The smell and taste of fall – all in a gingerbread cake topped with fresh apples and caramel. This fantastic upside-down cake makes a great addition to any seasonal table with its tasty gingerbread baked over cinnamon caramel sauce and sweet sautéed apples. Removing the cake from the pan, when turned, allows the apple caramel to coat the sides. Delicious served with a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream. INGREDIENTS Topping: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan 1 cup jarred caramel sauce, high quality such as Williams Sonoma, Trader Joes, Fresh Market or homemade 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 large, firm cooking apples, such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Granny Smith cored, peeled, quartered 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest Cake: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter ⅔ cup dark muscovado or dark brown sugar 2 large eggs ⅓ cup molasses 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ginger ½ teaspoon cinnamon...

The combination of apples and cinnamon is the quintessential taste of fall. So welcome cooler days with these easy to make Apple Cinnamon Bars. With their brownie-like texture on the outside, and layer of cinnamon apples in the center, they are especially delicious with a drizzle of brown butter icing over their walnut topping. Take them along with some apple cider for all your fall activities or simply enjoy at home. Be sure to use a piece of parchment longer than the pan to create “handles” for easy removal before cutting. INGREDIENTS 2 medium apples, peeled and sliced into thin wedges 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided 1/2 cup butter, plus one tablespoon, divided, plus more for the pan 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup Walnuts, toasted Brown Butter Icing 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 cup sifted conf...

Celebrate National Apple Month with a delicious Apple Slab Pie. Perfect for a crowd, this easy treat is baked on a sheet tray instead of in a pie pan.  Roll out the dough and fill with apples and cinnamon, add a top crust, bake, and finish it with a drizzle of vanilla glaze. We like to serve it with a side of cinnamon swirl gelato. INGREDIENTS For the pie crust: 4 cups all-purpose flour, we recommend White Lily 2 teaspoons salt 4 tablespoons sugar 3 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 7 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into small cubes 6-8 tablespoons cold water For the filling: 4 pounds Granny Smith, and Honey crisp apples 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup cornstarch 3 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch salt Finishing: 1 tablespoon milk Turbinado sugar for sprinkling For the Glaze: 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted 2-4 tablespoons whole milk 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Vanilla Gelato or ice cream fo...

Easy to make, Tartes Pomme are mostly Apples and Puff Pasty. Baked together in the oven, the apples become soft while the pastry expands just enough to create a delightfully crunchy base. The apple cider in the recipe is reduced to create “boiled cider” and then used to brush over the apples as well as a flavor in the icing. INGREDIENTS 2 cups Apple cider 1 piece Pepperidge Farm frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in the refrigerator, rolled to 10-1/2″ x 10-1/2″ All-purpose flour 2 medium Fuji or honey crisp apples ( about 3″ or less in diameter) 1 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar or brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts INSTRUCTIONS Pour two cups of apple cider into a saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer to reduce to 1/2 cup cider, about 20-30 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Open the sheet of puff pastry on a ligh...

We contrasted our brilliant purple cauliflower mash with bright orange roasted sweet potatoes, coated with buttery maple and pecan syrup. We topped it off with a “seared to perfection” extra thick cut pork chop. Fall never looked or tasted so good. Ask your butcher to remove the meat from the bone and “French” the pork chops for you. Purple cauliflower is in season; you can find it at Whole Foods. To make the Pork Chops INGREDIENTS 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, or toasted and ground cumin Kosher salt Fresh ground pepper 2 extra thick bone-in pork chops, about 1 pound per chop 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves INSTRUCTIONS Heat oven to 400 degrees. If using cumin seeds, in a small skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds. Add to a spice grinder with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and grind to a fine powder. If using ground, toasted cumin, combine in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper. With paper towels, dry off the pork...

To create a deliciously creamy and luscious fall risotto, we finish the dish with pumpkin, butter, and parmesan cheese. Then we topped it with contrasting crunchy parmesan crumbs and fried baby sage leaves. Toasted Parmesan INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoon butter 1 cup panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup grated parmesan INSTRUCTIONS In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the bread crumbs, toss, and cook until the crumbs are toasted. Add the parmesan, remove from the heat and set aside. Fried Sage INGREDIENTS 12-18 small sage leaves Olive oil INSTRUCTIONS Wash and dry the sage leaves thoroughly. In a sauté pan, add 1/4” olive oil, and heat until simmering. Add the sage leaves and cook for about 1-2 minutes until just starting to turn brown. Remove and   set on paper towels until ready to serve. Pumpkin Risotto INGREDIENTS 4 cups no-salt-added chicken stock 2 teaspoon olive oil ½ large onion finely chopped 2 large clove garlic, ...

Fresh pumpkins are more than jack-o-lanterns. Using thin sliced sweet pie pumpkins, the wedges are roasted, then topped with a tasty herb butter, Parmesan cheese, and a cider sour cream sauce. We added a delicious grilled steak, also topped with the same herb butter and more sauce for dipping.   To make the pumpkin: INGREDIENTS ½ cup of butter or ghee 1 teaspoon of fresh sage 2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 medium pie or sweet pumpkin cut into 16 wedges ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper INSTRUCTIONS Heat oven to 375˚F. In a small saucepan melt 1/4 cup the butter or ghee, then add the sage, rosemary, parsley, and garlic cloves. Cook until the herbs and garlic start to sizzle. Remove from heat and set the herb butter aside. Melt the remaining butter or ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Slice the pumpkin i...

Perfect for Halloween, these skewers are scary delicious. The spicy, bright red sauce is served with “stake piercing” meat and potatoes to add an eerie quality to your Halloween Dinner or Party. Easy to make, the steak is tossed in spices, skewered with baby potatoes, and then seared in a sauté pan. Our Pipián Rojo sauce is made in a blender or food processor with ingredients such as garlic, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), peanut butter, vinegar and dried ancho chiles. If you can’t find the Paddle style Bamboo Skewers, they can be purchased through Amazon. INGREDIENTS ½ cup pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds) 10 small potatoes Kosher salt Fresh ground pepper ½ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/2 teaspoon, plus more for the sauté pan 1″ thick, 1.5 pounds of Sirloin Steak, cut into 20 large cubes 1 large or two small dried ancho chile(s), stemmed and seeded Boiling water 2 garlic cloves, fine...

Bean Bakes are the perfect dish for potluck dinners, tailgating, or any fall event. A crossover between spicy chili and savoy baked beans, it’s a great companion dish for any menu. A flavorful combination of beans, corn, ground sirloin, and bacon, it’s delicious and filling as a side or main dish. Toasting and grinding whole spices does add more flavor, however to save time you can use ground spices and skip the first step. INGREDIENTS 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, or ground cumin 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, or ground coriander ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup ketchup 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon yellow mustard 8 ounces ground sirloin 4 slices thick cut bacon, cut into thin strips or chopped 1 medium onion, small dice ½ teaspoon kosher salt 2 – 15 ounce cans of cannelloni beans or white kidney beans, drained 2 ears of corn, removed from the cob 1 yellow or orange pepper, medium dice INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If using whole s...

Perfect for a Halloween dinner - not-so-scary meat, veggies, and cheese stuffed inside skull calzones floating in a pool of delicious marinara tomato sauce. These sausage, mushrooms, onion, red pepper, mozzarella, and ricotta Halloween twisted calzones will make a delicious and fun start to your evening festivities. 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the pan One pound pizza dough, home-made or high-quality store purchased 4 spicy Italian sausages, pork or chicken, casings removed ½  large red bell pepper 1 cup of onion, sliced thin 1 cup sliced mushrooms 2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese 8 ounces ricotta cheese 2 teaspoons parmesan Special Equipment - Nordic Ware Halloween Mini Skull Cakelet Pan Preheat oven to 400˚F. Lightly brush the skull pan with olive oil. Cut the pizza dough into 6 equal pieces. Stretch or roll into 4”x 8” pieces. In a sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the sausage. Cook until slightly br...

Our pot pies have a thick and rich filling – full of chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and seasoned with tarragon and parsley. To top it off in festive style, we used a buttery and crunchy puff pastry pumpkin face. INGREDIENTS 1 box puff pastry (Dufour or Pepperidge Farm) 2 cups of boxed unsalted chicken stock ½ cup carrots, peeled and diced ½ cup celery, diced 2 cups diced onion 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour 1 clove of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press 2 tablespoons of white wine 2 cups of cooked, cubed chicken breasts ¾ cup of frozen peas 1 ½ tablespoons of fresh tarragon leaves 1 tablespoons of finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon of salt ½ teaspoon of freshly ground pepper INSTRUCTIONS To make the pumpkin tops:   Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the puff pastry out on a floured cutting board. Using a 5″ pumpkin cookie cu...

Halloween isn’t just for kids! So we decided to put together a unique bourbon candy bark made only for adults. Perfect for your grown-up party, this sticky, gooey treat is made with popcorn and dark chocolate bark drizzled with bourbon caramel and topped with mixed nuts, white chocolate and topped with festive harvest blend M&M candies. INGREDIENTS 8 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped 3-4 cups of pre-popped salted popcorn ¼ cup homemade caramel sauce or quality jarred caramel sauce such as Williams-Sonoma, Trader Joes, or Fresh Market 1 tablespoon bourbon, preferably Maker’s Mark ½ cup salted mixed nuts, such as almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped 1/2 cup Harvest Blend M&M’s Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or a Silicone baking mat. In a metal bowl set over simmering water, (water should not touch the bowl) add the chopped chocolate and stir to melt completely. Spread very thinly over the parchment ...

Our “not so scary Blood and Bones” themed Halloween dinner has a delicious bowl of homemade tomato soup served with mini grilled tomato “bone” sandwiches. Quick and easy to make, it’s the perfect festive dinner before heading out to your Halloween celebrations. INGREDIENTS Tomato Soup 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 large onion, chopped fine 1 carrot, grated 1 large clove garlic, chopped fine 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ¼ cup white wine, we prefer Pinot Grigio 3 cups no salt chicken stock 28-oz. can purée San Marzano tomatoes 1 4-inch fresh rosemary stem Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup of cream Grilled Cheese “Bones” 8 large pieces of country white bread 8 sandwich slices of cheese, fontina, mozzarella, cheddar or your favorite melting cheese 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature Bone shaped cookie cutter DIRECTIONS In a large saucepan, heat the oil and butter over...

Start your Halloween party with this easy, cheesy, stuffed pumpkin appetizer. The pumpkin is filled with Gruyere, Parmesan, toasted bread, and a creamy mixture with garlic, fresh sage, and cognac. Then baked in the oven, the pumpkin serves as a serving dish as well as the walls get scraped into the delicious baked dip served on toasted baguette. 1 baguette, cut into ⅜“ slices 2 tablespoons melted butter Kosher salt 3-lb. Pie pumpkin Olive oil 1 ¼ cups heavy cream 2 tablespoons cognac ¾ cup salt-free chicken stock ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup grated Parmesan 1 cup    grated Gruyere Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Brush one side of the baguette slices with melted butter and top with a pinch of salt. Toast baguette slices in one layer on a baking sheet in oven until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove and set aside. When cooled, cut 6-7 slices into cubes. Set aside...