FALL FEASTING: PART IV

Healthy eating doesn't mean you can't have the occasional treat. I'm finding that the treats themselves are better when packed with nutritionally rich additions, such as whole wheat flour and pumpkin, or sunflower seeds and oats. Moderation is key, of course. Both of these recipes freeze well, too.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins



Seriously, this is the best pumpkin muffin recipe I have in my epicurean arsenal...

1 and 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
2 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup canned pumpkin or 1 cup fresh cooked (and cooled) mashed pumpkin
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Melt butter in the microwave, set aside to cool. Line muffin pans with 12 foil baking cups. Combine four, sugar, spices, soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well. In another bowl, mix butter and pumpkin together, then add the eggs. Mix well. Add chocolate chips to the pumpkin mixture, stir to combine. Pour wet ingredients into the flour mixture, stir just to blend. Don't over blend - the batter should be lumpy. If you over mix quick breads, the gluten in the flour will lengthen and create chewy muffins. You don't want that! Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the muffins, when pressed, spring back at the touch. These are great warm, but the spice flavor improves the second and third days (if they last that long).

SUNFLOWER SEED COOKIES




1 cup light brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons almond OR vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups quick or old fashioned oats
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. Cream together sugars and butter, add extract and eggs. Beat until fluffy. Add flour mixture and blend well. Use a spoon to fold in oats, seeds, and coconut (and those chips if you're using them). Drop dough from teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake 12 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

FALL FEASTING: PART III

I prefer to eat these vegetable dishes as entrees instead of sides, but my kid likes them as side dishes to chicken or pork.

ACORN SQUASH WITH COUSCOUS STUFFING



This recipe can be doubled nicely.

One large acorn squash, cut in half, seeds scooped out
Two teaspoons butter
cinnamon
Salt and pepper

Place squash, cut side down, into a shallow, greased (cooking spray or very light coating of vegetable oil) pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn squash over, put one teaspoon of butter into each half, sprinkle with cinnamon, and return to oven.

Couscous Stuffing

I cup apple juice
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup chopped dried pitted prunes
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup toasted pecans (optional)


While the squash roasts in the oven, bring apple juice to a boil. Remove from heat, add couscous. Let sit fifteen minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in dried fruits, spices, syrup, juice concentrate, salt, and pecans. When squash is fork tender, spoon about 3/4 cup of couscous mixture into the center of each squash half. Refrigerate remaining stuffing - it's a hearty breakfast and warms in about a minute in the microwave.

TWICE BAKED POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS


(Yeah, I know the exposure on this photo sucks, but it was the only potato photo I have.)

3 regular sized russet baking potatoes, washed, dried and pierced
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup Italian Cheese blend (sold shredded in packages in the market)

Put potatoes in the microwave. Cook on high for four minutes. Turn over, cook an additional four minutes. Potatoes are done when an inserted fork can easily reach the center. If your potatoes are still firm, cook in 2-minute intervals until tender. Remove from microwave.

Melt butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and stir. Cook for one minute before adding garlic. Saute until mushrooms have softened and darkened in color. Set aside.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the potato pulp and place the pulp into a large bowl. Set the potato "skin" boats in a shallow baking dish. Once you've scooped the potatoes out, add the sour cream and salt. Mash with a masher or a hand mixer until fluffy. Add green onions and the contents of your saute pan - all those lovely mushrooms - and the cheese. Stir to blend. Fill each potato skin with the potato mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the tops of the potatoes start to brown. Makes six side servings or three main dish servings.

FALL FEASTING: PART II

As promised, here are two more of the fall feast recipes ...


ROSEMARY GARLIC ROASTED PORK CHOPS





Two thick-cut (1 inch) pork chops
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1/2 purple onion, sliced
1/2 granny smith apple, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil (do not use olive oil)
Salt and pepper to taste


The secret to tender and moist pork chops isn't found in flour dredge. Instead, a good roasted pork cut relies on a pan sear prior to baking. In a large fry pan, drizzle the oil and turn the heat to medium high. Do not season the chops with salt and pepper. Make sure the chops have been patted dry with a paper towel before placing them in the pan. Let them sizzle and sear for three to five minutes, or until the seared side is a golden brown. Turn chops with a spatula (don't pierce meat with forks while you sear them - you defeat your sealing purposes). Cook until the chops have a golden "crust." Place chops in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce on each chop. Use a brush or the back of a spoon to distribute the sauce evenly. Arrange garlic slices atop the chops, then onion and apple slices. Top each with a sprig of rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 -30 minutes. Makes two servings.

BAKED APPLES



Three Fuji, Jonathan, or Gala apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/2 inch wide wedges
Two Granny Smith apples, cored, (do not peel), and sliced into 1/2 inch wide wedges
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3 tablespoons butter (optional)

Place sliced apples into a 1 and 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle sugar and spices atop, then toss ingredients together. If you want a natural juice baked apple, cover with foil or baking dish lid and bake for 30 minutes. If you want a silkier, smoother baked apple, slice butter into pats and place atop the apples, cover apples and bake 15 minutes then uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes (or until apples are fork tender, on the verge of mushy). These apples go well with the rosemary garlic chops - the sweet of the apple brings out the savory notes of the rosemary and garlic. Makes five to six small or four generous servings.