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Heart of the Home
Pumpkin perfection!
It’s the season for a favorite fall flavor
Egg whites help create a fluffy texture for this layered caramel pumpkin torte. With the arrival of autumn décor and sweater weather, pumpkin season is here.
At their peak during October, pumpkins are packed full of beneficial vitamins and nutrients. Low in calories and rich in vitamin A, they help support immune health and vision. Eating pumpkins also is good for you as their fiber, potassium and vitamin C all help support heart health. Incorporating more pumpkin into your diet also may help control diabetes and blood sugar levels.
Pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes and colors, from orange to green and even solid white. Some are grown for decoration and carving—such as the popular Jack O’ Lantern variety—while others are grown for eating and making pies, like sugar pumpkins. These smaller pumpkins have a higher sugar content, making them ideal for desserts.
To select a good sugar pumpkin, find one that’s firm and heavy for its size. They can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to two months.
Once you find the perfect pumpkin, here are some festive treats to make with them.
Pumpkin for Cooking
INGREDIENTS
One medium-size sugar pumpkin
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375°. Cut the pumpkin in half, and discard the stem and stringy pulp. In a shallow baking dish, place the two halves cut-side down, and cover with foil. Bake for about 90 minutes, or until tender. Let cool for 15 minutes. Scoop pumpkin flesh from skin and place into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
—Virginia Cooperative Extension
Caramel Pumpkin Torte
INGREDIENTS
6 large eggs, whites and yolks separated 15 ounces canned or fresh pumpkin 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1½ teaspoons vanilla ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup buttery cracker crumbs, such as Ritz ½ cup chopped, pitted dates ½ cup chopped pecans 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature ½ cup powdered sugar ½ cup caramel sauce, divided
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks, pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until foamy. Beat in the sugar, two tablespoons at a time, until the whites are glossy and stand in soft peaks. Fold in the egg yolk mixture, cracker crumbs, dates and pecans. Spread in two greased 8" round cake pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks. Loosen cakes from sides of the pans with a thin knife, and then gently shake cakes out of the pans onto racks. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and two tablespoons of caramel sauce until smooth. Place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread with half of the cream cheese mixture. Top with a second layer of cake, and spread with the remaining cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate the torte until ready to serve. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over top of the torte.
—Recipe adapted from The Incredible Egg
Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
INGREDIENTS
5 eggs ½ cup oil 15 ounces canned or fresh pumpkin 2 cups sugar 2 3-ounce packages of vanilla pudding mix 2 teaspoons cinnamon 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup fresh cranberries
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 325°. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add oil and pumpkin, and beat until smooth. Add sugar and pudding mix, and stir to combine. Add cinnamon and fold in the cranberries and flour until ingredients are well-blended. Pour into two greased loaf pans, and bake for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center to see if it comes out clean.
—Recipe adapted from Carol Boyer, Shenandoah County, in Cooking Virginia Style with Farm Bureau Women
Honey of a Pumpkin Bar
INGREDIENTS
nonstick cooking spray 2 cups whole-wheat flour ⅓ cup nonfat dry milk 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 cup canned or fresh pumpkin ⅔ cup honey ½ cup orange juice ⅓ cup canola oil 2 eggs
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350°. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, milk, cinnamon, baking soda and remaining spices. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, thoroughly combine pumpkin, honey, orange juice, oil and eggs. Gradually add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, and stir until smooth. Spread batter onto the baking sheet, and bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, and cut into squares.
—Recipe adapted from Virginia Cooperative Extension
Group insurance benefits employees, employers
BY ADAM CULLER
For business owners expecting to land top-level talent, offering a robust benefits package can help attract quality employees.
Today, job seekers expect to receive quality benefits from their employers, and offering those individuals an attractive combination of insurance benefits can help boost employee retention and job satisfaction.
Experient Health—a subsidiary of Virginia Farm Bureau’s health insurance division—can assist employers’ recruiting efforts by helping business owners purchase group insurance policies that appeal to prospective employees.
“We typically work with businesses who have between two and 100 employees. We focus on the business owners’ needs and assist with setting the business up with a package of insurance coverages that benefit their employees,” said Dawn Simmons, an Experient Health account executive.
Simmons explained that most group insurance plans offered by businesses include employee coverage for medical, dental, vision, life and disability. Experient Health offers multiple options for each coverage type.
Experient Health sells products from multiple carriers such as Aetna, Anthem, Optima Health, Piedmont Community Health Plan and United Healthcare. The location of a business ultimately will determine which insurance carriers and products are available.
For a business to qualify for group insurance, it must have corporation status. Under the Affordable Care Act, companies that have 50 or more full-time employees are required to offer group health insurance to their employees or pay a penalty.
By offering coverage to a large group of individuals, business owners generally will have access to a broader range of coverage options than what’s available at the individual level. In most cases, the premium costs for subscribers are cheaper through group insurance, and the plans often offer better coverage and more cost-effective services.
Corporations with only one employee—or sole proprietors—also can qualify for group coverage if certain criteria are met.
For more information about group insurance, call 800-229-7779, contact healthsales@experienthealth.com or visit vafb.com/health
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LEGAL
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING VIRGINIA FARM BUREAU MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
The annual meeting of policyholders of Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company will be held at 8:45 a.m., Thursday, December 2, 2021, at the Williamsburg Lodge, 310 South England Street, Williamsburg, VA, for the following purposes: 1. To receive and act upon the reports of the
Company officers. 2. To elect a Board of Directors, each to serve a term of one year. 3. To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof. Dated this 1st day of October, 2021.
Kathleen M. Early, Secretary
