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. 

Sweet Potato and Potato Gratin

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/4 tsp finely grated nutmeg
• dash cayenne pepper
• 8-12 oz Swiss cheese, sliced
• 2 cups finely grated Parmesan
• 3 large white sweet potatoes
• 3 large Russet potatoes

Preparations:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Whisk the cream, milk, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, and cayenne in a big bowl. Set aside.
3. Peel the sweet potatoes (and Russets if so inclined), then using a food processor, slice the potatoes into thin rounds. If you don't have a food processor, use a mandolin or sharp knife by hand. Combine all slices in a large bowl and toss, mixing the two types of potatoes.
4. Pour 1/2 cup of the cream on the bottom of a Dutch Oven to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom. Then layer 1/4 of your potato mixture evenly on top. 
5. Drizzle 1/3 of the cream mixture on top, then sprinkle 1/2 cup Parmesan and top with a thin layer of Swiss.
6. Top with potatoes and repeat for another three layers. 
7. Cover with the Dutch Oven lid or foil and bake until bubbly, 15 minutes. If using foil, be carfeul to not let it contact the top cheese layer. 
8. Remove the lid, reduce the heat to 400°F, and bake until the top is golden and bubbly, 45-50 minutes.
9. Let cool slightly, then serve hot or at room temperature

Peach Pie

 
Ingredients:
For the crust:

• 2 cups plus 4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) COLD, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 6 oz COLD cream cheese, cut into 1/4″ cubes
• 3 Tbsp milk

For the filling:

• 5-7 large peaches, pitted, peeled and sliced (~6 1/2 to 7 cups sliced)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the egg wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp water

Preparations:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt.
2. Cut the COLD butter and COLD cream cheese into 1/4-inch pieces. Using a food processor with dough blade attachment, cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
3. Drizzle the milk over the dough and cut into the dough with a spatula until the dough forms moist clumps. Depending on your butter and cream cheese, you may not need to use any of the milk or the full 3 Tbsp.
4. Divide the dough into 2 pieces, press into flat disks, cover each piece tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour. It stores well in the fridge up to 2 days.
5. Once pie crust has cooled in the fridge at least 1 hour, and you are ready to use the pie crust, remove 1 piece of dough from the refrigerator and on a clean surface, roll it out into a 13-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate until ready to use. 
6. Take the next piece of dough out of the fridge and roll it into a 12-inch circle, cover with plastic and refrigerate while you prep your pie filling.
7. For the filling, combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1/8 tsp salt.
8. Blanch peaches by putting them in boiling hot water for 1 minute, then transferring to a bowl of ice water. Peel, pit, and slice peaches into 1/4″ thick slices.
9. Transfer peaches to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla and gently stir. Sprinkle with the dry ingredients and gently stir to combine.
10. Transfer the peaches onto the crust in the pie dish. Lay remaining crust on top, trim off any excess dough, and crimp the edges. Cut some slices in the top crust to allow for steam to escape.
11. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat together the egg and 1 Tbsp water to make your egg wash. Brush the top of your pie generously with egg wash.
12. Place pie on the center rack and bake at 425F for 20 minutes then place cookie sheet lined with foil under the pie to catch an drips and reduce oven to 375F and bake an additional 35-40 min or until the filling is bubbling. Loosely Cover the pie with foil if it is starting to brown too quickly.
13. Let the pie cool down ideally at least 2 hours so the filling thickens.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 15 oz of pumpkin pie mix or 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 3/4 cup oats
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup chocolate chunks or chips

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Add in butter, mixing until crumbly.
4. Stir in egg and pumpkin. Then, the rolled oats and chocolate chips.
5. Drop heaping spoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Bake 11-13 minutes. Makes roughly 24 cookies.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients:

• 1 16 ounce box Ziti 
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 3 cups milk 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt (optional) 
• 2 cups Marinara Sauce (roughly one 24oz jar)
• 2 cups shredded cheese 
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 
• 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Preparations:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Heat butter in a medium sauce pan until melted. Add flour and stir until smooth. Cook over medium heat until light golden brown, about 6 to 7 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in separate pan until just about to boil.
4. Add milk to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth and bring to a boil. Cook 30 seconds and remove from heat. Season with nutmeg and salt and set aside.
5. Simultaneously, Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons salt (optional). Cook Ziti for 30 seconds less than the package instructions.
6. In a large bowl, mix marinara sauce, 1.5 cups of shredded cheese, and grated cheese.
7. In a greased 9x13” baking dish, combine marinara mixture, milk sauce, and ziti. Mix well. Top with remaining 0.5 cup of shredded cheese. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, until bubbling and crusty on top. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 3 cups uncooked pasta shells
• 16 oz 1 inch cubed uncooked butternut squash (4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 8 ounces freshly grated fontina cheese
• 2 ounces freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsalted brown butter
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare water for pasta and once it comes to a boil, cook pasta according to al dente directions, then drain. 
2. While water is boiling, heat a large cast-iron (or oven-safe) skillet over medium-low heat. Add olive oil, then toss in squash with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add stock and cover skillet, cooking for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is soft.
3. Brown the butter. Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking constantly, cook butter until bubbly and until small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan – about 5-6 minutes. Watch closely and immediately remove the butter from the heat, whisking for an additional 30 seconds or so.
4. Spoon squash into a blender and pour in broth. Blend until smooth (Warning: when blending hot food, remember to remove the blender lid vent and cover it with a cloth.)
5. Return squash mixture to skillet and reduce heat to low. Add in 6 ounces of fontina and all of the parmesan cheese, stirring until melted and smooth. Add in milk and heat for about 5 minutes.  Stir in brown butter, again mixing for a minute or so until incorporated. Taste and season additionally if desired.
6. Fold shells into the sauce, taking a few minutes to fully toss the shells so they are all coated. Top with remaining fontina cheese and breadcrumbs and bake for 15 minutes.

Apple Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 finely chopped green apples, peeled
• 1/2 cup pecans

Preparations:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir with a whisk.
3. In a large bowl, mix the eggs with a hand mixer til light in color and foamy. Add the oil and vanilla and beat well.
4. Stir in the flour mixture with a spoon and continue stirring the batter til the flour disappears. Add the apples and pecans and stir to mix them into the batter.
5. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Serve cold with buttercream frosting or warm with ice cream.  

Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 9 inch pie crust (in the frozen food section) 
• 6 large or 7 medium apples
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, roughly
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 2 tbsp flour 
• .5 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 1/8 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/2 cup flour 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• 3 tbsp butter, cold

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Peel and slice apples. Chunk a couple of them. Place sliced apples in a large bowl. As chopping the apples, I sprinkle each apple with lemon juice to keep it from browning.
3. In a small bowl, mix together white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, corn starch, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Sprinkle mixture over apples. Toss until apples are evenly coated. Spoon mixture into pie crust.
4. To make the crumb top, mix together 1/2 cup flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Cut butter into small pieces. Cut in butter into flour mixture until it's crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over apple filling. Cover top loosely with aluminum foil.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Baked, Fancy Mac And Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 pound mini tube pasta, like rigatoni, penne, or macaroni
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese (optional, or could use ricotta)
• 8 oz grated swiss cheese (or 1 shredded bag)
• 8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 oz grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Preparations:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Boil water and prepare pasta according to directions, cooking for 3-4 minutes less than called-for time.
2. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat (the very large one). Once hot, add in olive oil and butter, then throw in shallots. Stir to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add in garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 
3. Add flour to the skillet and whisk constantly to create a roux. Let cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. 
4. Pour in milk, stirring continuously for another 1-2 minutes. Add all of the grated cheeses, and mascarpone if using. Stir continuously until mixture thickens, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add pasta to the skillet and toss thoroughly to coat.
5. Sprinkle the top of the mixture with breadcrumbs. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top is golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately.