I love making soups in winter, spring, summer and fall. But especially winter. They just seem to absorb more flavors, taste more nourishing and deliver the warmth needed on these sub-freezing days.

I also love making soups with ingredients on hand, not having to shop wildly for ingredients. So, this week I had about 1/2 of a rotisserie chicken bought a day or two earlier. Honestly, the Costco rotisserie chickens can’t be beat for flavor or price. $4.99 gets you at least 2 meals. And if you make this soup, it could stretch another day or more.

To start, dig deep in that vegetable drawer and find: one onion, 4 carrots, 4 ribs of celery, and maybe some Italian parsley that has seen better days. Also, find some fresh spinach leaves (I had 1/2 of a box of baby spinach from Costco, also.)

Get yourself a good stockpot or Dutch oven pot. At least 4 quarts.

Heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil in pot. When warm, add 1 onion, finely chopped, 4 carrots, sliced, and 4 ribs celery, sliced. Cook for 4-5 minutes on low, stirring to cook evenly. When fragrant and soft, add the chicken.
Now, here’s the trick for the chicken. Somethings you should have in your kitchen arsenal ALWAYS are kitchen string and cheesecloth (culinary).

Take the carcass of the rotisserie chicken and cut in half down the backbone to make 2 halves.

Place the chicken in about 2-3 feet of unfolded cheesecloth and wrap the chicken in the cloth and tie with about 1 foot of kitchen string. This serves 2 purposes. ONE: The bones of the chicken don’t disperse into the soup and cause any choking issues. TWO: Easy removal from broth and easy to remove the meat from bones, while still giving the broth the flavor and color needed.

Place chicken in cheesecloth in the pot and add 8 cups of water along with the good drippings from the bottom of the plastic chicken container, washed out with about 1 cup water. No canned or boxed broth needed. Just water will give the soup deep flavors from the skin of the chicken. Trust me. It will be a deep brown brothy hue after the hour of cooking. And taste just as good.

Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning. Cover; simmer for 1 hour. The broth will be a rich dark brown hue. Gorgeous. Remove the bundle of chicken to a bowl, cool to room temperature and untie. Remove the chicken meat from bones, being careful NOT to add any bones to soup. Bring soup to boil and then add 8 ounces of COUNTRY PASTA noodles.

I love these Pennsylvania Dutch style noodles. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Add about 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and the baby spinach leaves.

Stir; cook 1 minute. Serve at once with grated Romano cheese on top. Serves at least 8.

Ingredients needed:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
4 carrots
4 ribs celery
meat and carcass of 1 rotisserie chicken
8 cups water
kosher salt
ground pepper
2 bay leaves
Italian seasoning
8 ounces Country Pasta noodles
8 ounces baby spinach
1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

I just received this email from a student and it has inspired me to blog more…and share more recipes. Happy New Year and stay tuned!

Happy New Year, Marguerite!
Thank you for all the wonderful recipes you’ve given us throughout the
year; the Fabulous Food Fridays, the monthly ones, and of course at
your classes. By now, “Marguerite’s food” has become a tradition in
our home. Our celebrations are marked with the traditions of your
recipes. Whether with my daughters or my friends, we all look forward
to cooking together in the kitchen and enjoying our creations around
the dining table with good wine and laughter. You are an inspiration
and incredible teacher. I wish you good health, prosperity and
fabulous adventures in 2012.

Every year I teach two Thanksgiving classes. Part one is a first course (a soup, usually), appetizers and desserts. Part two is the bird and sides.

Last week was Part One Class. The hit of the night was the gingerbread cornucopia, baked in a Nordic Ware Cornucopia mold, and turned out and sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a lemon curd cream.

So, here are the recipes for that night. Obviously, not all recipes can be made for one night. Use whatever works for you. The soup can be made the next day, the desserts can be made for Christmas. Have fun. Happy Thanksgiving!

CREAMY POTATO PUMPKIN LEEK SOUP

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large leeks, white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1” dice
2 teaspoons dried thyme
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 cups pumpkin puree (15 oz. can)
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1½ cups half and half

Garnish: dollops of sour cream, chopped fresh chives, grated Monterey Jack or white cheddar cheese, herbed croutons (see recipe below)

In a large saucepan, heat butter and sauté the leeks and potatoes for 8-10 minutes on low heat, stirring often. Leeks should be soft and lightly golden. Add the thyme, nutmeg, salt, white pepper, pumpkin puree, chicken broth and brown sugar. Stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree the soup in batches in food processor or use a hand held immersion blender. Transfer back to pot. Taste for seasoning. Add half and half and simmer another 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream, fresh chopped chives and/or grated Monterey Jack or white cheddar cheese on top. Serves 6-8.

HERBED CROUTONS

4 cups crusty bread cubes (1”)
¼ cup olive oil
1 T. dried oregano, basil or Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic, minced

Place bread, oil, dried herbs and garlic in bowl. Toss well. Place on baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 375o for 10-12 minutes until toasted and crisp. Serve on top of soup.

BURRATA AND PROSCIUTTO PLATTER

2 cups baby arugula
8 ounce ball of burrata cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarsely chopped pink peppercorns
¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto
¼ cup sundried tomato strips in olive oil
Thinly sliced French baguette

Place the arugula on a serving tray; top with burrata and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pink peppercorns. Form little rosettes around the burrata with the prosciutto and top with sundried tomato strips. Serve at room temperature with sliced baguettes on the side. Serves 8.

WILD MUSHROOM AND FONTINA BRUSCHETTA

2 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed
½ lb. wild mushrooms, any combination of: crimini, Portobello, oyster, shiitake, chanterelles, porcini, all thinly sliced
½ cup heavy cream
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
¼ lb. fontina or other soft cheese, such as brie, goat cheese or mozzarella, sliced

Bruschetta:
1 loaf Italian bread, cut 1” thick on diagonal, brushed with olive oil, grilled on outdoor grill or toasted in 375o oven for 10 minutes

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the onion until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Add cream, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Divide the mixture among sliced and toasted bread, top each with cheese and bake in 375o oven for 5 minutes just to warm through. Makes about 12 bruschetta.

SPICED CHEDDAR ROUNDS

½ cup (4 oz. stick) unsalted butter
1 cup grated very sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

In food processor or mixer, cream butter until softened and the add cheese, flour, cayenne pepper and salt. Process until well combined. Remove from processor or mixer and shape into a 1½” wide x 12” long log. Roll the log in the chopped fresh parsley. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and chill at least one hour. Slice into ¼” thick slices. Place slices on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400o for 5 minutes. Makes about 36 slices. Serve at room temperature with bowl of assorted olives and mixed nuts.

Note: This is such a perfect little nibble to serve as an appetizer with champagne, white or red wines and especially, Martinis.

PUMPKIN CREAM CHEESE TART

One - 10” purchased Pillsbury pie crust, rolled out

3 large eggs
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup canned pumpkin
Zest of 1 large orange

Place pie crust in removable bottom 9” tart tin or use a pie plate.
In bowl of mixer, beat together the eggs, sugars, molasses, cream, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt, cream cheese, pumpkin and orange zest. Beat until well combined and there are no traces of cream cheese. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake on a baking sheet in a 375o oven for 45 -50 minutes or until center is set. Use the second sheet of pastry from package to make cut out pastry decorations for the top of the tart. Bake on parchment lined baking sheet, brushed with a little egg wash for 15 minutes just until golden.
Cool the tart; refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
Can be made a day ahead. Serves 8.

OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH LEMON CURD CREAM

The cake batter:

2½ cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup (4 ounce stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup hot water

Lemon Curd Cream:

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) prepared lemon curd
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Butter and flour a Bundt pan or any pan with decorative shape.
Mix together cake flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves in a large bowl.
Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Pour in the molasses and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, egg, and mix until incorporated, stopping at least once to scrape the sides of the bowl. Reduce the mixing speed to medium-low and alternately incorporate the flour mixture and hot water, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and stopping once or twice to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in a preheated 350o oven on the middle rack for about 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Set the gingerbread on a wire rack to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before turning out to cool for about 10 minutes more.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm with the Lemon Curd Cream.

LEMON CURD CREAM: combine all the ingredients – lemon cured, sour cream and powdered sugar in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Taught a class last night that had me using local honey, butter and herbs - over a butterflied turkey.

My strategy for the butterflied 16 pound bird was to have it cooked in under 2 1/2 hours and flat enough that I could have other items in the oven while the bird was roasting on the two remaining racks.

I roasted the turkey at 325o on convention roast in my oven. It took just about 2 hours. Start to finish. With basting every 30 minutes. And it was divine. Roasted to a dark mahogany brown, not burned, just perfectly juicy.

Here are the recipes. Go for it. They are easy. You can do it. Especially if you have a small oven and need to bake everything at the same time. It works.

BUTTERFLIED TURKEY WITH HONEY-HERB BUTTER

12 -16 pound turkey, butterflied and back bone removed (but saved along with the giblets and neck)
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup honey
½ cup finely chopped poultry mix herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large onion, cut into eighths

Have the turkey spread out skin side up in a roasting pan. In a bowl, combine the softened butter, honey, mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Take ½ of the mixture and lift skin of turkey and spread under the skin and rub the remainder of the butter over the top of the skin. Spread the onion around the turkey. Place on bottom third of your preheated 325o oven and roast for 30 minutes. Baste the turkey with 1 cup ladle full every thirty minutes with the stock recipe given below. Turkey should roast about 2- 2 ½ hours and register 165o at thickest part of the bird (thigh). Allow to rest and continue to make gravy with the pan drippings. See recipe below.

FOR TURKEY STOCK
Giblets, neck and back bone of turkey
2 carrots, cut in half
2 ribs celery, cut in half
1 large onion, cut in half (don’t peel)
2-3 sprigs fresh parsley
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Water

Place giblets, and all the other ingredients in a stock pot and cover with enough water to cover by 2”. Bring to a boil over medium heat, THEN REDUCE to a simmer for anothr hour or so. The stock will have a rich light brown color. Use this stock to baste the turkey every 30 minutes.

FOR GRAVY
Drain off the stock and place back in stockpot, discarding all other ingredients. Have a slurry ready of ½ cup flour and 1 cup water. Whisk that until smooth. Strain the pan drippings from turkey pan into the pot with the stock. Bring to a boil. Whisk the slurry into the pot. Keep whisking until thickened. It might take about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve this with sliced turkey.

INDIVIDUAL CORNBREAD, LEEK AND DRIED FRUITS AND NUT DRESSING

8”x8” pan homemade cornbread (or use 1 loaf store bought cornbread)
2 leeks, white part only, cleaned and thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup dried fruits of choice (cranberries, raisins, currants, dates, figs, etc.)
½ cup chopped nuts of choice (pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of kosher salt

2-3 cups whole milk

Crumble the cornbread into a bowl. In a large skillet, saute the leeks in the butter until soft, about 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the fruits, nuts, celery, seasoning, pepper, salt and the cornbread. Stir; cook for 4-5 minutes. (Can be made a day ahead). Stir in enough whole milk to make a soft mixture. Not too wet. Butter individual ramekins or use a 12 cup muffin tin. Place enough dressing in each to reach ¾ full. Bake in preheated 350o oven for 30 minutes, covered lightly with foil. Remove foil and bake 5 additional minutes. Makes 12 servings.

PARSNIP AND RUSSET POTATO MASH

1 large parsnip, peeled and cut into thin slices
4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Water
One stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
1 ½ - 2 cups whole milk or half and half
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of white pepper

Place parsnip, potatoes and salt and enough water to cover by 2” in pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Drain off water. Return pot to stove and heat the potatoes to cook off any excess water, about 30 seconds. Add the butter, mash, and then add the milk or half and half slowly, mashing until desired consistency. Add the nutmeg and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Can be made a day ahead, placed in aluminum pan and then reheated, covered with foil, for 30 minutes in 350o oven and then transferred to a serving dish. Serves 6-8.

CAULIFLOWER, SQUASH AND MUSHROOM ROASTED WITH PANCETTA AND ONIONS

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florettes
1 pound autumn squash, such as butternut, fairy tale, hubbard, etc. , cut into 1” pieces
¼- ½ pound fresh wild mushrooms, cut into 1” pieces
¼ pound pancetta, cut into thin strips
1 small red onion, cut into thin slices
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped

In a mixing bowl, combine the cauliflower florettes, squash, mushrooms, pancetta, red onion, olive oil, and salt. Toss well. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet and roast in 375o oven for 25-30 minutes until cauliflower is turning light brown and pancetta is cooked through. Remove from oven, toss the sage leaves into the vegetables and transfer to a serving dish. (Can be made ahead up to the roasting point. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap.) Serves 8-10.

BOURBON YAM SOUFFLE

3 large yams, about 1 pound each, peeled and cut into 1” pieces
Water
1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 ounces unsalted butter
Zest of 1 large orange
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 eggs, separated

In a saucepan, place the cut up yams and enough water to cover by 2” and the salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until soft. Drain off excess water.

While the yams are boiling, beat the 4 egg whites in a mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a bowl. No need to wash out mixer bowl at this point.

After the yams are cooked pour into mixer bowl and add the butter, orange zest, and start beating with wire whip attachment. Slowly add the heavy cream, brown sugar and the egg yolks. When all combined and there are no lumps, fold in the beaten egg whites until incorporated. Add the 2 tablespoons bourbon or brandy or whatever liqueur you desire. Transfer to a baking dish (can be made ahead up to this point.)

Bake in preheated 375o oven for 30 minutes until puffy and heated through. Serves 8-10.

A friend dropped off a bag of handpicked from her garden Italian plums. About 3 pounds.
I had 3 beautiful pears I picked from my very frugally producing pear espalier tree. What to do?

I wanted to make a jam, but then I saw a recipe for plum butter…so I went forth with the plum recipe.

Cut the 3 pounds (about 6 cups when cut) of plums in half, remove the pits and place in a heavy cast iron or stainless pot. Cut the 2 pears into 1/2″ pieces and add to the plums. Add 3/4 cup water to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 25 minutes over medium heat until the fruit is completely softened.

Place the fruit in a food mill and press out the fruit to separate the fruit from the skins. You should have about 6 cups of puree. Place back into the pan, add 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. Bring back to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 1 hour. The “butter” should be thick at this point.

Place in sterilized jars (I used 1 pint and one 1/2 pint) jars. Sterilize as directed for making jams and jellies. Make sure the jars are clean and the tops are screwed on tight. Makes about 1 1/2 pints. Refrigerate until ready to use. It will be a vibrant magenta color and a thick spreadable “butter”.

Craving that all American dish…pizza? But don’t have 30 minutes to wait for delivery or heat up a frozen facsimile of a pie? Answer. Make your own. In less than 30.

I have a new market in my neighborhood, Harmons at Emigration Market, that is the darling of the neighbors. We have been watching this building from the bulldozing to the ribbon cutting a month ago with much anticipation. And it was worth every minute. It’s fabulous. A little boutiquey shopping mecca. It has all that one needs to make a gourmet meal from cheeses to salumi to lamb roasts and fresh herbs. And fresh pizza dough. And mozzarella. Yes!

So one night I thought I would try their house made pizza dough. I bought a package of premade dough for $1.99, enough to make one 10″ pie. I had some high end marinara sauce in the fridge, so all I needed was 8- ounces fresh mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheese from Harmons.

I heated the oven to 450o while making the pizza. I have a 12″ round pizza pan which worked perfectly.
And here are the directions for the best homemade pizza…trust me. Faster than delivery. And much better.

Directions:
Spread a little flour on work surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a 10″ round. Brush the pizza pan with a little olive oil (about 1 tablespoon). Place dough on the pan and form a narrow edge for the crust.
Spread about 2 cups marinara sauce on the dough, keeping it thinly spread, not thick. Also, spread the sauce to about 1/2″ from edge of dough. Place 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced on the sauce. I also added some chopped tomatoes from my garden around the pie, too. Optional. Sprinkle with about 1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle very lightly with dried oregano. Place on middle rack of the preheated 450o oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Pizza should be bubbly and crust very light brown. Remove from oven and place fresh basil leaves on the pizza.

Cut into 6 wedges when cooled just slightly. So easy. So authentic.

There is not a more appropriate cold autumn evening dish than Yankee Pot Roast. Simmering on the stove or in your crock pot for hours, cooking away with very little attention, the meat cooking until it’s fork tender, the vegetables enhance the flavor of gravy and the final result is a one dish meal to satisfy almost every appetite. Served with crusty bread and maybe a green salad, for added greens and roughage, this meal not only will serve your family for one night, but if you do have leftovers, it can be transformed into a hearty beef soup. But more on that later.

The first time I had pot roast was the summer of 1969; yes, I remember it well. First time I had a pot roast. EVER! My mother did not cook in the fashion of Americana cuisine. She was more a Mediterranean diet cook. Grilled meats, broiled fish, fresh vegetables, pasta and sauces. Lamb, fish, chicken roasts, beef tenderloins. Not pot roast. That was just not in her repertoire.

But this first taste of a meat that was cooking for hours in an electric skillet (my mother did not even own an electric skillet!), I was sort of intrigued by its tenderness and the ease in which it was cooked by my future mother-in-law on a ranch in Idaho (yes, it was a cut from their beef, hence the cut was not something I would find in the Italian markets of NY.)

I found over the years that when times were tough (and there were some hungry years) this cut was a wonderful way to stretch one meal into two, with a slight dent in the food budget.

And I still crave a portion of well prepared pot roast. And I still stretch it out to create a second meal with leftovers.

YANKEE POT ROAST

4 pound pot roast, with or without a bone
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper (or use 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes + 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning)
3 tablespoons canola or olive oil

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 head garlic, cut in half crosswise

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
6 carrots, peeled and sliced on diagonal
6 white rose potatoes, cut into 1″ pieces
16 ounce pkg. petite peas

2 tablespoons flour
1 cup water

You need to start with a good size chunk of meat. About 4 pounds of pot roast. You can use a 7-bone (a roast that has a bone that looks like the number “7″) or use a boneless pot roast. I found a boneless roast on sale for $1.99 per pound. A little over 4 pounds. Perfect. My theory on cooking one of these roasts is go for the big. Why go through all the time and effort to cook up one that will only provide one meal when two is better?

Season the roast on both sides with kosher salt, ground pepper (or use a combo of red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning like I did). Heat 3-4 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil in a large cast iron Dutch oven pot. Or if you are using a crock pot, brown the meat in a heavy skillet and then transfer to the crock pot.

Brown the meat on both sides over medium heat for about 6-8minutes per side or until deep brown. Add 1 large onion, thinly sliced and 1/2 of a whole garlic head, cut in half crosswise and squeeze out the garlic halves. Save the other half of the garlic head for another day. (Or wrap in aluminum foil, first drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt and bake in 400o oven for 45 minutes until soft and then squeeze out the garlic onto sliced Italian bread….OMG!)

Back to the roast. Cover the roast and cook over LOW heat, and I mean low. As low as your stovetop will go. Cook, covered, for 3 hours. There will be enough liquid emitted from the roast to keep the roast simmering in its own drippings.

After 3 hours add the sliced onion, the carrots, the potatoes and a little bit more salt and ground pepper. Cover and continue to cook for another 45 minutes. NOW…you can add a 16-ounce package of frozen petite peas to the roast at this point and cook another 5 minutes, or just use as is. I like the peas.

If you are ambitious, take the meat out of the pan, with a slotted spoon transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl and with the remaining pan drippings in the pot you can make a sauce for the meat. To make the sauce: 2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1 cup water until smooth. Bring the heat up to a light simmer (over medium heat) and whisk in the flour slurry. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the sauce has thickened. Taste for seasoning. This takes about 3 minutes.

Slice the meat, serve the vegetables on the side and drizzle it all with the sauce. Serves 4-6.
Your family will love you forever. Trust me. This dish will create a memory of Sunday Supper for years to come. Or a Wednesday just because night. Easy. No fuss. So inexpensive.

The entire meal, with meat, potatoes, onions, carrots and peas should run about $15. To serve 6! That’s about $2.50 per person. And you will have leftover for a soup the next day, too. So, that’s about $1.25 per person, for two meals….how can you beat that?

This dish always brings back memories of those lean years when I stretched out the most of any piece of meat I could afford. Even if you don’t have pangs of guilt when you buy a piece of tenderloin in the better years, nothing beats knowing you are still a frugal cook once in a while.

On this chilly October Sunday morning, I wanted something more comforting than just an egg and toast, something more substantial than a bowl of oatmeal, something seasonal, something spicy yet nourishing.

A had 1/2 can pumpkin puree remaining from a demonstration I did yesterday, a box of Bisquick in the cupboard, eggs, pumpkin pie spice and milk. So, I created a batter for waffles incorporating these autumnal ingredients

AUTUMNAL PUMPKIN WAFFLES

2 cups Bisquick or other pancake mix
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups milk (I used skim)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons canola oil

In a mixing bowl, whisk all these ingredients together until smooth. If too thick, thin with more milk.
Heat a waffle iron and pour enough batter to make one waffle. Cook until done, top with maple syrup and butter. Makes about eight 8″ waffles.
NOTE: You can also use this batter for pancakes, thinning the batter just a little until desired consistency. Makes about 14 pancakes.

It’s snowing in the mountains today. Raining in the valley. It’s cold. Heat is on for the first time this season. And I have 4 very over ripe bananas in the fridge. Huh? What does banana ripeness and snow have in common?

Well, don’t ever throw away those over ripe bananas for you will be able to whip them into a banana bread perfect for a day when the weather is awful, you have about 20 minutes to spend in the kitchen and you want something comfy to eat with your morning coffee.

As mentioned, I stored 4 bananas in the fridge for about 3 days knowing that this week I would have a few moments to bake. Don’t ever toss those brown spotted ‘nanas. They are perfect for baking.

I have a recipe for Banana Bread I have used for 30 years. I add or delete ingredients, depending on mood and supply in the pantry. Here is my all time favorite sweet bread recipe. Use it often. It makes 2 loaves. One to eat today; one to freeze. Happy autumn baking!

BEST BANANA BREAD

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar

4 large eggs

3 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 cups mashed bananas (about 3-4 ripe bananas)

Optional ingredients: 1 cup chopped nuts of choice or 1 cup craisins or 1 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons raw sugar (turbinado)

Cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the eggs.

Beat 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients adding the nuts or craisins or dates and beat until all are combined, about 1 minute.

Divide the batter between two greased and floured (I use baking spray) 9″ x 4″ x 3″ loaf pans

and sprinkle with the raw sugar.

Bake on middle rack of preheated 350o oven for 55-60 minutes. With a wooden skewer, test the center of the bread to make sure the bread is cooked through.

(If it comes out clean it is done, if it comes out with batter still on the skewer, bake another 5 minutes or so.)
Cool slightly; invert onto serving platter and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

I offered to make a celebratory cake for friends’ 10th Anniversary party yesterday. It was easy. It was made with love and devoured voraciously by 20 guests.

Here are the easy steps to the process. The recipe is from my “Small Sweet Treats” cookbook. It’s the only recipe in the book using a shortcut package mix. With a few additions of flavorful ingredients, this cake has always been one of my favorites.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1 package devil’s food chocolate cake mix
8 ounces sour cream
1 package (4 ounces) instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
4 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup coffee liqueur (Kahlua)
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (one large orange)

Chocolate Ganache
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream

For cake:
Place all ingredients in bowl of mixer and beat for 3 minutes. Pour into three round cake pans, one 9″ round, one 6″ round, one 4″ round, all which have been sprayed with baking spray. Bake in 350o oven for 35-40 minutes until center of each cake is cooked through.
Cool cakes in refrigerator for 1 hour.

On a large flat cake plate, place doily (or doilies). On the doily, tear off pieces of parchment paper that will just fit under the cake (use 4 small sheets) that will be pulled out from under the cake after frosting.

Sprinkle the cake plate with powdered sugar so that the cake doesn’t stick.

For the ganache: Bring the chocolate chips and heavy cream to a simmer and stir over low heat until the the chocolate and cream is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the large cake on the cake plate, upside down so the flat side is up. Brush with some of the ganache. Place the middle sized cake on the larger one. Brush with more ganache.
Top with the smaller cake. With an off-center spatula, spread the remainder of the ganache over the cake and along the sides of the cakes.

Now, I used store-bought cream cheese frosting, with a pastry bag and star tip to create dollops on the cake. This is optional; you can just not use frosting at all, or make your own buttercream frosting.

I also used some green candy dragees to decorate the frosted stars.
Also, I cut fresh English Ivy in my garden and washed the leaves well. Dried in paper towels, I
placed the leaves around the base and placed a few leaves around the edges of the cakes. Also used a few fresh baby mums, a sunflower on top and voila!

Remove the four sheets of parchment paper after the cake has been frosted. This will give you a clean base on the doilies.

A cake worthy of a party.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves about 18. (4 pieces on top, 6 pieces middle cake, and 8 pieces on bottom) I love this cake with fresh raspberries, vanilla or coffee ice cream or gelato.