AUTUMN RECIPE IDEAS

 

I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself,
than be crowded on a velvet cushion.
                                                                                    ~Henry David Thoreau
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PESTO & PASTA WITH SEARED SALMON

4 cups washed arugula
3/4 cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pine nuts
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup EV olive oil
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlics, minced
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. dried linguine
6 4-6oz. salmon filets, skin removed
3 T olive oil
Lemon wedges
 
Place first 9 ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Cook linguine according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water.  Return pasta to pot, add pesto and the cooking water. Toss to combine.
Season salmon filets with salt & papper.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add salmon and cook 3 minutes undisturbed to create a crust.  Turn filets over, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 5 minutes.  Serve with pasta and lemon wedges, garnished with extra arugula.


Herbed Feta Cheese Spread
4 ounces Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/2 of an 8 oz.package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise (Duke's)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. fresh basil, chopped
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 tsp. fresh dillweed
1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, blending until combined.  Place in a medium bowl and cover.  Chill until tie to serve. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve with fresh vegetables or crackers.

Black bean cakes
2  15 oz. cans black beans, drained, rinsed
3 T. minced onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 – 1/2 cup crushed corn flakes
½-1 teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon thyme leaves
1 chopped Bird’s eye pepper, if desired (more or less)
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
2 tablespoons mustard
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup crushed Tostitos chips
Fresh salsa
 
Put all ingredients except Fresh Salsa and crushed Tostitos in a food processor and pulse until blended (may need to open and stir up a bit, leave a few whole beans).
Place mixture in a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours to make it easier to handle.
Cover bottom of a frying pan with ¼ inch of oil. 
Form patties and dredge in crushed chips.  Place in frying pan and cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side.
Serve with fresh salsa  (fresh tomatoes, green onion, celery, flat-leaf parsley, garlic)
Kathy Schlosser

Spinach Rice Casserole with sunflower and sesame seeds
 
2 cups cooked wild rice (or ½ wild and ½ brown)
2 eggs
½ tsp salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 T parsley
¼ pound grated cheese
1 bunch green onions, sliced inc. about ½ the green part
1 lb. chopped fresh spinach
½ cup toasted sunflower seeds
1 T toasted sesame seeds             
2 T butter                                      
 
Melt butter and set aside.
 Saute green onions and spinach until wilted and remove from heat
 Beat eggs with salt & pepper.  Stir into cooked rice.  Stir in cheese and parsley, then blend in the spinach and onions.  Add sunflower seeds and blend thoroughly.
 Pour mixture into greased casserole,  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with butter.
 Bake at 350⁰ for 30 minutes.

Chickpea, Cranberry & Kale Salad
 
3 cups chopped kale (wash well and remove ribs)
2 cups chickpeas (prepared or canned, drained)
2 cups prepared quinoa
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup shredded carrots
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly chopped (if not available, add dried leaves to dressing)
¼ cup fresh mint, lightly chopped (if not available, add dried leaves to dressing)
 Dressing
 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon dried basil (if no fresh is available for salad)
½ teaspoon dried mint (if no fresh is available for salad)
 
Garnish with cherry tomatoes in season and goat cheese
Katherine K. Schlosser, 2016 

Cranberry Cake with Rosemary and Toasted Almonds
3 eggs
 2 cups granulated sugar
 11 T unsalted butter, room temperature
 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
 2 Tablespoons  Amaretto
 2 cups all-purpose flour
 2 1/2 cups cranberries (1 bag), fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon fresh, chopped rosemary
 1/3 cup almond slices, lightly toasted
 
Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly grease a 9” springform pan.
 
Toast almond slivers in a sauté pan until lightly browned at edges.  Pour onto a plate and allow to cool.
Beat eggs and sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
Add soft butter, vanilla, and Amaretto and continue mixing until well blended.
Turn the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour.
Fold in the cranberries and rosemary.
Spread the mixture into the pan and sprinkle with toasted almond slices.
Bake for 60-70 minutes or more. Cake is done when firm to touch. (If the top gets too brown, lightly cover the pan with foil.)
Allow to cool several hours before serving.

MORE RECIPES ON THE WAY.......

Chocolate pumpkin bread
 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (beaten)
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
20 almonds (chopped)
1 powdered sugar
 
Preheat oven to 350°
 
Mix together dry ingredients; flower, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt
 
In a separate bowl beat (lightly) wet ingredients together; pumpkin puree, oil, milk, water, eggs, vanilla extract
 
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, mix with a spoon, and add in the chopped almonds (any nut of your choice)
 
Pour mixture into a bread pan, 8" x 5.5"
 
Bake for 60 minutes (toothpick test)
 
Sift powdered sugar over the top, cut, and enjoy!!!
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Wild Rice and Fennel Pilaf

1 Fennel bulb (1/2-3/4 pound)
1/4 cup minced fresh shallots
​1 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 cup wild rice
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups water, divided
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Trim and discard root end of fennel bulb.  Trim tsalks from bulb, reserving frongs for another use. Cut bulb into fourths and thinly slice.  Set aside.
Saute shallots in 2 tablespoon hot oil for 3 minutes; stir in garlic and rice.  Stir in wine and 2 1/2 cups water, bringing to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmler for 35 minutes.  Remove from heat; cover and let stand 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
Saute fenneo in remaining  1/2 tablespoon hot oil for 1 mnute.  Add remaining 12 cup water, balsamic vinegar, salt and papper.  Simmer 8 miutes or intil fellel is tender and liquid has evaporated.  Stir into rice mixture.   Serves 4.
From a 1997 copy of Southern Living

Pasta with Chickpeas and Chard
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8 oz.dried penne pasta
2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pinches red pepper flakes
2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. paprika
15 oz. can chickpeas, drained (1/2 cup liquid reserved)
2 14 or 15 oz cans tomatoes, drained
1 large bunch Swiss chard, stemmed and rinsed well
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add pasta, and cook about 10 minutes.  Drain well and set aside.
Preheat over to 350F.  Lightly grease a 2 qt. casserole.
In a large skillt, heat 1 Tablespoon oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic pepper thyme, rosemary, paprika. Cook, stirring often, until onion is tender, about 8 minutes.
Add chickpeas, reserve liquid and tomatoes to onion mixture.  Season with salt andfreshly ground black pepper.


Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce
 
Smother these Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with a spicy Ranchero Sauce for an easy dinner.
 Yield: Serves 6 (serving size: 2)
 
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 cups water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups organic vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (8 oz) pre-shredded reduced-fat, 4-cheese Mexican-blend, divided
3 thinly sliced green onions, divided
Cooking spray
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
6 tablespoons light sour cream
 
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
 2. Combine chiles and 2 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Drain chiles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
 3. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion; sauté 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through cumin); cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
 4. Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chiles and reserved liquid. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in lid. Blend until smooth; stir in lime juice and red pepper.
 5. Combine the beans, 1 cup cheese, and half the green onions in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 3 tablespoons bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining green onions; serve with sour cream.
From Cooking Light OCTOBER 2011.

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