Mushroom Tempeh Pâté

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet)

1/4 lb. button mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. tempeh, cubed
1 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rubbed sage
1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Chop the mushrooms coarsely.  Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the tempeh, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.  The mushroom liquid will evaporate and the mushrooms and onions will brown slightly.  Stir in the sherry, soy sauce, sage, and allspice.  Cook stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, until the liquid is gone.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Puree the mixture in a food processor to a thick, homogenous consistency.  Spoon into a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.  Serve at room temperature with crisp crackers or baguette slices.

(Add salt and pepper to taste - I found it needed more salt!)

Dried Cranberry, Apricot, and Fig Stuffing

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1 lb. Granny Smith apples (about 2 medium), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh marjoram
1 cup (or more) vegetable broth
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup diced stemmed dried figs
6 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust
6 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old cornbread
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and celery.  Saute until tender, about 12 minutes.  Add apples and all herbs.  Saute until apples just begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  (DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Transfer to medium bowl, cover, and chill.)

Mix 1 cup broth and dried fruit in bowl.  Let soak at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total.  Transfer to a very large bowl and cool.

Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Stir vegetable mixture into bread.  Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend; whisk in broth and dried fruit mixture.  Add egg misture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry.  Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish.

Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(I made this for Thanksgiving dinner 2017 in Vermont with Sage and her parents.  It was tasty, and a big hit!  You can make it using regular bread for all 12 cups, but the cornbread adds a bit of character.)

White Bean Soup with Escarole

(recipe from The Food Network)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups broth
2 (16-oz.) cans white cannellini beans, drained
4 fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade
8 oz. escarole (or kale!), cut into chiffonade
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper

Heat oil in a 4-quart saucepan.  Add onion and carrots, cover, and simmer 5 minutes or until tender.  If vegetables stick to saucepan, add some water, cover and continue to simmer.

Add the garlic and sauté for a moment.  Add 1 of the cans of beans and mash with a potato masher.  Add the other can of beans along with the broth and bring to a simmer with the sage.  Simmer 10 minutes or until as thick as you like it.  If too thick, add more water; if too thin, boil down until some of the liquid has evaporated.

Stir the escarole (or kale) into the pot, cover, and simmer 5 minutes or until tender.  Uncover, add parsley and adjust seasoning.

Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sage

(recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine)

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I used olive oil)
4 cups 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes peeled seeded butternut squash (from 2-lb. squash)
1 1/2 tsp. golden brown sugar (I used honey)
6 cups broth
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup chopped shallots (about 5 large)
3/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley


Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add squash.  Sprinkle with sugar, then salt and pepper.  Saute 6 minutes.  Cover; cook until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes.  Uncover; sauté until browned but still holding shape, about 8 minutes.  DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover; chill.  Bring to room temperature before using.

Bring broth to a simmer in large saucepan; cover and keep warm.  Heat oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add shallots.  Saute until soft, about 4 minutes.  Mix in sage and thyme; stir 1 minute.  Add rice; sauté until kernels are white with translucent edges, about 4 minutes.  Add wine; stir until wine evaporates, about 1 minute.  Add 1 cup warm broth; simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add 1 cup broth; simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.  Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and cooking until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.  Mix in parsley and squash.  Cook until squash is heated, about 1 minute.

(Risotto is always yummy, and this one is delicious with the autumn flavors of sage and squash.)

Wild Mushroom and Spinach Stuffing

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. assorted fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, stemmed shiitake, and crimini), cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 9 cups)
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 lb.)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
5 ounces baby spinach leaves
12 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust (about 1 1/4 lbs.)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup (or more) broth

Melt 1/4 cup butter with olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add diced wild mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Saute until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.  Transfer mushrooms to large bowl.

Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter in same skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and celery.  Saute until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes.  Add all herbs; sauté 1 minute longer.  Add spinach and toss until just wilted, about 1 minute.  Add vegetable mixture to bowl with mushrooms.  DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Cool, cover, and chill.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total.  Transfer to very large bowl and cool.

Butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Stir vegetable mixture into bread.  Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in small bowl to blend well; whisk in 1 cup broth.  Add egg mixture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry.  Transfer stuffing to prepared dish.

Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes.

(Stuffing is always tasty, this one particularly with the mushrooms throughout.  I skipped the bread cube baking step, as I had cut my bread the day before and left it out overnight on the counter to dry out.  Thanksgiving 2015 - me alone and a whole bunch of stuffing!  Yum.)

Delicata Squash with Carmelized Shallots & Sherry

(recipe from Fine Cooking magazine)

1 1/4 lbs. delicata squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
Kosher salt and feshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 to 3 large)
4 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage

Heat the oven to 350F.  Peel the squash, leaving the skin in the crevices (it's tender enough to eat).  Trim the ends.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Slice the halves crosswise 1/2-inch thick.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add half of the squash in a single layer and cook without moving until the slices begin to brown, about 2 minutes.  Flip and cook until the second side begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining squash.  Arrange the squash in a single layer in the dish.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of the sherry, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn deep golden brown on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage and the remaining 2 Tbsp. sherry, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Scatter the shallots over the squash.

Cover the pan with foil and bake until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(I do not peel delicata squash - the skin is tender and edible when cooked.  Also, I skipped the step with browning the squash - I just sliced and layered in the pan raw.  You may want to check on the squash after 20 minutes in the oven, as my squash were very tender after 25 minutes.  The sherry and the sage make this an incredibly tasty dish!  I had some butter to use up in the fridge, but you could use all olive oil and make it vegan.)

Winter Fruit Salsa

(recipe from Food 52)

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 large limes)
1/8 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. minced shallot (2 medium-large cloves)
2 persimmons, peeled and diced
1 1/3 cup pomegranate arils (1 large pomegranate)
1 large Hass avocado, flesh diced
1 serrano chile, seeds and veins removed, flesh minced
2 Tbsp. chiffonade mint
2 tsp. minced sage
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Combine lime juice, salt, and minced shallot in a medium non-reactive bowl while prepping the rest of the ingredients.

Dice the persimmon and avocado so the pieces are about the same size as a pomegranate aril.  As ingredients are prepped, add them to the bowl, gently tossing to incorporate.  When everything has been added, toss to blend.

Allow flavors to meld 20 to 60 minutes before serving.  This holds up for several hours, so is best made the same day.  It tastes fine later, but the avocado gets a little ugly.

(I made this to use up a persimmon, but was delighted with it!  Such an unusual salsa.  Very tasty, a surprising combination of flavors.  I actually just tossed some with greens and ate as a salad, but will try it next time with chips or crackers.  Would be good to bring to a party - unique!)

Butternut Squash with Shallots and Sage

(recipe from Gourmet: Italian Kitchen magazine)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (3/4 cup)
1 (1 3/4 lb.) butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
1/2 cup broth or water
1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. finely chopped sage
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then cook shallots and squash, stirring, until shallots are softened, about 5 minutes.

Add broth, brown sugar, sage, and 1/2 tsp. salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

(I overcooked my squash, so it became more of a mash.  Ah, well.  Very yummy, with strong shallot flavor, hint of sweetness, herby sage, and the balsamic pulling it all together.  Flavorful!)