Pumpkin Apple Custard Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar plus 2 tbsp
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider/juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp cloves
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 apples, thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Butter 9x13x2 pan.
Beat pumpkin puree, butter and brown sugar until creamy, fluffy, and pale. Add sour cream, cider, spices, and vanilla. In separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, and salt. Fold dry ingredients into the wet ones and combine until no streaks are left. Pour half the batter into the pan. Cover the batter with the apple slices, and top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp brown sugar. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve warm.

Delicata Leek Soup with Fennel

3 medium sized potatoes, (peeling optional)
1 Delicata squash
water for boiling
1/4 cup butter
3 leeks, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp chopped fresh fennel leaves, plus more for garnish

Chop potatoes and squash into fourths. Bring water to boil, add potatoes and squash, and reduce to a simmer. Melt butter in skillet. Add leeks and fennel bulb and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. When potatoes and squash are soft (about 15-20 minutes), reserve 2 cups of the water used for boiling and drain the rest. Remove the squash pieces from the pot, wait until they are cool enough to handle, and peel the skins off (they should come off very easily, if not, boil them longer). Place the leek mixture and squash and potatoes plus reserved water in blender (may have to do this in two or more batches). Puree until smooth. Add salt, buttermilk, and fennel leaves, and blend for a minute longer. Pour back into pan and reheat, if necessary. Otherwise, serve hot, topping with more fennel leaves.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup dark brown sugar plus 1 tablespoon
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup cooked pure pumpkin or winter squash (butternut, acorn, delicata, etc...)
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup peach, pumpkin, strawberry, vanilla, or raspberry yogurt (or sour cream)
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Butter 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Sift first 7 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in pumpkin, lemon peel and vanilla. Whisk yogurt and buttermilk in small bowl. Beat flour and yogurt mixtures alternately into batter in 2 additions each. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Transfer batter to pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack; cool. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)

Acorn Squash Pudding

2 acorn squashes
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 cups 2% or whole milk (nonfat, or substitutes can also be used in exchange for richness)
1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped with 1 tbsp confectioners sugar

Halve the squashes and place them on a baking sheet. Cover the pan with about a 1/2 inch of water. Bake in a 350˚ oven for 50 minutes or until squash is very soft. Scoop squash into large sauce pan. Whisk in sugar and milk. Place mixture in blender (splitting into two batches if necessary). Blend on high until mixture is very smooth. Pour back into saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. While still being careful not to scald or burn the mixture on the stove, thoroughly combine cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Spoon about a 1/4 cup of the squash mixture into the bowl and whisk it into the cornstarch until smooth. Whisk this mixture into the rest of the simmering squash mixture, and cook over low heat until the mixture thickens significantly. It should have almost reached pudding consistency; quite a bit should stick to a spoon dipped into the pan. Place in separate bowls, or one big container, place saran wrap on the top (so that it is touching the pudding), and refrigerate for at least an hour, or until chilled and thick. Top with whipped cream.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut butter (includes nutella)
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups white or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup crushed hazelnuts (optional, and certainly recommended if available)

Preheat oven to 350˚. Cream nut butter, butter and sugar together. Beat in egg until fluffy. Combine all dry ingredients (not including the hazelnuts). Stir into butter/sugar mixture until no streaks are left. Fold in the hazelnuts, if using. Scoop dough onto greased cookie sheet in tablespoon sized balls. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until firm on top, and slightly browner around edges.

Portobello Bread

Dough:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour or more
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 large portobello mushroom or 1 cup chopped crimini (young portobello) mushrooms
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine whole wheat flour, yeast, and sugar. Add water and mix thoroughly. Let sit in greased bowl, lightly covered, for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days (longer wait=more fermentation). Stir in salt and butter. Add 1 cup white flour, plus more until the consistency is still sticky, but kneadable. Knead dough for 5 minutes. Add garlic, onion, and mushroom, and knead for 3-5 more minutes. Place in greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 1 hour. Punch down dough, and shape into 1 large loaf or 2 small loaves. Sprinkle with cheese. Let rise for another hour. Preheat oven to 350˚. Bake for 30-40 minutes (may vary by a greater amount depending on size and shape of loaves). When done, let rest on pan for 15 minutes, then remove to rack.