Ridiculously Delicious Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp grated orange rind
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1/2 cup of water
• 6 oz of chocolate chips, about 2/3 milk chocolate and 1/3 white chocolate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in pureed pumpkin and orange rind.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Stir into pumpkin mixture alternately with 1/4 cup of water, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of water. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Spread in a greased 1.5-liter loaf pan and bake for about an hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean (note: if the tester comes out moist but dark brown from melted chocolate, pick a new spot to test.)
5. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.
6. Enjoy with tea or a tall glass of milk, and let me know if you're able to stop yourself after just one slice!

Spiced Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 2 small apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2/3 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in a large bowl and mix well.
3. Blend oil and eggs until frothy, then add to the dry mix, being careful not to over mix.
4. Fold in apples and raisins.
5. Spoon the (very thick) batter into a paper-lined muffin tin and bake for 35 minutes.

Note: these are very dense, hearty muffins... a great morning meal-on-the-go, but not exactly "fluffy"... try them on a cold autumn morning!

Rich and Smokie Mac 'n Cheese

In this dish the cheese bubbles over still-firm noodles and up through a crispy panko topping. Delish!

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Japanese Panko crumbs
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 3 cups milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 1/4 cups (about 9 ounces) grated sharp white cheddar
• 1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated Smoked Gruyere
• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni

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Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place panko crumbs in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter, then pour over the panko crumbs and toss. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, heat milk. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, gradually add the flour. Cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes.
4. Slowly pour hot milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking, ensuring you blend through any lumps. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 1 1/2 cups cheddar, and 3/4 cups of Smoked Gruyere, taking care that each addition of cheese is fully melted and incorporated before adding the next. Set cheese sauce aside.
6. Fill a large saucepan with water. Bring to a boil. Add macaroni; cook 2 to 3 fewer minutes than manufacturer's directions, until outside of pasta is cooked and inside is underdone. (Different brands of macaroni cook at different rates; be sure to read the instructions.) Transfer the macaroni to a colander, rinse under cold running water, and drain well. Stir macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.
7. Pour the mixture into a buttered 1.5-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle remaining 3/4 cup of cheddar and 1/4 cup of Smoked Gruyere; scatter panko crumbs over the top. Bake until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Apple Bundt Cake

This is a perfect, fragrant and comforting dessert for a chilly fall evening.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp (50 mL) apple juice
• 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
• 3/4 cup (175 mL) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
• Pinch salt
• 1/3 cup (75 mL) brown sugar
• 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
• 4 small to medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, beat egg and sugar until thick and light. Beat in oil, apple juice and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture, stirring just until blended (batter will be thick).

2. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar with cinnamon. Arrange apple slices in greased metal bundt cake pan. Sprinkle apples with half the brown sugar mixture. Carefully spread batter over apples; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture.

3. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until cake is firm and pulls away slightly from sides of pan, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Beer Batter Cheese Bread

Ingredients

• 8 oz Gruyere cheese, 4 oz shredded and 4 oz cut into 1/4" cubes
• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 4 tsp baking power
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 (12 oz) bottle of light bodied beer - mild American lagers like Budweiser work best
• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 9" by 5" loaf pan and set aside.
3. Combine the shredded and cubed cheese, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the beer and mix until well combined
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it to the corners
5. Drizzle the melted butter over top of the batter. When cooked, the butter topping gives the bread its golden colour and produces a deep, craggy crust.
6. Bake until the loaf is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into several spots near the centre of the bread come out clean (45 - 50 minutes). More than one toothpick test is recommended as hitting a pocket of cheese will make the toothpick appear as though it's covered in uncooked batter.
7. Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack. Cool completely and slice as desired.

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Julia Child's Boeuf Bouguignon

Boeuf Bourguignon, completed the day before and ready for reaheating

As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good Boeuf Bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavoured, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavour when reheated. Boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish. Buttered noodles or steamed rice may be substituted. If you also wish a green vegetable, buttered peas would be your best choice. Serve the beef with a fairly full-bodied, young red wine such as Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, Bordeaus-St. Emilion, or Burgundy.

Ingredients:

• A 6oz chunk of bacon
• 1 Tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
• 3 lbs lean stewing beef cut into 2" cubes. Recommended: Rump pot roast, chuck pot roast, sirloin tip, top round and bottom round
• 1 sliced carrot
• 1 sliced onion
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 3 cups of a full-bodied young red wine such as Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone, or Burgundy
• 2 - 3 cups of brown beef stock or beef bouillon
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cloves mashed garlic
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• A crumbled bay leaf
• 18 - 24 Brown-braised onions
• 1 lb Sauteed mushrooms
• Parsley sprigs (for garnish)

Directions:

1. Remove the rind, and cut the bacon into lardons (sticks, 1/4" x 1 1/2"). Simmer rind and bacon for 10 minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of water. Drain and dry.
2. Keeping the bacon rind set aside, saute the bacon lardons in oil over moderate heat for 2-3 minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
3. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
4. Dry the beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Saute it, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil and bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides. Remove it to the side dish with the bacon.
5. In the same fat, brown the sliced onions and carrots. When done, pour out the sauteing fat.
6. Return the beef and bacon to the casserole with the carrots and onions, and toss with salt and pepper. Sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly with the flour.
7. Set casserole uncovered in the middle position of your preheated oven for 4 minutes. toss the meat and return to the oven for 4 minutes more. This browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust.
8. Remove the casserole, and turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
9. Stir in the wine and enough stock or bouillon so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs, and bacon rind.
10. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, then cover the casserole and st in the lower third of a preheated oven. Regulate heat so liquid simmers very slowly for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. The meat is done with a fork pierces it easily.
11. While the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Set them aside until needed
12. When the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan.
13. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it. Distribute the Brown-braised onions and sauteed mushrooms over the meat.
14. Skim the fat off the sauce, Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons of stock or bouillon. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour sauce over the meat and vegetables.

For immediate serving: Cover the casserole and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, tasting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times. Serve in its casserole, or arrange the stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley.

For later serving: When cold, cover and refrigerate. About 15 to 20 minutes before serving, bring to a simmer, cover, and simmer very slowly for 10 minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce.

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Julia Child's Brown-braised Onions

Brown-braised Onions, shown at step 2 of the directions below

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Brown-braised onions are used whenever you wish a brown effect, such as in brown fricassees like Coq au Vin and Boeuf Bourguignon, or in a mixture with other vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 18 - 24 peeled white pearl onions
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp oil
• 1/2 cup of liquid: brown stock, beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine, or water
• salt and pepper to taste
• A medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, and 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth

Directions:

1. Heat butter and oil in a 9-10" enameled or non-stick skillet over moderate heat until bubbling.
2. Add the onions and saute for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about the pan so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins, and expect that they will not be uniformly browned.
3. Pour in your choice of liquid as shown in the ingredient list, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated.
4. Remove the herb bouquet, and serve them as they are or as described at the top of this recipe.

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NOTE: the onions may be cooked hours in advance, and reheated before serving.

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Julia Child's Sauteed Mushrooms

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Use these mushrooms either as a vegetable alone or in a combination with other vegetables, or in an integral part of such dishes as Coq au Vin, Boeuf Bourguignon, or Poulet en Cocotte. Successfully sauteed mushrooms are lightly browned and exude none of their juices while they are being cooked; to achieve this the mushrooms must be dry, the butter very hot, and the mushrooms must not be crowded in the pan. If you saute too many at once they steam rather than fry; their juices escape and they do not brown. So if you are preparing a large amount, or if your heat source is feeble, saute the mushrooms in several batches.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, washed, well dried, left whole if small or quartered if large

Directions:

1. Place a 10" enameled (or non-stick) skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. As soon as you see that the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add the mushrooms.
2. Toss and shake the pan for 4 - 5 minutes. During their saute the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface and the mushrooms will begin to brown.
3. As soon as they have browned lightly , remove from heat.

NOTE: Sauteed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving.

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Broccoli Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 2 cups of shredded cheese - a mix of good "melters" like medium/old cheddar, hot pepperjack, etc. work well
• freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until onions are translucent, then set aside.
2. In a 5-quart dutch oven or soup pot, heat butter over medium heat until melted. Whisk in flour and stir constantly for 3-5 minutes for flour to toast.
3. Gradually whisk in milk ensuring that no lumps remain, then stir in vegetable stock. Turn down the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Add broccoli florets, carrots and onion, and continue simmering for 30 minutes more.
5. Season with nutmeg and pepper, then puree roughly with a hand-blender directly in the pot.
6. Gradually stir in cheeses until they are incorporated/melted.
7. Serve with crusty bread or home-made cheese loaf... delicious!