INGREDIENTS

Small to medium Kabocha squash

Apple cider vinegar

3 Spanish (yellow) onions

Cinnamon

Sage

Cumin

Coriander

2 Pink Lady apples

Pumpkin seeds

Himalayan salt

Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 400 degrees

Split the squash and place face up on a cooking sheet, seeds and all! Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake uncovered until well golden and fork tender.

Cover with foil if browning too much before properly cooked.

Caramelize chopped onions in olive oil while squash is cooking.

Remove seeds and strands from the baked squash and in a large enough pot add the pulp of the squash to the chopped/ sautéed onions.

In a separate frying pan, add olive oil and add peeled chopped apples to caramelize. When tender and translucent, add pumpkin seeds.

Meanwhile, in the pot where the onions and squash pulp are combined. Add apple cider vinegar to cover and serve as the cooking liquid. Add water as needed to keep the soup loose but never runny and add the remaining spices at a teaspoon each.

Cook over a low simmer until everything is well blended. You will need to blend the soup either in a food processor or with a blending wand. This is when you add the apples and pumpkin seeds but keep enough separate for garnish.

This recipe makes a LOT of soup. There is plenty for company or to freeze in 2 or 3 batches.

* SERVES 10-12 AS AN APPETIZER OR 6-8 AS AN ENTREE

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c 4 tbl. unsalted butter

1 clove elephant garlic, minced

I sm. onion, chopped { keep in 2 lots}

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

salt

white pepper

1 qt. chicken broth

1/4 tsp aioli garlic mustard sauce( Trader Joe’s)

1 1/2 c Panko style bread crumbs

4 c whole milk

1/2 c whole cream

6 oz cooked ham cut up into 1/4 “ cubes

6 slices sopressata spiced Italian salami

1 lb Ditalini dried pasta

1/3 c all purpose flour

1 1/2 c whole milk grated mozzarella

1 c medium grated cheddar cheese

1c grated smoked gouda

1c grated havarti

FILLING

1. In a large saucepan melt 1/8 lb butter over medium heat & add garlic, onion & red pepper flakes. Saute until garlic is soft & fragrant, add bread crumbs & quickly mix then remove mixture to a med. size mixing bowl.

2. In a medium saucepan combine milk and 1/2 of chopped onion over medium heat. Bring to low boil and reduce to simmer stirring

3. As the milk simmers, in a large saucepan, add & melt 4 tbls. butter with chopped ham over med-high heat.When half browned, add chopped Sopressata and continue to saute until well browned. Set aside.

4. Preheat broiler to HIGH

5. Bring large pot of chicken broth to a boil & add Ditalini & cook according to package directions.

SAUCE

1. As the pasta cooks, melt the 1/4 c butter in a sauce pan over med heat & add the flour a bit at a time after the butter is sizzling. whisk constantly to form a paste.

2. Incorporate the warm, onion infused milk a cup at a time, constantly stirring (a whisk works best) to avoid lumps.

3. Then add Mozzarella, Gouda, Havarti & cheddar 1 c at a time, stirring to incorporate each as added.

FINISHING TOUCH

1. When the pasta is done, strain it and add it to the cheese sauce & mix well. & pour into a lightly greased baking dish.[For appetizer portions, I recommend ramekins, for the meal, a medium sized baking dish. ( The consistency, seems to be better with the ramekins)]

2. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the top of the ramekins and tap down to embed the crumbs and even the surface; as with the baking dish portion.

3. Broil until the crumbs are golden (about 5-10 min) & cheese bubbles.

4. Keep warm until serving in a heated/warm oven.

ENJOY!!!

Use a FLUTED funnel cake mold for this Sweet Pumpkin Cake frosted with Carmel Frosting.

Serves 10-12

INGREDIENTS

CAKE

1 cup oil ( safflower) 

1.25 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

CARAMEL

1.5 cups sugar

.5 cups water

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup heavy cream

FROSTING

1.5 cups softened butter

6 cups powdered sugar 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons caramel

1 teaspoon vanilla

PROCESS

CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Butter cake pan well (I butter the cake pan by softening butter on the stove and then using a pastry brush to thoroughly coat the pan).

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix oil, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in pumpkin puree and mix until combined.

4. Stir in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

5. Scrape the mixture into the buttered cake pan (I prefer using a silicon spatula).

6. Bake for approximately one hour. Test with a toothpick in the middle after 45 minutes, as ovens can vary so much.

CARAMEL

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat sugar and water over medium heat, whisking constantly to make sure the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture comes to a boil, stop whisking it. Watch it as it transitions from white to toffee/ amber brown. Don’t let it burn. Once it browns, add the butter and whisk in until melted. If you have a candy thermometer, this should be around 25 degrees.

Once it’s melted, remove it from the heat. Wait 10 seconds and then add the heavy cream. Whisk the ingredients together until it’s well blended and smooth and creamy. Allow the caramel to cool and then put it in a jar to keep until you add it to the icing.

FROSTING

Put the butter into a deep bowl and blend on high speed until well whipped, then add the sugar a cup at a time. When they are well mixed, add the vanilla and the caramel. Let the icing sit and don’t ice the cake until the cake is well cooled.