4 cups chicken stock, plus more if needed

2 large cloves garlic

1 t. onion powder

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, or a mixture of sharp cheddar and smoked gouda

1/2 cup chopped fresh chives or a few tablespoons dried chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2

Sour Cream (if desired)

1/2 cup crumbled sharp cheddar cheese (for garnish)

Place the potatoes and 3 cups stock in small stockpot. The stock should just cover the potatoes, if it doesn’t, add a little water. Cover and simmer until potatoes are just tender.

Transfer two-thirds of the potatoes to a food processor or blender, along with the cooking liquid. Add the garlic and onion powder. Blend until creamy.

Return the potato puree to the pot and stir in the shredded cheese, remaining chicken stock and the chives, bring to simmer. Add water if the soup is too thick. Break up the whole potato slices with a fork to achieve a texture that suits you.  Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with a dollop of sour cream and the crumbled cheese.

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat to 325 degrees. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan evenly with cooking spray. Process crackers and spices for crust in food processor (or crush crackers with a rolling pin and stir in spices. Drizzle melted butter over crackers/spices mixture and stir. Press into the bottom and partially up the sides of the greased springform pan. A flat bottomed measuring cup works well for doing this evenly. Bake in heated oven until fragrant, 12 – 15 minutes. Cool to room temp (about 20 minutes). Once cool, wrap the outside of the pan with two large pieces of heavy duty foil so that it is covered all the way up the sides.

Filling:
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. cloves
1/4 t. allspice
1/2 t. salt
1 (15-oz) can pumpkin puree
3 (8oz) packages cream cheese at room temperature
1 Tbls. vanilla extract
1 Tbls. lemon juice
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Top layer:
16oz sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 t. vanilla

Bring about 4 qts. water to simmer in a stockpot. While the crust is cooling, whisk the sugar, spices and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Line a baking sheet with a triple layer of paper towels. Spread the pumpkin on the towels and cover with a second triple layer of towels. Press firmly until the towels are saturated, this will remove unwanted excess moisture from the pumpkin. Peel back the top layer of towels and discard. Set aside pumpkin.

Beat the cream cheese at medium speed to break up and soften, about 1 minute. Scrape the beater and sides of bowl. Add about a third of the sugar mixture and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute; scrape the bowl and add the remaining sugar in two additions, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until combined, about 45 seconds; scrape the bowl. Add 3 of the eggs and beat at medium-low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute; scrape the bowl. Add the remaining 2 eggs and beat until incorporated, about 45 seconds, scrape the bowl. Add the heavy cream and beat at low speed until combined, about 45 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and give a final stir by hand.

Pour the filling into the springform pan (that has been wrapped in foil) and smooth the surface. Set the springform pan in a roasting pan. Set the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water to come about half-way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cake is slightly wobbly when the pan is shaken and the center reads 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 hours.

Top layer:

While cake is baking, combine 16oz sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Once the cake has reached the 150 degrees, spread the sour cream mixture over the top and smooth. This is a little bit tricky with the water bath but works if you pull out the oven rack just far enough to pour the topping on and smooth. Bake cake about 6-8 minutes longer; the topping will look just set, it doesn’t become firm.

Remove the cake from the oven, still in the roasting pan, and set on a wire rack to cool until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and set on a wire rack to cool until barely warm, about 3 hours. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Saute shallot and garlic in butter in a 3 qt. heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot is softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash, stock and water and simmer, uncovered, until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree soup in 2 batches in blender (use caution when blending hot liquids!) until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch. Return to clean pot, and stir in the heavy cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Serve warm with a dash of nutmeg and a small dollop of sour cream.

Absolutely delicious served with crusty bread and seasoned, sauteed shrimp.

Glaze:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 1/2 T. milk
(Mix together thoroughly)

For the strudel:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, pour the bourbon or apple juice over the raisins and microwave on high 45 seconds. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Combine the raisins, apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, cinnamon, brown sugar, cookie crumbs, pecans, and butter in a large bowl.
Remove the phyllo dough from the box, unfold and cover with a damp towel. Place 1 sheet phyllo on the work surface and brush lightly with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets, brushing each with melted butter, stacking when done, being sure to keep the unbuttered phyllo covered so it does not dry out.

Place the apple mixture on the nearest third of the phyllo stack, being sure to leave a 2-inch border. Gently lift the bottom edge of the phyllo stack to cover the filling and fold the side edges over. Continue to roll the stack away from you until the filling is completely sealed in and the seam is on the bottom. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Pour over the glaze and sprinkle with cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar. Serve with warm caramel sauce.

I’ve also made a Cherry Cheese Strudel with cherry pie filling and a mixture of cream cheese, eggs and sugar. Spread the cream cheese mixture generously on 1/3 of phyllo stack (same as instructions for apple)
and then place several spoonfuls of cherry pie filling over the top. The phyllo will have to be folded up and over the filling and a few extra sheets buttered and placed over the top and tucked in underneath to seal in the filling.

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup peanut butter

Combine flour, soda, and salt. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. In separate bowl mix egg and vanilla then gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in peanut butter, blend thoroughly. Stir in dry ingredients. Chill30 minutes. Drop onto baking sheet and smash with fork. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Don’t over-bake or they won’t be soft and chewy.

2 cups (10oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2oz) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
16 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped (or chocolate chips)
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. instant coffee or espresso powder
10 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 1/2 cups packed (10.5oz) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3.5oz) granulated sugar
12-16 oz assortment of milk, semisweet and white chocolate chips

You will also need to have Parchment paper on hand to achieve the best results with these cookies.

Important!
Resist the urge to bake the cookies longer than indicated; they may appear under baked at first but will firm up as they cool.

1. Sift together flour, cocoa,  baking powder and salt and set aside.

2. Melt the 16oz chocolate in the microwave or over a pan of almost simmering water. If using the microwave, heat 30seconds at a time stirring in between until smooth. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork, sprinkle the coffee powder over to dissolve, and set aside.

3. Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Beat in the sugars until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the melted chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bowl with rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat. Add assorted chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temp until the consistency is scoop-able and fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a 1 3/4 – inch ice cream scoop, spacing the moungs of dough about 1 1/2 inches apart.

5. Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, slide the parchment with cookies onto wire racks, and cool to room temp. Cover cooled baking sheets with a new piece of parchment paper and scoop remaining dough onto sheets, bake, and cool as directed.

These cookies are awesome fresh from the oven but they also will last several days and still be soft and chewy. It makes a rather large batch so I typically bake some up, then make the rest into balls and freeze them for future use. You can put them directly from the freezer onto parchment-lined baking sheets and let sit at room temp for a little while (at least while the oven pre-heats). Bake according to directions, it will take a minute or two longer depending on how cool the dough was before going into the oven but just look for the same thing as with the fresh cookies, set edges but soft in the middle.

1 cup yellow cornmeal

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

3/4 t. table salt

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup buttermilk

2 lg. eggs

8 T. butter, melted and cooled slightly

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8-inch pan w/nonstick spray. Whisk flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl until combined; set aside.

In food processor, process brown sugar, thawed corn kernels and buttermilk, until combined, about five seconds. Add eggs and process until well combined; about five seconds longer.

Using rubber spatula, make well in center of dry ingredients, pour wet ingredients into well. Begin folding dry ingredients into wet, giving mixture only a few turns to barely combine; add melted butter and continue folding until dry ingredients are just moistened. Pour batter into prepared dish; smooth surface with spatula. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, 25-30 minutes.

Rub roast with salt and pepper and brown on all sides in butter. Place in crockpot with all other ingredients and cook on low about 8 hours. Serve on toasted hoagie buns with swiss cheese.

Topping:
1 c. flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted

Melt butter in pan, saute onion until clear. Add flour and mix well. Stir in milk, continuously stirring. Slowly mix in broth. Bring to low boil so it will thicken. When thick and hot stir in veggies and chicken. Pour into casserole dish. In a separate bowl, combine topping ing. stirring until smooth. Pour over filling. Bake in oven at 400 for 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.

1 16oz pkg frozen cauliflower

1 lg onion diced

2 T butter

2 T flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 1/4 cup milk

8 oz cream cheese

3/4 cup soft bread crumbs

3 T. grated Parmesian cheese

2 T melted butter

Steam veggies. In saucepan cook onion in butter. Add flour and spices. Stir in milk and cook until thick and bubbly, add cream cheese until melted. Pour sauce over veggies and stir. Place in 9×13 baking pan. In small bowl combine bread crumbs, parmesian and butter, sprinkle over top of casserole. Cook at 400 for 30-35 minutes.