Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lb of cubed squash (peeled delicata, butternut, etc.)
• One green apple, peeled and cubed
• One yellow onion, quartered
• Four cloves garlic
• Two carrots, chopped
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• ¼ tsp ground sage
• 3 springs rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground ginger
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup coconut milk

Preparations:

1. Roast vegetables. On a baking tray, drizzle some olive oil. Add the squash, onion, carrot, and garlic. Top with the chunks of apple. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add to an oven at 425F for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through. 
2. In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable broth and roasted vegetables. Add the spices and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.
3. Add ¼ cup of the coconut milk and stir to combine. Remove the sprigs of rosemary. In batches, blend the soup in a blender (using a cloth to cover instead of the lid). Add more coconut milk if needed to blend smooth. Return to the saucepan. 
4. Serve with shredded cheese, feta, roasted pumpkin seeds, etc. 

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 12 C popped popcorn (about 2 bags of microwave popcorn)
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 4 oz almond bark

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees
2. Place popcorn in a large bowl, a bigger bowl than you think you need. Top with pecans and do not stir. Let the pecans sit on top of the popcorn. Set aside.
3. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 90 seconds. Remove, stir, and then microwave for 90 seconds more. If you microwave it too much your popcorn will turn out really hard.
4. Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. 
5. Drizzle half of the caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir well. Repeat with the other half of the caramel. Stir more than you think you need to.
6. Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined rimmed pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and stir. Melt almond bark according to package instructions. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy!

Gingerbread Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar

Preparations:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and the brown sugar until fluffy. Then, beat in the honey and the egg.
3. In a different bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet in two batches.
4. With the sugar in a shallow dish, form golf ball sized balls and roll in the sugar to coat. Place on the parchment paper and do not flatten the balls. 
5. Bake 10-12 minutes, until the tops start to crack and the bottoms darken. Cool on the baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer to a rack.

Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Steel Cut Oats (dry)
• 1 Green Apple peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup Milk
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp apple sauce

Preparations:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water, milk, honey and vanilla to a boil.
2. Mix in apple and oatmeal and stir well. Turn down to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
3. Add in cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. Continue cooking for 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, stir in apple sauce, and let sit five minutes before serving.

Single Serving of French Toast

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of bread
• 1 egg
• 1/8 cup milk 
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• A dash of vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice coffee syrup or any flavor you like (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter

Preparations:

1. Whisk the egg with a fork or whisk. Once the yolk is totally blended, add in the milk, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and syrup. Mix until fully combined.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-low heat. Melt butter into pan once hot.
3. Soak each slice of bread into the whisked egg mixture and make sure both sides are coated. This will use almost all of the liquid.
4. Cook soaked slices of bread for about 5 minutes on one side or until crispy. Flip and cook second side for about 4 minutes, or until browned.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup + 3 Tbsp sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 pints fresh blueberries (or 3 cups frozen)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Powdered sugar (optional)

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with non stick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl of mixer, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. Add the oil, milk, lemon juice, and eggs.
4. Mix for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the 3 tablespoons of sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
5. Pour batter into the prepared pan, evenly sprinkle the blueberries on top.
6. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the blueberries.
7. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.