APPETIZERS...
Cucumber Cup Appetizers
Thank you: Celebrationsathomeblog.com
English cucumber (or any cucumber) cut into roughly 1 1/2 inch pieces crosswise.
About 4 tablespoons of caramelized onions
Chopped chives, 1 – 2 teaspoons plus more for garnish
About 2 tablespoons sour cream
Bacon pieces
Granulated garlic or fresh garlic, to taste
salt, to taste
Scoop out the center of the cucumber cups for the filling using a melon baller. Make sure your cucumber pieces are big enough to leave a base for the cups after you scoop most of the meat out.
For the filling: Combine the caramelized onions with the sour cream and chives in a bowl. Start with just a little until you have the right onion to sour cream ratio you prefer. Season to taste with garlic and salt.
Spoon the filling into the cucumber cups, top with bacon pieces. These are best chilled a bit for serving.
Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites
Thank you: yummymummykitchen.com
makes about 16
Sugared Cranberries
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup good maple syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
Rinse cranberries and place in a medium bowl. Heat syrup in a small sauce pan just until warm. Pour over cranberries when syrup is warm, not hot, or cranberries may pop. Cool, cover, and let soak in the refrigerator overnight.
Drain cranberries in a colander. Place sugar in a large bowl or baking dish. Add cranberries in 2 batches and roll around until lightly coated in sugar. Place on a baking sheet until dry, about 1 hour.
16 crackers
8 oz Brie cheese
cranberry chutney or cranberry relish
fresh mint for garnish
Assemble crackers with one slice of brie, a light layer of cranberry chutney, and 4 or 5 sugared cranberries. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.
Roasted Potato, Leek and Chestnut Soup
Thank you: sweetpaulmag-digital.com
Butternut Squash Soup
Thank you: Williams-Sonoma
Serves 8-10
Preheat oven to 450
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
3 Tbls Canola Oil
2 Tbls balsamic vinegar
2 Butternut squashes about 3 lbs, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 large Granny Smith apple on Anjou or Bosc pear, peeled, halved and cored
2 yellow onions, quarted
Combine oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Place ingredients on lined sheet. Brush oil/vinegar over the fruit & vegetables. Bake, turning fruit twice. Bake until lightly browned and tender, about 30 minutes for the apple and 45-50 minutes for the vegetables. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool. Scoop the flesh out of the squash halves, discarding the peel. Coarsely chop the apple and onions.
6 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup half and half or 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbl unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
Transfer the fruit and vegetable to a large saucepan and add the stock and nutmeg. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. In a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the half and half, season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared up to two days in advance.
Just before serving heat butter in a saucepan, add sage and lightly brown. Garnish soup with sage.
Fancy Dinner Rolls in a Jar
Thank you: thefarmgirlrecipes.blogspot.com
1/4 c. butter
1 t. salt
1/4 c. water
1 c. milk
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. yeast
1 egg, beaten
4-5 cups flour
Small decorative mason jars
1 T. butter, melted
1/4 t. fresh garlic, finely minced
1/4 t. dried rosemary
1. Heat milk, butter, salt, water and sugar in saucepan on stove, over medium heat, until warm and sugar is dissolved. (Very important that it is not too hot because you will kill your yeast and cook the eggs) Pour mixture into your stand mixing bowl that has a dough hook attachment. Add yeast and eggs and let stand until frothy. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until incorporated. Scrapes down sides and start adding flour 1/2 cup at a time to make a soft dough (in my Bosch mixer that is when the doughs stops sticking to the sides). Let knead in your mixer for 1 minute. Place in a large greased bowl and let rise until double in size.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place jars on a cookie sheet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. After dough has risen, punch down. Form balls of dough and place one in each jar, making sure dough fills up half of the jar. Let rise again till double in size.
3. In small bowl, mix butter, garlic, and rosemary. Brush butter mixture on top of each roll. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve while warm. Enjoy!
Pumpkin Butter
Thank you: allrecipes.com
1 (29 ounce) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup apple juice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine pumpkin, apple juice, spices, and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Transfer to sterile containers and chill in the refrigerator until serving.
MAIN COURSE...
Fall Roasted Chicken Pies
Thank you: sweetpaulmag-digital.com
Dessert...
Baked Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes
Thank you: cravingchronicles.com
Makes 20-24 mini muffins Don’t worry – you don’t actually use the whole stick of butter for the coating, it just makes it easier to dip the muffins. If you’re looking for a somewhat lighter treat, skip the coating – the muffins are moist and pumpkin packed all on their own. These are best dipped and coated the same day you are going to eat them, otherwise the coating tends to get soggy.
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
For Coating
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Preheat oven 350°F. Spray each cup in a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray or butter generously.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices (through cloves). In a separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined – do not over mix!
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (Using a 2-tablespoon scoop will ensure uniform size.) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Dip each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.
Ingredients
For Donuts1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoons ground cloves
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned plain pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 cup low-fat milk
For Coating
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Preheat oven 350°F. Spray each cup in a 24-cup mini muffin tin with baking spray or butter generously.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices (through cloves). In a separate, large bowl whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin and milk until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined – do not over mix!
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. (Using a 2-tablespoon scoop will ensure uniform size.) Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the muffins bake, melt butter in one bowl and combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in another bowl. Remove muffins from oven and cool for 2 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Dip each muffin in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.
