Campanelle with Italian sausage and pumpkin sauce

Ingredients:

1 pound ground Italian sausage

1/2 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, dice

1 lb package campanelle pasta

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1/2 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

• Cook and stir Italian sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Drain excess grease. Stir onion and garlic into sausage and cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add Italian seasoning.

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Stir in campanelle and return to a boil. Cook pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 10 minutes; drain.

• Stir pumpkin puree, chicken broth, half-and-half, sour cream, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper into the sausage mixture and cook, stirring often, until sauce is creamy and thick, about 5 minutes.

• Transfer cooked campanelle pasta to a large pot and pour sausage and pumpkin mixture over pasta. Place over medium-high heat and gently stir until pasta mixture is heated through, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.

shredded brussels sprout bacon salad with warm cider vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups shredded brussels sprouts (about one 12 ounce bag)

• 1 1/2 cups grated manchego or parmesan cheese

• 1 1/2 cups pomegranate arils

• 6 thick cut slices bacon, chopped

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 medium shallot, diced

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon apple butter

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

• kosher salt and black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large salad bowl, combine the shredded brussels sprouts, cheese and pomegranate arils.

2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. Drain onto a paper towel. Wipe the skillet clean.

3. To make the vinaigrette. Heat the olive oil in the same skillet used to cook the bacon over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots, cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly. Add the apple cider vinegar, apple butter, thyme, and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, tossing to combine. Top the salad with bacon. Serve warm or at room temperature

Recipe adapted from halfbakedharvest.com

Creamy Garlic Celery Root Mash

I tripled this recipe as I am bringing it to a larger Thanksgiving gathering. This is such a delicious way to use celery root which are still available at my local farmer’s market. It is a healthier substitute for mashed potatoes (if that’s your MO) 😉 I like it because it’s delicious!!!

Ingredients:

1 celery root

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chicken (or any type) broth

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the outer skin off the celery root. If needed, use a knife to cut off the heartier parts.

2. Once the rough outer layer is removed, cut into chunky pieces, about 2 inches long.

3. Heat olive oil over medium high heat.

4. Sauté the celery root chunks in the olive oil into golden brown, about 10 minutes.

5. Add the garlic, sauté for another minute.

6. Add the broth and salt and simmer for about five minutes.

7. Place in the food processor and process for about a minute.

8. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and add the sea salt.

9. Turn on the food processor and process until smooth or desired.

Oven-Dried Persimmon Slices

This is the persimmon season! They are in many grocery stores right now. I got mine at Trader Joe’s. They are a sweet fruit usually grown in Asia.

Ingredients:

  • Whole persimmon (any number you choose) stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Lay persimmons in a single layer on wire racks set over baking sheets. Bake until centers are dry and edges begin to curl, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let cool completely. Persimmons can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature.

Basement Brownies

This recipe is adapted from recipegirl.com. They are the most divine brownie. EVER. They got the name because you will want to eat them in the basement away from the rest of your family. 😬

Ingredients:

• 50 caramels, unwrapped

• 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix

• 1 cup evaporated milk, divided

• 3/4 cup salted butter, melted

• 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×9-inch pan.

2. Melt caramels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until caramels have completely melted and the mixture is smooth.

3. In a large bowl, combine the dry cake mix, remaining 2/3 cup evaporated milk and butter. Mix by hand until batter is smooth and combined.

4. Pour a little over 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 8 minutes only and then remove from the oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly on top of the partially cooked brownie. Drizzle caramel on top of the chocolate chips. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining batter on top. You probably won’t have enough to cover the caramel completely.

5. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 18 to 20 minutes until the brownies feel fairly set on top and the edges are lightly browned and crisp. Let the brownies cool completely before cutting. The longer they have time to cool, the more they will firm up.

Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Seeds

These little morsels are so easy and so tasty! Sweet chocolate with a little tart surprise inside!!

I had these in my pantry, so I used them. This recipe calls for dark chocolate chips. Use whatever you got!

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup pomegranate seeds
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Remove the seeds from pomegranate and reserve 2/3 cup for chocolates.

2. In a double boiler, melt chocolate until smooth and creamy.

3. In a mini muffin pan, add 12 mini muffin inserts to the pan,

4. Coat the inside of the bottom of the muffin inserts with some melted chocolate and top with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds. Top with some more chocolate to cover seeds.

5. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until set.

6. Remove from muffin tin and enjoy.

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Ingredients:

1 small pumpkin or squash

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for water

¼ cup nutritional yeast

2 cups flour, as needed plus more for sprinkling

4 tablespoons butter

5 sage leaves

2 smashed cloves of garlic

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup starchy water (leftover from boiling the gnocchi)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Slice the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds. Place it cut side up on baking sheet. Bake for one hour. Remove pumpkin from oven and let cool until you can handle it then scoop the flesh out of the skin into a bowl. Let it cool till it stops steaming but is still warm to the touch.

Bring a pot of water to boil with a generous tbsp of salt.

To the pumpkin add 1 teaspoon of salt, the nutritional yeast and a cup and a quarter of the flour. Stir together. Add more flour, a quarter cup at a time until you get a soft dough that you can roll into a rope.

Once your happy with the consistency, roll the dough into ropes and cut it into one inch pieces. Keep them under a towel until you finish rolling out and cutting all the dough. Drop them into the boiling water and give them 2 – 3 more minutes after they float to cook all the way through (I did this in about three batches. Don’t crowd them in the water) then drain them, reserving a cup of the cooking water.

In the same pan, add butter, sage leaves, and garlic clove. Let the garlic and sage cook for a few minutes over low heat. When the sage leaves are starting to get crispy, remove from heat. Remove garlic as well. Add the flour and whisk. Add the heavy cream and whisk. Add the starchy water slowly, whisking to make a sauce that is the consistency you want. Toss with gnocchi, top with sage leaves and Parmesan.

Crab Cake Sandwich

Ingredients:

• 28 each Saltine Crackers crushed

• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise Egg-free

• 1 teaspoon Spicy Brown Mustard

• 1/4 cup Onion diced

• 1/4 cup Celery diced

• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

• 16 ounces Crab Meat

• French roll buns

• Iceberg lettuce leaves

• 1/4 cup Olive oil

• Lemon wedges for serving

• Tabasco for serving

Instructions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the crab meat and olive oil in a large bowl and mix just until combined.

2. Add crab meat to bowl, breaking up extra large pieces.

3. Fold the crab meat into the cracker mixture just until combined allowing some larger pieces of crab to remain.

4. Scoop out 1/4 cup portions of the mixture, tightly compress and form into a small, slightly rounded patties.

To Pan Fry

1. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.

2. Add 4 crab cakes to the pan at a time (depending upon the pan size.) Cook crab cakes for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown, turning once. (If you turn the crab cakes several times, they will fall apart.)

3. Remove cakes to a plate lined with paper towels to drain for 2-3 minutes. Crab cakes will also set during this time.

To Bake in Oven

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place crab cakes on a greased baking sheet.

3. Bake uncovered for approximately 35-45 minutes or until the crab cakes are golden brown, flipping once half way through the baking process.

Serve on toasted bun with lettuce, fresh squeezed lemon and Tabasco.

Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps

This is such a simple recipe!! Also, so delicious and one of my favs! My 10 year old helped make this recipe. He also said, “tomorrow can we make a harder meal”. Listen. If a 10 year old thinks it’s easy….

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground pork
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 small shallots, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • Juice of one lime
  • 2 Tbsp Asian fish sauce
  • 1 tsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp Sriracha
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup mint, chopped
  • 1/2 cup basil, chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 head Boston or other leafy lettuce, leaves separated

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the pork, garlic, shallots and jalapeño.

In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha.

In a skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the pork mixture, stirring to break up the meat until no pink remains. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Transfer the meat to a bowl; stir in the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges, Sriracha and lettuce for wrapping.

My favorite salad dressing!

This is my fav! It versatile. Full of flavor. Easy to make!

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly add the oil in a steady stream. (Alternatively, add all your ingredients to a jar, cover with lid, and shake vigorously to blend.) Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.