In my home town of Mendocino, there is a well-known restaurant called Cafe Beaujolais.  For years, the owner and chef, Margaret Fox turned out some of the most wonderful dishes on the coast.  During that time she and John Bear authored two special cookbooks based upon the menu at Cafe Beaujolais.  Both books are terrific, but I really enjoy Morning Food because it brings back memories of her legendary breakfasts at the Cafe.  

Although Margaret has sinced moved on from Cafe Beaujolais... the restaurant is still in operation and continues to receive rave reviews.

Visit Margaret's Website for a Personalized Copy of Morning Food

makes 1 8-inch square pan

Ingredients

Step 1:  Soak the porcini in hot water to cover for about 30 minutes.  Drain, reserving the liquid, and chop the mushrooms fine.  Strain the liquid through a coffee filter or several layers of cheesecloth to remove any grit.  Reserve 1/2 cup.

Step 2: Beat together the eggs, half-and-half, porcini liquid, salt and pepper until well blended.  Adjust for seasoning.  Place bread cubes in a large bowl and pour the egg mixture over it.  Stir and let sit for 30 minutes.... stir occasionally.

Step 3: r Place half the bread cubes on the bottom of a lightly buttered 8-inch square pan.  Layer over this all the basil and dill, all of the artichoke hearts, half the prosciutto, half the porcini, half the fontina, and half the goat cheese.  Cover with the other half of the bread cubes, and layer on the remaining ingredients in the same sequence.  Sprinkle with the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pour any remaining custard over the top.

Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered.  If the top starts to brown too much - cover with foil.  Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

Cranberry Chutney with Figs

makes 2 cups

For the figs
4 oz dried California or Turkish figs (about 1/2 cup) – cut in 1/4” pieces
2 tablespoons Cointreau
2 tablespoons orange juice

For the chutney
1 1/4 cup apple or grape juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup organic sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (use microplane grater)
1/2 teaspoon orange zest (use microplane grater)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon red, chili pepper flakes
pinch sea salt
12 oz fresh cranberries

Step 1: Place the figs, Cointreau and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix well and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat. Add the apple juice, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, ginger, orange zest, cardamom, red pepper flakes, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and add the cranberries. Stir well and fast simmer for 6 to 7 minutes until the cranberries start to pop. With a wooden spoon, crush the cranberries on the side of the pot until mixture is chunky. Turn off the heat, add the fig mixture and stir. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature and serve.

Cook’s note: Refrigerate up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Bacon Cranberry Stuffing

Recipe by The Kitchen Cafe, Boulder
www.thekitchencafe.com

• 1 quart organic or natural chicken stock or broth
• 1 loaf of good sourdough bread, with a nice crust
• 1/2 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 pound sliced bacon
• 2 cups dried organic cranberries
• 2 cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
• 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (removed from stems)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Method:

Step 1: Bring stock or broth to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until needed. Preheat oven to 250º.

Step 2: Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. (Some pieces will have crust and some will not.) Drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Spread bread cubes on a baking sheet and put them in the warm oven to dry out.

Step 3: Cut bacon strips into 1x1/4-inch pieces. In a large pot, warm remaining 1/4 cup olive oil to medium heat and add bacon. Cook until fat is released and pieces are light brown and crispy. Stir in cranberries, thyme, Rosemary mushrooms, and celery. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4: By now the bread cubes should have dried out nicely. Increase heat to 400º and toast until edges start to crisp and turn dark golden brown. Remove from oven and add to bacon-cranberry mixture. Roll the bread cubes through the mixture to coat evenly. Add simmering stock and stir until stock is absorbed. (The bread cubes should hold their shape but be moist all the way through.) Taste a bread cube and add salt or pepper to taste.

Step 5: Transfer to a serving bowl. Keep warm in the oven until you’re ready to serve.

Notes:
This stuffing is meant as a side dish. Stuffing the turkey cavity slows cooking and is not recommended for health reasons.

Maple–Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts

Recipe and photo reprinted with permission by Viviane Banquet Farre

serves 8

1 tablespoon sea salt for the blanching water
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts – ends trimmed and cut in half
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
6 oz roasted chestnuts in jars – broken in 1/2” pieces (use your fingers)
3 large shallots – skinned, quartered and finely sliced
3/4 to 1 teaspoon sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Step 1: Fill a large bowl with cold water and several ice cubes.

Step 2: Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and blanch the Brussels sprouts for 4 minutes until tender. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to the ice water bath until cool. Drain on paper towels. Once dry, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Cook’s note: The Brussels sprouts can be blanched up to 1 day ahead. Place in a Tupperware and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 3: Heat a large heavy-bottom skillet over high heat. Add the butter, olive oil and maple syrup. As soon as the butter is melted, add the Brussels sprouts and chestnuts and toss. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until golden-brown, tossing only occasionally. Add the shallots, toss again and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes until shallots have softened. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, remove from heat and serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Garlic and Sage

serves 8

• 2 medium butternut squash (about 4 lbs) – peeled (use vegetable hand peeler), seeded scooped out and cut in 1/2” x 3” slices
• 2 small bunches fresh sage – leaves removed from stems
• 16 large garlic cloves – unpeeled and left whole
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 475ºF.

Step 1: Place the butternut squash slices in a non-stick jellyroll pan large enough to hold the ingredients in a single layer (alternatively use 2 pans). Add the sage, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss well. Arrange slices in a singe layer and bake for 20 minutes.

Step 2: Remove from oven, carefully flip each slice so as not to break them. Return to oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden-brown. Remove garlic cloves and save for another use. Serve the roasted squash with the sage leaves.

Cook’s note: The squash can be sliced up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in Ziplock bags. Bake up to 6 hours ahead and re-heat at 475ºF for 5 to 6 minutes until hot

Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
Recipe and photos by

The Albion River Inn
Mendocino Coast, California

www.albionriverinn.com

That is the view from my favorite table at the Albion River Inn on the spectacular coast of Mendocino.  Need I say more?  I'll give you a moment to enjoy the view . . .

Whenever I return home to Mendocino, I have some rituals that I simply must do.  .  .

1. Must drink Navarro and Golden Eye wines. 
2. Must eat fresh sourdough bread. 
3. Must have seafood chowder in town. 

And, all of those items are just for lunch :-) 

And... Must have dinner at The Albion River Inn.  Those are some of my homecoming "must do's."

The Albion is located right on the ocean and is both a wonderful inn with seaside rooms as well as an outstanding restaurant.  I will say aside from the award-winning culinary delights, I have a sentimental attachment to the Inn as it's owned by a family of a very close friend of mine.  And most of my high school friends worked there at some point.  One of them, Chef Stephen Smith, is now the Executive Chef and has developed incredible menus for the Albion.

I have a few favorite dishes that are also on that "Must do" list.  This soup is one of them.  In fact, any soup they make is wonderful.  If you ever are fortunate enough to visit the Mendocino Coast - please add the Albion River Inn to your "must do's" and I promise you'll thank me for the recommendation!

Roasted Garlic Bulbs: Cut tops off garlic bulbs so cloves are exposed, place in oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 ° for 20-25 minutes or until light brown & tender.  Set aside until cool enough to handle then remove cloves from skins by squeezing or peeling.

METHOD: 

Step 1:  Squeeze most the liquid out of the Porcini Mushrooms. Set aside and strain the liquid and reserve.

Step 2:  In a thick-bottomed soup pot heat olive oil until hot. Add the onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and Shiitake & Porcini mushrooms. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and “sweat” for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3:  Uncover and add sherry wine and peeled roasted garlic cloves. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook uncovered until almost dry, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock or water, reserved Porcini mushroom liquid, white truffle oil, and half & half, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Step 4:  When all ingredients are tender, add the basil. Purée with a hand-held blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. If using a food processor, or blender, add small amounts of soup, cover food processor or blender top with a thick towel, and pulse several times before turning on high so hot soup won’t splash out. 

Serve this savory and full flavored soup garnished with croutons & chopped parsley or basil, soup hot crusty bread and a fresh green salad.    

Mushroom Croustades

This recipe is great when you're throwing a party.  They are always such a bit hit... and any leftover duxelle (fancy name for mushroom filling) may be used as a delicious topping for potatoes, eggs or on top of a filet mignon.

The "cups" which are often referred to as "croustades" in other recipes and are little bread cases made with round slices of soft white bread that are pressed into tiny muffin tins and slowly roasted so they hold their cup-like shape.  Filled with a creamy, herb-flavored mixture based on the classic mushroom "duxelles", they are an elegant cocktail horse d'oeuvre that requires very little labor.  However, your friends and family will think you are quite the "gourmet!"  This recipe is easily doubled for larger parties.

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

Cups:

• 24 slices fresh, thinly-sliced white bread (Believe it or not, Wonder works the best - bad bread works better than good bread - however, Whole Foods white bread in the bakery does work if you're a snob and don't want anyone to see Wonder in your shopping cart)
• 2 tablespoons very soft butter

Mushroom Filling:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
• 1.5 pound button or crimini mushrooms (finely chopped)
• 2 level tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (you may want to add more)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (may want more)
• Butter

For 24 cups, you need a 3-inch plain or fluted cookie cutter and 24 tine muffin tins, each about 2 inches wide at the top.  You can buy them, usually combined in panels of twelve in most hardware stores or possibly Williams-Sonoma.

With a pastry brush, coat the inside of the tins heavily with the 2 tablespoons of soft butter.  Cut a 3-inch round from each slice of bread.  Carefully fit these into the muffin tins, pushing the center of the bread into the well and gently molding it around the botton of the tin with the tip of your finger (if you have a small wooden pestle or small round bottle slightly smaller than the bottom of the muffin tin, use this to force the bread in, but don't be rough or the bread will tear.  Each bread round, however you mold it, should form a perfect little cup.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake the cups for about 10 minutes, or until the brown lightly on the rims and on the outsides.  Remove them from the tins and let them cool.

The mushroom filling is made as follows:

Chop the shallots and mushrooms very, very fine.  In a heavy 10-inch frying pan, slowly melt the 4 tablespoons of butter and, before the foam subsides, add the shallots.  Stir them almost constantly, over moderate heat, for about 4 minutes without letting them brown; then stir in the mushrooms.  Mix them well into the butter and see that they are thoroughly coated before leaving them on their own.  In a few minutes they will begin to give off a good deal of moisture.  Stir them now from time to time, and continue to cook until all the moisture has evaporated - 10 to 15 minutes.  Then remove the pan from the heat.

To finish the filling, sprinkle 2 level tablespoons of flour over the mushrooms and stir thoroughly together until not a trace of flour is visible.  Immediately pour over this 1 cup of heavy cream and, stirring the whole time, bring the mixture to a boil.  It will thicken heavily, turn down the heat to the barest simmer, and cook a minute or two longer to remove any taste of raw flour.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the seasonings and herbs; salt, cayenne, parsley, chives and lemon juice.  Taste, transfer the filling to a bowl.  Cover with saran and cool in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble them.

Fill the cups, mound the filling slightly. Sprinkle each with Parmesan cheese, dot with a speck of butter and arrange on a cookie sheet. Heat about 10 minutes in a preheated 350° oven (do this about 10 minutes before you intend to serve them); Watch them carefully as they burn easily.

• 12 eggs, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound butter, room temperature
• 3 pounds confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Beat egg whites and salt until foamy in a large glass or metal mixing bowl until stiff peaks form.  mix until the egg whites should form a sharp peak that holds its shape.

Beat the egg yolks to soft peaks in a separate bowl. Beat the butter and confectioners' (powdered) sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture; mix. Stir in the nutmeg, cloves, allspice, cinnamon and the egg whites; beat until well blended. Batter can be frozen or kept in refrigerator for several weeks.

For one drink, fill a cup of hot water or warm milk with spiced rum or brandy and stir in 1 heaping tablespoon of batter (or more). Top with freshly grated nutmeg. This makes a great non-alcoholic treat too!

Sausage, Wild Mushroom and Sourdough Stuffing

Every Thanksgiving I make this stuffing.  It uses the best ingredients from my Wine Country heritage - wine (of course), sourdough bread, fresh herbs and wild mushrooms!  It is simple and can be a bit of "chef's delight" as each batch is a little different.  I never stuff the turkey as I believe it increases cooking time and really doesn't add to the stuffing's flavor.    Additionally, this should always be made on Thanksgiving and not assembled in advance.  It's best if it is done just before you intend to serve it.

This recipe is more of a guideline - as you should taste as you go to perfect the flavor to your personal; tastes.  I guarantee this recipe will not be dry and is loaded with good flavor if you make sure you use all fresh, good quality ingredients.  And you can enjoy this really anytime of year - it's too good to only serve during the holidays!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound sourdough bread, cubed 1/2 inch thick
• 1 pound bulk Boulder pork sausage (or good quality)
• 1/4 stick butter (possibly more)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3-5 large celery stalks, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup, good quality chicken stock/broth (not low sodium)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1.5 pounds crimini, oyster and other wild mushrooms that chop well, chopped - not too small
• 1/2 cup (or more) chopped fresh poultry seasoning (not dried!)
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 2 eggs, beaten until blended

Instructions:

Place bread cubes on a large baking sheet... toast at 400 degrees until lightly brown (about 12 min)  Transfer the bread to an extra large bowl.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the sausage until well cooked and crumbled (about 10 min.)  Drain fat... transfer to the large bowl with the bread.

Add the butter to the drippings in the pan, reduce the heat to low/medium and melt the butter while scraping the bits of the pan.  Add the onion and celery and saute' for 1.5 minutes.  Add garlic at the very end until fragrant (about 1 min).  Transfer to the bowl with the bread.

In the same pan, add some butter and a splash of wine and saute' the mushrooms until juices are rendered.  Add to the bread.  Add the poultry seasoning, parsley and fold in the eggs until all bread/mixture is well-coated.  Dust with salt and pepper and pour just a little bit of dry white wine (1/4 cup or less) into the mix and blend.  Mixture should be very well blended and moist.

Butter a large, deep baking dish (at least 13 x9).  Add stuffing mixture to dish and bake covered with foil at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover, stir mixture and bake until the top is lightly crisp (about 30 minutes longer)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mashed Potatoes With Lavender and Honey

The beauty of mashed potatoes is you can add almost any flavor to them to create a different spin on the classic recipe.  Lavender is one of my favorite scents and I believe I got this idea from an aromatherapy book about 10 years ago.  I haven't made these in a long time.  I was reminded how good they are by a blogger on Twitter who mentioned having something similar in France.

Lavender can be strong, so you should experiment with the quantity so they aren't more potent than you'd like.  Other variations could include Olive Oil, Herbs de Provence and baked or roasted apples or pears.  Just play around and have fun with trying something new while making this classic side dish.

Ingredients:

• 10 lbs of mealy potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russets)

• Culinary lavender (Provence variety works well)

• 1 stick butter (or more if needed)

• 1/2 cup - heavy cream, heated lightly over low heat (or more if needed)

• Honey (couple of teaspoons)

Cut potatoes into quarters and be sure to leave the skin on. Boil potatoes in salted water (sea salt is best) for approximately 20 minutes or until soft.  Don't boil too long or they will get watery.  Drain in a colander and then return them to the pan and lightly shake the potatoes over low heat until they are dry.  Crush the lavender in your fingers - it's better than using a spice mill.  

In a mixing bowl combine boiled potatoes, butter and lavender. Whip using a hand mixer or KitchenAid (no blenders!) After potatoes are well blended, begin adding heated heavy cream one tablespoon at time to get desired consistency.  Add small amount of honey to taste. Continue whipping with mixer.  I like them firm but whipped.  Add more cream during whipping to get desired consistency.  It's best if you serve them pipping hot as soon as they are done.  The longer they sit, the less they lose that initial freshly made flavor.

Carter's Turkey Brine

Submitted by: Carter Snead

It's been said by some that Carter's Thanksgiving turkey is the best they've ever had.  I asked him to share his technique to brine the turkey. I'm so glad I did!  On Thanksgiving, I followed his recipe and it was the best turkey I've ever made.  When we were carving it, juice was literally squirting at us (even from the breast.)

Brining is the process of soaking the bird in a salt/broth or water mixture in order to add flavor and moisture.  Be sure to start with a fresh, organically raised free-range turkey....There are hundreds of variations of brine recipes to accomplish different levels of flavor (savory, sweet, smoky etc).  This is Carter's own recipe, in his own words:

Laura, to brine the turkey make the brine using 1 gallon of water with 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup kosher salt and 3 tablespoons of cracked black pepper. If you want an herby flavor you can add a bunch of fresh thyme and fresh sage to this mixture - I like it plain and don't use the herbs. I use a large plastic bag, but you can also use a deep casserole if you have one. soak the turkey in the brine for 24 hours. if it is not immersed you can make another gallon or turn it frequently. should keep it in the fridge, but I usually put it in a cold room that is close to outside temp overnight since this time of year here it is 20-30 degrees outside.

The other trick to making a good turkey is to use a maple syrup/butter basting mixture. basically, you melt 1/4 pound of butter in 1/2 cup maple syrup over a low to med. heat. once the turkey has been in the oven for 10 min or so, long enough to warm it up, pour the maple syrup/butter over it and then baste it every 20 min.

Note from Laura:

Last year my husband and I purchased a "Big Green Egg" slow cooker.  For any kind of smoking, grilling or roasting - this large egg shaped outdoor grill is second to none.  The egg is made of a high tech ceramic designed after the ceramic ovens people have been using in the Orient for thousands of years.  The ceramic walls keeps all the moisture in during the grilling or smoking process.  Gone are the days of dry turkey on Thanksgiving!  The design also allows for terrific temperature control over long periods of time - just what you need for exceptional smoking.  Aside from that great smoke flavor, meats are incredibly juicy and tender.   This year I will be cooking a 20 pound turkey on my Big Green Egg.  For more information about them, see the link in the Kitchen Gear section or click here... http://www.biggreenegg.com/index.html

Happy Thanksgiving!

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar & Pecans

This dish is another Thanksgiving tradition in our house.  It's simple and can be flavored many ways. Sometimes I will use a splash of Grand Marnier or Bailey's... other times I'll use a bit of orange zest... just depends upon what I'm serving and what is on the counter next to me when I'm cooking!

Ingredients

5-6 lbs of red-skinned sweet potatoes (sometimes called yams)

1 cup golden brown sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream

5 tablespoon butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon of real vanilla extract

3/4 to 1 cup chopped pecans

optional:  splash of either Bailey's, Grand Marnier or Brandy - but NOT all three!!!

Preheat your oven to 325.  Pierce all the potatoes with a fork.  Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until they are very tender when poked with a fork.  Remove from the oven and let them cool down.

Take a round baking dish (approx 2-3 qt) and butter it.  Cut the potatoes in have and spoon the inside away from the skins into a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer)  Add 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, the whipping cream, butter, all spices and vanilla.  Using an an electric mixer set on medium -beat until smooth. Be careful not to turn the mixer on too high a speed or the potatoes will splatter.  You want the potatoes to be smooth.  I usually whip them until all the lumps are gone.  You may also taste as you prepare this to tweak the flavor you are trying to achieve.

Spoon the whipped mixture into the baking dish.    Smooth the top with a spatula.  Add the pecans and the remaining brown sugar to completely cover the top of the sweet potatoes.  Add more pecans or sugar if needed.

Bake in the oven at 325 until heated through (usually about 30 minutes.  Serve hot.  It tastes like dessert!!

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

Reprinted with Permission: By Caron Golden (www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

(In her own words from her blog www.sandiegofoodstuff)

I've been making winter squash soup for years and years but usually I peel the squash, cut it up, get rid of the seeds and cook it in stock before pureeing it. That's perfectly fine, but I wanted to find out if roasting the vegetables would bring out a more intense, earthy flavor.

So, instead of peeling the squash, I simply cut them into pieces, saving the seeds for toasting later, and also cut up a sweet potato and several carrots. I love roasted garlic, so I used the peeled cloves of half a head. All this went on a large baking sheet, tossed with olive oil, dried thyme and kosher salt. Ordinarily I would also include pepper but I'm giving some of this to my mom, who can't eat pepper. I then poured homemade chicken stock and Manzanilla sherry over the vegetables. The vegetables went into a pre-heated 400-degree oven and roasted for about 45 minutes, until they were brown, soft and caramelized.

Once the vegetables cool a bit, you can easily pull the skin off the squash. While they were cooling, I pulled out my favorite blue Le Creuset dutch oven and added some olive oil. Once that had heated up, I added chopped leeks, minced garlic and grated ginger, sauteeing until they were just starting to turn golden. With the squash peeled, I added the roasted vegetables to the pot, incorporating them into the leek mixture. Then I added a quart of chicken stock and brought the soup to a slow boil. I turned down the heat and covered the pot, letting the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.

At that point, it's time to pull out the immersion blender and puree the soup. I like to leave it just a little chunky. Taste and adjust the seasonings, perhaps even add some water or more sherry if it's too thick.

And, remember those squash seeds? Don't let them go to waste. Rinse them thoroughly in a colander, removing as much of the stringy pulp as you can. Let them dry, then toss them in a bowl with just enough olive oil to coat them and perhaps some garlic salt (you could use any spice or herb, actually).  Spread them on a baking sheet and toast them for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, periodically stirring them around. You want them nice and golden brown.

These are great for snacking, but, of course, I'm serving them on top of my soup, along with some sour cream (no time to run out for creme fraiche) and fresh thyme leaves from my garden. Thanks to my friend Angela, who is stopping by for dinner, I'll have a warm sourdough baguette from Bread & Cie to dunk with, along with butter from Spring Hill Jersey Cheese.

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1:

1 kabocha squash (about 3 lbs.)

1 acorn squash (about 1.5 lbs.)

1 medium-size sweet potato

5 carrots

½ head of garlic, peel cloves but leave whole

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup sherry (I used Manzanilla sherry)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper (optional)

Cut squashes in half and spoon out seeds. Save seeds for later. Cut squash halves into quarters. Put on large roasting pan or large heavy sheet pan. Wash and cut carrots into 1-inch pieces. Add to squash pieces. Wash and cut sweet potato into large chunks and add to pan. Toss in garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil on vegetables. Sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper on vegetables. Toss mixture with hands to coat vegetables. Add stock and sherry. Roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and caramelizing, stirring about halfway through. When vegetables are out of the oven, let them cool, then pull off skin from squash pieces and discard.

Step 2:

2 leeks, trimmed of green, cleaned, and chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

¼ cup olive oil

1 quart chicken stock

Roasted vegetables from Step 1 above

1 tbl. fresh whole thyme leaves

Crème fraiche or sour cream

*Roasted squash seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse seeds thoroughly in colander, removing stringy pulp. Let dry. Toss seeds in a bowl with just enough olive oil to coat along with a dash of garlic salt. Spread seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown. Great snacking but if you can hold out, sprinkle on the soup.

Peggy's Sensational Gravy

To quote my mother, she is the "Queen of Concepts" not step-by-step recipes.  I asked her to please share her "concept" on how to make gravy as it is probably the best gravy I've ever tasted.... ever.

Being "conceptual" isn't a bad thing, as creative chefs have a knack of making something good from what is around. However, when you can plan to make sensational gravy for the holidays, here is the basis of her technique in her own words:

Ingredients:

Lots of turkey necks (10!!!) with a couple of wings and a drumstick (lots of bones being key to a good broth).  

8 celery whole stalks

1-2 yellow or white onions (leave skins on)

4 medium to large carrots

2 leeks, rinsed well and split

2 parsnips, rinsed and root cut off

1 bay leaf

1/2 bunch italian parsley

1 whole bulb of garlic split across, no need to peel

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns.

Preparation:

Put all turkey parts in large stock pot, add other ingredients and cover with cold water and if you like a good amount of boxed chicken broth. Over high heat bring to low boil, then simmer for about 3 hours (DO NOT LET IT BOIL) skimming off foam/scum as needed.  

Remove from heat, cool (temp?? don't know, see what the experts say) and strain through colander reserving only the broth.  Strain the broth again through cheesecloth.  

At this point, I reduce it more to taste as I like it to be a rich reduction. You may tailor it to suit your audience. To suit myself, I add some mushrooms and shallots that have been sauteed and reduced.  This way they have that intense flavor.  

Then I add some turkey meat from the gelatinous boney areas i.e. neck and thigh meat (not from broth as it will not have flavor).

Once your turkey has roasted, set the pan over medium heat on the stove top. Discard all but 2 Tb of fat.  To the pan add 2 Tb of butter.  When melted add 1/2 up of white wine,  2 to 4 Tb of AP flour to the pan and, using a whisk, stir constantly to incorporate the fat and flour. Once you have a consistent paste add the finished warm stock in a steady stream while you stir to work out any lumps. Cook (simmer) until the gravy has thickened, about 10  minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Submitted by: Erika Cunha (www.thesweetlifedenver.com)

Ingredients:

1 lg. Head of Cauliflower

1/4 t. salt

2 c. milk

4T. butter

1/2 c. cream

1/3 c. flour

Salt & White Pepper

Pinch of two of nutmeg

3/4 c. grated Gruyere

Trimming and Cooking Cauliflower: Turn CF upside down and cut around central stem. Remove all leaves- careful not to seperate florets. Place core side down in a heavy pot with a tight lid, add 1 in. of water. Cover and bring to a rapid boil. Cook for 8 mins. until tender. Let cool in buttered gratin dish, slice off florets and arrange rounde side up dice up stem and scatter over florets. Reserve H20 for sauce.

For sauce: Pour milk, 1/2 c. cooking liquid and cream into pan, heat slowly (DON'T BOIL). Melt butter in another saucepan, whisk in flour and make a loose paste. Cook roux for 2 min. (until light beige) Remove from heat- stir in remaining cooking liquid. Return to boil and add spices. Simmer 2-3 mins. Sprinkle salt, 1/8 t. pepper and 1/4 c. cheese on florets. Ladle on sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 for 25 mins.

My mother used to make a Thanksgiving dessert that she called Autumn Alaska.  It was originally inspired by the traditional Baked Alaska dessert - but used a full size pumpkin pie as the base, then a layer of ice cream topped by meringue.  It was both beautiful and delicious. In the 1970's, her recipe was published in a cookbook in the San Francisco area.

Unfortunately, she no longer has her exact recipe, but she was able to put this together based upon her memory and what she found on-line.  It's more of a concept than an exact recipe. You may use your own favorite pumpkin pie recipe or crust.  The pumpkin pie recipes calling for molasses got the best reviews for us.  It would be best if you could practice making this before attempting the recipe for a special event. On Thanksgiving, plan to assemble w/ice cream and bake just before serving after dinner.

Once perfected... the end result is a beautiful meringue pie with ice cream and pumpkin pie on the inside.  It's a unique twist to simple pumpkin pie.

Recipe is ready in 2-5 hours.  There is a degree of difficulty.

Serves/Makes:  12

Pumpkin Pie (or use your favorite recipe)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 cup (or less if you prefer) tablespoons molasses (makes flavor more rich)

3 egg yolks -- slightly beaten

1 can (16 ounce size) pumpkin

1 can (13 ounce size) evaporated milk

1 pint high quality Vanilla or French Vanilla ice cream

Single-Crust Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening,

1 tablespoon shortening (separate use from the 1/3 cup listed above)

2 tablespoons cold water

Brown Sugar Meringue

5 egg whites (room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

10 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry.

Mix remaining pie ingredients except ice cream and meringue. Pour into

pastry-lined 10" pie plate. Bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake until knife inserted in

center comes out clean, about 45 minutes longer. Refrigerate baked pie

at least 1 hour.

Soften ice cream slightly; press ice cream into waxed paper-lined pie plate, 8 ×

1 1/2 inches (make sure it's about an inch smaller than your pie pan) Freeze until very cold and solid. It's very important that the ice cream pie plate by smaller than the pumpkin pie dish.

Just before serving, heat oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare Brown Sugar

Meringue. Unmold ice cream and invert (upside down) on pie; remove waxed paper.

Spoon meringue onto pie, covering ice cream completely and sealing

meringue to edge of crust. Bake until golden brown (watch very closely), 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve immediately.  Because this has ice cream, it will not keep - plan to eat it all!

Additional Instructions:

BROWN SUGAR MERINGUE: Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.

Beat in brown sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until

stiff and glossy. Do not underbeat. Beat in vanilla.

PASTRY: Mix flour and salt. Cut in lard until particles are size of

small peas. Sprinkle with water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with

fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of

bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons water can be added if necessary).

Gather pastry into ball; shape into flattened round on lightly floured

cloth-covered surface. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie

plate with floured cloth-covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into

fourths; unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom

and side.

Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and

roll pastry under, even with plate. Flatten pastry evenly on rim of

pie plate. Press firmly around edge with tines of fork, dipping fork

into flour occasionally to prevent sticking. Or build up edge of pastry.

Place index finger on inside of pastry edge and knuckles (or thumb and

index finger) on outside. Pinch pastry into V shape; pinch again to

sharpen. Fill and bake as directed in recipe.

For Baked Pie Shell: Heat oven to 475 degrees F. Prick bottom and side

thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool.