Martha calls the Thanksgiving Hotline!

Posted by Alexis Tirado

We usually field calls from listeners who want expert advice from all the top chefs manning our Thanksgiving Hotline. But occasionally the boss lady, Martha Stewart calls the radio channel. Today Martha called the hotline and excitedly chatted with Pierre Schaedelin, executive chef at Alain Ducasse’s Benoit and her former personal chef. "Pierre worked with me for 2 years in Bedford. I miss you so much! I LOVE that you're participating in our hotline. All this information is so valuable to our listeners. Each and every one of you great chefs that are on today are so generous with your information and I really, really appreciate it," said Martha. Tune in to her phone call below.

For more of Martha and Thanksgiving check her out on The Today Show. She was on the show this morning, sharing tips for a tasty turkey.

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Ghoulish Goodies!

Posted by Jennifer Sendrow

Today on Morning Living, we got ready for Halloween with Sharon Bowers, author of the frightfully cute book "Ghoulish Goodies."

Sharon's pumpkin haystacks are simple to make and easy to pass around at kids' parties. To make them just a little spookier, the same recipe can be used to make creepy crawly spiders. The only difference is that these haystacks use butterscotch or peanut butter chips for a tawny hue, while the spiders are a deep dark chocolate.

On Morning Living, we often find that our listeners are just as creative as our guests. Linda in Detroit got inspired to send us a photo of her own "ghoulish goodie" -- a cake she made this weekend for her niece and nephew. Share your ghoulish treats with us at morningliving@marthastewart.com!

Sharon also shared her pumpkin cheesecake topped with a chocolate sour-cream spiderweb. It was rich, delicious, and great looking to boot, but she assured us that even a busy mom like her can whip it up in no time. Here's the recipe.

Spiderweb Pumpkin Cheesecake
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:
16 graham crackers
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
2 eggs

For topping:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Crush the graham crackers by putting them in a plastic bag and beating and rolling them with a rolling pin. Combine with the butter and sugar in a 10-inch springform pan and press with the bottom of a glass to form a compact crust.

2. Blend the cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, and spice until creamy and smooth. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Pour over the prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes, until set. Allow to cool on a rack for at least an hour. Chill the cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Melt the chocolate with the heavy cream in a double boiler or in the microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring after each. Pour the chocolate glaze over the cooled cheesecake, spreading just to the edges with a knife, but not going over the sides.

4. Spoon the sour cream into a small plastic bag and use a toothpick to poke a hole in one corner. Drizzle a spiral of white across the top of the chocolate glaze.

5. Using a toothpick or the tip of a knife, gently pull through the sour cream and chocolate in alternating lines about 1 12 inches apart, wiping the toothpick in between each: one from the center all the way out, then wipe the knife or toothpick, and then pull one from the outer ring all the way to the center, and so on, all the way around the circle. Chill the spiderweb-topped cheesecake thoroughly to help set the glaze.