Pumpkin Pie

1 can pumpkin (or 15 ounces of cooked and mashed butternut squash)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Place all the ingredients in the blender and mix until well blended. Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake at 425° F. for 10 minutes. Turn the temperature down to 300° F. and bake for another 45 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool before serving.

Tagliatelle with Seasonal Meat & Vegetables

12 ounces tagliatelle, fettucini or other wide pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic or 1/2 tablespo0n shallot
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Your choice of meat & seasonal vegetable:
1/2 pound shrimp & 3/4 pound asparagus, or
1/2 pound Italian sausage (casings removed) & 1 cup frozen peas, or
whatever meat & veggie combo you prefer

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.  Drain pasta and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, saute the olive oil and garlic or shallot in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add the meat of choice and vegetable of choice.  If the meat requires more cooking time than the vegetable, wait to add the vegetable after the meat has cooked for awhile.

Combine the cooked pasta with the meat & vegetable mixture, the ricotta cheese and feta cheese and toss to coat.  Add the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to keep the pasta moist.  Add the basil, and salt & pepper to taste.  Serve with the freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Fruit & Nut Granola

4 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat bran
1 cup almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the oats, bran, nuts, and coconut in a large bowl.  In a small saucepan, whisk the applesauce, agave nectar, olive oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to blend. Heat until warm.  Pour the applesauce/agave mixture over the oat/nut mixture and stir until all the oats are coated.

Spread mixture over a silicone mat place on a jelly roll pan.  Bake for 30 – 40 minutes stirring a couple of times throughout.  Remove from oven and stir in raisins and cranberries.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Raisin Bran Muffins

1 1/4 cup wheat bran
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup agave nectar or honey
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce, or mashed banana, or pumpkin puree

1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together. Scoop into muffin papers. Bake for 35 – 30 minutes. Remove from muffin pan and cool on a wire rack.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 pound chicken breasts, chopped
3/4 pound ground chicken
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 14-ounce can pinto beans, drained

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions, red bell pepper and garlic; saute until tender. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken breasts and ground chicken; cook until no longer pink, breaking apart with back of spoon. Stir in oregano, cumin, chili powder, bay leaf, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add pinto beans and simmer until flavors blend, about 15 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and serve with shredded white cheese of choice.

Spanish Rice

6 slices bacon (we use center cut)
1 cup onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup water
3/4 cup rice (brown or white)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
dash hot pepper sauce

In a large skillet, cook bacon till crisp; drain on paper towels and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the pan.

In the reserved bacon drippings, cook onion and green pepper until tender. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium-low and cover; simmer 30 minutes for white rice, 45 minutes brown rice or until rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Be careful that the bottom doesn’t stick and burn.

Serve with shredded cheddar/jack cheese and sour cream if desired.

This is just as good with left-over Thanksgiving turkey as it is with roasted chicken. And you can use brown rice or white rice. The brown rice will just need to cook a little longer. Adapted from The Seattle Classic Cookbook. {Serves 8}

Hearty Chicken & Rice Soup

8 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup rice
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 stems celery, chopped
3 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (preferably roasted – it just tastes better)
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (we like crimini)
3 small zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat broth to boiling. Add rice, carrots and celery; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes for white rice, 40 minutes for brown rice, covered, or until rice is cooked and vegetables are tender.

Melt butter in a small saucepan; add flour and cook until bubbly. Pour in the milk and about 1 cup of the soup broth. Heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add mixture to soup broth.

Stir in chicken, zucchini, mushrooms, green onion, salt and pepper. Heat thoroughly until zucchini is tender but still crisp.

Turkey Tetrazzini

10 ounces mushrooms
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrot, small dice
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups diced turkey, cooked
1 cup peas
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herb mixture
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10 ounces spaghetti
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste

In a large heavy saucepan melt the butter and saute the onion, carrots and mushrooms over moderate heat, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to give off their liquid. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add in a stream the milk, chicken broth and white wine, stirring. Bring the mixture to a boil. Continue stirring and simmer for 5 minutes or until the broth thickens slightly. Add the diced turkey, peas and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a large kettle of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until al dente; drain well.

In a large bowl or pot, combine the spaghetti and turkey sauce. Transfer to a buttered or oiled shallow 3-quart casserole. In a small bowl combine the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the Tetrazzini and dot the top with 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small bits.

Bake in the middle of a preheated 375 degree F. oven for 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and the top is beginning to brown.

Manhattan Seafood Chowder

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup white wine
salt & pepper to taste
1 1/2 pounds fish – choose at least 3 from crab, shrimp, scallops, white fish, clams or any other fish you like

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter then add the onion, garlic and parsley. Cook until the onion is limp and transparent. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, basil, thyme, and oregano. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer approximately 1/2 hour.

Add wine and simmer another 10 minutes, uncovered. Add the seafood and simmer, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or more or until the shrimp is pink, scallops are opaque or clams are open, and fish flakes easily.

Risotto with Acorn Squash

2 cups Acorn Squash, peeled,seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place squash on a small baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with your favorite seasoning. It could be a garlic seasoning or just plain salt and pepper. Toss squash to coat. Roast in the oven until tender, about 20 – 25 minutes.

Bring stock to a simmer in a heavy saucepan. Reduce heat to low and keep warm. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in another large saucepan over medium to medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until it begins to look transparent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add the rice and stir another 2 minutes. Add wine and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Continue until 3 cups of chicken stock have been absorbed. Add the remaining cup of chicken stock and squash, stirring frequently until the arborio rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat and add the sage leaves, chives and 1 tablespoon butter and milk, stirring until the butter is melted. Stir in the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with more Parmesan cheese at the table.