown them this year. To clarify, the melons were fine, the machinery was the problem, but for now, buyers are shy.
Deciding what to grow and choosing different varieties of the same types of crops is part of the winter planning Dave does, after family vacations. He described working closely with the seed salesperson, and trying new varieties in part to ensure he has a strong crop – if one type of seed doesn’t produce well, he has several others to fall back on and protect his overall harvest.
Technology plays its role on the Shaul farm, and he cites the use of GPS and satellite tracking for planting and harvesting as a game changer. 
The challenge for farmers is to balance the cost of technology with the return on investment – even used machines like combines (that harvest corn) can cost well over $200,000.
As Dave helped my son learn more about the varieties of peppers – Don was thinking he wanted to make something for a family event later in the week, we got to speak about his favorites. He gave full credit to his wife for being a wonderful cook , and really struggled for a minute or two when I asked him what his favorite item was that he grew. He finally settled on “winter squash, with brown sugar and butter”. He also likes being his own boss, and that the farm and the area is a good place to raise a family. As I have of the other farmers I have met with so far, I asked what he thought was driving the growing interest in local foods and farming. He contemplated that for a few moments, and returned the thought that carbon footprint was definitely part of the equation. That, and connecting with farmers who are growing their food, which he thought was a really good trend.
Dave Shaul clearly likes his work, and I hope he gets his wish that one of his children is interested in maintaining the family tradition. He left us to get back to urgent chores, and we walked around the main farm area – one trailer being repaired, equipment and vehicles loosely organized around the well kept buildings, trucks of different sizes coming and going and a pallet mover whizzing around, preparing for picking and shipping tomorrow, green fields stretching away behind the buildings. “It’s beautiful out here, Mom. Did you see there is an ice cream stand across the street? ” We loaded our purchases into our truck, and headed over to enjoy the full bounty of the day. Please enjoy the local bounty of Dave’s produce in your local Price Chopper!
Written by Jane N. Golub
Director In-Store Marketing Programs
DAWN FOODS 7” VORTEX DESSERT CAKES
Dawn Foods Vortex Dessert cakes are a unique and innovative combination of a moist cake layer and rich brownie layer, beautifully decorated with a distinctive “Vortex” swirl of Chocolate or White Chocolate Truffle Waterfall. These Vortex cakes feature a swirled top design that is one-of-a-kind!
Each Vortex Dessert cake is made with a super-moist cake layer, a rich brownie layer and beautifully decorated with a distinctive “Vortex” swirl of Chocolate Truffle Waterfall on the Tuxedo and Red Devil. The Neapolitan Vortex cake has a White Chocolate Truffle Waterfall.
Vortex cakes are sure to turn heads and tempt the taste buds. The dual Vortex layered textures are where cake and brownie meet to make a winning combination and are perfect for family dinners and gatherings!
7” Vortex Dessert Cakes are available in the Bakery Department and are sure to be a big hit for any occasion!
McCORMICK SKILLET SAUCES