Hide the cheese

Chloe's Cinnamon Apples

We've had a few bad apple years here. Not that the apples have been bad, but it has been hard for all of us to enjoy them. Loose teeth, missing teeth, and braces all have inhibited  that glorious seasonal tradition of biting into a crisp apple.

I began slicing the apples for the children's snacks, but they didn't have the same appeal for lunch. The kids pack their lunches in the evening and by the next day at lunch, the apples are brown with that just-over-the-edge-of-ripeness smell.

When I was packing a snack for a hike recently, I wanted to bring along some apples but faced the same problem. I thought of tossing the apple slices with a bit of lemon juice, but knew Chloe would object if they were too tart. My compromise was to add a sprinkle of brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon for good measure.




The result tasted like apple pie filling before being cooked, and it was a big hit.

Chloe has been the biggest fan and has gotten very good at making them herself. She slices them right into a storage container, adds the lemon jiuce, sugar, and cinnamon, puts on the top and gives the whole thing a shake. Presto! They're done and she pops them in the fridge to be enjoyed over the next couple of days.





Now the only bad apples in our house are of the human variety.

2009: Butter Crackers
2010: Crêpes
2011: Clementine Sorbet
2012: Lemon Cake Squared (Have the leftovers from Olivia's birthday party in the fridge!)

Chloe's Cinnamon Apples

Serves 4 for lunch or snack
15 minutes preparation time

2 whole apples, washed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons brown sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon

Slice the apples into quarters and remove the cores. Slice each quarter into 2 or 3 more pieces. If making these for later, put the slices in a storage container, add the lemon, sugar, and cinnamon, and put the top on. Shake gently until the apples are uniformly coated.

Alternatively, slice the apples into a bowl, and the remaining ingredients, and stir with a wooden spoon until the apples are completely coated with the cinnamon sugar.

The apples will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

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Delicata Squash and Stilton Pizza

While we're on the subject of foods that my children won't eat, here's another one that I have been loving.

On Friday night pizza night, my dilemma is that if I make the pizza to please everyone, we will end up with tomato and mozzarella pizza. Always. And Only.

There's a reason that that classic combination has endured, and I am a fan. But it's the lowest common denominator of pizzas, really. The pizza that appeals to everyone. No matter how good it is, something about its universal appeal tempts me to get in there and mix it up.

I usually just see what is languishing in the vegetable bin or the cheese drawer, or what leftovers are hiding in the back of the refrigerator. Pizza is a great way to use up the odds and ends. Sometimes the combinations work and sometimes they don't, but it is always fun to play.

One night I had a bit of delicata squash left over and I decided to try slicing it thinly to see whether it would cook sufficiently in the 10 minutes or so that it takes to cook the pizza. Delicata squash is great to cook with because it doesn't have to be peeled; the rind is tender enough to eat. I had a bit of Stilton on hand and some sage wintering over in the yard. Thrown together, they were quite tasty: the sweetness of the squash was a great foil for the earthy sage and tangy Stilton.

Because squash and Stilton will send Chloe and -- depending on the day, Oscar -- in the opposite direction there was plenty left for those of us that wanted more adventure on the plate.

2009: Sage Risotto with Wild Mushrooms
2010: Cauliflower Soup with Stilton
2011: Caramelized Onion Dip
2012: Curried Apple Slaw

Delicata Squash and Stilton Pizza

We prefer a light touch on the toppings and the measurements for the toppings on this pizza reflect that. If you prefer a cheesier pizza, add some mozzarella, too.

1 batch pizza dough (this is our favorite)
one medium delicata squash, scrubbed
olive oil for drizzling
4-5 ounces Stilton, crumbled
4-5 ounces mozzarella (optional)
handful of sage leaves, torn
pinch of sea salt

Make the dough ahead and when you are ready to cook the pizza, place a pizza stone or baking tiles in the oven and heat the oven to as high as your oven will go (usually about 450 to 500 degrees).

Lay a piece of parchment paper on a pizza peel or rimless baking sheet. Roll out the dough and transfer it onto the parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over the dough and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.

Cut the delicata squash in half and set half aside for another use. Scoop the seeds out of the middle of the squash with a spoon. Slice the delicata thinly into rings. Arrange the rings on top of the dough and sprinkle with salt. Flip the rings over. This is my cheaters way of coating both sides of the rings with a bit of olive oil.

Sprinkle on the Stilton and the sage leaves and the mozzarella, if you are using it. Transfer the pizza on the parchment paper onto the pizza stone. Bake until the crust is lightly brown and the cheese has melted, 8-12 minutes.

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Pumpkin Pie

I love that pumpkin tarte tartin, it's true, but still, there's something about the creamy tradition of pumpkin pie. I've just gotta have it on Thanksgiving.

I've been testing and tweaking my pumpkin pie recipe for years, trying to get it just right. To me, the perfect pumpkin pie is smooth and creamy with a crisp crust. It should have all of those great fall spice flavors, but they shouldn't be so overwhelming that you can't taste the pumpkin. I also like just a hint of brightness to add a bit of pop.

Last year, on Food 52, there was a recipe for pumpkin pie from Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, a book I did not know. The article described the flavor as pumpkin-y, the texture as smooth, and the cooking time as quick. It all sounded good to me. I tried the recipe, but decided it needed a little extra something to bring up the flavors. I added a touch of fresh lemon zest and fresh ginger and it added just that touch of dazzle that I wanted while still keeping the intense pumpkin flavor. Interestingly, that citrus-y flavor receded after a couple of days in the refrigerator so keep that in mind while planning when to make the pie.

I also deviated from the recipe by pre-baking the crust. Although the recipe indicated that the crust did not need to be baked first, I didn't want to end up with a mushy crust, so I did blind bake mine, cutting back the baking time so that the crust didn't get too dark.

Note that this is the same crust as for the sweet potato and cranberry tart, or my un-corny pecan pie, so if you are making more than one pie/tart, you could make both crusts at once.

That's it, my friends. My last pre-Thanksgiving recipe. I hope you find something you like among these recipes and, if you decide to give any of it a go, I'd love to hear any questions or comments you have.

Happy cooking!

Pumpkin Pie

The pumpkin can be roasted up to a week in advance, and the dough for the crust can be made several days ahead. If possible, I would bake the pie on Thanksgiving eve or in the morning so that the crust doesn't lose its crunch.

 Adapted from Food 52 from The Encyclopedia of Cooking by Meta Givens
Serves 8
2 hours and 30 minutes preparation time, which includes 1 hour to prepare and bake the crust
    and 1 hour to roast the pumpkin
20-25 minutes baking time

1 pre-baked tart crust*
1 small sugar pumpkin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of cream
2 eggs

additional cream to whip with a touch of sugar and vanilla, for serving

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and lay it face down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Roast the pumpkin until it is soft, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and let it cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh and mash it with a potato masher. The pumpkin can be stored in an airtight container like this for up to a week.

To finish the pie: *Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees and follow the instructions for preparing the pre-baked pie crust, but adjust the cooking times as follows: bake the crust covered for 10 minutes, uncover and bake for 5 minutes. 

Measure 2 cups of the mashed pumpkin into a small sauce pan. Cook it over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until it dries out and becomes fragrant. There is no need to add any water or oil because there is plenty of water in the pumpkin.

Mix the sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and lemon zest together in a small bowl and add them to the pumpkin. Mix the cream, milk, and eggs together in a measuring cup and add it to the pumpkin mixture. Whisk until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until there the only jiggle that is left is in the center. If the crust gets dark too quickly, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

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Pumpkin Tarte Tatin

I'm working up a good obsession for Tarte Tatin. Something about that caramelized flavor with fruit and a delicious flaky crust makes me go weak in the knees.

I posted a recipe a while back for pear Tarte Tatin, but with Thanksgiving on the horizon, I thought I should try pumpkin.

I'm glad I did.

You really can't go wrong with caramel. What's not to love about butter and sugar melted together into a sweet golden puddle? It's even better with the pumpkin, which seems to lend itself to those deep caramel flavors.

I know that some people are a bit intimidated by making caramel or Tarte Tatin, but there really is no reason for that. It's quite straightforward.

There are a two points during this recipe that may seem daunting, namely trying to peel that little pumpkin and flipping the tart onto the serving plate. But that pumpkin is way smaller than you are and once you get going you will have it peeled in just a few minutes. And flipping the tart really just takes more courage than skill. Take a deep breath, flip fast, and you will be fine.





Just clear your  mother and small children out of the kitchen before you start on the off chance that an epithet or two flies out of your mouth.

When you're done, you will feel incredibly satisfied by the beautiful tart that you have created. And, most importantly, your taste buds will thank you.

Pumpkin Tarte Tatin

The Tarte can be made a day or two ahead and kept, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Warm the Tarte on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes at a 300 degree oven just before serving.

30 minutes preparation time, plus an hour to bake the pumpkin and 30 minutes to chill the dough
approximately 40 minutes cooking time

For the dough:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, frozen or chilled and cut into about 10 pieces*
1 egg

For the filling:
1 small sugar pumpkin
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

First, cook and prep the pumpkin: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off the top of the pumpkin with a serrated knife. Wrap the pumpkin in foil and bake until it begins to soften, about 40 minutes.

Remove the pumpkin from the oven and carefully unrap the foil. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, cut it in half from top to bottom and scoop out the seeds. Peel off the skin with a potato peeler. At first, this will seem nearly impossible because the skin is quite hard. Persevere. Once you get going, you will conquer that little pumpkin and the peel will be off in a couple of minutes. Slice the pumpkin into half inch sections from top to bottom. The flesh will be easy to cut but still quite firm.

While the pumpkin is cooking, make the dough: *You have two options here for making the dough. You can use the traditional food processor approach or a new technique that I just learned from Amanda Hesser at Food52. For Amanda's approach, whisk the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. Using a stick of frozen butter, unwrap one end and grate it on the largest holes of a box grater. The butter will curl off into small shavings. Keep unwrapping the butter and grating until you have grated the entire stick. Add the butter to the flour mixture, crack the egg on top, and lightly scramble it. Mix everything together with your hands, breaking up any large pieces of butter. Push the dough into the shape of a ball and smash the ball onto the counter. All of the flour may not incorporate at this point, or the ball may crumble apart, but stick with it. Smear the ball across the counter to evenly incorporate the butter. As you do this, work in any flour that didn't incorporate initially. Just do this for as long as it takes to work in all the flour; don't overwork it.

To make the dough in a food processor, pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the butter ranges in size from that of a small pebble to that of cornmeal. Empty the flour mixture into a bowl, and crack the egg on top. Lightly scramble the egg and then, using your hands, work it into the dough until the dough starts to come together.

Roll the dough into a ball, and then flatten it into a disc. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes and up to a couple of days.

Assemble and cook the tart: When you are ready to cook the tart, turn the oven to 400 degrees. 

Unwrap the dough and roll it out into a circle that is an inch or two larger than the diameter of your pan.

Heat the butter in an 8 or 9-inch oven-proof skillet over medium heat. When the butter has melted, stir the sugar and salt into the butter and spread them evenly across the pan. 

Add the pumpkin slices one next to the other around the pan. Once you have finished the first layer, fit as many additional slices as you can in a second layer, filling in the gaps between the pumpkin pieces from the first layer. Squeeze in as many as you can because they will reduce slightly in size as they cook. Cut a few sections to fit into the middle of the tart.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook the pumpkin until the sugar turns a rich, dark brown and bubbles, about 5 minutes. Rotate the pan if needed to ensure that the sugar browns evenly. Sprinkle the vanilla over the top of the pumpkin and remove the pan from the heat.

Lift the dough with a spatula or a rolling pin and carefully drape it over the pan. Taking care not to burn your fingers, tuck the edge of the dough along the side of the pan. If you have measured accurately, the dough should just fit with a bit extra to slip down into the sides. If you do what I usually do and roll it a bit too big, just squeeze it into the pan. Don't worry if the dough is a bit lumpy because this will be the underside of the tart when you are done. Place the pan in the oven and let it cook until the crust is lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the oven and let the tart cool for 15 minutes or more. Place a large serving plate over the top of the pan. With oven mitts or pot holders, pick up the pan with the plate on top and quickly flip the pan over so that the tart inverts onto the plate. I recommend that you do this over a surface that is easy to clean (or the sink) because more than once a bit of caramel has oozed out of the side as I flip the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature, ideally with vanilla ice cream.

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Sweet Potato and Cranberry Tart

Years ago -- please don't make me tell you how many -- I worked a waitress at the Spring Mill Cafe outside of Philadelphia. The restaurant was tiny and to prepare for dinner, the owner often had the waitstaff in the kitchen making soups, whisking vinaigrette, juicing oranges, and glazing cakes. Apparently, we also made sweet potato and cranberry tart. The owner also opened a bottle of wine before each meal and we all toasted and sipped before the dinner rush. Maybe that's why I remember my waitressing days so fondly. Or maybe it was the wad of cash that I shoved into my pocket at the end of the night.

Anyway, this tart balances the creamy sweetness of the sweet potato with the tart crispness of the cranberries all in one dish. No reason to serve them separately because they are so much better together. I only add a little bit of sugar to the cranberries so that they remain fairly tart to enhance that contrast. Each bite offers a bit of creaminess and a bit of zest. The yin and yang of Thanksgiving sides.

As Oscar said, it tastes just like Thanksgiving. All these years later, it's still one of my favorites.

There it is, folks. The last of my five-side-dishes-for-Thanksgiving parade. I hope you have found something in these that appeals to you. If you don't get them made by Thanksgiving, they will still make tasty side dishes to some other meals. They will be here, waiting for you, all autumn and winter.

And now that we're done with the savory, we can move on to dessert! I've been cooking up a storm and will have a couple of Thanksgiving dessert recipes for you.

Sweet Potato and Cranberry Tart

Because this side dish is served in a tart shell it is fairly substantial and could stand as a main course for the vegetarians at your table.

The dish can be assembled a day and reheated just before serving in a 300 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

30 minutes preparation time, plus 1 hour to prepare and pre-bake the tart crust
30 minutes baking time

1 Pre-Baked Tart Crust
2 large sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup cream
8 ounces (2 cups) cranberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper

Prepare and prebake the tart shell according to these instructions. Slide the tart pan onto a cookie sheet so that it is easier to move without the bottom panel popping out.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Put them in a medium stockpot with a few shakes of salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain off the remaining water.

Turn the potatoes into the bowl of a food processor, add the cream, and blend until smooth. If needed to make the sweet potatoes smooth, add some of the reserved cooking water a splash at a time. The puree should be as stiff as possible so that it holds its shape in the tart. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

In another stockpot, add the cranberries, about a cup of water, the sugar, and the lemon zest. Cover the pot and bring it to a simmer. Keep it covered because as the cranberries cook, they will pop open and you don't want them flying all over your kitchen. Simmer until the cranberries have all popped open and are soft, about 20 minutes. Mash them with a potato masher until the mixture is the texture of a thick fruit jam. If it is too thin, let it simmer for a few more minutes uncovered.

After the tart shell has baked, smooth just over half of the sweet potato mixture over the bottom of the shell, reserving the remaining sweet potato. Next add a layer of the cranberry sauce, spreading it evenly across the top of the sweet potato. There may be more than you need. Reserve a few tablespoons of the cranberry mixture to put on top of the last layer.

Layer the remaining sweet potato on top of the cranberry layer. Don't worry about spreading the layer too evenly; you want some of the cranberry sauce peeking through. Add a few dollops of the remaining cranberry mixture for color.

Bake the tart until it heats through, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

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Autumn Green Salad with Roasted Beets, Pears, and Almonds

I've already confessed that I'm terrible at following through with my intentions to make a snazzy drink for dinner party. I might as well get this out on the table, too: salad is usually an afterthought.

I love, love, love, having salad with dinner or -- even better -- as its own course, but I start with dessert, the most important course, and then usually get sidetracked making the main course and the side dishes.

The next thing you know it's 10 minutes before our guests arrive, we have no salad, and I combing through the bottom of the vegetable bin to see what is left there that I can turn into something salad-worthy. Sometimes the result actually works and is an unusual combination that I never planned. But usually it's less than inspiring.

A little crunch from a fresh green salad is especially key at Thanksgiving to balance out all those soft comfort foods. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes, even roasted vegetables. All great stuff but not much there in the way of texture. For us vegetarians, there isn't even the chewiness of the turkey.

This year I'm going to do it right.

This salad uses beets and pears to celebrate the season, alongside fresh greens. I added a bit of arugula for its peppery flavor, but not enough to overwhelm the milder flavors of the pears and beets. I even bought dill. At the store. Instead of frantically dashing out at T minus 3 to the herb garden to see what was still growing, I actually planned in advance and put dill on the list.

I'm guessing that this forethought will be an aberration in my planning approach. But this year, anyway, we'll have a tasty seasonal salad at Thanksgiving.

And now I can turn my attention to dessert.

Autumn Green Salad with Roasted Beets, Pears, and Almonds

The parts of this salad can be made in advance. The beets can be raosted, the almonds toasted, the greens washed, and the dressing whisked. The pears can even be diced a few hours in advance. Just toss them with a bit of the dressing to keep them from turning brown.

Serves 8
20 minutes preparation time
20-40 minutes roasting time

8 handfuls of a mix of seasonal greens and arugula
4 medium-sized beets, red or golden
2 Bosc pears
1/4 cup Champagne or white wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons chopped dill
salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Wrap the beets in foil and arrange them on a baking sheet. Roast until the beets are tender. Depending on the size of the beets, this will take anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.

When the beets have cooked, set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Peel off the foil and slip the skins off with your hands.

Slice the beets into bite-sized chunks. Wash the pears, slice and core them and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt pepper, and dill.

Put the greens in a large bowl. Add about half of the dressing and toss with the greens. Taste and, if needed, add additional dressing. You may not need it all. Sprinkle the pears, almonds, and beets over the top of the salad.

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Roasted Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts, with Options

This is the simplest of the side dishes in this week's parade, but if you haven't had these vegetables roasted, you must. Today.

Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are everywhere these days, from farmers' markets to the grocery store. I love the crazy wild purple and yellow cauliflowers from the farmers' market and the stalk of Brussels sprouts from Trader Joe's.

Roasting cauliflower and Brussels sprouts gives them a deep, rich flavor that is more than worth the 10 minutes it takes to prepare the vegetables and toss them with a bit of olive oil. I am convinced that roasting is the reason that all three of our kids love cauliflower. It hasn't won them over on the Brussels sprouts, but as you know, I do not give up easily. I keep trotting roasted Brussels sprouts out onto the dinner table and one of these days, I expect that, like their mother, they will eat these right out of the pan because they can't wait the three minutes between pulling the pan from the oven and sitting down to dinner.

If you already have enough strong flavors on your Thanksgiving table, just roast some cauliflower or Brussels sprouts with a bit of garlic and salt and, I promise they will not disappoint. But if you want to try something a bit more creative, I've got options.

The first is to toss the roasted vegetables with parsley-lemon-garlic just before serving. It will add freshness and brighten up the flavors, a nice contrast to the earthiness from roasting.

Or you could roast some onions alongside the vegetables, slice them, and toss them with the vegetables and some toasted almonds for a riff on the standard green beans with onion and almonds.

Finally, if you add some pimenton to the vegetables before roasting them, they will develop a deep smoky flavor while cooking. Toss on a few toasted pumpkin seeds after the cooking process and you have a fantastic, but very simple, side dish.

You could also mix it up for Thanksgiving. Serve half of the veggies with the one of the optional enhancements and the other half au naturel. It would be interesting to see which disappear first.

Roasted Cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts

 You can, of course, roast both Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, but cook them in separate pans because the cooking times will vary. The vegetables can be roasted ahead and reheated just before serving. Be sure not to overcook them during the first roasting so that they don't become overly mushy when you reheat them. If you are going with one of the options, add the parsley-lemon-garlic mixture or nuts after reheating.

Serves 8 as a side dish
Approximately 10 minutes preparation time
20-30 minutes roasting time

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets or 6 cups Brussels sprouts, with the ends trimmed off
olive oil for drizzling, approximately 2 tablespoons
2 garlic cloves smashed
salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large roasting pan, arrange the cauliflower florets or Brussels sprouts in a single layer. Drizzle on the olive oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper over the top, and mix everything together with the garlic cloves.

Roast until the vegetables are tender but not mushy. The time will depend on the size of your florets or sprouts, but start checking for doneness at about 20 minutes. The vegetables should be easy to pierce with a knife.

Option 1: With Parsley, Lemon, and Garlic

1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons lemon zest

Follow the instructions for roasting above.

While the vegetables are roasting, mix the parsley, garlic, and lemon zest together in a small bowl. After the vegetables have finished roasting, toss on the parsley mixture and stir gently to completely coat the vegetables.

Option 2: With Roasted Onion and Almonds

1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, peeled and sliced lengthwise into eighths
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Follow the instructions for roasting above, but add the onion to the roasting pan and roast it alongside the cauliflower or Brussels Sprouts.

While the vegetables are cooking, toast the almonds in a sauté pan over medium heat, tossing them a few times, until they are fragrant and begin to turn golden, 2-3 minutes.

When the vegetables have finished cooking, remove the onion chunks. Let them cool for a minute on a cutting board, then slice them into bite-sized pieces. Toss the onion pieces and almonds back into the vegetables and serve.

Option 3: With Smoked Paprika and Pepitas

2 teaspoons Pimenton (smoked paprika)
1/4 cup shelled pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

In a small bowl, whisk the smoked paprika with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Drizzle the olive oil onto the cauliflower or Brussels sprouts and roast as instructed above.

If the pepitas are not pre-roasted, toast them in a sauté pan, tossing them a few times. Cook until they are fragrant, about 3 minutes.

When the vegetables have finished roasting, add the pepitas and serve.

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Wild Mushroom and Potato Parcels

Picture a platter of small parcels on your buffet table, each wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine. A small gift for each guest to untie and enjoy at the table.

The insides are just as fantastic. Laced with tarragon and chives, when opened, these parcels release a fragrant puff of steam, enticing you to inhale another whiff and luring you to dig your fork in so that you can taste that scent. The mushrooms and potatoes cook with the herbs, wine, and cream to create a little pouch of flavor. You have got to give these a try.

The recipe is adapted from a recipe in Plenty. I love that cookbook! I fiddled with the proportions and herbs and I swapped out the anise-flavored liquor in favor of white wine, which was excellent. I don't know about you, but I don't have Pernod lying around my house and I didn't want to buy a bottle just for the few tablespoons that I needed for the recipe. White wine, on the other hand, I have. The dish is also hearty enough that it could be a main course for the vegetarians.

I recommend serving these along side something that will soak up the flavors of the sauce. Mashed potatoes or an herbed rice would be perfect and even a mildly-flavored stuffing would do nicely. Bread would also do the trick. And in our house there is always bread.

Wild Mushroom and Potato Parcels

The potatoes for this recipe can be cooked a day or two ahead and the mushrooms cleaned and sliced. I would wait until Thanksgiving morning to chop the herbs and toss everything together. The parcels can also be assembled in the morning and refrigerated until you are ready to pop them into the oven.

Adapted from Plenty
Serves 8
Approximately 30 minutes preparation time
20 minutes cooking time

9 cups of a mix of wild and crimini mushrooms
approximately a dozen baby potatoes
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup chopped tarragon
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub the potatoes and put them in a medium-sized stockpot with their skins still on. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the potatoes, and could be anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes. The potatoes should be tender when sliced with a knife but not too soft because they will cook a bit more when they bake in the parcels. Once the skins begin to burst, they are done. Drain the potatoes into a colander and let them cool.

While the potatoes are cooking, clean the mushrooms with a vegetable brush or a paper towel. Remove any large or woody stems and trim the ends off of any smaller stems. Slice the mushrooms and put them in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix everything together gently so that the mushrooms do not break. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Cut 8 pieces of parchment paper at least 13 inches square. Evenly distribute the mushroom-potato mixture among the squares. Pull up the corners of the parchment paper and scrunch the paper together tightly just above the filling. Tie with cotton twine.

Arrange the parcels on a baking sheet with an inch or so between them. Bake for 17 minutes. (If you re removing straight from the refrigerator to the oven, allow an extra minute or two). Remove from the oven. The original recipe says that the parcels need to rest for a minute, but I found that by the time we arranged them on plates or a serving platter, enough time had passed.

Serve the parcels as they are so that each diner can open his or her own bundle. The parcels can be eaten in the parchment paper or the parchment can be removed. Have a bowl handy for the wrappers in case your guests choose the latter option.

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Cardamom Roasted Butternut Squash with Lime-Yogurt Drizzle

Are you a traditionalist at Thanksgiving, wanting the comfort of your favorite dishes each year? Or are you adventurous, eagerly branching out to try something new?

Whichever camp you find yourself in, chances are you will be seated at a table with someone from the competing camp. Or maybe there is a little bit of both camps in you.

To make everyone happy, my solution is to play with the side dishes. Keep the turkey (for you meat eaters) and stuffing, a traditional side or two, and pumpkin and pecan pie. But add something new this year, some new flavors or vegetables -- nothing too wild, but just enough to keep things interesting.

To help you with this, I'm going to give you a week of side dishes starting today. I have five side dishes to share, all with vegetables that are in season and available at the farmers' market now. They'll shake things up a bit and I'll get them to you in time to hit the market next weekend.

For the vegetarians, a couple of these sides, along with some mashed potatoes and stuffing, would round out a meal. If you want a heartier main course, serve them along side that cauliflower tart or vegetable shepherd's pie).

If my ability keeps pace with my ambition, I may even have a dessert recipe for you at the end of the week.

This first side dish recipe is derived from a recipe in Plenty, one of my favorite cookbooks for party food these days (see past posts here and here). We made it for a first course for a dinner party last weekend and I loved the flavors. The warmth of the cardamom was fantastic with the butternut squash and the contrast with the cool flavors of the tangy yogurt sauce, lime, hot peppers, and cilantro elevated the dish beyond the ordinary.

The preparation involved brushing the individual pieces of squash with the cardamom mixture, sectioning limes, making a yogurt sauce, and separately scattering on limes, hot peppers, and cilantro. The presentation was lovely to serve on individual plates but a bit too fiddly to serve with a weeknight meal or on the buffet at Thanksgiving.

So I switched it up, cutting the squash into large chunks, tossing them with the spiced and roasting them. To simplify the accompaniments, I combined all of the flavors into one sauce. Granted the result was not as pretty, but it was simpler to prepare, easy to serve family style, and maybe even a bit tastier because each bite was an explosion of all the flavors. Try it!

Cardamom Roasted Butternut Squash with Lime-Yogurt Drizzle

Depending on the heat of the pepper you use, the dish may have a bit of a kick to it. Since spiciness is not a common flavor on traditional Thanksgiving tables, you may want to warn your dinner companions.

The yogurt sauce can be made up to a day early and the butternut squash can be roasted a few days ahead. Just undercook it so that when it reheats it doesn't get too soft. When the pan cools, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Reheat it just before serving dinner. 

Adapted from Plenty
Serves 6 as a side dish
30 minutes preparation time
30 minutes roasting time

For roasting the squash:
1 large butternut squash
1 1/2 tablespoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few grinds of pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the yogurt drizzle:
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons tahini
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 jalapeno, minced
2/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim the top and bottom off the butternut squash. Set the squash on its bottom and slice it down lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard them.

Peel the butternut squash and dice it into large chunks. I left mine quite large, maybe 2 inches per side so that they would retain some shape when roasted. Arrange the squash in a single layer in a roasting pan.

To prepare the spice mixture, pound the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle until the pods crack open. Pour out the pods onto a cutting board or plate and separate the pods from the seeds inside. (Granted, this process seems like it will be very time consuming, but it only took a few minutes and the resulting fresh cardamom is worth the effort.) Return the seeds to the mortar and pound again until the seeds are finely ground. 

Empty the ground seeds into a small bowl. Add the allspice, salt, and pepper and whisk together. Add the olive oil and whisk again. Pour the spice mixture over the squash and mix it with your hands or a wooden spoon so that it thoroughly coats the squash pieces. Roast until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife, but not mushy. The roasting time will depend on the size of the squash pieces, but count on somewhere between 20 and 40 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, prepare the yogurt sauce. Whisk the yogurt and tahini together with the lime juice. Add the cilantro and jalapeno and mix again. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. The dressing will be quite tart, but resist the urge to temper it because it is excellent with the sweetness of the squash.

When the squash has finished roasting, arrange it onto a serving platter or into a large bowl, taking care to keep the pieces intact. The squash can be served hot or at room temperature. Just before serving, drizzle the yogurt sauce over the top or serve it in a small pitcher on the side.

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Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Tart

Those of you have been reading this blog for a while know that my sister, Sarah, and her husband, Ed, own Black Ankle Vineyards, the best vineyard in Maryland. And I'm not just saying that because Sarah's my sister. Their goal was to show that excellent wine can be made in Maryland and, against the odds, they have done exactly that.

It has been amazing to watch over the past 10 years as they built their business from an idea to a successful, thriving enterprise. It has been a phenomenal amount of work, with long days and nights and zillions of decisions -- big and little -- along the way.

I like to joke that it is best to be the sister of someone who owns a vineyard. I get to enjoy the results without the stress and exhaustion that yielded those results.

When Melissa, Black Ankle's fantastic manager, asked me if I would be willing to put together a recipe to send out with the quarterly wine club shipment, I loved the idea. For the first shimpment, we wanted a dish that would complement the 2011 Bedlam. After tasting the wine on its own (tough work!) around the dinner table one night, we hit on the idea of a dish that would include a blue cheese as well as a hearty vegetable such as broccoli, cauliflower, or green beans.

The cauliflower won out and after a couple of tries, I settled on the creamy mildness of Gorgonzola to go along with it. The tart is substantial enough to be served as a main course with a big green salad and a slab of good bread. It would make an excellent main course for any vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table. Cut into smaller slices, it also could be served as an appetizer or a side dish.

Either way, serve it with a chilled bottle of the Bedlam 2011 and a toast to someone you love. Cheers!

2009: Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
2010: Pumpkin Soup with a(n optional) Kick
2011: Garlicky Cuban Yuca

Cauliflower and Gorgonzola Tart

Serves 8 as a main course
Approximately 1 hour preparation time, plus time for the dough to chill
Approximately 1 hour cooking time

This tart is substantial enough to be served as a main course with a big green salad and a slab of good bread. It would make an excellent main course for any vegetarians at your Thanksgiving table. Cut into smaller slices, it also could be served as an appetizer or a side dish.

For the dough:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces
1/2 cup white wine*
1 egg, lightly scrambled

For the filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
a splash or two of white wine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
4 tablespoons chives, snipped with scissors or chopped
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled

Make the crust: Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingers until the butter bits range in size from grains of sand to small pebbles. Add the white wine and egg and mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until the egg and wine are fully incorporated into the flour. The dough will be sticky.

Form the dough into a ball and flatten it slightly into a disk Wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (or as long as a couple of days).

Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and has softened, 6-7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and scrape the onion into a large bowl. Set aside. Wipe the pan out with a paper towel.

Return the pan to the stovetop, turn the heat to medium-high, add the canola oil, and swirl it around the pan so that it coats the sides. After about 30 seconds, add the cauliflower and arrange it with a wooden spoon so that it covers the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Let it sit for a couple of minutes. Stir, and continue to cook the cauliflower, stirring it only every few minutes so that it browns.

Cook until the cauliflower begins to soften, but is still quite firm, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and add a splash or two of white wine. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour into the bowl with the onions. Let cool for a few minutes.

Add all of the remaining ingredients to the cauliflower except the egg and Gorgonzola. Stir well to incorporate. Add most of the egg, but reserve a few tablespoons to use later to brush the dough. Mix the egg in quickly so that it fully incorporates but doesn't scramble.

Assemble the tart: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and unwrap it. Generously flour the counter and the top of the dough and roll the dough into a large circle, at least 15 inches across, adding more flour if needed to keep the dough from sticking. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet. It's okay if it hangs over the sides at this point because it will be folded onto the sheet after the filling is added.

Spoon the cauliflower mixture onto the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border around the edge. Spread the filling out evenly. Sprinkle the Gorgonzola over the filling. Starting on one side, fold the dough from the edge of the circle up over the filling. Continue around the entire circle, pleating the dough as you go and leaving a wide opening in the center.

Brush the top of the dough with the remaining egg. If you have any left over, drizzle it over the top of the cauliflower in the middle of the tart. Bake until the tart's crust is golden brown, 50 minutes to an hour.

Remove the tart from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

* If you have a decent bottle open from last night, use it. Otherwise, open the Bedlam, use what you need for the recipe, and pour yourself a glass to sip while you cook. But save some for dinner!

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Sweet Potato and Maple After School Muffins

We're all bunkered down here waiting to see what hurricane Sandy brings. Schools and offices are closed, the cupboard is stocked, and the firewood is piled high. The winds are whipping aroung outside and we're as prepared as we can be to get thorough the inevitable loss of electricity.

While the power is still on and others in the house are occupied reading and doing homework, I'm sneaking a few minutes to share this recipe with you. It's another in my effort to make healthier after-school snacks for the kids.

Because sweet potatoes are in abundance this time of year and are reputedly one of the healthiest foods available, they seemed like a logical base for a muffin. I also used oat flour for its whole grain goodness and earthiness and olive oil as a healthier alternative to butter or canola oil.

To flavor the muffins, I used my favorite complement of fall spices, those that traditionally jazz up apple or pumpkin pies. But this time, I increased the nutmeg to bring that spice, which so often takes a back seat to cinnamon, up to the forefront.

I made the first batch of muffins with only maple syrup and although the kids gave them  a thumbs up, Gabe and I both thought they needed to be a bit sweeter. Interesting that we had more of a desire for that sweetness than the kids did, isn't it?

After about a day in the storage tin, something funny started to happen to the sweet potato in the muffins. It began to oxidize and those flecks of potato turned from a beautiful autumnal orange to blue and green. I don't know how to explain the science behind that change, but it was not at all appetizing.

When I made the muffins a second time, I tossed the sweet potato with a bit of lemon juice before adding it to the batter. That has done the trick and kept the sweet potato its original color even after cooking and a week of storage. I also added brown sugar to the second batch to make them a bit sweeter. We all did a blind taste test and agreed that the sweeter version was tastier.

If you're home bound, you oven still works, and you happen to have a sweet potato lying around, here's a lovely little snack that you can enjoy and still feel virtuous.

2009: Brown Sugar Cookies
2010: Dinner in a Pumpkin
2011: Caramel Apples

Sweet Potato and Maple After School Muffins

Makes about 18 muffins
approximately 20 minutes preparation time
25 minutes baking time

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups oat flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar, plus 3 tablespoons, divided
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated sweet potato (approximately 1 large sweet potato)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two muffin trays or line them with cupcake liners.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, oat flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda.

In a large measuring cup or small bowl, pour the lemon juice over the shredded sweet potato and stir to completely coat. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, maple syrup, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the shredded sweet potato and mix thoroughly. Add the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until the dry ingredients have been evenly incorporated.

Spoon into the muffin tins. Sprinkle the remaining brown sugar over the tops of the muffins.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cook for a couple of minutes in the pan, then turn onto a baking rack to cool.

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Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Risotto

Ice cubes at the North Pole.

Wolly mittens on a summer day.

Dental floss for a baby.

Eggplant can be a tough sell, too, especially for kids. Especially for Chloe.

We've been trying to convince Chloe for years that she likes eggplant. We had a bit of success masking it and even more success frying it. Granted, shoe leather would also be tasty fried, but I was hoping that after eating eggplant fried, she'd have enough of a positive association that she would be willing to try other eggplant dishes.

But apparently her memory of her eggplant tolerance is short.

She ate Bhagan Bharta a few weeks ago and liked it. But when we sat down to this risotto dish last night, one of our favorites, she announced "I don't like eggplant."

After we told her how good it was, oohing and aahing about the creamy smoked mozzarella, she eventually agreed to let us put a bit on her plate so long as it was just the rice without any of the eggplant. She nibbled at that and was willing to have a bit more.

The second round, her serving had eggplant in it but she pushed it to the side of her plate. At least she let it sit on her plate. Is that progress?

So she ate just a bit of rice and devoured the Swiss chard instead.

Ironic isn't it, that she will eat Swiss chard?

At least she did until one of her pieces of Swiss chard touched the eggplant piled on the edge of her plate. She refused to eat that bit of chard, quickly sneaking it onto my plate.

And so it goes, one small step at a time, in the eggplant battles.

As for the rest of us, there is not a scrap of this risotto left in the refrigerator today. Some of us had more than one serving, and what was left after dinner was carried off in lunch boxes today.

2009: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils
2010: Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush
2011: Soft Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, Herbs, and Sour Cream

Eggplant and Smoked Mozzarella Risotto

 

I have given up on the salting eggplant thing. If there is a difference in the taste, it is so minor that I don't think it's worth it. Also, after we had this the other night, Oscar commented that he thought the eggplant should be cut smaller "so that it melts into the risotto." I had left the pieced big so that Chloe could pick them out more easily, but I agree that the ideal size would have been a smaller dice for the eggplant, about 1/2-inch pieces.

Serves 6-8 as a main course
15 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

7 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 sprigs fresh oregano, chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, diced

Heat the stock in a sauce pan over medium heat.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook it until it is a deep golden color. Remove it from the pan and discard (or if you love garlic like we do, spread it on a piece of bread for a little snack while you're cooking).

Turn the heat up to medium high and add the eggplant and a few shakes of salt. Cook for a few minutes until the eggplant begins to soften. Add the tomato and oregano and stir.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the rice and the white wine. Cook, stirring, until the wine is absorbed into the rice. Add a couple of ladels of stock and stir a few times, until the rice is absorbed into the rice.

Each time the stock is absorbed into the rice add more, and stir periodically. You don't need to stir continuously, just enough to keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. When most of the stock is gone, taste the rice for doneness. Is should be tender without any crunch but not mushy.

When the rice is done, stir in the smoked mozzarella and stir to incorporate it fully. Serve immediately.

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Time Travel (Bhagan Bharta)

I have been time traveling.

I pulled my scrapbook of recipies off the shelf the other day, the one that I filled over the years with recipes from friends, newspapers, magazines. I don't clip recipes any more, now that I can find almost anything on line in seconds. But I have quite a collection from back in the day.

Flipping through those pages took me on a journey. I saw recipes that we used to make regularly that we haven't made in ages -- our favorite cheesecake recipe! -- and many that we have never made. Even seeing those unmade recipes there, with their tantalizing possibilities, was a treat.

My favorite part of flipping through those pages, though, was finding recipes from friends.

Seeing those recipes, written in our friends' own hands pulled me back. Back to Anita's dinner party where I tasted that apple crisp and knew I had to have the recipe. Back to the cheesy potato casserole that Michelle's sister brought to a pot luck. Back to the Spring Mill Cafe outside of Philadelphia, the French restaurant where I worked during college, and the recipe for creamy salad dressing that makes enough to feed an army.

Back to our wedding shower, to the anticipation of collecting the recipe cards friends had brought to share.

Back to that time before we had children when friends were our family, that circle that held us, supported us, entertained us, consoled us.

Back to that time when the lives we live today -- children, house, job -- would have seemed foreign and were only imaginable in a hazy, dreamy vision.

Flipping the pages in that recipe book pulled me gently back there, with visions of more recent events flashing thorough my mind as I traveled there. Children's milestones, vacations, dinners, gatherings, funerals, weddings, all passed me by as if glimpsed out the window of a moving train.

Those images flashed by and overwhelmed me as I thought of all that we have shared and built and lost.

It was 15 years ago that we got married.

I pulled out a recipe that I had not made in years, our friend Neha's mother's Bhagan Bharta recipe. I made it and it was excellent. I served it for dnner, wondering whether the children would eat it.

They devoured it, this family of ours, circling around, carrying me back, closing the loop.

2009: Zuccanoes
2010: Smoky Eggplant Lasagne
2011: Freshened Up Eggplant Parmesan

Malti Misra's Bhagan Bharta*

Bhagan Bharta is an excellent way to use some of those beautiful eggplants and end-of-season tomatoes that are at the farmers' markets now.

Although I have used Mrs. Misra's recipe, I have adapted it liberally and any inauthenticity is my own. The original recipe calls for cooking the eggplants in the microwave. I used the grill because I like that grilled flavor, but if you want a quicker recipe, use the microwave technique (described below). This version is gingery and fresh with just a hint of smokiness from the grilled eggplant and minimal heat.

Serves 6-8
15 minutes preparation time
1 hour cooking time

2 large eggplants (or 3 medium-sized ones)
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 medium onions, chopped
2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, peeled and chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 handful cilantro, chopped

Rice, naan, or pita, for serving

Preheat the grill to high.

Cut a cross into the end of each eggplant and half of the garlic into each. Grill the eggplants until they are well-charred on the outside, turning them once or twice. Depending on how black you want them, this could take from half an hour to an hour. Remove from the grill and let cool.

Alternatively, if you want a quicker way to cook the eggplants, stuff them with the garlic and microwave them on high for about 15 minutes, until they are very soft.

When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, slit them length-wise and open them up. Scoop out the flesh and chop it coarsely. If you come across any of the garlic cloves that you stuffed into the eggplants, chop them, too. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, ginger, and chile and cook until the onions have softened, about 8 minutes. Add the eggplant and about a cup of water, along with the ground coriander and salt. Cook until the water has reduced and the mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until everything has heated through, about 2 minutes.

Serve hot with rice, naan, or pita.

*There are many variations of the spelling of the name of this recipe, including Baingan or Baigan and Bhurtha and Bhurta.

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Bite-Sized Apple Brown Bettys

Sometimes I think our world is shrinking. Before we had children, I thought nothing of driving several hours to New York or Philadelphia for a celebratory dinner with friends. After our oldest child was born, the road trips dwindled, but we still spent a lot of time with friends all over the D.C. area, even if it meant driving an hour for a visit.

In those days, we parents were still in control of our schedules, and we went where our friends were.

But things have changed. I suppose it happened slowly, as we added another two children to the family. But it seems that they have grown suddenly to become individuals in their own right. Now they have interests. They have places that they want to go. They have their own friends to visit. And even with two chauffeurs parents to shuttle them, our weekends fill up with activities and a trip to visit friends, even those in the D.C. metro area, seems impossible. 

These days, we parents are no longer in control of our own schedules, but we have found excellent friends where we have gone. There, on the side of the soccer field or in an overheated cafeteria filled with excited children we have made new friends, some of whom I hope will be friends long after our children are grown and the activities that brought us together are a distant memory.

As our world has shrunk and we have pulled the circle even closer to home, our neighborhood also has become an increasingly important part of our social life. We are blessed with fantastic neighbors. Admittedly, some of them became neighbors by design. My high school friend, a realtor, already lived in the neighborhood and found my sister a house here, too. When we saw a great house for sale in the neighborhood a year later, we didn't hesitate. And a few years ago one of my sister's college friends moved into the area and wisely bought a house two doors down from my sister.

But even those that weren't socially engineered into the neighborhood have turned out to be wonderful neighbors who love to socialize. A few weeks back, some of the more ambitious party organizers planned a progressive party. I volunteered to make dessert because I'm always looking for an opportunity to bake, especially when I don't have to eat all the leftovers.

We decided that to keep things easy, we'd make desserts that didn't need a fork or even a plate, unless of course someone wanted to amass a small pile. I had offered to make something with fruit, but pies and tarts were out. I came across these tiny Brown Bettys on Smitten Kitchen which appealed to me not only because they were tiny, fruity, and cute, but also because the crust was made with slices of bread. Interesting. And a bit easier than making a crust, a shortcut that seemed a good idea for a large scale operation.

I have to admit that I also made these chocolate goodies for the party and they were definitely more popular. But the Brown Bettys were good. Really good. The brown butter gives them a slightly nutty flavor and the tart apples along with the cardamom and lemon dial up the zestiness. Chloe tasted one (just to make sure that they were edible) and said, "These taste like a dream come true."

If our world keeps getting smaller and smaller it will just be us, hanging out at home together. Eating as many Brown Bettys as we want.

I can live with that.

2009:  Blueberry Crumb Cake
2010:  Roses des Sables
2011:  Clementine Sorbet and Teal Toes

Bite-Sized Apple Brown Bettys

Makes about 2 dozen Brown Bettys
30 minutes preparation time
30 minutes baking time

From Gourmet via Smitten Kitchen

for the Brown Bettys:
1 cup melted butter
8 slices white sandwich bread
2 tart apples, such as Granny Smiths
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup breadcrumbs, preferably homemade

for garnish:
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Once it has melted, turn the heat to low and, stirring occasionally, let it brown. As soon as the butter starts to darken, watch it carefully. Let it go for about another 30 seconds, until it turns a medium-brown color and smells slightly nutty.

Cut the crusts off of the bread slices. (Save the scraps to make bread crumbs). Roll each slice with a rolling pin to flatten it.

Cut the bread into circles large enough to line the muffin tins, including covering the sides. It may take some trial and error to find the right tool for cutting the circles, but there is sure to be something in the kitchen -- a jar lid, the bottom of a salt shaker, a small glass -- that will be the right size. (Again, reserve the bread scraps for bread crumbs).

Brush each side of each circle with brown butter and arrange the circles into the muffin cups. If the circles tear, patch them with pieces of the scraps, but they need not be perfect. Any flaws will be inconspicuous in the final product.

Peel and finely dice the apples. Toss them with any remaining butter, the cinnamon, cardamom, lemon zest, salt, and bread crumbs. Spoon the filling into the shells so that the filling just rises above the side of the shell. Cover the pan with foil. Cook with the foil on for 10 minutes, then remove the foil and finish cooking until the crusts are lightly brown and the apples are tender, about 15 more minutes.

To make the whipped cream, whip the cream in a mixer. Once the cream begins to thicken, add the sugar and vanilla.

When the Brown Bettys are done, turn them onto a cooling rack. They can be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

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Broccoli-Gorgonzola Pie

Now that the kitchen is fully in action, it's been party, party, party over here. We are incredibly happy to be using the space and cooking again, and we have been bursting with excitement to cook and cook and cook. Of course we had the birthday parties and an Oscar party, and, most recently, we had a party to thank all of the kind and generous souls who fed us during the construction.

Those nights that friends invited us into their homes or dropped food off for us sustained us throughout the project. Escaping our dust-filled house into the calm and comfort of another home fed more than just our bellies. And eating a meal that we knew had been kindly made and delivered to us was so very nourishing.

When we were brainstorming about what to make for the thank-you party, the children each enthusiastically volunteered to make something, getting right into the spirit of choosing foods they thought their friends would enjoy. Chloe suggested suppli, one of our favorite party treats. Oscar volunteered to make our standard macaroni and cheese, a particular favorite and specialty of his. And Olivia decided to make lemon meringue pie, one of her favorites to make and eat.

For our part, Gabe and I wanted the dishes that we made to be celebratory, beyond our usual day-to-day repertoire. This broccoli-Gorgonzola pie was the star of the show. We had made it once before and found it very tasty, although the second time out, we tweaked the texture a bit.

The recipe is adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook, Plenty, which has been one of my favorites lately (True Confession: I gave Gabe this cookbook for Christmas; he has been sharing very nicely). The recipes are all vegetarian (although he is not himself a vegetarian), and he has an incredibly imaginative approach that elevates vegetarian cooking. It has inspired me to take things up a notch, too, and has been an excellent source of ideas for party meals.

This pie beautifully pairs the fresh, healthiness of the broccoli with the richness of the Gorgonzola and pastry. As Ottolenghi points out in the cookbook, it is not a light dish, but it is an excellent special occasion meal. It will undoubtedly go into our rotation of party foods. More party food recipes are coming. Apparently, I cook faster that I write.

Cheers!

2009: Potato-Leek Soup
2010: Pressure Cooker Saffron and Artichoke Risotto
2011: Coco-Choco Pudding

Broccoli-Gorgonzola Pie

Adapted from Plenty
Serves 8-10
30-45 minutes preparation time
60 minutes baking time

Blanching the broccoli for just a couple of minutes before assembling the pie gets the final result to the perfect consistency  -- thoroughly cooked, but still bright green and not the least bit mushy.

1 pound broccoli, washed and cut into bite-sized florets
1 pound puff pastry
2 tablespoons butter
3 leeks
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup chopped chives
1/3 cup chopped fresh tarragon or 1 tablespoon dried
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
a few grinds of black pepper
6 ounces Gorgonzola
1 egg, lightly beaten

If the puff pastry is frozen, follow the instructions on the package for thawing it. I generally move it from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before I plan to use it.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and blanch them for about 2 minutes. At this point, the broccoli should be vibrant green and just beginning to tenderize. Drain it in a colander and set it aside to cool.

Roll out the puff pastry until it is about one and a half times its original size. Place a tart pan with a removable bottom on top of the dough and cut around it so that you end up with a circle that is large enough to cover the bottom and the sides of the pan (it will be an inch or two larger than the diameter of the pan). Transfer the dough to the tart pan and push it into the corners. Trim off any dough that is higher than the sides of the pan.

Roll the remaining dough back into a ball and then roll it out again. Cut out a piece for the top of the pie that is just a bit -- a half inch should do -- larger than the tart pan.  Put both the top and bottom pieces into the freezer for at least 10 minutes.

After the dough has chilled, remove just the bottom piece. Line the dough with parchment paper or tin foil and fill the shell with dried beans. Bake the pastry until it begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and take out the beans and foil or parchment paper. Return the tart shell to the oven and cook it until the pastry turns a golden brown, about 10 minutes more. Remove it from the oven. If it has puffed up, poke the top layer of the bubbles with a sharp knife to deflate them. Set the shell aside until the filling is ready.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter and add the leeks. Cook them until they are wilted and soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cream, chives, tarragon, mustard, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of water. Stir to combine, and then remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

To assemble the pie, first pour the filling into the bottom pastry crust. Next, arrange the broccoli florets, pushing them gently into the filling. Crumble the Gorgonzola in large chunks evenly over the top of the broccoli. Brush the sides of the bottom crust with the egg.

Remove the top pastry crust from the freezer and place it on top of the pie. If it has been in the freezer much longer than 10 minutes, give it a few minutes to soften up. Trim off all but about an inch of any crust that hangs over the side of the pan. Tuck the sides of the top crust along the out side of the pan, pushing down on the edges to join the top crust to the bottom one. Brush the top crust with the egg.

Bake until the pie is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into it to serve.

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The Flu, Good Books, and Ginger-Baked Apples

We have been felled by the flu. I woke up Wednesday morning, went for my early morning walk, showered, and crawled back into bed. And that is where I stayed for the next three days. Olivia followed a day after me, and Chloe the day after that. Somehow the boys have stayed healthy, and as their reward they have gotten to take care of the rest of us.

I'll spare you the details of the down side; I'm sure you have had the opportunity to experience those for yourselves. Surprisingly, though, there have been some up sides. Usually I'm just sick enough to feel miserable and go to bed early, but I'm still shuffling around trying to work and get things done. Having everything grind to a halt has its benefits.

I have enjoyed my times snuggling in bed with Chloe and Olivia and, even though we haven't been healthy, we have had time to talk and giggle.

Gabe and Oscar have been very sweet, preparing and bringing us food and drink, running errands, keeping the day-to-day chores like dishes and laundry under control, and continually checking on us to see how we are doing.

There has also been a certain snow day-like quality to our sick days, too. Our activity has slowed down considerably and we aren't rushing to go anywhere or to do anything. We're staying close to home, focusing on our basic needs, very much in the present, just being, rather than doing.

Finally, I have done more reading in the last 5 days than I have done in a long time. It has been such a pleasure to get lost again and again in the pull of a good book. I'd love to tell you that it was all very highbrow, but sick bed reading should have its own section in the book store. Here's the recap:

- City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - Continuing my indulgence in teen fiction, er, I mean, my efforts to keep on top of what my 11-year old daughter is reading, this is first of the Mortal Instruments series. There were so many werewolves, fairies, vampires, etc., mixed in among the Shadowhunters that I had a bit of difficulty keeping track, but it was definitely a page turner. Maybe I'll do better when I'm reading without a fever. I'd recommend it to others who enjoyed The Hunger Games, Twilight, or Divergent.

- Two Kinsey Millhone Mysteries by Sue Grafton, "A" is for Alibi and V is for Vengeance. I have read some of the other books in this series, but not nearly all of them. It was fun to read the first and most recent books back to back, written nearly 30 years apart. There were some obvious differences (author's picture, loss of quotes in the title, increasing plot complexity) but both were thoroughly enjoyable and fast moving.

- One Year Off by David Elliot Cohen - The subtitle gives a good summary, "Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children." I would love to take a year off and travel around the world as a family, but the practical side of preparation and financing are a bit daunting. This book definitely has me thinking.

- The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner - Oscar has been recommending this Newberry winner to me for some time. I'm only about halfway through it, but I'm loving the tale of a smart-alec thief who is pulled out of jail by the king's men to steal a precious stone for him.

- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick - We read this to the children when the book first came out and, with its compelling story about a boy who winds the clocks in a Paris train station and its beautiful illustrations, it ranks as one of my all-time favorites. The children didn't remember it very well, so I wanted to read it again before we see the movie (and to get a sense of whether the movie will be too sad or scary for our sensitive Chloe).

What have you been reading?

Now we are slowly crawling out from under that flu. Our only excursions over the weekend were to see productions by Lumina Studio Theater (the first Act was an adaptation of Trolius and Cressida; the second, an adaptation of Measure for Measure) and the Washington Revels (the music was from Andalusia and the production was my favorite of the shows we have seen).

And we are tentatively making our way back into the world of food again. So far, it's been mostly soups and bland fare, toast, rice, but I'm almost ready to venture beyond that a bit.

If I had an oven, I'd bake some apples as a perfect little treat, or even as an antidote to the riches of the one-two punch of Halloween and Thanksgiving. The technique for baking these apples came from Gourmet, and the result is a baked apple that is still firm and holds its shape, rather than one that melts after being cooked. There is certainly room in this world for both types, but right now I am loving this firmer, chewier texture.

The first time I made these, I used too much ginger (a tablespoon) and the flavor was too strong, especially for the kiddies. I cut the amount back, and this achieves a better balance. Together, the lemon and ginger add a punch of freshness.

They'd be the perfect to serve alongside a good book.

Second Helping: Airy Apple Cake
Thirds: Caldo Verde (Portugese Potato and Kale Soup)

Ginger-Baked Apples

These apples are a simple, delicious dessert as they are, but if you'd like to fancy them up, a dollop of creme frâiche or ice cream on top would do the trick.

Adapted from Gourmet
Serves 6
30 minutes preparation time
45 minutes cooking time

6 medium-sized medium tart apples, such as Ida Reds, Fuji, or Honeycrisp
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Peel the apples and, leaving the apple intact, remove the core with a sharp knife or apple corer. This is a bit tricky without a corer. I found it easiest to slice the core out from one end, then flip the apple over and do the other end. Any little bits of core that remain in the center can be filed away afterwards with the knife, too.

Cut the apples across (latitudinally) into 1/4-inch slices and reform them into whole apples. Brush them with lemon juice.

In a small bowl, whisk together any remaining lemon juice with the lemon zest, ginger, sugar, and vanilla. Divide the mixture evenly among the apples, pouring a bit into the cavity of each apple.

Bake for 25 minutes, removing the apples to baste them with the pan juices two or three times during the cooking process. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake, continuing to baste frequently, until the apples are tender and the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes more.

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Autumn Granola

Before we started our construction, I went through a flurry of cooking. I was freaked out by the idea of not being able to cook for so long and I wanted to make sure that we had a stash of some of our staples. We were completely out of granola, so a new batch was high on my list. We still are fans of that almond granola, but now that the weather has cooled and leaves are crunching under our feet, I wanted something that felt more like the season.

The spices that resonate most with me this time of year are those that seem to carry heat in their flavors--cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves. They are the same spices that infuse a chai latte or pumpkin pie. Pecans seemed like the nut most appropriate to the season, maybe because I had pecan pie somewhere in the back of my mind, and, of course, I had to throw in some pumpkin seeds. The result is not wildly different from our old favorite, but it has satisfied that urge for something more autumnal.

I made a double batch so we have a nice, big stash. I don't think it will quite get us to the end of the construction process, but it sure is nice to have some homemade treats along the way.

Second Helping: Brown Sugar Cookies
Thirds: Lavender-Cheddar Muffins

Autumn Granola

Makes about 6 cups
15 minutes preparation time
1 hour baking time

3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup water
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups whole pecans
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a small pot, mix together the brown sugar, maple syrup, spices, salt, vanilla, olive oil, and water.  Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and set the mixture aside.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds.  Pour the maple syrup mixture into the bowl and mix thoroughly so that the oats and nuts are completely coated.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.  Pour the granola onto the sheets and spread it out evenly into a single layer.  Bake for about 50 minutes, watching to make sure that the pecans do not get too dark.  About half way through, remove each tray and gently push the granola around the tray to break up any clumps.

Remove the granola from the oven and let it come to room temperature on the baking sheets, then add the raisins. The granola will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.

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Caramel Apples

We have spent a lot of time these last few weeks getting ready for the kitchen project. We've cleaned, packed, organized, sorted, boxed, and schlepped loads of stuff, way more than I thought could fit in that kitchen and dining room. And we tried to prepare ourselves emotionally, taking a bit of time out to reminisce and honor all of the good times that we had in those rooms.

But still I wanted us to have one last family cooking project before that kitchen went into the history books. We had been apple picking at Larriland Farms and talked about making caramel apples, so one day before the walls came tumbling down, we pushed aside the debris and dusted off a swath of counter top. We stirred and stirred and stirred and twirled and had ourselves a good old time making these delicious apples.

We thought about using the finished apples as Halloween treats for "ghosting" our neighbors, but they were so good that we ended up hoarding them for ourselves.

I will confess that there was one point when I was waiting and waiting for that caramel to get hot enough that I thought I had lost my mind. Why was it that I thought we could squeeze this in to our already extremely busy day? But once I saw how happy the kids were biting into those sweet crunchy apples, I had no regrets. I hope that we will all hold the memory of that evening together for years to come. Even if the apples are long gone.

I found a recipe for caramel apples on 101 Cookbooks that I loved for its simplicity, essentially cream and honey. The honey was excellent with the apples. I tweaked the recipe just a bit, but it would be very easy to do more to it, such as increasing the salt content in this recipe or adding a sprinkling of salt after the apples are removed from the pan and making these Salted Caramel Apples. I'm going to have to give that a try. You could also roll the cooled apples in other toppings such as chopped nuts, coconut, or chocolate chips. We loved them just as caramel apples, simple and pure.

Second Helping: Dinner in a Pumpkin (perfect for Halloween!)
Thirds: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Caramel Apples

If you'd like to deviate from the classic caramel apple, after the apples have cooled in the refrigerator for a few minutes, add a sprinkling of sea salt or roll the apples in a topping such as coconut, chopped nuts, or mini chocolate chips.

Makes 8 caramel apples
15 minutes preparation time
approximately 1 hour cooking time, plus time for chilling

8 small, tart apples
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

other equipment: 8 chopsticks or short, thick skewers

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Make room in the refrigerator for the cookie sheet and make sure that the refigerator shelf is positioned so that there is enough room above to accommodate the apples with their chopsticks/skewers. Wash the apples and place a chopstick or skewer into the stem end of each one. Line them up on the cookie sheet.

Place a small sauce pan over medium low heat and add the cream. When small bubbles appear at the edge of the pan, add the honey, vanilla and salt and stir with a wooden spoon to fully incorporate the ingredients.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat, keeping the mixture at a low simmer. It may take a while to get the temperature of the caramel right so that it simmers and continues to get hotter, but doesn't foam up too high. Continue to heat the caramel, stirring frequently, until it reaches 248 to 250 degrees. This will take a long time, maybe about 40 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for a few minutes. When the temperature of the caramel has cooled to 190 degrees, dip an apple. The caramel should be liquid enough that it is easy to dip the apple, but thick enough that the caramel doesn't immediately run off. If it is too thin, let it cool a bit more. If it is too thick, place the pan again over low heat and stir for a few seconds.

Carefully dip each apple into the caramel until it is almost completely submerged. Lift it out of the caramel and let it any excess caramel drip off. Turn the apple upright and hold it there for about 30 seconds to give the caramel a chance to set. Roll the apple from side to side, evening out the caramel coating and allowing it to firm up. Place the apple onto the parchment paper to cool. Repeat with the remaining apples.

If the caramel stops sticking to the apples or gets very thick, return it to the heat and just bring it to a simmer. Removethe pan from the heat and begin dipping apples again.

Put the tray of apples in the refrigerator to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove them and, if you like, press any caramel that has pooled onto the tray back onto the apples (we thought it was fine to have a bit of pooling. It leaves the apple with a nice ridge of caramel right on the top when you flip it over to eat it).

Return the apples to the refrigerator to finish cooling. When they have cooled completely, wrap them in plastic wrap or wax paper to store.

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Warm and Cozy Broccoli and Red Pepper Soup

What the heck happened to fall? I'm a fan of those crisp blue-skied days and cool nights, when you need a sweater or jacket in the morning but the layers peel off by lunch time. No such luck this year. Bam. Without any warning or time to get used to the idea, it feels like November. Suddenly we're in soup season.

Fortunately, we love soup.

It can be quite cozy to come inside out of the damp, gray weather to a warm house and tuck into a bowl of soup. Unfortunately for us, the first time we tried to crank up the heat, we got only a sputter. Our thermostat inside has been hovering around 60 degrees, which is a good bit chillier than my normal comfort level. Those few degrees don't seem like such a big difference numerically, but we've been feeling them in our bones. I've been walking around the house in a scarf, an extra sweater and handwarmers (very helpful keeping my hands warm while I type), and I'm acclimating. Maybe we'll be able to keep the thermostat a bit lower this winter.

The repair man came yesterday, tinkered with our 20-year old boiler, and said that there wasn't anything he could do for it. The end. Ugh.

Fortunately, we love soup.

Last weekend, Gabe bought broccoli to make a soup. For some reason, our kids all like broccoli soup, even though they won't always eat it as a side. This time around, we added red bell peppers because they are still available at the farmers' market and I thought they would add a bit of sweetness to the broccoli. The cumin and mustard add warmth to the flavor so that even our taste buds warmed up. In fact, just the smell of the soup simmering on the stove helped cut the chill.

Bring on the cold weather. I'm ready. And the nutrients from the soup will give us the strength to get through the boiler-buying process.

Second Helping: Corn and Green Bean Chowder
Thirds: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils

Warm and Cozy Broccoli and Red Pepper Soup

Serves 6
20 minutes preparation time
45 minutes cooking time

1 large head of broccoli (about 8 cups of florets)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cumin
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Rinse the broccoli and cut off the stems as high up on the stalk as possible. Slice the stems across and dice them.

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes. Add the potato, red pepper, and broccoli stems and saute for a minute or two. Add the mustard, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cover the vegetables generously with water and bring to a simmer. Cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Puree the soup briefly with an immersion blender, just enough to thicken the soup. It should still be chunky. Add the broccoli florets and simmer until they are tender, but still bright green, 5 to 10 minutes depending on their size.

Serve immediately.

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Cooking with Mother Goose: Classic Apple Pie

Cooking with Mother Goose: A series of occasional posts inspired by children's stories and rhymes.


Simple Simon   

Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair;
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
Let me taste your ware.

Said the pieman to Simple Simon,
Show me first your penny;
Said Simple Simon to the pieman,
Indeed I have not any.

Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
All the water he had got,
Was in his mother's pail.

Simple Simon went to look
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle

I only remember the first verse of Simple Simon, but I think of it whenever I make a pie. It also reminds me of our friend Simon, although it is not the most favorable portrayal of a Simon, is it? Maybe someday we can write a new version in which Simon has a bit more fun. (Here's the Three Stooges' riff on it).

When I realized that I had never posted an apple pie recipe on this site, I knew I had to remedy that immediately. I use this site myself as an electronic database of our favorite recipes, and now that it's apple season, I know I will need an apple pie recipe again and again.

This recipe is just a simple pie recipe, but I tried to achieve the right balance of flavors, adding a bit of lemon and cardamom to go along with the more traditional spices. The lemony twist in the filling brightens up the apple flavor. The cardamom adds a bit of tang, too, although it also has an earthiness that complements the cinnamon and nutmeg. The filling was so good that I had to stop myself from eating it before I baked it into the pie.

So here's a simple apple pie recipe for Simple Simon, or anyone else who loves apple pie.

Second Helping: Triple Ginger Zucchini Bread
Thirds: Chunky Apple Muffins

Classic Apple Pie

Serves 8-10
Appriximately 60 minutes preparation time
60 minutes baking time

1 recipe basic pie crust
6 large apples (about 3 1/2 pounds), preferably a mix of varieties such as Honeycrisp, Granny
    Smith, and Jonagold, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Make the dough according to the recipe and put it in the refrigerator to chill.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Toss the apples in a bowl with the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, 1/2 cup sugar, and flour. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix thoroughly.

After the dough has chilled, roll out the larger piece of dough and transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Scoop the apples into the crust, leaving behind any liquid.

Roll out the second piece of dough until it is about 10 inches in diameter and transfer it onto the top of the apple filling. Trim the edge of the crust to even it out, if necessary.  Fold the edges under and crimp the top and bottom crust together. Cut a few slits into the top crust. Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the top of the pie. 

Bake the pie on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the oven temperature to 350 degrees and cook for about 50 minutes longer, until the crust is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling.  If the crust begins to brown too quickly, tent a piece of foil over the top.

Let the pie cool for at least an hour to let it set.

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Grapefruit All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

A few years ago, as our children got old enough to start helping more with household chores, I had a moment of horror as I watched one of them grab a rag and start scrubbing with one of the commercial products that we were using at the time. The thought of bleach and who knows what other chemicals touching my little ones' hands was frightening. I shooed them off, opened the windows for a bit of ventilation and started thinking.

If those cleaning supplies were toxic for the children, they probably weren't too good for adults, either. I was very excited then, when a fellow pre-school mom offered a class at our school's silent auction to learn to make homemade, safe cleaning products. It was quite an eye opener.

Virginia has a business, called Flora and Fauna, giving workshops and selling cleaning supplies. She showed us how to make a variety of cleaning products that day, but she is much more ambitious than I am, so I have winnowed it down to two products. One is a spray for general cleaning such as kitchen counters, walls, etc., and the other is a scrub that we use primarily in the bathrooms and the kitchen.

Both use Dr. Bronner's Pure Castille Soap as a base, and the scrub adds vinegar and baking soda, those classic cleaning supplies, to give it some added scrubbing punch.  My favorite of the two is the spray. I have found it to be the best for cleaning the countertops in the kitchen. It cuts through whatever mess we have left behind without leaving a residue or just smearing the dirt around. (I'll post the recipe for the scrub next week.)

The other thing I love about it is the scent. Virginia recommended adding grapefruit oil for a fresh scent and I don't know if it has ever been studied, but I am fairly certain that it has some addictive property. I'm telling you that one whiff and you will be looking for opportunities to pull out that spray bottle just so you can get another hit. And I'm not the only one.

Happy Spring cleaning!

Grapefruit All-Purpose Cleaning Spray

I bought the oils for this recipe right from Virginia, which you can do too, by contacting her directly. Just e-mail me and I'll send you her contact information. I understand that they are also available at many grocery stores, too, including MOM's Organic Market in this area.  When you are looking to buy the oil, note that it need not be food-grade quality, which is usually more expensive.

Makes about 2 cups
10 minutes preparation time

1 tablespoon Dr. Bronner's Unscented Pure Castille Soap
1 teaspoon grapefruit essential oil

Mix the Castille soap and grapefruit oil together in a spray bottle. Add 2 cups of water. Put the top on and gently shake the bottle to mix the ingredients together. Use on countertops, walls, tile, stove, sink, etc.

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Green Lasagna

Before we left for our spring break, the farmers' market was loaded with greens, but not much else. We decided to make this lasagna with it, which is loosely based on a lasagna that my sister and brother-in-law have made many times for us. I love the flavors because the greens and the basil give it a freshness that suits the season, even if it is a cheesy, comforting lasagna. It has become one of our family favorites.

Although we made the dish in spring, it really is perfect for fall and winter too, when those greens are abundant at the markets. I'm not going to say too much more. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

I'm looking forward to heading back to the farmers' market this weekend to see what's available now. Ramps? Asparagus? I can't wait.

Second Helping: Velvety Ramp and Watercress Soup with Crispy Shallots
Thirds: Kale Chips

Green Lasagna

1 pound lasagne noodles*
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
12 cups fresh spinach leaves, carefully washed
16 ounces ricotta
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
4 1/2 cups whole milk
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
olive oil for the pan
1 large bunch of basil
1 half pound mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt the water, and cook the lasagne noodles for a minute less than the time called for on the package. When they are done, drain them in a colander and rinse them with cold water. Stir them gently with a wooden spoon as you rinse to keep them from sticking together.

Put the spinach in a large stock pot and add enough water to nearly cover it. Bring the pot to a boil. Cook until the spinach wilts but is still a bright green. Drain the spinach in a colander, mashing it with a wooden spoon against the side of the colander to remove any remaining water. Let it sit for a few minutes to cool and dry out while you make the bechamel sauce.

In a small stockpot, heat the milk over low heat. It should be warm but not boiling. (You could even heat it in the microwave in a glass measuring cup if you don't want to get another pot dirty.) In a larger sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, add the flour, reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir until the flour is fully incorporated. Add the milk and stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Add a few pinches of salt and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture has thickened and you feel a lot of resistance against the spoon as you stir. Stir in the nutmeg. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and set it aside.

In a large bowl, mix the cooled spinach with the ricotta and parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spread a bit of oil over the bottom of a 9-by-13 inch lasagne pan and place a layer of noodles over the bottom. Add enough of the spinach mixture to cover the noodles thinly. Add a layer of basil leaves. Don't be tempted to skimp on the basil; it is the secret ingredient that sets this lasagne apart. Repeat with another layer of noodles-spinach-basil.

Ladle enough of the bechamel sauce over the second layer to cover it. Keep adding more layers of noodles-spinach-basil until you run out of spinach mixture. Pour the remaining bechamel over the top of the lasagne, letting it drip down the sides if you have enough. Add mozzarella to the top.

Bake until the lasagne is lightly browned on top and bubbling, about 45 minutes. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

 * Am I the only one that always has way too many lasagne noodles left over? You will not need the full pound, but I make them all anyway because I'm never sure how many I will need. If you  are feeling crafty, you can always cut the extras into strips, toss them with some olive oil and butter, and serve them to any pickier eaters who won't eat the lasagne because it has green stuff in it.

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Black Sesame Carrots

I'm not sure why, but even many children who are picky eaters seem to like carrots. Our children prefer them dunked in copious amounts of Ranch dressing, and presented that way, they will munch through a lot of them. This recipe is an attempt to change the humble carrot into something a bit more interesting for those of us that like to deviate from the Ranch dip once in a while.

I was inspired to make this recipe by a food52 contest, and my approach was to give those carrots an Asian twist, tossing them with sesame seeds, five spice powder, and sesame oil. They are cooked on the stove top so they do not get mushy, the kiss of death for cooked carrots. I loved the way they came out, slightly blackened from cooking at high heat, and laced with sesame flavors from the oil and the seeds. I think they will be even better with the first spring carrots that will soon be available.

We ate these carrots as a side dish on their own, but I think they would also be an excellent addition to a noodle salad or a stir fry.

As for the children, they all tried the carrots, resulting in the usual range of reactions from enthusiastic to lukewarm. I'll definitely make them again and try to win the children over so that I can eat them more often. The carrots, that is.

Black Sesame Carrots

Serves 6 as a side dish
10 minutes preparation time
10 minutes cooking time

2 teaspoons black seasme seeds
1 teaspoon five spice powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil (untoasted)
10 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on a diagonal
salt to taste
1 garlic clove, peeled and sliced in thin slivers
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Place a medium-sized saute pan over medium heat and add the sesame seeds. Toast them by cooking them for about a minute, tossing them a couple of times so that they cook evenly. Add the five spice powder and toast it until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the mixture into a bowl. Use a clean paper towel to wipe out the pan.

Return the pan to the stovetop and raise the heat to high. Add the sesame oil and when it is hot, swirl it around the pan. Add the carrots and let them sit for a minute or two without stirring so that they brown. Add the slivers of garlic.

Stir the carrots or, if you are feeling chef-y, shake the pan so that the carrot slices flip and land on their opposite sides. Continue to cook, stirring or tossing so that the carrots brown evenly, until they are tender but still crisp, about 10 minutes. Add the sesame seeds and five spice powder as well as the toasted sesame oil and stir to coat the carrots evenly. Serve immediately.

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Airy Apple Cake

Sometimes a homey, tasty cake is just what you need. In fact, cake almost always has the power to improve ones outlook on life. In any event, the only thing it can hurt is the waistline, and I'm not going to start worrying about that after all these years.

This cake offers just that type of comfort. The apples are first spooned into the baking pan and topped with a batter that covers the apples and surrounds them with light fluffy cake. The result is an airy spiced cake with a sprinkle of crunchy sweetness on the top. Dressed up on fancy plate with a scoop of ice cream it makes an excellent seasonal dessert. Wrapped in a napkin, it would make a perfect snack on the run. Some have even been known to have a slice for breakfast.

Dicing apples.
The first time I made this cake, Chloe looked at me with wonder. She had just been singing "An Apple for an Apple Cake" with the Revels. I believe the song was based on a story by Nienke Van Hichtum in which an old woman plans to make an apple cake but doesn't have any apples. She sets out to find some and shares her generosity along the way. It is a lovely story, and Chloe was delighted that I was actually making an apple cake at home. Sometimes things just work out that way. Especially when cake is involved.

Second Helping: Pear and Almond Cake

Dig in!

Airy Apple Cake

To prepare the apples:
3-4 firm apples, ideally a mix of varieties, peeled, cored, and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

To make the cake:
1 cup unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons orange zest
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart baking dish.

Pour the apples into the baking dish and mix them with the butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside while you mix the cake.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixer, beat the butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar until light. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest and mix again. Add half of the flour mixture, the milk, and then the remaining half of the flour mixture, mixing each time until just combined. Pour the batter over the apples and spread it so that it covers them evenly.

Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Sprinkle it over the top.  Bake  the cake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cooled directly from the baking dish.

Jobs for children: Children can peel the apples, zest the orange, and mix. At the end, children can also sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top. To make it come out more evenly, put the cinnamon-sugar mixture in a clean spice bottle so that not too much comes out with any one shake. Older children can also dice apples.

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Pumpkin, Radicchio, and Feta Salad

I have written about my friend Andrea before because she inspires me in the kitchen. Remember these macarons (and these) that we made together?

But this recipe was one that she submitted to our preschool cookbook before I knew her well enough to know what a cooking talent she is. I have made it many times now and every time it is a hit. I brought it to a pot luck at the office a couple of years ago, and several people asked me for the recipe. The sweet pumpkin, bitter radicchio, sour lime, salty feta, and crunchy pine nuts and onions are in perfect harmony. Delicious.


Tearing radicchio.

Chloe and Oscar didn't eat much of this salad, but they had fun helping make it. I think there's something theraputic about tearing into that radicchio. The rest of us loved, loved, loved it, and we gladly ate their share.

Squeezing limes.

The contrast of the orange pumpkin and dark red radicchio are also visually stunning. It would be a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. It is even hearty enough that along with some stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a few Brussels sprouts, it would round out a perfect Thanksgiving meal, at least for this vegetarian.

Second Helping: Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

Pumpkin, Radicchio, and Feta Salad 

If you'd like to prepare this recipe ahead, roast the pumpkin in advance. It will keep in the refirgerator for a few days, and the rest of the salad is quick to pull together.

Serves 6
40 minutes preparation time
30 minutes cooking time

1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 2 cups before cooking)*
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3/4 cup red onion, finely sliced into half moons (about 1/2 of a red onion)
4 tablespoons lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon peanut oil
approximately 1/2 pound feta, crumbled into large chunks
2 cups radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces (1 small head)
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the pumpkin cubes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and roast the cubes until they are tender but still hold their shape. The cooking time will vary, but it likely will take between 30 and 40 minutes. Set it aside to cool.

In a small bowl, mix the onion with the lime juice and set it aside to marinate for 15 minutes or more. After it has marinated, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the peanut oil.

Add the pumpkin, feta, radicchio, half the pine nuts, and onion mixture in a large bowl, and stir gently to combine. Serve the salad in a large flat bowl or on a platter garnished with the remaining pine nuts.

Jobs for children: Children of any age can tear the radicchio and crumble the feta. Slightly older kids can squeeze limes, measure, and mix.

* For tips on wrestling that pumpkin into cubes, see this post.

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Pumpkin Soup with a(n Optional) Kick

I know, I know, another recipe for pumpkin soup. Who needs it? But stick with me. This version is worth trying.

I went to a lunch recently for a friend who was having one of those milestone birthdays that need to be celebrated. There was lots of delicious food there, but the birthday girl herself had made a pumpkin soup that created a stir. It was smooth and hearty, with just a bit of heat. I loved that kick, and wanted to recreate it at home.

Peeling and seeding the pumpkin.

But then I pictured three pairs of young eyes looking at me, wondering what I was trying to do by them making a soup that made those precious eyes water. Maybe a spicy soup wouldn't do.

Or maybe it would. I like the challenge of finding a way to create one meal that the entire family can eat without sacrificing the flavor that we adults love. I thought about making two separate batches, but that requires getting two pots dirty, and that is not appealing. Instead, I decided it would be better to add the spice at the table. That way those of us who find spice to be the spice of life could have our way without smoking out the younger ones. So I made a chili oil to drizzle into the soup as we served it.

Chili oil and prepping for the soup.
Somewhere along the way, I determined that the soup would benefit from a pinch of saffron, which has a warm flavor I thought would complement the chili. The result was delicious. Olivia, Gabe, and I all drizzled on the chili oil, although in varying amounts. The other two got theirs straight up, and both liked it. Phew.

This soup would be perfect for any party where guests might have different tolerances for spiciness, such as a dinner party or Thanksgiving dinner.

Pumpkin Soup with a(n Optional) Kick

Serves 6
25 minutes preparation time
About 1 hour 15 minutes cooking time

The chili oil will vary in heat according to the spiciness of the red pepper flakes that you use so it will be hard to predict how spicy the resulting oil will be. If you have left over chili oil, it will keep in the refrigerator for several months.

For the chili oil:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

For the soup:
1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed (about 6 cups)*
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 pinch saffron
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon salt
2 small tomatoes, chopped (about 1 cup)

First make the chili oil. Heat the oil and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over low heat. Gently simmer for about five minutes to infuse the chili flavor into the oil. Set aside to cool. Pour into a small bowl or bottle.

Next make the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes, onion, and garlic. Sauté until the onion softens, about 7 minutes. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they too begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the saffron, potatoes, and pumpkin and stir to combine. Cover the vegetables with water (I used about 8 cups) and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the potatoes and pumpkin are soft, about 45 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for a few more minutes.

With a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, mash some of the vegetables to thicken the soup. Serve hot with a drizzle of chili oil for those who would like it.

* I used a small pumpkin, and peeling and cubing it wasn't too difficult. The pictures tell the story, but here -- in words -- is my process. First I cut off the top and bottom of the pumpkin to get it to sit flat. Then I cut the pumpkin in half from top to bottom and scooped out the seeds. I then peeled each half with a potato peeler. To slice the pumpkin, I lay each half cut side down, sliced across into strips, and then the other way to get cubes.

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Fresh Broccoli Lemon Pasta

After that recipe for pecan bars (and after polishing off the last of our stash), I am definitely in the mood for something healthier. And what is healthier than broccoli? Amazingly, our children will all eat broccoli. Actually, it's more accurate to say that none of them will reject pasta just because it has broccoli in it, although I often find that they have eaten the pasta and left a heap of broccoli behind.

Broccoli, trimmed and ready to go.

There are beautiful heads of broccoli at the farmers' markets now, so this is the time to make the most of it. We have been making a broccoli pasta with sour cream for years and love it, but the night I first made this we didn't have any sour cream and I will go to great lengths to avoid going to the grocery store. Instead, I made this version of a broccoli pasta with the ingredients that I had on hand. (Incidentally, I thought I had posted that broccoli sour cream pasta recipe a long time ago, but I can't find it in the archives. Does anyone remember reading it? Have I lost my mind?)

The broccoli in this recipe is so good that I had to stop myself from eating it right out of the pan. The garlic and parsley get chopped together into a persillade which is just a fancy French word for . . . well, at its simplest, it just means garlic and parsley chopped together. The lemon zest adds a bit of brightness that nicely complements the heartiness of the broccoli.

The lemon-parsley combination. Can you smell it?

If that's not enough to convince you, then you should also know that it only takes about 30 minutes to make. Chop the broccoli first, then you can prep the rest of the dish while the pasta water boils and the broccoli sautés. Also, with the broccoli and pasta in one dish, you don't even need a vegetable or salad on the side.

I polled the family after we had this pasta to see how they liked it compared to the original broccoli-sour cream pasta. We had a split decision, which admittedly is not easy to do in a family of 5. Everyone said that they liked both, but two preferred this new version, two preferred the family classic, and one liked them both so didn't choose a favorite.

Second Helping: Roasted Beet, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

Just add pasta.

Fresh Broccoli Lemon Pasta

 

Serves 6
10 minutes preparation time
about 25 minutes cooking time

2 small heads broccoli (about 6-8 cups of florets)
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 pound short pasta such as penne or farfalle
1 cup parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
freshly grated parmesan for serving

Set a large pot of water to boil.

Cut the broccoli into small bite-sized pieces. I use the stems, too. If they are very thick, peel off the outer layer; if they are small, don't bother. Slice the stems across into thin rounds (about 1/4 inch thick).

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, salt, and red pepper flakes and sauté, stirring occasionally so that the broccoli browns but does not burn. Cook until the florets are tender to the bite, which, depending on the size of the pieces, will take about 20 minutes.

While the broccoli is cooking, chop the parsley and garlic cloves together and zest the lemon. When the broccoli is tender, remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley, garlic, and lemon, and toss it together. Set the pan aside.

When the water has come to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and the pasta. Cook the pasta until it is al dente; for me this is usually 1 minute less than the time called for on the box. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. (I remind myself to do this by setting a measuring cup in the colander while the pasta is cooking. When I pour the pasta out to drain it, I pour a bit in the measuring cup first.) Drain the pasta and return it to the pan.

Immediately add the broccoli. If you like, add a bit of the pasta water to give the mixture a bit of a sauce. Serve hot and add parmesan at the table.

Jobs for children: Children can zest the lemon, wash the broccoli and parsley, and peel the garlic. Older children can chop the broccoli, garlic and parsley, too.

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Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush

Eggplants get a mixed reception around here. They come in such beautiful colors and shapes that my children like to pick them out at the market. Instead of choosing the most perfect unblemished eggplants, though, the kids were drawn to the funniest ones.

 

The hooked nose inspired an entire puppet play.

When it comes to tasting them, however, the kiddies are a bit more timid. I don't remember much about my eating habits as a child, but I do remember one night of eggplant. My mother had toiled in the kitchen for hours to make an eggplant dish, trying no doubt to make something that she and my father would enjoy and maybe even something that would expand her children's horizons a bit. I can't remember the reaction of my siblings, but I know that when I tried it, I hated it. And of course I shared my opinion with my mother. I still remember how disappointed she was. It breaks my heart, that memory.

It gives me a bit of insight, though, into what my children must feel when I debut a new recipe. All in all, they are good sports, but I think eggplant it a tough sell. We did have fairly good results with our Smoky Eggplant Lasagne, but eggplant goes over best when they don't know what they're eating.

Grilling the eggplants until they have a nice char and srcaping out the innards.

Because baba ganoush looks like hummus, they were not as suspicious. Served with something from the bread family -- crackers or pita chips -- all three of them ate it. I think we'll put it in the lunch rotation. But first, I have to whip up a batch for my mother.

Second Helping: Victory Bread Pudding

Eggplant love.

Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
10 minutes preparation time
approximately 25 minutes grilling time

1 large globe eggplant or 3 medium Japanese eggplants (about 1 1/2 cups of flesh)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Poke the eggplant a few times with a fork. Grill it over medium-high heat until it is evenly charred and begins to deflate. The cook time will vary depending on the size of the eggplant(s).

Remove the eggplant from the heat and set it aside until it is cool enough to handle. Scoop the flesh out of the skin and put it in the bowl of a food processor. If you like the smokiness of the charred flavor, add a bit of the skin, too. (I recommend adding a bit at a time, tasting, and adding more if you like, to make sure that you don't overdo it). The skin will make the color darker.

Add the remaining ingredients and purée in a food processor until smooth. Taste and add more salt, olive oil, or lemon juice to suit your taste.

Jobs for children: Selecting eggplants at the market is a great job for the little ones, of course. Children of all ages can also wash the eggplant, poke it with a fork, and scoop out the flesh once the eggplant has cooled. Additional tasks include squeezing lemons, smashing and peeling garlic, measuring ingredients, and running the food processor.

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Dinner in a Pumpkin, Take 2

A few years ago, the Washington Post ran a recipe for dinner in a pumpkin. A fabulous idea, I thought, for a Halloween dinner, or for any fall evening. I modified that recipe once and loved it, but when I tried to recreate it to share here last year, it was a bust.

Of course I had to try again. This time, though, I started with Gourmet Today's pumpkin fondue recipe. It was fabulous. Essentially the recipe is a strata built inside a pumkin, with layers of bread and cheese. I upped the nutmeg and added some sage, too, because I love those flavors with pumpkin. When you serve, scoop out some pumpkin flesh from the inside of the pumpkin with each spoonful of the cheesy bread. The combination is divine.

Layering in the bread and cheese.

I think we'll have it on Halloween. I'll prep everything in advance and pop it in the oven in the late afternoon so that we can have a hot meal in our bellies before we head out for trick-or-treating. OK, just writing this recipe is making me hungry. You really have to make this recipe. It's delicious and fun, and when you're cooking for family, what more could you ask for?

Second Helping: Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils





Lots of cheesy goodness.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Don't worry too much about getting the amounts of the ingredients exactly right in this recipe because the amount you need will depend on the size of the pumpkin and the ratio of flesh to skin. But the ratio won't matter as long as you have enough of the cream mixture to cover all of the bread.

11-01-10 Update: I made this this weekend with a bigger pumpkin, and it made me realize how variable the results of this recipe will be. The pumpkin I used was a different variety and about 15 pounds. I found that nearly tripling gave me the right amount of filling, but the pumpkin didn't need to cook nearly as long as I thought it would and the filling was more liquid that it was with the smaller pumpkin. It was still delicious, but next time I make it with a large pumpkin I will try cooking it with the top off, and I will check it more frequently to make sure that the pumpkin itself does not get too soft.

Approximately 15 slices of baguette (about half of a large loaf)
1 pumpkin, approximately 6 inches in diameter (about 6 poounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to sprinkle inside the pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere (about 4 ounces)
2 cup grated Emmental (about 3 ounces)
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage leaves
olive oil for brushing

Put a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Brush the bottom of a small casserole dish with oil.

Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them in the oven until they are firm, about 5 minutes.

Cut the top off the pumpkin and set it aside. Clean the seeds and stringy fibers out of the pumpkin and off of the top. Reserve the seeds for roasting, if you like.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the cream, vegetable stock, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Mix the cheeses and sage together in a separate measuring cup or a small bowl.

Sprinkle a bit of salt inside the pumpkin. Breaking the bread into small pieces if necessary, cover the bottom of the inside of the pumpkin with a layer of bread. Cover completely with a layer of cheese. Pour enough of the cream mixture over the bread and cheese to completely saturate the bread. Continue to layer the ingredients in that same order until you have used all -- or most -- of the bread and cheese. When you pour the last bit of cream mixture on, make sure that it comes high enough to soak through all of the bread, but don't let it run over the side. I(f you have any extra bread and cheese, make up a few cheese toasts. Because you can never have enough bread and cheese. . . right?)

Put the top on the pumpkin and rub the outside with a bit of olive oil. Bake until the pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Jobs for children: I find that cutting the pumpkin is heavy knife work not suited for children. But they can brush oil into the pan and onto the outside of the pumpkin, scoop out seeds, grate cheese and nutmeg, grind pepper, and layer the bread and cheese inside the pumpkin.

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Grilled Sweet Pepper and Feta Hummus

A couple of weekends ago, Gabe and I were doing a little home improvement project. Those of you who know us know how unusual this is. Neither of us spends the weekends roaming around the house with a toolbelt looking for something to fix. Pause. Giggle. Sorry, I was just picturing myself in a tool belt.

Throw a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, and a whisk in those pockets, though, and we might have something.

I do aspire to be more handy, but my brain just doesn't seem to take to those fix it projects. I am missing the intuition -- or maybe it's just brainpower -- that it takes to figure them out. And Gabe is only slightly better. Instead of two left feet, we both have two left thumbs. That's four left thumbs in all.

We are more home enjoyment people than home improvement people.

I hope you will understand, then, when I tell you that Gabe and I were giving our full attention to hanging some art that we had bought years ago and finally decided to hang properly. The children were left to their own devices. Chloe drifted over to the art table to draw. Oscar parked himself on the couch to watch his dad and me struggle through this project. And, after reading for a while, Olivia went to the kitchen.
Whirled red peppers, with their skins.
I had told Olivia that I thought we should use the grilled peppers that were sitting in the refrigerator to make a hummus. Now that the children have been back in school for a month, the rotation of lunch food is wearing a bit thin. The children love their sandwiches and quesadillas, but variety is the spice of life, right? Whoever coined that expression must not have cooked for children. 

Sometimes to get them to try something new I just deviate one step from something that I know they like. Because all three of our children love Basil Hummus, I thought another flavor might win them over. With grilled peppers and hummus in the refrigerator, a Saturday lunch seemed like the perfect time to try a new lunch box idea. So while Gabe and I were muddling through our project in the other room, Olivia began making the hummus.

After the storm.
She seeded the peppers and removed the stems, but left the skins on and chopped them up in the food processor before I knew what had happened. Normally I would peel the peppers first, but by the time I made it into the kitchen, it was too late for that. The resulting hummus was delicious, though. Because the skin was still on, more of the smokiness of the grill flavor came through.

I was a bit afraid that Oscar wouldn't like it because he isn't always a fan of hummus, so I just put a dollop on his plate and didn't say a word. A few minutes later, I sneaked a peek and it was gone, eaten by the pickiest of the hummus eaters. He didn't like it nearly as much as he enjoyed watching his parents work, though. After observing us miss-measure, drill a whole in the wrong place, make a trip to the hardware store (two if you count coming home to get the wallet), and finally get the darn thing in place, he announced, "This was way more entertaining than I thought it would be. Even one curse word." Very restrained of us, I thought.

Somebody's got to do the taste test.

Second Helping: Edamame Rice Balls

Grilled Sweet Pepper and Feta Hummus

3 medium sweet peppers
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
approximately 1/4 cup feta
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
smoked paprika or pimenton (optional)

Grill the peppers, turning them frequently until they are black and blistered on the outside. Set them aside to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the stems and seeds, but not the skins.

Whirl the peppers in a food processor with the remaining ingredients except the paprika. Taste. Adjust seasonings if you like. Serve in a bowl with a bit of olive oil drizzled on top and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Jobs for children: Children of almost any age can pull the tops off the cooled peppers and take out the seeds inside. Other easy tasks include squeezing the lemon and measuring all of the ingredients. The more mechanically inclined can open the can of chick peas and run the food processor.

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Corn and Green Bean Chowder

Autumn arrived has arrived here with a bang. More like a splash, actually. Lots of rain and cool weather and suddenly summer is a distant memory. Sandals and shorts? I had them on just a few days ago, but now, sitting here typing on a cool, rainy day, I can't imagine it.

Fall brings its own rewards, though. Crisp days and cool nights. Vibrant red, orange, and yellow leaves against bright blue skies. Paths littered with acorns. The sound of leaves underfoot.  And the flavors: crisp apples, warm soups, sweet pies. Suddenly fall feels great.

We ushered in fall this past weekend camping with friends. Last year we had planned a trip with the same friends, but ended up canceling at the last minute when the torrential rains did not ease up. (All was not lost, though, because we did make some excellent pumpkin cupcakes). This year, we got a great weekend. The days were sunny and cool, and the nights downright chilly, perfect for sitting around a campfire and roasting marshmallows. With good company for the adults and children alike, it was worth the year-long wait.

Veggies prepped and ready for the pot; Chloe pulling the leaves off the thyme stems.

I now have a renewed desire to get out there into the woods more often. Just seeing all the stars in the dark sky, far removed from the city lights, is reason enough to make the trek. And there is something about having to work a bit harder to stay warm, prepare a meal, clean the dishes that makes it seem simpler yet more worthwhile.

Simmering the stock.

I made this soup before we left for the weekend and warmed it over our friends' camp stove, which I think heated it twice as fast as it would have heated on my stovetop at home. This soup uses the best of those vegetables that are abundant at this time of the changing of the seasons -- potatoes, carrots, green beans, even late summer corn if you can find it. The result is a comforting soup that was perfect for a crisp night under a clear sky. It would be delicious on a rainy one too, for that matter.

Second Helping: Chunky Apple Muffins

Corn and Green Bean Chowder

For this soup, I used those skinny green beans, often labeled French Green Beans or Haricots Verts. Regular green beans would do nicely, too, although they need a few extra minutes of cooking time.

Serves 6
20 minutes preparation time
50 minutes cooking time

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 small celery rib, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
3 cups milk
3 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
corn cut off of 3 ears of corn (or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)
2 cups green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch segments

Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and thyme and cook until the vegetables begin to soften, 6-7 minutes. Add the bay leaf, stock, milk, salt and pepper, and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce the heat to very low so that the milk does not scald, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

Add potatoes and corn, and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. With an immersion blender or a potato masher, mash some of the potatoes into the broth to thicken it (this took about 5 seconds with my immersion blender).

Add the green beans and simmer until they are tender, about 5 minutes for French green beans, or a few minutes more for regular green beans. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot. Campfire optional.

Jobs for children: Smaller children can peel carrots and potatoes, pull the thyme leaves off the stems, snap the ends off the beans, measure milk and stock, grind pepper. Older children can chop vegetables.

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Pea Shoot, Feta, and Olive Sandwich

In addition to this blogging thing, I have a day job. I'll be hanging on to it for some time because this blog isn't exactly paying the bills. Scratching that creative itch, definitely. But bringing home the bacon? Um, no.

The day job has many benefits, but one of the best is its flexibility. My schedule allows me to work at home a couple of days a week. It's an excellent perk for a working mother, especially because my office is an hour away from home. I love this arrangement, but it also has a down side.

As I'm sure many work-at-home parents can tell you, it can be a bit, well, lonely. When the kids were little, I could still hear the occasional giggle or footsteps from my basement office. But now that they're in school all day every day, it's just me and my Buddy. Thank goodness for my shaggy friend, who gives me an excuse to chatter without feeling like I've completely lost my mind.

Usually on these days at home, my lunch is a fairly dull affair. I somehow have inherited my grandmother's Depression-era mentality and I cannot bring myself to waste food. So I feel compelled to eat that half-eaten sandwich that Chloe didn't eat in her lunch. I've been tempted to keep sending it back in her lunch box day after day in the hopes that one day she will eat it, but at this point, it's more important to me that she eat something for lunch to avoid her having a complete melt down by the end of the school day. I eat it for lunch. Maybe I doctor it up a bit or reheat leftovers from the previous night's dinner. Not very exciting.

The other day, though, I just needed something to get me through the afternoon, and those random bits in the fridge were not going to do it. So I got a (new!) loaf of bread out of the freezer, thawed and toasted it, and added lots of my favorite toppings. The result was this sandwich and it was delicious. The saltiness of the olives and feta played well off the greens, and the onion added a bit of crunch. The tomatoes were a nice, sweet note, but the sandwich would have been just as good without them.

When I had lunch that day, I sat down with a napkin on my lap and a dog at my feet and ate the whole sandwich. I didn't get up even once to get someone something for someone and I didn't field a single complaint about the meal on the table. Quite a treat.

Okay, it didn't quite make up for the absence of those little feet, but it was a very good start.

Second Helping: Wacky Sandwiches (make sure to check out the comments for more sandwich ideas)

Pea Shoot, Feta, and Olive Sandwich

1 slice of baguette about 4 inches long, sliced lengthwise (or 2 thick slices of another crusty bread)
olive oil for drizzling
1 generous handful pea shoots or spinach
6-ish cherry tomatoes, halved
6-ish kalamata olives, halved
1 teaspoon chopped red onion
a tablespoon or two of feta, crumbled

Toast the bread. Drizzle it with olive oil. Load the greens on top of one slice of bread. Add the remaining ingredients and top with the other slice of bread. Get a fork out of the drawer to clean up anything that falls out of the sandwich.

Sit down, turn on the radio, pull out a good book, or just sit in silence. Enjoy.

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Grilled New Potatoes

Although it wasn't always so, my children now love potatoes. (I so wanted to write that they "dig "potatoes for the pun, but I couldn't open with that; instead the pun gets relegated to the parenthetical). Baked potatoes are their favorites, but now we can add grilled to the list.

Two varieties of new potatoes. The red ones are from our farm garden.

We dug up some sweet little potatoes from our farm garden recently and bought another variety at the farmers' market. These small gems -- dug up early when the potatoes are still small and tender -- are sweet and delicious and don't need much fuss. But I have often found grilling them to be a challenge. Too often they blacken on the outside before they are fully cooked inside. The other day, we took an after-dinner stroll around the neighborhood and popped in to see my sister and her family. They were just finishing up their dinner, and on their table were a mound of stripey grilled potatoes.

It wasn't that we had planned to stop by and see what they had cooked to eat up any odd bits that they wanted to share. Sometimes it just happens that way. And I had just learned that potatoes are an excellent source of potassium (and check out all of that vitamin C!), an electrolyte that is important to maintaining proper hydration during exercise, during a triathlon, for example. I'd much rather eat regular food than supplement my diet with goo and Gatorade when training. (Here's an interesting article about the relative merits of foods and energy drinks and bars). So I popped one into my mouth. Yum.

The stripes came from slits that my brother-in-law had cut around the potato to help them cook more evenly. I tried the technique and presto, it worked!

Cutting the slits.

Can you see the rings where the slits are cut onto each potato?

Over medium heat, the potatoes cooked quickly and didn't burn before they were tender all the way through. We just tossed the potatoes with olive oil and sea salt, but you could add some fresh chopped parsley or chives, or go fancy and make a cumin-scented cilantro pesto. 

A drizzle of olive oil and onto the grill.

Oh, and about that triathlon. I did it! My two sisters and I signed up for the race together, trained together, and raced together. Having that common goal was an excellent way to bring us together despite the other demands for our time. A friend recently said to me, "I can't believe you have two sisters when I don't have any!" Having two sisters does seem to be an abundance of riches, but at least I appreciate them. They have been my closest confidantes and friends throughout my life and I hope that will always be the case. Even if they did beat me to the finish line.

Second Helping: Harvest Vegetable Tart with Parmesan Crust

Grilled New Potatoes

Serves 6
10 minutes preparation time
approximately 20 minutes grilling time (depending on the size of the potatoes)

12-18 new potatoes
olive oil
sea salt

Turn the grill on and let it warm at medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Scrub the potatoes but leave the skins on. With a sharp knife, cut several parallel slits into each potato about half an inch deep and at least half way around. Put all of the potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle  a generous amount of olive oil over them. Shake some sea salt over the top. Stir the potatoes with the olive oil and salt to coat them evenly.

Place the potatoes on the grill, reserving the bowl with any remaining olive oil. Grill the potatoes, turning them so that the skins brown evenly. They will be done when they are tender when you pierce them with a knife. The tiniest potatoes -- about the size of a grape -- took  about 10 minutes. The largest -- about the size of a lime -- took about 25 minutes. 

Remove the potatoes from the grill and toss them again in the bowl with the olive oil and salt. Serve just as they are or with chopped herbs or the accompaniment of your choice.

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Smoky Eggplant Lasagna

So that's it then. Summer is officially over. Sigh. I can't say that I'm ready to leave it behind, the long days, lazy evenings at the pool, unstructured hours of who-knows-what. We did our best to wring the last bits out of summer this past weekend, with some time at the pool, a party at a friend's house to celebrate the bounty of our local farms, and a bike ride along the C & O Canal towpath.

But the weather has turned cooler and it is beginning to feel like fall, with all that the season promises. We made this lasagna the night before the first day back at school to help us bridge the seasons. It is lighter than eggplant parmesan, with a fresh flavor, and it doesn't require all that dipping and frying that goes along with the preparation of eggplant parmesan.

It all started at a farmers' market, as it often does. We spied a variety of adorable eggplants and the children wanted to buy a few of each of them. What? Eggplant? Are you kidding? You won't eat them! That was what I thought, but I fought off the impulse to pass them up and scooped them up instead. If I buy them, maybe they'll eat them. And, besides, did I mention that they were very cute?


Olivia wanted to make eggplant parmesan with them, but they really weren't the right size or shape. They were small enough that I thought they would be tender and I could skip the peeling and salting. The smoky flavor came from the smoked mozzarella which complements the eggplant.

When we sat down to eat the lasagna, Chloe didn't recognize the eggplant and she was quite suspicious. I'm not one to hide the true ingredients from children because I'd rather my kids learned to love all that great produce than to find out that I'd tricked them into eating something they say they hate. But I also don't always announce the ingredients that I think may be an obstacle.

Instead, we play, Guess the Secret Ingredient. Everyone has to have a few bites and then try to guess what is in the dish. My hope is that by the time someone guesses "eggplant," the children will have tried the dish and decided whether or not it was good without the specter of eating a food they don't think they like. It doesn't always work, but in this case, it did. Although neither Chloe or Oscar ate all of the eggplant bits, they did eat around them instead of refusing to eat dinner at all. I'll take my small victories however I can get them.

Maybe it won't be so hard to leave summer behind after all.

Second Helping: Moro Bean, Tomato, and Basil Salad

Eggplant Lasagna

I used a mix of varieties of small, tender eggplants and left the skins on. If you use larger ones, peel them first. I don't find salting necessary in this dish because they eggplants are mixed in with so many flavors that they are not bitter at all.

I always seem to have leftover lasagna noodles after assembling a lasagna. I'm not sure why a standard box has more noodles than one really needs to make a standard lasagna. It's just like hotdogs. Why do they sell them in packages of 10 when the buns come in packets of 12 (or is it 8 and 10?). Anyway, if you have leftovers, slice them into strips and toss them with a bit of olive oil and salt. The Italians refer to these odd shapes as "malfatti," meaning poorly made. They taste like any other pasta, though, and could make the start of a nice little lunch.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups diced eggplant
6 cups chopped San Marzano tomatoes (fresh if you can get them or canned if you can't)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound lasagna noodles
1 15-ounce container ricotta
1 pound smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced
about 30 fresh basil leaves

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onions, carrots, and garlic and eggplant and cook until they soften, 10-15 minutes. If you are adding fresh tomatoes, add them with their juice. If you use canned tomatoes, drain most of the water, but add enough to make the vegetables slightly saucy. Cook with the tomatoes until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lasagna noodles and boil them according to the package directions. Drain the noodles and run cold water over them stirring them gently with a wooden spoon or your hands to keep them from sticking.

Spread a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles on top of the sauce. Spread a large spoonful of ricotta across each noodle. Top with a few basil leaves. Add a layer of sauce. Repeat with another layer just like that, noodles, ricotta, basil,  sauce.  You should have enough ricotta for a second layer. For the next layer, use noodles, smoked mozzarella, basil, and sauce. Keep adding layers until you run out of sauce or space in the dish, whichever happens first. For me, this was a total of four layers of noodles. The last layer should have sauce topped by mozzarella.

Bake the lasagna until the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. If you would like the cheese on the top to brown a bit, remove the lasagna and heat the oven to broil. Put the lasagna back in for a couple of minutes, until the cheese begins to turn a golden brown. Watch very carefully because it will brown quickly and the last thing you need is to burn the lasagna. Remove from the oven immediately. Let it rest for a couple of minutes before you slice and serve.

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Roses des Sables

 
In addition to the crêpes, Ophélie taught us how to make this treat, known as Roses des Sables.  She told me that they were made with chocolate and cornflakes, and I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical at first.  But if you think of them as a chocolatey riff on rice crispy treats, they sound much better, don't they?

And they taste fantastic, with their delightful chocolatey crunch.  They are a fun treat for children to make, and could be eaten either for a snack or dessert.

 
Roses des Sables translate as Desert Roses, which are mineral deposits that form when salty bodies of water evaporate.  They're quite beautiful, and this dessert does look like them.  (Wow, I hope that I spell "dessert" and "desert" correctly throughout this post, a challenge even when I'm not writing about Desert Roses). 

Merci, Ophélie!

 

Roses des Sables

10 tablespoons butter
6 ounces dark chocolate
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
approximately 2 cups cornflakes

Clear out a space in your refrigerator that is big enough to hold a cookie sheet.  Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chocolate and heat it, stirring occasionally.  Add the sugar and mix thoroughly.  Add about half of the cornflakes and stir until the flakes are completely coated.  Continue adding the cornflakes bit by bit and stirring them until they are completely covered with chocolate.  You may not need all of the cornflakes at first. 

Scoop the mixture out of the pot in heaping tablespoonfuls and arrange them on the parchment paper.  If there is chocolate left in the bottom of the pot as you scoop them out, you may want to add more cornflakes.  Let the Roses des Sables cool in the refrigerator until they are completely firm, several hours or overnight.  They will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

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Pear Tarte Tatin

While we're on the subject of dessert, here's another recipe for a classic with a twist.  For those of you not familiar with Tarte Tatin, it is a caramelized tart, usually made with apples.  To mix things up, I make it with pears.  The flavors are very pure, and the combination of the caramel, fruit, and crust is luscious.  It would make an excellent addition to any Thanksgiving spread.

 
The technique for making tarte tatin is different from most tarts.  You start by caramelizing the fruit in a skillet on the stove top, then cover the fruit with dough and finish cooking it in the oven.  When the tart has cooked, you flip it over to serve it so that the crust ends up on the bottom. 

The trick is to cook the sugar at a high enough heat that it caramelizes but not so hot that it burns.  I admit that I do not make this tart perfectly.  The caramel on that top picture should be a bit darker.  But this is one of those cases where perfection should not stand in the way of the good, the very good, actually.  I've made the caramel too dark and I've made it too light.  If the sugar gets very dark, you may or may not like the intense flavor of the sugar, but with a scoop of ice cream, I think it is delicious.  If the apples don't caramelize completely, after you turn the tarte onto the serving plate, you can just spoon any remaining liquid over the top.  Either way, it's fantastic.

If you have never tried making tarte tatin, channel your inner Julia Child and fearlessly go for it.  The results will be delicious and gorgeous, even if it's not perfect.  Perfection is overrated, anyway, isn't it?  

Pear Tarte Tatin

For the dough:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into about 10 pieces
1 egg

For the filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4-5 Bosc pears (depending on the size of your skillet)
whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)

Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt together in a food processor.  Add the butter and pulse until the butter ranges in size from that of a small pebble to that of cornmeal.  Empty the flour mixture into a bowl, and crack the egg on top.  Lightly scramble the egg and then, using your hands, work it into the dough until the dough starts to come together.  Roll the dough into a ball, and then flatten it into a disc about 4 inches around.  Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.

When you are ready to cook the tart, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Heat the butter in an 8 or 10-inch oven-proof skillet over medium heat.  When the butter has melted, sprinkle the sugar evenly over the pan.  Add the pears cut side down with their fatter sides towards the outside of the pan.  Squeeze in as many as you can because they will reduce slightly in size as they cook. Trim one pear half to fit in the middle. 

Turn the heat up to high and cook the pears until the sugar turns a rich, golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Rotate the pan if needed to ensure that the sugar browns evenly.  If the sugar begins to get darker than a medium brown, turn the heat down slightly.  Remove the pan from the heat, and, using two forks, carefully turn the pears over so that their cut sides face up.  Return them to the high heat and cook until the sugar is a deep caramel brown, about 5 minutes. 

While the pears are cooking, roll the dough out into a circle that is about an inch larger than the diameter of your pan.  When the pears are done, remove the pan from the heat and carefully drape the dough over the pan.  Taking care not to burn your fingers, tuck the edge of the dough along the side of the pan.  If you have measured accurately, the dough should just fit with a bit extra to slip down into the sides. If you do what I usually do and roll it a bit too big, just squeeze it into the pan.  Don't worry if the dough is a bit lumpy because this will be the underside of the tart when you are done.  Place the pan in the oven and let it cook until the crust is lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. 

Remove the pan from the oven and let the tart cool for 15 minutes or more.  Place a large serving plate over the top of the pan.  With oven mitts or pot holders, pick up the pan with the plate on top and quickly flip the pan over so that the tart inverts onto the plate.  I recommend that you do this over a surface that is easy to clean (or the sink) because more than once a bit of caramel has oozed out of the side as I flip the pan.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you make the tart in advance and would like to serve it warm, you can reheat it in a warm oven -- say 250 to 300 degrees -- just before serving. 

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Un-Corny Pecan Pie

 
We have developed a thing in this house against corn syrup.  I was responsible for getting the ball rolling when I started to pay attention to how many prepared foods contained corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup or, in many cases, both.  I mean, really, ketchup? bread? cereal?  The children love reading labels now, looking for -- and rejecting -- anything with corn syrup.  When Olivia spotted this T-shirt at a craft fair last year, I was so tickled that I bought it for her.  (You can get your own here).

But I had a twinge of regret when I made pecan pie, my all-time favorite pie, last year for Thanksgiving.  The children were horrified when they saw me reach for the bottle of corn syrup.  I tried to weasel out of it with "a little bit is fine" and "at least we are making our own," but they were not mollified.  This year, when Olivia requested that I make pecan pie without the corn syrup, I leapt at the chance to make a guilt-free pie.

This pie does not have the thick layer of sweet stuff that you usually find in pecan pie.  I used honey instead to give it a syrupy, almost caramel, texture.  I think it is actually an improvement over traditional pecan pie.  And with a sprinkle of sea salt on top, it was heavenly.

This old dog loves it when her children teach her new tricks.

Un-Corny Pecan Pie

Serves 8
10 minutes preparation time, plus an extra 45 minutes to prepare the crust
20 minutes baking time

1 Pre-Baked Tart Crust
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup cream
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 1/2 cups pecans, chopped or broken into large pieces
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Whipped cream or ice cream for serving (optional)

Prepare and bake the tart crust according to the instructions in the recipe.

While the shell is baking, make the filling. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the brown sugar, honey, cream, and fine salt and cook, stirring frequently.  Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for an additional minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped pecans. 

When the tart shell has finished cooking, slip it onto a cookie sheet (to save the bottom of your oven in case the filling leaks through a bit).  Pour in the filling.  Sprinkle the coarse sea salt over the top.  Return the tart to the oven (still at 375 from baking the crust) and cook until it bubbles all over, about 20 minutes.  Cool completely.  Remove the tart bottom from the sides and slip it onto a serving plate.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

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Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

 
It was a sad day the day I learned that Gourmet was shuttering its doors.  I loved getting my copy each month, and I would lie in bed, reading stories of adventures half a world away and folding the corners of the pages with recipes I wanted to try.  And drinking in the pictures.  Ah, those pictures.  They conveyed delicious food, but also the beauty of raw ingredients and the occasions for serving them. 

It seems short-sighted to assume that a magazine that endured World War II, several recessions, and the increased popularity of pre-packaged foods couldn't endure this recession.  But what do a million readers know that a few high priced consultants don't?  So that's the end of that.

 
Gourmet's last issue was the November one.  It had been written prior to the decision to close the magazine, so there is no farewell from Ruth Reichl or even a hint that it was the end.  Perhaps it is fitting, though, that the last issue was the Thanksgiving issue, full of recipes for that most traditional and universal of our country's holidays. 

When I started to think about what I would make for our vegetarian Thanksgiving entree, Gourmet's Shepherd's Pie recipe was the obvious choice.  We made it for a dinner party to test it out, and it was the perfect hearty, delicious meal to serve in the fall.  It is made with the season's root vegetables, including onions, parsnips, carrots, celery root, and potatoes.  The base for the stew is a rich red wine broth, and the topping is rich, creamy, and lightly browned.   

Maybe someone will bring Gourmet back, with or without the name.  Until then, I still have my back issues and my Gourmet Cookbook.  With a single exception, everything I have made out of this book has been great.  (I still can't figure out why their yellow cake recipe is such a dud, but that is a story for another day).  One of these days I will splurge for the new Gourmet Today cookbook, too, but for now, I will eat my way through my stash of recipes, savoring every bite.

 
Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

The stew and the potatoes can both be made in advance.  Before transferring the stew to the casserole dish, bring it to a simmer until it is heated through.  Heat the mashed potatoes over low heat on the stovetop, stirring frequently so they do not scorch, or in the microwave until they are warm.

You can substitute canned beans for the dried beans, although they will not hold their shape as well as the dried ones. 

Serves 8
30 minutes hours preparation time
1 hour 45 minutes cooking time, plus 1 1/2 to 2 hours if using dried beans

for the stew:
1 generous cup dried flageolet beans or pre-soaked cannellini beans or 2 15-ounce cans cannellini 
beans
1 sprig parsley
1 sprig rosemary
10 ounces pearl onions (about 20)
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium leeks, cut lengthwise, sliced, and rinsed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound crimini mushrooms, wiped or brushed and sliced
4 medium carrots, cubed (about 4 cups)
3 medium parsnips, cubed (about 3 cups)
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 750-ml full bodied red wine, such as a Cotes du Rhone
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons flour
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

for the potato topping:
5 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 6 cups)
2 celery root heads, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cream
salt and pepper to taste

If you are using flageolet beans, put them in a small stockpot with sprigs of parsley and rosemary and cover them generously with water.  Bring the beans to a boil, add a few shakes of salt, reduce the heat, and simmer until the beans are tender.  I used my Rancho Gordo flageolet beans, which cook more quickly than supermarket dried beans, and they cooked in 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  If you are using dried cannellini beans, soak them overnight first and they too should cook in 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Add the pearl onions and let them cook for about 2 minutes.  Drain and run cold water over them until they're cool.  Peel them.  Gourmet's recipe calls for leaving them whole, but ours were larger than bite-sized.  Next time I will cut them into halves or quarters, leaving the root end intact if possible.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the leeks and a pinch of salt.  Stir to coat them with the oil, cover the pot, and let them cook until they are tender, about 6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes.  Stir in the mushrooms and a couple more pinches of salt and let them cook just until they start to release some liquid, about 6 minutes.  Add the carrots, parsnips, rosemary, and thyme.  Cover the pot and cook the vegetables until they begin to soften, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes.  Remove the vegetables from the pot and set them aside.

Pour the bottle of wine into the same pot, bring it to a simmer and let it cook until it has reduced to about 1 cup, approximately 20 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix together the butter and flour to form a paste (or, as Gourmet calls it, a beurre manie).  Add the vegetable broth to the wine, warm it, and add the beurre manie.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.  Add the beans, pearl onions, and vegetable mixture.  If you are using canned beans, drain and rinse them, and add them at this point.  Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the chopped parsley and stir.

Meanwhile, prepare the potato filling.  Put the potatoes and celery root chunks in a pot with enough water to cover generously.  Add a couple of pinches of salt to the water and bring it to a boil.  Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. 

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small stock pot.  Add the milk and cream and heat the mixture, but remove it from the heat before it simmers. 

When the potatoes and celery root are finished, drain the water and mash them.  Add the cream mixture and mash again. 

Just before you are ready to serve the casserole, preheat the oven to broil.  Pour the stew into the bottom of a large casserole pan.  Layer the mashed potatoes on top.  Broil until the top of the potato layer is golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Serve immediately.

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Roasted Beet, Cucumber, and Feta Salad

There are lots of ways to divide the world.  You know, those who love cats and those who don't; those who wear turtlenecks all winter and those who won't.  But lately, I've been thinking about those who love beets and those who hate them.  There doesn't seem to be anyone in between. 

I happen to be one of the ones who loves them.  They are a gorgeous color, easy to cook, and have a wonderful, sweet, earthy taste.  What's not to love?  Beets and goat cheese are an excellent combination.  This salad combines those sweet beets with tangy feta, crunchy cucumbers, and a dill vinaigrette.  It is the perfect fall salad. 

I had high hopes that the children would enjoy this dish.  Last fall, they were willing to try beets after they harvested their own.  We were at a pick-your-own farm and the kids went wild pulling the beets out of the ground.  I had to stop them after they had pulled about 30 beets because, even for a beet lover like me, that is a lot of beets. 

But my hopes were a bit too high.  Olivia was willing to try the salad and loved it.  We convinced Oscar to eat some of the cucumber that had touched a beet, but the beet itself went uneaten.  And Chloe just stared that salad down without even a nibble.  But Gabe and I thought it was delicious, so I thought it was worth sharing, just in case there are some beet lovers in your house.

Roasted Beet, Feta, and Cucumber Salad

Serves 6 as a side salad
10 minutes preparation time
20-45 minutes baking time

6 medium beets, preferably an assortment of colors, scrubbed
1 1/2 seedless cucumbers, washed
1/2 pound feta

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Wrap beets in foil and roast them on a cookie sheet until they are tender when pierced with a fork.  The cooking time will vary according to the size of the beets, but will likely take between 20 and 45 minutes. 

While the beets are cooking, make the dressing.  Whisk together the vinegar, salt, and pepper.  Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continuously, so that it emulsifies.  Add the dill, and whisk again.

When the beets are finished cooking, remove them from the oven and let them cool.  When they are cool enough to handle, remove the foil and slip off their skins.  Slice the beets across into rounds (latitudinally) and then cut the rounds into quarters (the result will be pie-shaped pieces).  Slice the cucumber the same way, first into rounds and then into quarters. 

In a medium-sized bowl, toss the cucumbers with half of the dressing.  Add the beets and toss briefly.  Break the feta into chunks and stir them gently into the cucumbers and beets.  Taste.  Add more dressing and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

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Great and Small: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 
I had planned to have a great post for you today, my version of this Washington Post recipe for dinner in a pumpkin.  I've made it before, and it was a fantastic treat for Halloween, perfect for a cold night and fun for the children.  But I never wrote my recipe down and when I tried it out this week -- just in time to post so that you would have it before Halloween -- it was, how can I say this. . .  meh.  Not terrible, but not great.  If I'm going to convince you to go to the trouble of making dinner in a pumpkin it has got to be better than that.  So maybe next year. 

This year, instead of the Great Pumpkin, you'll get small.  You see, while the pumpkin was cooking, I did a bit of an experiment on the seeds.  I love roasting them, but I want them to be cooked so that I can eat the entire seed without breaking a tooth or chewing for 15 minutes.  I have seen many different approaches to roasting them, including blanching them before roasting, dry roasting, and roasting with oil.  I tried them all. 

 
The blanching worked well if you then roasted the seeds at a low temperature for a very long time (about 2 hours at 250 degrees).  Equally good, though, was a shorter roast at high heat.  So if you make those Pumpkin Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting -- and you really should make them -- save the seeds to roast.

 
Great and small sums up the season for me, too.  This time of year, I find myself studying the soaring trees, especially when I see one with vibrantly colored leaves against that crisp autumn sky.  And at my feet are the treasures of the season, more colors and little goodies to take into my pocket.  My children have helped me see these things again.  What a gift.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

pumpkin seeds
olive oil
soy sauce

Rinse the seeds and spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet to dry out a bit.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the pumpkin seeds with a drizzle of olive oil.  The amount will vary depending on how many seeds you have, but a teaspoon or two will probably be plenty.  Roast the seeds for about 20 minutes, until they are golden brown, and you hear them begin to pop.  When they are done, toss them with a few shakes of olive oil.  They do not keep well so eat them immediately or store them in an airtight container and reheat them again before eating.

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Pumpkin Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

 
Months ago, we planned a camping trip for this past weekend.  I envisioned hiking under the changing leaves, with crisp nights and warm fires.  Instead, the weather turned miserably cold and rainy.  We watched all week hoping the forecast would change, but by Thursday it was clear that the front was coming to stay.  So we called it.  We were all disappointed, but I'm just not tough enough to pitch a tent and cook when it's a wet 45 degrees outside.

Oscar did venture out during one downpour long enough to collect one of the cooking pumpkins that was decorating our steps.  Olivia had a friend over and, together with Chloe, they devised an elaborate game that kept them occupied for hours.  That gave Oscar and me an opportunity to spend some time together, just the two of us.  I do treasure the times that -- by happenstance or by design -- I get to spend with just one of my children. 

 
We made excellent use of our time by whipping up a batch of pumpkin cupcakes.  I love to use fresh pumpkin for baking.  It really doesn't take that much longer, especially because the pumpkin can be easily cooked in advance and refrigerated for a few days or frozen for a very long time.  I usually steam or bake it, remove it from the shell, mash it, and freeze it in 2-cup batches.  This time, my 7-ish pound pumpkin yielded 6 cups of pumpkin, enough for three baking projects.  The flavor of fresh pumpkin is more delicate and, well, fresher.  These cupcakes are airy and nicely spiced, and the hint of lemon in the frosting is an excellent complement to the pumpkin.

Instead of camping, we had our black bean and monterey jack casserole at the cozy home of the friends that were supposed to be our camping cohorts.  We sat around their fireplace, chatted, drank red wine, and played mahjong.  The children still got their slumber party, and we all got to eat these cupcakes. 

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

The pumpkin for this recipe can be cooked in advance and stored in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for several months.  The frosting can also be prepared in advance.  Just leave it at room temperature to soften to spreading consistency.

Makes about 18 cupcakes
1 hour preparation time (including cooking the pumpkin and making the frosting)
20 minutes baking time

for the pumpkin cupcakes:
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs at room temperature
1 small pumpkin (or 1 16-ounce can)
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

for the frosting:
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 1/2 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more to taste)

If you are using fresh pumpkin, cut the pumpkin in half and clean out the seeds and all that stringy stuff that must have a name, but I don't know it.  Separate out the seeds and save them for roasting.  Cut the pumpkin a few more times so that the pieces are small enough to fit in a large stock pot.  Put an inch or two of water in the bottom of the pot.  Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil.  Turn it down and let the pumpkin steam until it is soft, about 20 minutes. 

Remove the pumpkin chunks from the pot and, when they are cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the shell.  Mash it finely with a potato masher.  Keep 2 cups of the pumpkin for this recipe and refrigerate or freeze the rest.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a muffin pan with paper cupcake holders.

In a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until fluffy and lighter in color, about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the vanilla and eggs, and mix until combined.  Add the pumpkin (fresh or canned) and mix again. 

In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the remaining ingredients and mix them with a whisk.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Spoon the batter into the cupcake holders.  Bake until the cupcakes have risen and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool. 

To make the frosting, cream together the butter and cream cheese in a mixer at medium high speed.  Sift in the confectioners' sugar and blend it at low speed with the cream cheese mixture.  Add the lemon juice and blend again.  Taste and add more lemon juice if you like.

When the cupcakes have cooled to room temperature, frost them. 

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Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils

I bought acorn squash at the farmers' market a couple of weeks ago (one of the perks of squash is that they last!).  Their round, pleated shape is just adorable and their presence at the market screams, "autumn is here!"  I think they are tasty as a side dish with a bit of butter, salt, and pepper, but when we served them to the children that way recently, they were not convinced. 

So, naturally, curry came to mind. 

Our kids love curry, a fact that was recently brought home when Rosalyn invited us over for a Trinidadian feast.  Rosalyn was our children's babysitter for many years, and we are still close.  One of her many fine qualities is that she is a fabulous cook.  She introduced our children to curry at a young age, which I think is incredible.  I didn't know what curry was when I was a child, and I certainly wouldn't have known what roti was.  What a different world they live in.

At Rosalyn's house, we stuffed ourselves with long beans, pumpkin, dumplings, spinach fritters, fried eggplant and, of course, roti.  But our children's favorite is still her chickpea and potato curry.  This recipe is no match for Rosalyn's cooking, but it made a tasty autumn treat.  And at Olivia's request, we had our first turn-out-all-the-lights-in-the-house-and-eat-by-candlelight dinner.  Delicious.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Curried Lentils

Serves 6 as a main course
25 minutes preparation time
45 minutes cooking time

3 acorn squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
5 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons curry
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 carrots, scrubbed and sliced
1 red pepper, cored and diced
1 teaspoon salt
a few fresh grinds of pepper
1 1/2 cups small French lentils

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the squash in half from top to bottom (through the stem) and remove the seeds.  Lay the squash face down on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Put them in the oven and pour a bit of water onto the baking sheet.  The water should just coat most of the sheet.  Depending on the size of the baking sheet, this could be from 1 to 2 cups of water.  Bake the squash until they are tender but still hold their shape, about 20 minutes.  Remove them from the oven and let them cool a bit.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.  Mix curry with 2 tablespoons of water and add it to the pan.  Add the thyme and stir.  Add the carrots and red pepper and stir until they are coated with the curry.  Add the salt and pepper, the lentils and about 3 cups of water and stir.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 20 minutes.  Keep an eye on the lentils as they simmer and, if needed, add a bit more water to make sure there is enough to maintain the simmer.

When the squash have cooled enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the shells, leaving just enough to allow the shells to hold their shape.  Coarsley chop the flesh and stir it in with the lentils.  Fill the squash shells with the lentil mixture.  Depending on the size of your squash, there may be more filling than you need (save it for quesadillas or to eat with rice).  Return the stuffed squash to the oven and heat until they are warmed through.  If the lentils are fairly hot when you stuff the shells this will only take about 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

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Chunky Apple Muffins

With fall in the air, I've been excited to bake again.  Fall baking summons those warm spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, the perfect complements to apples and pumpkins.  And with cooler temperatures, I'm happy to turn the oven on again.  Baking warms up the house, and the smell of something delicious in the oven invites us in so that we are happy to be indoors and don't have a chance to miss the warmth and long nights of summer.

 
These muffins are hearty, with more fruit and nuts than batter.  They may be funny-looking, but each bite is a mouthful of goodness.  The recipe is inspired by Marion Cunningham's Raw Apple Muffins originally published in her Breakfast Book and reprinted in Gourmet.  Marion Cunningham is one of my culinary heros.  She thinks people should cook at home and has devoted  much of her life to getting more of us to do that.  David Lebovitz wrote this wonderful tribute to her.  If you have a minute, check it out.  It is inspiring.  

Marion Cunningham also overhauled the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, the 1983 version of which I inherited from my grandmother.  The cookbook is loaded with recipes for many basic foods, and I turn to it again and again.  My copy of the book is also filled with recipes that my grandmother wrote on cards and clipped from newspapers and magazines.  My favorite souvenir is the 1963 accounting from my grandmother's women's group, the Aloha Club, complete with menus and an expense accounting.  (Why this 1963 accounting appears in a 1983 cookbook, I cannot understand.  Did she save it for 20 years?)

 
When I made these muffins this time, I only made one version.  Sometimes I make multiple variations of a recipe to appeal to each child.  The last time I made almond granola, I ended up with three batches, one with everything, one with nuts but no raisins, and one with raisins but no nuts.  But this time, in the vain hope that the children might just eat them as they were intended, I told them that they could just pick out anything they didn't like.  The muffins smelled so good when they were baking that they were unfazed.  And the perk has been that when Chloe picks out all her walnuts, she passes them to me.  Yum.

Chunky Apple Muffins

1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups (4-5 medium) tart apples, skins on, cored and diced
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup raisins
1 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Line two 12-cup muffin tins with baking cups or oil them.  In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla.  Add the apples and syrup to the egg-oil mixture and mix well.  Add the flour mixture and stir until just mixed.  The batter will be very stiff.  Stir in the raisins and walnuts.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each about 3/4 cup full.  Make sure that there is a sufficient amount of batter in each cup to hold the fruit and nuts.  Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approximately 25 minutes.  Let the muffins cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes, and then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely.

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Zuccanoes

I first came across this idea for stuffed zucchini in the original Moosewood Cookbook.  The original cookbook no longer seems available on Amazon (they now offer a New Moosewood Cookbook, which is an updated version of the original), although I'm sure you could track down a copy on the web.  Not all of the recipes in the book have stood the test of time, but it has many great ones.  And it was one of the first cookbooks to demonstrate that vegetarian cooking wasn't just about seeds and sprouts;  it also could be delicious.