2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons Watkins baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon Watkins cinnamon

4 large eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin or 1 15 ounce can pumpkin

Directions:

Sift together the flour and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir to combine all the ingredients together. In a separate bowl add the milk to the beaten eggs and mix slightly. Pour in the buttermilk and melted butter. Mix to incorporate. Fold in the pumpkin and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated together and mixture is smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the smooth mixture. Blend together making sure all the dry ingredients are moistened well. Heat the waffle iron. Pour a scant amount of the batter onto the waffle iron and cook according to the waffle iron directions. Set the oven temperature to 200 degrees. When the waffle is done place it on the preheated oven rack to keep hot. Continue cooking the waffles until all the batter has been used. Serve with warm Apple Spice Breakfast Syrup, recipe below.

Apple Spice Breakfast Syrup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup apple cider, unsweetened or apple juice

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

5 Watkins cloves

1/4 teaspoon Watkins cinnamon

Directions:

Place the apple cider into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until starting to melt. Add the cloves and cinnamon. Stir often cook the mixture for 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken and is reduced to just shy of 1 cup of liquid. Serve warm over pancakes or waffles.

Did you know? You can substitute cooked, mashed squash in any recipe that calls for pumpkin. You’ll find the best tasting spices in the Watkins US catalog or the Watkins Canadian catalog.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Watkins grapeseed oil, original or flavor of choice
1 cup popping corn
6 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp Watkins cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Watkins paprika
1/4 teaspoon Watkins garlic granules
1 tsp Watkins seasoning salt

Directions: in a large, heavy saucepan heat the oil, add the popcorn, cover and cook while shaking the pan until the corn stops popping. Place the popcorn in a large serving bowl.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in the saucepan, stir in cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic and seasoning salt and pour over popcorn. Mix well and enjoy!

Tips from the kitchen:

• Make this an even healthier snack, reduce the fat, calories and cholesterol by substituting 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil for the butter called for.

• Craving plain buttered popcorn but want a low fat snack? Simply use Watkins butter flavored salt instead of butter and salt.

Don’t like it hot? Substitute one or a combination of these herbs and spices for another tasty snack, try parsley, dill, onion granules, minced green onion or curry powder.

You can find the best gourmet or organic herbs, spices, seasonings and grapeseed oil for delicious and healthy popcorn at Watkins.

You can find lots of great popcorn information, recipes and tips at PopCorn.org.

Ingredients for pickles:
4-6 cucumbers, thinly sliced
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 medium green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pickling or kosher salt
4-5 glass pint jars and lids

Directions: Wash vegetables with Watkins Fresh Wash and slice. Place prepared vegetables in a large nonmetal bowl, add pickling salt, mix well and let stand for 2 hours. Prepare syrup while cucumbers, onions and pepper are sitting in the brine. Drain vegetables well and pack loosely into sterilized glass jars. Read how to sterilize canning jars, if you are new to home canning or need a refresher. Pour the following syrup over top making sure to cover vegetables.

Ingredients for syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups white vinegar
1 Tbsp. Watkins Pickling Spices
1-1/2 tsp. Watkins Celery Seed
1-1/2 tsp. Watkins Garlic Flakes, optional

Directions: Combine syrup ingredients, let stand for 2 hours or until sugar dissolves. Keep refrigerated. Turn the jars occasionally to mix spices. Your pickles will be ready to eat in 3 days, flavor improves after a week. Makes 4 pints. Keeps well for 6 – 9 months but I’m sure they won’t last that long!

Watkins Pickling Spices is a traditional mixture of whole and broken spices, herbs and seeds, it’s a pantry basic used for pickles, corned beef brisket, seafood, marinades and other dishes. This seasonal spice is generally available from March to October. You can order it and your other spices in the Watkins US catalog or the Canadian catalog.

Ingredients for Cake:
1 box (18.5 oz/525 g) yellow reduced-fat cake mix
1/4 tsp/1.2 mL baking soda
3 egg whites
1-1/3 cups/330 mL water
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Orange Extract
1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Purest Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Allspice
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Ginger
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL Watkins Nutmeg
Watkins Cooking Spray

Ingredients for Fluffy Caramel Frosting
1-1/2 cups/375 mL brown sugar
1/2 cup/125 mL water
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL Watkins cream of tartar
3 egg whites, room temperature
1-1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Watkins Caramel Extract
 
Directions for cake: Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into 13 x 9-inch/33 x 23-cm baking pan coated with Watkins Cooking Spray. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan on wire rack. Frost with Fluffy Caramel Frosting (recipe follows).

Directions for Fluffy Caramel Frosting: Combine brown sugar, water and cream of tartar in heavy medium-sized saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil. Continue to boil until it reaches a temperature of 240ºF/115ºC on candy thermometer. Just prior to reaching appropriate temperature, beat egg whites in large mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Pour brown sugar syrup in a steady stream into egg whites while beating. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in Caramel Extract.

The secret to making this cake taste great is the Watkins spices and caramel extract!

Duration : 0:1:23

What’s the difference between spices and herbs? This video gives you a pretty simple answer.

Looking for a bit more detailed answer? Spices are the edible seeds, berries, bark, roots, or other parts of the plants. For example, black pepper comes from a berry we call pepper corns, allspice is a seed, cinnamon comes from bark and ginger is a root. Herbs are usually the green, leafy part of aromatic plants. Parsley, sage, oregano and thyme are all examples of herbs.