Cornbread Sage Stuffing

Thanks once again to Laura Rebecca's Retro Recipe Challenge #4 for the inspiration to cook a recipe from before 1980 that classifies as a "fall favorite."

I've never cooked with liver, made cornbread or made stuffing of any kind before, so this was quite an adventure, although thankfully resulted in delicious, rich stuffing that will become my standard stuffing recipe.

The recipe (and the cornbread included in the stuffing) was originally printed in the November 1975 issue of Gourmet, and re-printed in 2002.

Cornbread Sage Stuffing:
(serves 8-10)
8 c fresh white bread crumbs
4 c coarsely crumbled buttermilk corn bread (see recipe below)
1/4 c finely chopped parsley
3 tbs finely chopped fresh sage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2-3 chicken livers, trimmed and finely chopped
1 c finely chopped celery
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 c chicken broth
1/2 c heavy cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 325°F. Spread all bread crumbs in 2 shallow baking pans and bake until dry, about 15 minutes. Cool crumbs, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in parsley, sage, salt, and pepper.

Melt butter in skillet over moderate heat, then add onions and liver and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Transfer to bowl with crumbs and toss well. Add eggs, stock, and cream and toss well. Transfer stuffing to a buttered 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

Cornbread:
(makes about 7 cups, crumbled)
1 all-purpose flour
3/4 c yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage

Directions:
Heat oven to 425. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients (and sage) separately.

Mix together just until combined. Pour into non-stick or greased pan and bake until golden brown.

Bacon-Braised Brussel Sprouts

This recipe is from Chef Anthony Redendo, my French Cooking instructor and Chef/Owner of a seriously great pizza/Italian restaurant in Fountain Hills, Ariz.

Not only has he taught me and a class full of amateur home cooks and wanna-be chefs alike the intricate nature of French cooking, he is continually serving up huge portions and really delicious Italian fare in his casual restaurant where you can just feel that it is a labor of love, and the food is better for it.

No, I'm not getting an A because I wrote that, it's true.

Bacon-Braised Brussel Sprouts:
(serves 4 as a side)
3 lbs fresh brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and an X cut into the base
3 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped into thin strips
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 cup chicken stock (or as needed)

Directions:
Over medium high heat cook bacon until entirely crisp and all fat is rendered. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve, add brussel sprouts (with an X cut into the base to help it cook more evenly) to bacon fat and saute until browning. Pour in stock, bring to a rapid boil and cover, simmer until fork tender. Serve brussel sprouts with the cooked bacon as a garnish/topping.

Happy Halloween!

I haven't baked and decorated sugar cookies since I was a kid, but there I was, browsing around a truly gross discount store (albeit with good merchandise sometimes) and ran across the cutest tea towels with a sugar cookie recipe and a cookie cutter attached. They were fall themed - leaves, pumpkins and turkeys - and I bought one of each. I just couldn't resist. Here's the pumpkin one...

Sugar Cookies:
(makes about 24 cookies)
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 sticks butter
2 eggs
2 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/4 c AP flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients well, let chill in refrigerator for minimum of 2 hours. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Cut out shapes, bake for about 8 minutes or until light golden brown.


Buttercream Frosting:
(makes enough for 24 large sugar cookies)
1/3 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbs milk (or as needed for desired consistency)
Red and yellow food coloring

Directions:
Mix well, add food coloring to desired color(s).

Proscuitto, Parmesan & Spinach Pizza

Easy and delicious - and the best part, it can be thrown together quickly.

Proscuitto Parmesan Spinach Pizza:
(serves 4-6)
1 lb fresh pizza dough
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Proscuitto, thinly sliced
1 c sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
2 cups baby spinach leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. Let pizza dough come to room temperature, spread onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake until beginning to brown and puffed up. Remove, spread spinach leaves evenly over pizza, top with cheddar and proscuitto. Sprinkle parmesan on top, drizzle with additional olive oil. Bake until cheese is melted and browning and proscuitto is crisp.

Cilantro Margaritas

I had never heard of this until I went to Ranch Market and ate at Tradiciones, the adjacent restaurant. In the words of Arizona Republic reporter Karen Fernau, "For Mexican-food junkies, shopping at Phoenix Ranch Market is like strolling through Disneyland." Amen sister. More on that later.

I was shopping for many other items so I didn't try the margarita and so I have no idea if mine is even similar, but I was so infatuated by the idea of cilantro margaritas that I improvised. Delicious, fresh and lovely!

Cilantro Margaritas:
(serves 2-4, depending on how thirsty you are)
10 small limes, quartered (key limes or Mexican limes)
2 cups cilantro, not chopped
4-8 oz good tequila
2 tbs Splenda (can use simple syrup)
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup soda water

Directions:
Muddle cilantro, sugar and limes in a pitcher.

Pour in tequila and all other liquids. Stir and serve in salt-rimmed glasses.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

This is an amazingly simple and wonderful recipe from Rick Bayless. You can find it here.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa:
(makes about 5 cups)
3 lb fresh tomatillos
10 fresh serrano chiles
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 c fresh cilantro
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat broiler, cut tops off chiles. Place tomatillos (outer skin removed, rinsed), chiles and garlic (unpeeled) on foil in a sheet pan. Roast, about 7-10 minutes per side. Remove from oven and let cool.

Press garlic from its skin and puree all other ingredients in blender, including juice and browned skin from the tomatillos. Serve warm or let cool.

Sweet & Spicy Chipotle Mini Meatballs

We are heading into holiday party season so I think it's time for a new appetizer. A guilty food pleasure of mine is cocktail meatballs - but often when I ask for the recipe at a party, it involves frozen balls and jarred sauce or an expensive caterer. Not a bad thing in either case - I'm not a food snob and have a healthy respect for convenience - but something about homemade meatballs just dresses up the whole meatball-eating experience.

So, using a basic meatloaf/meatball recipe and improvising with a sweet-spicy tomato sauce, I made my own and it worked! You could make bigger balls and serve over rice or pasta for a main entree too.

Warning...these are very spicy and very good...

Chipotle Mini Meatballs:
(makes about 30 small meatballs or about 15-20 entree-sized balls)
1 lb twice-ground beef
1 lb twice-ground pork
2 cups white sourdough bread, cut into chunks (no crust)
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
1 large onion, minced finely, divided
8 cloves garlic, minced finely, divided
2 28 oz cans whole, peeled tomatoes in sauce, roughly chopped
1 can chipotle chilis in adobo, roughly chopped (or to taste)
1/2 c water
1/2 c apricot preserves
4-6 tbs olive oil, or as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Mix first 6 ingredients with half the garlic and onion and salt and pepper. Don't overmix - mixture will be wet. Divide into mini meatballs and lay on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate.

Next, saute the other half of the onion and garlic until softened in a tbs of olive oil, then add chipotles and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cover.

Next, saute meatballs quickly in olive oil, just until browned. Don't cook the meat all the way through or your meatballs may be tough. Once browned, add the meatballs to the chipotle-tomato sauce.

Add about 1/2 cup water if needed to the sauce to make it thin enough to simmer (covered) and completely cook the meatballs. (10 minutes) Uncover, add apricot preserves and continue to simmer until sauce is thickened (30-40 minutes). Serve immediately or let cool and store in refrigerator, reheating before serving.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

The best pumpkin muffin recipe has always been my moms, and when I set out to find a good one to make my first pumpkin muffins, none seemed to compare. The food magazines tried to get too creative in an attempt to create original recipes and the addition of too many sweet/nutty/chunky things takes away from the simple goodness of a pumpkin muffin.

So, as old-fashioned as it comes (not meaning my mom of course), this is a Mennonite recipe from a favorite cookbook that I think she bought in Indiana or Pennsylvania - Mom, if you are reading, post a comment with the name of the cookbook? I substituted dried cranberries for raisins and made them mini - but they tasted just like yours. Love you Mom!

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins:
(makes 12 regular muffins, 24 mini muffins, can be doubled)
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1 c sugar (scant)
3/4 c oil (scant)
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1.5 c flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
2 tbs brown sugar (or as needed)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 and grease your muffin tin lightly. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, fold in cranberries.

Pour into prepared muffin tin.

Sprinkle tops with a little brown sugar and bake for 7-10 minutes for mini muffins, 15-20 for regular muffins. Serve warm, or let come to room temperature and store in airtight container.

Curry Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs & Black Grapes

Don't we all struggle with making an appetizing lunch that we will actually eat? I know my coworkers and friends and I are not alone in having a bulging fridge with ever-increasingly funky leftovers and yet we continually make a mad dash to go out to lunch nearly every day.

So, to be figure and budget friendly, here is a recipe for something that I actually can't wait to eat for lunch. Sweet and a little spicy, serve in a sandwich, over greens, in a pita, wrap or with crackers.

Curried Chicken Salad with Fresh Herbs & Black Grapes:
(recipes serves 4, can be adjusted easily)
1 cup shredded skinless chicken breast (poached, roasted or whatever)
1/2 cup quartered black seedless grapes
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup light mayo (or as needed for desired consistency)
1 tsp dijon mustard (or as needed for taste)
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
1 tbs curry powder (or to taste)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.

Combine, but don't overmix and crush ingredients. For best flavor, let sit in refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight.

Butternut Squash, Pumpkin & Carrot Bisque

Yes, another leftover concoction (it was a very large butternut squash). This soup is comforting, warm and delicious and fairly low in calories and fat. With a baby spinach salad, my lunches for this week are taken care of!

Butternut Squash, Pumpkin & Carrot Bisque:
(serves 6 as a side dish, 4 as a light entree)
2 cups roasted butternut squash puree
1 cup peeled, sliced carrots
1-2 cups peeled, sliced fresh pumpkin
1/3 cup sliced shallot
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Salt, black pepper, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to taste
4 cups chicken stock (2 cans)
1 cup white wine (sparkling wine works great)
1 cup milk (whole preferred) or as needed

Directions:
Saute carrots, shallots & pumpkin pieces in olive oil until slightly softened. Add wine, simmer until reduced by at least half. Add squash puree, stir to incorporate and bring back to a simmer. Add stock. Add spices as needed. Simmer for 5 minutes uncovered, then turn down the heat to very low and simmer slowly until carrots and pumpkin are very soft, about 45 minutes.

Let cool slightly, carefully puree in batches in a blender or use a hand blender.

Return soup to pot and rewarm.

Slowly add milk as needed for your taste in creaminess/thickness, then taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with a crusty bread, green salad and a crisp white wine.

Roasted Butternut Squash Toasted Ravioli

Trying to be creative with leftovers, this is a quick ravioli (wonton wrappers) stuffed with pureed roasted butternut squash, boiled quickly and then pan fried in butter until crisp.

Roasted Butternut Squash Toasted Ravioli:
(serves 4)
1/2 package wonton wrappers
1 cup roasted butternut squash puree
1 cup ricotta
1/4 cup roasted garlic, mashed (can use powder, not preferred)
White pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 tbs dried sage (divided into 2 parts)
1/2 stick butter
1 egg

Directions:
Mix butternut squash puree with ricotta, garlic and seasonings including half the sage. Taste the filling and adjust seasonings.

Fill each wonton wrapper with a heaping teaspoon filling, brush sides with egg wash (the egg, beaten with splash of water). Fold over and pinch closed.

Boil ravioli in salted water for 1-2 minutes then drain. Meanwhile, heat butter on high until foaming and turning brown. Add ravioli, toast until butter is brown and ravioli are crisp. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of dried sage.

Apple Cider Granita

Arizona fall...apple cider, but not hot, cold! Easy, delicious and healthy (for dessert).

Apple Cider Granita:
(serves 4-6)
3-4 cups fresh apple cider (if infused with cinnamon, cloves, etc.)

Directions:
If your cider isn't fresh or infused with seasoning, add several tbs fresh apple puree (no skins) and a few tbs brown sugar and cinnamon, cloves and allspice. If fresh cider is available but unfortified, add spices. Once liquid is ready, pour into shallow pan, scraping with a fork after 30 minutes, every 5 minutes or until the texture is like sorbet.

Slow Braised Apple Cider Pork Roast

Fall is definitely in the air and this roast recipe adapted from one in Gourmet in 2001, is the perfect way to blend fall flavors and fill the house with warmth and comforting aromas. Once this goes in the oven, forget about it, and about 2.5 hours later it is meltingly perfect. Super easy! I served it with oven roasted potatoes and sauteed spinach and shallots, but it would be great over noodles, with rice or polenta.

Apple Cider Braised Pork Roast with Caramelized Onions:
(serves 4)
3-4 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
5-6 medium onions sliced into half moons
2-4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh apple cider

Directions:
Cut slits in roast, fill with slices of garlic. Crosshatch skin and fat, remove excess if possible. Sear roast in olive oil over medium high heat in a dutch oven or large oven-safe stock pot until browned on all sides. Remove roast, let rest on a plate. Add onions to pot, saute until caramelized.

Add roast and any juices back to pot. Nestle roast into onions, pour cider into pot, cover and cook in a 325 oven for 2-3 hours. Remove roast to a plate, simmer sauce and onions over high heat until reduced. Serve with pork.

Pumpkin Patch

Although still warm, we visited the pumpkin patch and my darling boyfriend hunted down the very best pumpkin and spent far too much money on overgrown squash just to make me happy. I was delighted and we had a great day outdoors with good friends. This is the largest of our finds and it's seeds toasted to sweet and spicy snacking bliss.

Sweet & Spicy Toasted Pumpkin Seeds:
Fresh pumpkin seeds, rinsed and boiled in liberally salted water (or let stand in salted water in the fridge overnight)
Salt
Olive oil
Cayenne pepper
Brown sugar

Directions:
Remove seeds from stringy flesh, rinse and boil for 2-3 minutes in salted water or let stand overnight in salted water. Drain and toss in olive oil and salt. Roast at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until begining to brown slightly. Add brown sugar, cayenne and additional salt to taste. Roast for 3-5 more minutes. Let cool, serve immediately or store in an air-tight container.

Mini Fruit Tarts

Wow, my first ever pastry crust. I know, not a big deal, but I can't stop grinning at these little fattening bites of heaven as they shine up at me from the counter. Maybe baking is for me after all!

Mini Fruit Tarts:
(makes 24 mini tarts)

Tart Shell:
1 1/4 cup AP flour
1/3 cup lard
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
2 tbs water, chilled (if needed)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Directions:
Put all ingredients and tools in the freezer to chill for 5-10 minutes (room temp is about 80 here in Arizona, so extra cold can't hurt). Mix flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Add lard, cut in with 2 forks or a pastry cutter. Add egg and vinegar, stir with fork until dough is chunky, but pulls away from bowl. If still too dry, add cold water in small amounts as needed. Pat pastry into a rough ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Cut into rounds. Place inside mini tart shells. Weight with dried beans. Bake at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

Creme Patisserie (Pastry Cream):
(makes enough for 24 mini tarts)
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbs flour
2 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup whole milk

Directions:
Whisk yolks with sugar, flour and cornstarch. Meanwhile, bring milk and vanilla to a boil. Add milk slowly to egg mixture to temper. Once tempered, add egg mixture back into saucepan over low heat until thickened like vanilla pudding. Cool, then refrigerate until time to stuff pastry shells, then top with fruit garnish. To glaze, melt about 2 tbs apricot preserves with a tbs of water on the stove top and gently brush onto fruit.

Proscuitto Fig Stuffed Pork Loin Chops

Divinely simple, these are boneless thin-cut pork loin chops, pounded thin and stuffed and rolled, then lightly coated in flour and sauteed. They are done in minutes and served with a fast pan sauce.

Proscuitto Fig Stuffed Pork Loin Chops:
(serves 4)
2 lbs boneless thin-cut pork loin chops
1/2 cup roughly chopped proscuitto
1/2 cup roughly chopped dried black mission figs
1 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed to saute
1/2 cup white wine

Directions:
Gently pound pork chops between layers of plastic wrap. Salt and pepper meat.

Meanwhile, mix proscuitto, figs and rosemary in a bowl.

Spoon a scant tablespoon of filling onto each chop, roll tightly. Coat each roll lightly in flour, salt and pepper.

Saute over high heat in olive oil until done, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan and keep warm. While pan is still hot, add wine, scraping up brown bits from the bottom. Simmer until reduced and slightly thickened. Pour over pork and serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Fennel

Two delicious fall vegetables, roasted together to just the right sweetness. Delicious as a side with pork, chicken or of course turkey. If you don't eat all of it, puree it and use as a ravioli stuffing and serve with sage brown butter, or add cream or milk and chicken stock and make a roasted butternut squash soup.

Roasted Butternut Squash & Fennel:
(serves 6-8 as a side dish)
3 lb butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and cubed
1 large fennel bulb, greens removed, sliced thin
2 tbs (approx) extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Heat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss butternut squash and fennel slices in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast until caramelized and tender.

Chicken Cacciatore

This is a very old recipe with probably 1,000 ways to make it the "right way," and of course I am sure mine isn't one of them, but right to me is what works and this worked great! Delicious, simple and will make superb leftovers.

One note about cooking time - if you arrive home at 8 p.m. after a workout, starving, use boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins - NOT bone-in chicken or you'll eat at 10:30 like I did. Just a note of caution.

Chicken Cacciatore:
(serves 4-6)
4 average size or 3 large bone-in chicken breasts, skin on
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz fresh sliced button mushrooms
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, tomatoes & juice
2 tbs olive oil, or as needed
2 tbs fresh chopped rosemary
2 tbs fresh chopped parsley
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1.5 c red wine
Salt and Pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste
Cooked egg noodles/pasta for serving

Directions:
Season chicken and brown in a skillet on high heat with olive oil. Remove from skillet, set aside on a plate.

Saute chopped onion, pepper and garlic in the same saute pan until softened and the crusty brown bits have been absorbed.

Add mushrooms, cook until soft and all liquid is gone. Add red wine, reduce by half at least. Add balsamic and then tomatoes, chopping roughly with stirring spoon. Add rosemary. Simmer until reduced, then add chicken back in. If sauce is too dry, add up to 1/2 cup water or stock. Simmer chicken this way for 20-60 minutes. This depends on how large the chicken pieces are, you want fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce reduced enough to be the right consistency for pasta.

Once chicken is done and sauce is thickened, season again to taste with salt and red and black pepper. Serve over egg noodles or pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with red wine - preferably the same one you used for the sauce.