Fall Recipes, October 2012

Fall Recipes: October 2012

Thanks to Debbie for entertaining us with such style and spookiness!

Autumn Cheesecake

Marta Smith

1 c graham cracker crumbs

½ c finely chopped pecans

3 T sugar

½ t cinnamon

¼ c butter, melted

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

½ c sugar

2 eggs

½ t vanilla

4 c apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced

1/3 c white sugar

½ t cinnamon

¼ c chopped pecans

Stir together graham crumbs, pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and butter; press into the bottom of a 9” spring form pan.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Mix at medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, mixing well. Add vanilla. Pour filling into baked crust.

In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon. Toss the cinnamon-sugar with the apples to fully coat. Spoon apple mixture over the cream cheese layer and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes.

When cooled to room temperature, loosen cake from rim of pan with a knife. Remove the rim, and chill cake fully before serving.

Gingerbread cake with Blueberry Sauce

Lucy Stowell

Gingerbread cake

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup light molasses

Grease 9 inch square pan. Combine and sift dry ingredients; set aside. Cream shortening and brown sugar. Add egg and molasses; beat 1 minute. Add dry ingredients and 1/2 cup water alternately. Beat on low speed after each addition.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 cup orange juice

1/3 cup sugar

2 TBS chopped crystallized ginger or 1 tsp. ground ginger

2 cups frozen blueberries

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; add blueberries. Return to a boil, and cook 1 minute. Cool.

Spoon Blueberry Sauce over top of individual pieces; dollop with fresh whipped cream.

**I have made this recipe even easier before by making a gingerbread cake mix.**

Butternut Squash Risotto

 by Rachel Helfrich (adapted form marthastewart.com)

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and shredded              
Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth, mixed with

1/2 cup water and heated

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus more for garnish

In a medium heavy-bottom saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add squash; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until edges soften, 6 to 8 minutes.Add rice; stir to coat. Add wine; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; add 1/2 cup hot broth mixture. Cook, stirring, until almost all liquid is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding more, 35 to 40 minutes total. Stir in Parmesan, sage, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Serve immediately, garnished with more Parmesan and sage, if desired.

Dutch Oven Artisan Bread

Lindsey Dewey

Start with 2 cups of cold water in a large bowl

Add 1 cup of bread flour and stir

Stir in 1 tsp of salt, 1 1/2 TB of olive oil and 3/4 tsp of instant yeast

Add 2 1/2 cups more bread flour

Mix lightly until all flour is moistened to form a very soft dough (don't over-stir!)

Let sit in a covered bowl for 12-15 hours

Spray Pam on a piece of plastic wrap and place dough on it

Fold dough over on all sides and let sit for 2 hours covered with plastic wrap that has also been sprayed with Pam

Pre-heat oven and 10-inch Dutch oven to 450 degrees

Carefully slide dough into hot pan

Bake for 40 minutes with the lid on

Dump loaf from pan onto a cooling rack

Variations:  add cheese, nuts, seeds, etc. to make the artisan bread your own!

Cream of Tomato Soup With Acini Di Pepe

Rachel Hurst 

2	tablespoons butter
1/2	cup onion, diced
1/2	cup carrot, diced
35	ounces Italian-style tomatoes, undrained
2	cups chicken broth
1	cup heavy cream
1	about 1/3 cup raw oz acini di pepe pasta
1	salt
1	fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Heat butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and carrot; saute until tender about 5 minutes. Set a food mill over the saucepan and puree the tomatoes (I just use a potato masher or a knife). Add the chicken broth. Heat to simmering.


Heat the cream in a small saucepan until simmering; gradually whisk into the tomato mixture; DO NOT BOIL.


Add the acini di pepe and heat through. Add salt to taste.


Sprinkle each serving with plenty of black pepper.

Pumpkin Bars

Nicole Burt

4 eggs

1 C oil (can substitute all or part with applesauce)

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)

mix then add

2 C flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Bake in greased 12 x 18 x 1 pan at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Frosting

8 oz cream cheese

3/4 stick butter (6 Tbsp)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp milk

4 cups powdered sugar

Hot Caramel Apple Cider

Debbie Richards

1/2 gallon apple cider (64 oz or 8 C )
1/2 C orange juice, fresh squeezed or good quality bottled like Simply Orange
1 orange
8 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks (if yours are more than a year old- buy new ones!!)
1/4 t ground allspice
1/3 C jarred caramel sauce* more to taste if needed 
optional: caramel flavored syrup
 sweetened whipped cream (or from a can is fine!)
*For a delicious twist, substitute maple syrup for the caramel sauce in this recipe.

Kale and Sausage Soup

Sarah d’Evegnee

Turkey Kielbasa, cut into half moons (about ¼ inch thick)

½ red onion, minced

3-4 t minced garlic

2 t cumin

1 t cayenne pepper (optional

2-3 teaspoon Frank’s hot sauce (optional)

1 can navy or cannelloni or other white beans

1 bunch finely chopped fresh Kale (about 8 cups)

8 cups chicken stock

¼ cup corn starch, mixed with ½ cup cold water

Saute kielbasa in a little bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until onion starts to turn translucent. Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Add Kale and sauté, stirring constantly for about 1-2 more minutes. (I like to make sure that the kale gets nice and infused with the sausage and garlic flavor before adding the liquid.)

Add chicken stock and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil until liquid is adequately thickened. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a little shredded parmesan cheese and fresh, crusty bread.

Koni's Pumpkin Bread

Maria Thomas

1 1/3 c sugar

1/3 shortening

2 beaten eggs

1 c pumpkin

1 3/4 c flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 c hot water

1/3 c raisins and nuts

Cream sugar and shortening til fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin. Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture. Pour hot water over raisins. Add with nuts. Pour in greased loaf pan or muffin cups.

Bake 350* 1 hour loaf, 15-20 minutes muffins, 10-15 minutes mini muffins

I leave out the raisins cuz I'm not a big fan. I also don't put nuts in all of it because my family isn't a fan. I've also added chocolate chips. So adapt that part as you will. Personally I love it best with walnuts.

Green Beans with Bacon

Stephanie Fay

       

4 bacon strips, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion

8 cups fresh green beans, trimmed

1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/8 teaspoon pepper

       

In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until

bacon is crisp and onion is tender. Meanwhile, place beans in a

large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cook,

uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain well. Add

to bacon mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to

coat. Yield: 8 servings.

 

Corn Bread

Kristin Davis

1 Cup flour

⅓ cup sugar

3 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp salt

1 cup cornmeal

2 eggs

1 cup milk

¼ cup shortening

Melt a cube of butter in a cake pan. Mix all ingredients together and pour on melted butter. Bake 425 degrees 20-25 min. Or golden brown on top.