Autumn Salad with Apples, Comté, and Hazelnuts

The Big Cheese

Cheese is good. I have always been a big fan of cheese in many forms, though I DO draw the line at spray cheese. ( My sister, on the other hand…)And don’t forget the Earthquake Velveta buried in the back of my Mom’s pantry. Uh, no thanks. I would rather perish!

Around the holidays I find that I eat much more cheese than usual. (Of course I am eating a lot more than usual of a lot of things, but it’s the holidays, who am I to fight tradition?)

Cheese is one of the easiest things to nibble on at parties, and since there are numerous parties during this time, the chances of finding oneself in front of a cheese plate or creamy baked brie are pretty good. In fact a cheese plate with an assortment of interesting and not your everyday cheeses is my easy, go-to potluck contribution. (It’s also a great way to get a conversation going, ”This cheese is awesome!” “Oh, what is it?”)

There are plenty of ways to incorporate some really good cheese into your holiday meals. Cheesy dips are a no-brainer and cheese balls are always festive. (The real ones. Not the neon orange things, and not your Uncle Bob.)

One of my favorite ways to enjoy a little cheesy decadence is in a salad. Most people add goat cheese, or feta, or even crumbled blue to their salads– which is great, but don’t under estimate the power of a good, nutty Parrano Gouda or Emmenthaler. When cut into matchstick sized pieces and tossed into mixed greens with some dried cranberries or cherries, these hard cheeses are darn good.

A favorite salad with cheese is this Autumn Salad with Apples and Comte. The Cider vinaigrette alone is straw worthy. This dish would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table or any other celebration.
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Cornmeal-Crusted Crayfish Pies

Havin’ Fun On The Bayou…

It’s that time again. This week is the annual Chef of The Month Dinner that I have cooked for the past three years as a prize for our school auction.

The first year I was an uber excited over-achiever and all about making the entire meal from my garden. Well, except for the pork. (I’m not about to raise actual pigs. I have three who live with me, and I accuse them of being raised in a barn. That’s good enough.)

Last year was an elaborate Moroccan feast. I may have gone overboard. (Seriously? I poached pears and made the bread from scratch. ‘Nuff said.) I thought it was awesome but I am also a bit of a nut when it comes to Moroccan food. I made too many dishes in my attempt to make others enjoy the cuisine as much as I do and I killed myself doing it. I drooled in the corner for a week.

This year I’m keeping it within the continental U.S., and I’m not going as crazy. I’m makin ’em take a trip down on the bayou. This close to Thanksgiving, I want something that they aren’t going to eat again in the next few weeks. I figure cajun is a good way to go for a satisfying Fall meal.

I consider any gumbo to be comfort food, and there are so many different kinds to choose from. When I think of cajun cuisine this is the first thing that comes to mind, so I had to do it. I am going with the less traditional Smoked Duck and Andouille Gumbo.

Pecans are big all over the South, but Louisiana is crazy for them. So, I am making a Caramel-Pecan tart that is almost better than my Grandmother-in-Law’s Pecan Pie. Almost. She’s from Louisiana, she knows her pecans and she makes a MEAN Pecan pie.

Crawfish Pie is a no-brainer. It is just SO Louisiana. Hank Williams even sang about it. Since November is our Month of Pie, I am sharing the recipe as a savory alternative to the obvious.
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Apple, Onion, and Cheddar Soup

Soup to Nuts…or Nuts for Soup

OK, I admit it. I like soup. I am eating some right now, in fact. There is something about that first day when it actually feels like Fall, (My temperature gauge said it was 48º this morning.) that makes me want a cup of something warm and cozy. It also makes me think about what soup I will be making and freezing this weekend.

Canned soup is okay in a pinch, and there are some great ones available these days, but they don’t hold a candle to homemade. (Cheating by making chicken noodle with store bought broth still counts.) I have found myself grabbing for the frozen soup a lot lately. Especially after football practice or afternoon activity. (World Series anyone?) A little soup and grilled cheese, maybe a salad, and you have the makings of a quick and comforting meal.

I have been trying to branch out a bit with my recipes. I still have my favorites like the one I am eating now, but I can get bored of the same old, same old after a while. So I’ve been on a mission to find the new and interesting, and I think I found one!

I have owned a copy of the New England Soup Company Cookbook for years, but it’s one of those cookbooks that I tend to forget about. Last week I ran across it while looking for something else, and saw this recipe for Apple, Onion and Cheddar Soup. I knew I just had to try it. It’s perfect now that apples are coming into their season.

Apple, Onion, and Cheddar Soup
Adapted from Marjorie Druker
Chef/Co-Owner, New England Soup Factory

This soup is perfect during the cool fall months. It incorporates apples and cheese, which is an old-fashioned pairing for a pie in New England. The soup builds contrasting layers of sweetness, starting with the apple cider in the stock, then the caramelized onions, and finally the green apples add tartness.

Inside-Out Pumpkin Muffins

Goin’ Out of My Gourd
Maybe it’s the weather. Maybe it’s the fact that Fall is officially here. Then again maybe I’m just impatient since it’s not even October yet, but I have done gone pumpkin crazy.

I’ve noticed recently that any time I am in a position to be choosing a flavor for something, like a latte or a cookie, I find myself choosing the pumpkin option without fail or forethought.

This past weekend, I was overcome with the need to make pumpkin bread. Yes, the temperature was in the low 90s but I needed a pumpkin fix and it was worth a hot kitchen to get it.

Fall is my favorite time of the year so some version of my fall food mania is an annual occurrence. Of course, similar mania happens in the Spring with its fresh peas, and Summer with the arrival of stone fruit. I guess it’s fair to say that I’m just a year-round lunatic.

The intensity of my pumpkin craving is turned up a notch this year, and I am laying the blame at the feet of my flock. Thanks to the girls, there are no more squash plants of any kind. I am feeling a bit desperate.

The good news? There are many possibilities out there to satisfy my need for pumpkin. This recipe for Inside-Out Pumpkin Muffins is from my King Arthur Flour newsletter and is a perfect way to soothe any pumpkin addiction as well as a craving of equal intensity… Read more…