“Another way of dealing with the slight sweetness of pumpkin is to add some spice to the dish to help cut through it. Curry and pumpkin is a very popular combination and this Thai influenced version of Pumpkin soup does a fabulous job of layering on the flavor and building on the sweetness of the pumpkin without creating a sweet dish.”

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 chopped plum tomato
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 cup roasted butternut squash, roasted and diced
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• Steamed rice
• Cilantro
• Lime zest
• Fried shallots

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Stir in plum tomato and pumpkin purée; cook, stirring frequently, until pumpkin is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and cayenne pepper; simmer for 20 minutes. Add butternut squash, shrimp, and lime juice. Simmer until shrimp are cooked and squash is warm. Serve with steamed rice. Top with cilantro, lime zest, and fried shallots.

Recipe and photo from: www.epicurious.com

A quick and easy creamy goat cheese pumpkin alfredo with crispy fried sage.

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces pasta
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 cup milk (or heavy/whipping cream)
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), grated
• 1 tablespoon sage, sliced thinly
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 handful sage leaves

Directions

1. Cook the pasta as directed on the package.

2. Melt the butter in pan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

3. Add the cream, pumpkin puree, goat cheese, parmesan, sage and pumpkin pie spice and simmer until the cheese has melted.

4. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

5. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, let it turn a light brown, add the sage and fry until crispy.

6. Serve hot over the pasta garnished with more parmesan and crispy fried sage.

Option: Replace the goat cheese with a mild blue cheese like gorgonzola dolce.
Option: Add Sauteed mushrooms.

Recipe and photo from: www.ClosetCooking.com

“A chili for autumn! Turkey, pumpkin, and traditional chili ingredients go together well in this spicy concoction.”

Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 dash salt
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender. Stir in the turkey, and cook until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in tomatoes and pumpkin. Season with chili powder, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Serve topped with Cheddar cheese and sour cream.

Recipe and photo from www.AllRecipes.com

This is a delicious autumn meal with crisp apples, pan roasted chicken, and a savory white wine gravy! Try serving it with mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and pairing it with a dry white wine, such as, Tavignano “Villa Torre” Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore 2012 which we featured in our Premier Series last month.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup chopped apple (Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Newtown Pippin, Rome Beauty and/or Winesap apples may be used.)
• 2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon Italian-style dried bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine apple, cheese, and bread crumbs. Set aside.

2. Flatten chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Divide apple mixture between chicken breasts, and roll up each breast. Secure with toothpicks.

3. Melt butter or margarine in a 7 inch skillet over medium heat. Brown stuffed chicken breasts. Add wine and 1/4 cup water. Cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink.

4. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch; stir into juices in pan. Cook and stir until thickened. Pour gravy over chicken, and garnish with parsley. Serve.

Recipe and photo from www.AllRecipes.com

Pork chops and apples make a perfect pairing for a quick meal that feels like fall.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 2 cups Gala apple wedges
• 1 tablespoon butter, divided
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork loin chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Pat onions dry with a paper towel. Add onions to pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring once. Add apple to pan; place in oven. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until onions and apple are tender. Stir in 2 teaspoons butter, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove pork from pan; keep warm. Combine broth and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute or until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in vinegar and remaining 1 teaspoon butter. Serve sauce with pork and apple mixture.

Recipe and photo from www.MyRecipes.com.

This Roasted Cheese Pumpkin is will compliment any dinner as an appetizer especially now that fall has arrived!

Serves 8 appetizer servings

Ingredients:

• 1 pumpkin, 4-5 pounds
• 4 ounces smoked gruyere, shredded
• 4 ounces swiss cheese, shredded
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup chardonnay
• 1 1/2 teaspoon honey
• a few pinches/grates of nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 112-inch baguette, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled but intact
• Vegetable oil

Preparation:

Cut the top out of the pumpkin and scrape out the innards. Save the seeds for another use, if desired.

Toss the cheeses and thyme together in a bowl. In a large measuring cup or a bowl with a spout, combine the cream, milk, chardonnay, honey, nutmeg, and salt.

Toast the baguette slices and rub each slice with garlic. Lay a few baguette slices in a single layer inside the pumpkin. Top with some of the cheese mixture, then pour on some of the cream mixture. Repeat this until all of your ingredients are used up. (You might have a bit left over; no problem.)

Pop the top back on the pumpkin, place the pumpkin in an oven-safe dish of some kind, and coat the outside liberally with oil. Roast at 375 degrees for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the pumpkin is tender all over. Let it stand for about 15 minutes before diving in.

Serve with toast rounds, raw veggies (yeah, right), crackers, or pita chips. Try to scoop a little pumpkin onto each bite.

Recipe and photo from www.Food52.com.

Fresh and fast, this will make an excellent first course or unique main course! Try using different seasonal vegetables for a quick meal year round! We paired ours with August’s Premier selection Lungarotti Torre di Giano Umbria Bianco 2012.

“For an out-of-the-ordinary first course, offer guests a wedge of this veggie-topped pizza with smoky flavor from the grill. Start with purchased fresh pizza dough; many supermarkets now offer fresh dough in their delis or bakeries.”

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 cups thinly vertically sliced onion
• 2 cups (2-inch) slices asparagus (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced ready-to-use sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) portion fresh pizza dough
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Add asparagus to pan; cook 5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Stir in tomatoes and salt.

3. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface; brush each side of dough with 1/2 teaspoon remaining oil.

4. Place dough on a grill rack; grill 1 1/2 minutes or until crust bubbles and is well marked. Reduce grill heat to low; turn dough over.  Arrange onion mixture over crust; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Cover and grill over low heat 3 1/2 minutes or until cheese melts; remove pizza from grill. Sprinkle with oregano and black pepper.

Recipe and photo from: www.MyRecipes.com