I thought all of my Thanksgiving Test Recipes were done, but I got inspired to make these little hors’ d’oeuvres this morning and decided to share, in case anyone was still looking for some appetizer ideas. I still have the dates that Oh! Nuts sent me awhile back and everyone loves a bacon-wrapped date, and especially one that’s been stuffed with rosemary.

I tested a couple of these out while I was baking pies (many, many pies), and they were as delicious as I’d thought they’d be. They’re really easy to make - just stuff the dates with rosemary leaves, wrap in bacon and bake for a half hour. An easy hors’ d’oeuvre that’s still impressive and addictive.

Rosemary Dates Wrapped in Bacon

About 40 Medjool dates (I got mine from Oh! Nuts)
1 package of peppered, center-cut bacon, slices cut in half (about 40 half slices)
a big bunch of rosemary

Preheat the oven to 375°. Pit the dates by cutting a slit into one side and removing the pit. Stuff a few rosemary leaves into the date, then wrap with the halved bacon slices. You can close them with a toothpick, or not (I didn’t have any).

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the bacon is browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Thanksgiving is just days away! I’ve tested everything and finalized the menu. I’ve also given myself a little bit of a break from the kitchen over the weekend. The most complicated thing I made was tomato soup (from a carton) and hot dogs loaded with kraut, grainy mustard and pickled jalapenos! Lame, I know.

This recipe is left over from last week and I never got around to posting it. It’s a simple weeknight meal you can prep in the morning or on the weekend and pop in the oven when you get home from work. It doesn’t sound like much, but the cheese bakes and browns and bubbles in the oven, taking this casserole from plain to super delicious.

More casserole fun tomorrow, then I’m kind of on a break for the rest of the week, pigging out and eating leftovers!

Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli & Brown Rice Casserole
Make this up to a day ahead. You can also freeze it and bake it covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for another 35 minutes.

3.5 cups cooked brown rice
2 large heads broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 jalapeno, mined (with seeds if you like it spicy, without if you don’t)
4 sausages, casings removed (Use your favorite flavor - I used roasted garlic chicken sausages)

1.5 cups milk (I used skim)
4 eggs
2 tsp. garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheddar (or jack) cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs (preferably whole wheat)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400°. Set a skillet over medium heat and cook your sausage through, breaking up any large crumbles with a wooden spoon. Once they’re cooked and browned, about 15 minutes), stir in the jalapenos and remove from heat.

In your biggest casserole dish (the bigger the dish, the more baked cheese you get), toss the brown rice, broccoli and sausage.

Whisk the milk, eggs and garlic salt together in a separate bowl. Stir in the cheddar cheese and pour over the casserole dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs and Parmesan in an even layer over the top.

Bake in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, or until the middle is set and the top and sides are golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.

Thanksgiving is 10 days away. Menus are finalized, grocery shopping is in full force. Thanksgiving recipe testing is complete! And so, here’s the final menu and recipes for Pupmkin Mascarpone Pie with a Gingersnap Crust and a Crunchy Apple Pie.

Carrot Pupmkin Soup with Crushed Hazelnuts
…flavored with smoked paprika, shallots and sherry vinegar.

Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Roulade
…filled with caramelized onions and figs, goat cheese, toasted pecans and fresh cranberries. Wrapped in peppered bacon and basted in pear jam.

Corn-bread and Chorizo Stuffing from Gourmet
…Olive oil instead of vegetable oil, fresh tarragon instead of dried oregano, chicken stock instead of broth, and probably some dried fruit (apricots?) soaked in brandy.

Potato Gratin with Roasted Garlic and Manchego from Food & Wine
…Probably remove the rosemary (my mom’s not a fan) and replace half and half with whole milk. Maybe add some caramelized shallots too.

Roasted Butternut Squash stuffed with Wild Mushrooms, Leeks and Chestnuts
…Halved and roasted butternut squash, stuffed with wild mushroom and leeks, sauteed in butter and tossed with chestnuts. Sprinkled with panko breadcrumbs and baked until slightly browned.

Pumpkin Walnut bread, Banana Pecan bread, Lemon Poppy bread

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie with Gingersnap Crust (Recipe below)

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie (Recipe below)

Pumpkin Mascarpone Pie with Gingersnap Crust

For the pie shell:
2 1/2 cups gingersnaps
6 tbsp. melted butter
1/4 cup water (might need a little more)

For the pie filling:
15 oz. can organic pumpkin
12 oz. mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. salt

Make the crust. Pulse the gingersnaps in a food processor or blender until they’re the consistency of breadcrumbs. Remove to a bowl and mix with the melted butter and water. Spread into a 9-inch deep-dish pie dish, pressing with your fingers until the bottom and sides are covered. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375° and make the filling. Whisk the filling ingredients together until evenly combined (I like to use a hand or stand mixer for an even consistency and to give it a bit of fluff). Pour into the gingersnapped pie dish.

Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the center is set, but not firm (should still wobble when you tilt the pie dish). Let cool for at least an hour before serving.

Crunchy Caramel Apple Pie
Recipe from Good Morning America’s Apple Pie Contest 2001, courtesy of Marsha Brooks

1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie 9-inch (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups thinly-sliced peeled apples (I use granny smith to avoid a too-sweet pie)
1 recipe crumb topping (see below)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup caramel topping

For the crumb topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup butter

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Stir together brown sugar, flour and rolled oats. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until topping is like course crumbs. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell.

Gently place the crumb topping over apple mixture. It’s going to spill over the dish, just pile it back on top. Place pie dih on a cookie sheet so the drippings don’t drop into your oven.

Cover the pie crust with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.

Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans then drizzle with caramel on top. Let the pie cool to room temperature (or almost room temperature) before serving.

Aside from devouring my dinner last night, I really had nothing to do with this recipe. It’s my mom’s famous Spanish-style Empanada that she makes once a year for my dad’s birthday. He has proclaimed his undying love for Spanish-style Empanada and ordered it in every city in Spain when we were visiting. But I digress…

Unlike the more common South American and Latin American Empanadas, Spanish empanadas are baked like a chicken pot pie in a casserole dish and cut into squares for serving. Wikipedia says they’re usually filled with tuna, beef or chicken. My mom’s is made with chicken stewed with piquillo peppers, ham, onions, tomatoes, olives and chorizo. (Can you say yum?)

The thing that makes this Empanada different, is its slightly sweet crust. Instead of a simple tart or pastry shell, my mom makes a sweet, crumbly dough that contrasts nicely with the savory chicken filling. If you like a sweet/savory contrast, this dish is for you. Like a casserole, it’s a perfect make-ahead meal. Just pop it in the oven when your guests arrive and you’ve got an impressive, bubbling Empanada to warm you up on a cool evening.

I’m glad my mom finally wrote out the recipe for me. It’s one of those dishes that gets a rave review every time she makes it, and it’s time to share the love.

Mom’s Chicken Chorizo Spanish Empanada
You can make the dough and filling up to 3 days in advance. In fact, the flavors are better when the chicken has had a day or two in the fridge. Assemble and bake just before serving.

For the Dough:
4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup Crisco Vegetable Shortening
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt
4 eggs

For the Filling:
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 medium yellow onions, diced
3 large boneless chicken breasts, diced
1/2 pound diced ham
2 cups chorizo, sliced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
1 cup pimento peppers (preferrably piquillo peppers), sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 15 oz. cans petite diced tomatoes
1 14 oz. jar green olives (the kind stuffed with pimentos), sliced
1/2 cup white wine

Make the dough. Whisk the dry ingredients together, then mix in the eggs and shortening until you get crumbs the size of peas (or dipping dots). You can use an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, or use your hands.

Place a large piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Dump the dough crumbles onto the plastic wrap and knead into a cylinder. Tightly cover with another piece of plastic wrap, maintaining the cylindrical shape. Refrigerate for an hour or so.

While the dough cools, make the filling. Heat a large pot over medium. Once it’s hot, add the olive oil, onions, green pepper, garlic and tomatoes. Saute for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the chicken and ham and continue to saute until the chicken is almost cooked through.

Add the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add the chorizo, piquillo peppers and green olives. Cover and continue simmering for another 14 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest until it comes to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Roll the dough out between two pieces of plastic wrap intil it’s about 1/4-inch thick. Once your dough is rolled out, transfer it into an ungreased casserole dish (we used a large, 8″ by 11″ and 3″ deep dish). Cover the bottom and sides with dough, pushing it up the sides with your fingers if needed.

Bake the bottom and sides for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and let come to room temperature. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.

Add the filling to the casserole dish, then cover the top with the remaining dough (like a pie). Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Slice and serve with a big green salad.

Makes 10 - 12 servings (and delicious leftovers!)

Some people might say there’s something missing at our Thanksgiving table. They might say that the conspicuous absence of a large, roasted bird means that it’s not Thanksgiving at all. But my family would disagree. I don’t remember the last time my mom roasted a whole turkey. They’re difficult to carve, easily dry out and everyone fights for the white meat. My mom tried a Turkey Roulade one year, and we haven’t looked back since.

Usually, we make a prosciutto and sage-stuffed turkey breast, wrapped in peppered bacon and basted with pear jam. It’s absolutely delicious. The bacon and jam keep the turkey nice and juicy, and the pepper is a perfect contrast to the sweet jam. My mom’s been doing this turkey for years, and we decided to change it up a little this year. We picked our filling ingredients and I volunteered to make a test turkey.

Instead of prosciutto and sage, I stuffed it with caramelized onions and figs, goat cheese, cranberries and chopped toasted pecans. I still wrapped it in bacon — how could I not wrap it in bacon? — but I did skip the pear jam and I couldn’t find peppered bacon.

The new filling was a definite success. It was rich, tart and sweet without being overpowering. I had skipped the pear jam because I thought the filling would be too sweet, but the sweetness actually mellowed out while the turkey roasted and the bacon didn’t caramelize as well as I’d hoped, so the pear jam will be back on Thanksgiving day. I also missed the spicy kick from the peppered bacon to counteract the rich filling, so I’ll redouble my efforts to find before the big day.

It’s not a traditional turkey, but it’s delicious, easy to slice, easy to serve. I already can’t wait to hit up the leftovers in my fridge!

Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Roulade

For the brine:
1/3 cup salt
6 cups water

3 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced (or 24 red pearl onions, peeled but whole)
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
3/4 cup dried figs, chopped
2 tbsp. water or stock

1 whole, boneless turkey breast, butterflied (usually around 4 - 6 pounds)
2 tsp. sea salt
20 slices peppered bacon (like this one)
6 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
1 cup chopped toasted pecans*
1 1/2 cups pear jam (use apricot jam if you can’t find pear jam)

Butcher’s twine for wrapping

Start by brining the turkey. Mix the salt and water together in a very large bowl or dish. Rinse the turkey and place in the brine for about 1 hour. You can brine while you caramelize the onions and figs. When you’re done brining, remove the turkey, rinse it thoroughly and pat it dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Caramelize the onions and figs. Place a skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the onions and shallots. Saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions and shallots turn translucent. Add the figs and water (or stock) and continue to cook for another 15 minutes, until everything is a golden, caramelized color. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil, then set aside. Now, lay your bacon out length-wise on your work surface. You want each piece to slightly overlap the piece before it. Place the butterflied turkey breast on top of the bacon, with the butterflied, split portion perpendicular to the bacon. You want the bacon to wrap around the turkey when you roll it up.

Sprinkle the turkey with salt. Layer the caramelized onions and figs, goat cheese, cranberries and pecans on the turkey, making sure to spread the filling out in an even layer, or your turkey will be hard to roll.

Using both hands, start rolling the turkey onto itself like a fruit roll-up, stuffing the filling back in if it escapes. Wrap your butcher’s twine around the turkey breast. Place the turkey on the prepared cookie sheet, seem side down, and spread the pear jam all over the bacon.

Bake for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. It’s done when the bacon is brown and caramelized. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then slice into 1 1/2 - inch rounds and place on your serving dish. Drizzle with any drippings and serve immediately.

Makes 6 large servings.

*Toast the pecans by spreading them out on a cookie sheet (whole) and placing in a 325° oven for 20 minutes. Let cool, then chop coarsely.

Some people are born to bake. They know how to follow instructions, can measure quantities with surprising accuracy and are patient enough to do things like let dough rise or bring ingredients to room temperature. Others are a bit more implusive, too impatient to wait for their ingredients (but I want cookies now!), too rebellious to follow a recipe’s instructions, tweaking and changing things as they see fit. These people may turn out some good cookies and cakes, but they’ll never be bakers at heart.

I think I fall into the latter category, and so my attempts and cookies and muffins are never as successful as attempts at soups, mains and sides. Whenever I’m baking, I feel like I’m throwing everything into a bowl and crossing my fingers. I can’t taste and adjust, add a little more of some ingredient, try different accompaniments. I’m coming to terms with it. I’ll never be a baker at heart.

Tangent over, now back to regularly scheduled programming…Thanksgiving. I mentioned on Monday that I’m using this week to test out some new Thanksgiving recipes. The first was a rousing, raging success: Carrot Pumpkin Soup with crushed hazelnuts. (Thanks again to Oh! Nuts for those hazelnuts! They’re so very delicious!)

I had some ground rules for this soup recipe. Since it’s just me and my mom cooking for a large crowd, it had to be somewhat simple. No simmering for hours, straining, simmering or making a roux. There will be enough of that with all of the other Thanksgiving dishes. This soup is super simple — a quick saute of shallots, carrots and garlic, then add some canned (or pureed) pumpkin and stock and simmer for awhile. Run it through with an immersion blender, then stir in some cream, smoked paprika and sherry vinegar. Top it all off with a good drizzle of olive oil and some crushed hazelnut and you’ve got a bright orange, smoky sweet soup that’s perfect for a Thanksgiving first course.

Carrot Pumpkin Soup
Note: You can certainly make this soup a day or two before to save time. Just leave out the olive oil and hazelnuts until you’re about to serve. This soup would also freeze well (again, without the oil or hazelnuts).

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, minced
1 cup chopped or sliced carrots
1 lg. clove (or 2 small cloves) garlic, minced
1 15 oz. can pumpkin (or 2 cups pureed pumpkin)
3 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup cream
1 tsp. smoked paprika
salt as needed
2 tsp. sherry vinegar

good olive oil for drizzling
1/4 cup coarsely chopped hazelnuts for garnish (I got mine from Oh! Nuts)

Set a pot over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the butter and shallots. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes, until the shallots just begin to get translucent. Add the carrots and garlic and sautee for another 5 minutes.

Add the pumpkin and stock. Once the liquid comes to a slow boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 - 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender (or regular blender or food processor), puree the soup for a couple of minutes, making sure all large chunks of carrot have broken up.

Return to heat and stir in the cream and paprika. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir in the sherry vinegar. Ladle into bowls and drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with the hazelnuts.

Makes 4-6 appetizer-sized servings.

Lately, I’ve been in a bit of a cooking funk. I rushed home from work last Thursday, brimming with excitement to finally use the hazelnuts that Oh! Nuts sent me in some banana chocolate hazelnut muffins. Sadly, those didn’t turn out they way I’d hoped and were promptly infested by ants because I left them too loosely covered on the counter top. It’s a sad moment indeed when you have to throw out tons of fancy dark chocolate and hazelnuts. I almost cried. But instead, I pulled myself together and made cookies. Because nothing makes you feel better than warm cookies straight from the oven.

That is, until you realize that you left an entire stick of butter out of your recipe. Sigh. They were still delicious. I mean, how bad can chocolate and hazelnuts be? But they were a little too crumbly and lacked some of the dense, chocolate-y-ness I was looking for. Had I made them the right way, they would have tasted like chewy, fudgy Nutella. And so, I’m posting the recipe below (with the correct amount of butter) because I think everyone needs a little chocolate hazelnut cookie now and again.

The rest of this week, I’m going to be trying out some Thanksgiving recipes. Everything from turkey stuffed and wrapped in goodness, to an all-vegetable side that we’re hoping will balance out the Manchego potato gratin, cornbread and chorizo stuffing, banana bread, pumpkin bread, and everything else that comes with Turkey day. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping this goes a little better than my chocolate hazelnut experiments. Wish me luck!

Related: Chunky Oatmeal Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

2.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup ground hazelnuts* (I got mine from Oh! Nuts)
1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (soft to touch)
1 cup natural cane sugar

2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup dark chocolate chips

coarse salt for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 375° and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Place the flour, cocoa powder, hazelnuts and baking powder in a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.

Using a stand (or hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract.

Pour the liquid ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix (you may opt to use your hands here - I usually do). When they’re mostly incorporated, add the chocolate chips and mix until thoroughly combined.

Use a tablespoon to measure out the dough, then roll it into small balls and place on the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart from each other. Once you’re done forming the cookies, sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake for 10 - 11 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 - 10 minutes. Enjoy with vanilla ice cream or a cold glass of milk.

Makes 3 dozen (or so) cookies.

*Place 1 cup of roasted, unsalted hazelnuts (Filberts) in your food processor and pulse until there are no large pieces (about 25 times).

It seems as though the Fall ingredients and soup trend continues over here. It’s not that I want to overload you with squashes and harvest fruit, it’s that I just can’t help myself. This tortilla soup has become an instant favorite at my house. It’s got sweet, roasted butternut squash and shredded chicken simmered in a chili powder-spiked broth with crumbled, salty blue corn tortilla chips. I’m such a sucker for anything sweet, spicy and salty.

The star here really is the roasted butternut squash. While I’m all for shortcuts, canned and frozen squash won’t give you the same roasted flavor as fresh. Now, I know a whole, fresh butternut squash is an intimidating thing. Unless you’ve got a hacksaw or cleaver in the house, splitting this thing open may be a bit more than you’re willing to take on. My suggestion? Ask the supermarket to halve it for you. Most markets will willing do it for no charge, then all you have to do is roast the halves on a cookie sheet with olive oil and salt. Once it’s done, simply scoop the roasted squash out with a spoon and use it anyway you’d like. (Can anyone say roasted butternut squash pizza?)

I like my butternut squash in all forms, but this tortilla soup might emerge as the favorite. Healthy, hearty and satisfying, it makes a perfect lunch or weeknight dinner. A great, seasonal twist on a classically delicious soup.

Related: Chorizo and Blue Corn Tortilla Soup

Butternut Squash Tortilla Soup

6 cups chicken stock
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (skin and bones discarded)
1 1/2 tbsp. Medium Hot Chili Powder (I love my Penzeys)
1/2 large butternut squash, roasted* (or a whole small one)
zest and juice of 1 small lime
4 cups blue corn tortilla chips, crumbled (4 cups before you crumble)

More tortilla chips for garnish
2 tbsp. plain yogurt or sour cream
3/4 cup cilantro leaves for garnish

Set a large pot over medium heat and add the stock, chili powder and chicken. Scoop the roasted squash out of its skin and mush with the back of a fork, then add to the pot. Once the liquid comes to a slow bubble, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the lime zest and juice and the crumbled tortilla chips. Serve immediately and top with more tortilla chips, a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream and a hefty sprinkling of cilantro leaves.

Makes 4 dinner-sized portions or 6-8 small servings.

*Preheat the oven to 375°. Place the squash halves on a lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (about 1 tbsp.) and sprinkle with salt (about 1 tbsp.). Pop in the oven for 1 - 1.5 hours, or until the flesh is tender all the way through.

Beer is fun. And so it goes without saying that cooking with beer is also fun. Since the brew brings the flavor, you can lay off the spice drawer for a night. You can also experiment with different varieties based on season — a Corona and lime marinated skirt steak in the summer, Pumpkin ale and short ribs for Autumn (this recipe coming soon). And of course there’s the sampling while you cook…

Since it’s Fall, I went with a nice, coffee-flavored Stout, whose name I cannot recall at the moment, but you can substitute your favorite Mocha Porter (Rogue makes a good one), brown ale or a time-tested Guiness. The recipe starts with sauteed onions and browned sausages in a rather large pot. Add some sliced apples, pears, whole cranberries and a bottle of stout and pop it in the oven for an hour and a half and you’ve got a delicious Sunday supper.

Make sure you’ve got some crusty bread to mop up the beer-y juices, or serve with roasted or mashed potatoes. Either way, you’ve got a hearty, healthy and really tasty meal.

Stout-Braised Sausages with Apples, Pears & Cranberries
Feel free to use any variety of sausage, apple or pear that you have on hand.

4 large sausage links (I used Bell Pepper Chicken Sausage)
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 medium or large yellow onions, sliced
2 ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cored and sliced
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 pint fresh cranberries
1 12 oz. bottle of your favorite stout, brown ale or mocha porter

Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a large, heavy pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften. Add the sausages and brown on each side, turning them continuously to prevent sticking, about 5 - 7 minutes.

Add the apples, pears, cranberries and stout. Give everything a good mix and pop in the oven (uncovered) for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. When the hour and half is up, turn on the broiler and brown the top for about 5 minutes. This adds a nice color and makes for a prettier presentation.

Serve with a loaf or two of crusty bread.

Makes 4 large servings.

I think I may have a problem. I’m completely and totally obsessed with Fall ingredients. Pumpkin, squash, sage, pecans, cranberries, cinnamon, cardamom and anything “smoky”, but especially smoked paprika. There’s just something about smoked paprika that brings out the pumpkness of pumpkin and the squashiness of squash. But I digress…

I had planned on making a fall-flavored farro risotto, which I’ve made before and love, but it turns out I was too lazy to stand and stir for 30 minutes (I opted for sitting on the couch sipping coffee instead). And honestly, the stirring just wasn’t necessary this time since pureed butternut squash gives the farro that creamy risotto-like consistency. It also didn’t hurt that I toasted the farro in rendered pancetta fat. Everything’s better toasted in rendered pancetta fat. Everything.

So, I cooked up my toasted farro in some white wine and chicken stock, then stirred in the butternut squash, smoked paprika and red pepper flakes. This farro goodness is topped with cardamom honey toasted pecans, sage and crumbled pancetta for a deliciously warm, smoky sweet bowl of comfort food.

I’d like to promise you a break from all of this fall food, but I don’t see an end in sight as I’m also slightly obsessed with planning our Thanksgiving menu with my mom, and I’ve got all of these autumnal recipes to test out. So, bear with me while I cook every squash and cranberry in sight.

Related:
Cornmeal & Cayenne Shrimp w/Cheddar Farro Risotto
Causage & Chard with Farro Risotto
Farro Salad w/Bacon & Cauliflower
Butternut Squash Beef Stroganoff
Autumn Turkey Pumpkin Lasagna
Homemade Cranberry Spice Granola Bars

Butternut Squash Farro w/Pancetta and Cardamom Pecans
Simply omit the pancetta for a vegetarian option!

4 oz. pancetta (about 10 slices), chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cups pearled farro
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups pureed butternut squash (just roast a squash and puree, or boil and puree)
1 tsp. smoked paprika
pinch red pepper flakes
salt to taste (depends on your stock)
about 20 fresh sage leaves, sliced

1 cup pecan halves
1 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. honey (or agave nectar, or cane sugar)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Set a large saucepan over medium heat and add the pancetta. Cook until the fat renders and it becomes crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta from the pot with a slotted spatula, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add the shallots and cook for 3 - 5 minutes, or until the shallots begin to soften and caramelize. Add the farro and toast it in the pot for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

Pour the white wine into the pan and stir until it’s absorbed by the farro, then add the stock. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until the farro is tender and the stock is almost completely absorbed.

While the farro cooks, toast the pecans. Place the pecans on a lined cookie sheet and sprinkle with the cardamom, then drizzle with honey. Try to get them as evenly coated as possible, then place them in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove and set aside.

When the farro is done, stir in the butternut squash, paprika and red pepper flakes. Add salt here if needed. Remove from heat and serve in bowls topped with fresh sage, pecans and pancetta.

Makes 4 - 6 servings.