Pumpkin Baked Brie
- 1 puff pastry
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin or apple butter
- 4½-ounce wheel of brie
- 1 egg white, beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- Kitchen twine
- Cheese straw and sage leaves
for stem/garnish - Apple slices
- Assorted crackers and toasts
Heat oven to 375 F.
Lay out puff pastry. Spread a spoonful of pumpkin butter in the middle. Place the wheel of brie on top of the butter.
Cut the pastry puff into a circle and get rid of the excess. Wrap the brie in the puff pastry and pinch to seal. Tie six pieces of baker’s twine evenly around the brie to create vertical lines. Knot the twine where the pastry is sealed.
Combine the egg white with a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash. Whisk the mixture thoroughly. Flip the brie pumpkin over, smooth side up. Brush it with the egg wash. Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the baker’s twine. Add sage leaves on top with the cheese straw. Serve with apple slices, assorted crackers, toasts and pumpkin butter.
Hot Mulled Cider
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 10 to 20 allspice berries
- 10 to 20 cloves
- 4 star anise
- 8 cinnamon sticks
- 1 gallon apple cider
- Orange slices, for garnish
- Whole cranberries, for garnish
- Rum, brandy or bourbon, optional
Pour the cider in a slow cooker. Add spices. Cook on low for 3 hours.
If using, stir in alcohol. Garnish with orange slices and cranberries. Serve in mugs.
Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Pumpkin Hummus
- 3 cloves roasted garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- Salt, to taste
To roast garlic, heat oven to 400 F. Place garlic cloves in tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Seal packet of foil. Roast for about 30 minutes.
Puree all ingredients except rosemary in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add more oil or water as needed. Stir in the rosemary.
Serve with warm naan or pita bread.
Zucchini Bread
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 extra-large eggs
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups grated zucchini
- 2 sticks salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 325 F. Grease two 8½-by-4½-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to mix well.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar. Add the zucchini, butter and vanilla extract. Stir well to combine.
Add the dry ingredients to liquid ingredients. Mix until just combined. Add the walnuts. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Set the pans on a wire rack and let cool, then turn the loaves out onto the rack to cool completely.
Pear and Goat Cheese Appetizer
- 2 firm pears
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- Walnut pieces
- Honey
- Aged balsamic vinegar
- Rustic crackers
Heat oven to 375 F.
Slice pears and arrange on an oven-safe platter. Dot with goat cheese. Sprinkle walnut pieces over the top.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned in spots. Remove from the oven. Drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar, as desired. Serve with crackers.
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Dip
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 15-ounce can pumpkin
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Gingersnaps
- Graham crackers
Blend cream cheese until creamy and fluffy. Add pumpkin and blend. Add powdered sugar and mix. Add cinnamon, ginger and pumpkin pie spice. Mix well, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serve with gingersnaps and graham crackers.
Rustic Apple Tart
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 2 Granny Smith apples
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Slivered almonds, powdered sugar and ice cream
Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Cut puff pastry into two long strips, each approximately 3½ by 12 inches.
Cut apples in half through the core. Remove core. Leave peel on, if desired. Thinly slice apples.
Arrange apples on the pastry, overlapping each other slightly. Leave a bit of a border around the sides. For each tart, sprinkle half of the sugar and cinnamon. Gently brush with half of the melted butter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and almonds. Serve with ice cream.