Browned Brussels With Maple Butter

Suggested tweaks: If you're pressed for stovetop space, you can make the maple-butter mixture ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before adding it to the Brussels sprouts.

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 15 minutes, total time 30-25 minutes

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed, outer leaves peeled, and halved (quartered if large)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Brush 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on a baking sheet and transfer it to the hot oven for 5 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, toss the sprouts with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the salt and pepper. Pour the sprouts out onto the hot baking sheet and spread into a single layer. (Take the time to place each sprout cut side down for especially crisped and browned sprouts.)
   
3. Roast the Brussels sprouts for 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender and a dark brown crust forms on the sides exposed to the baking sheet.
   
4. While the sprouts roast, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling it around as it becomes liquid. Keep a close eye on the butter as it starts to foam. If you look closely at the liquid butter as it cooks, you can see tiny specks of brown appear (which are the browning milk solids). Continue heating it until it starts to smell nutty and turns from off-white to golden to light brown. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup. Stir briskly as the mixture sizzles and spurts. Set aside in the saucepan until the Brussels finish roasting.
   
5. Remove the Brussels from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle the maple butter all over, tossing to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
   
6. Alongside:
   Bacon-crusted Roast Turkey
   Apple, Pear, and Sage-stuffed Pork Loin Roulade
   Slow-cooked Chicken and Cippoline
   Herb-stuffed Leg of Lamb
   Butternut Ricotta Lasagna

Pumpkin Butter Tea Cakes with Orange Glaze

These little loaves have a light and springy crumb because there's no butter or oil in the recipe. The pumpkin flavor and warm fall spices are made more decadent with an orange glaze, but feel free to omit it for a light breakfast sweet.

Note: Pumpkin butters typically come spiced and sweetened and thus will vary by brand. I used Williams Sonoma's version, which is well spiced, medium sweet, and light in texture, though it tastes as much of pumpkin as of spices. If you're using a different brand, taste for sweetness and spices and adjust the spices here accordingly.


Special equipment: 3 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 mini loaf pan, whisk

Ingredients

serves makes 5 mini cakes, active time 20 minutes, total time 50 minutes

• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch allspice
• 1/2 cup 2% or full fat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin butter (see note)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
•  
• For Glaze
• 1 2/3 cup confectioners sugar
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 1 tablespoon water

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease mini loaf cups with butter.
   
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice;set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, pumpkin butter, and sugar until well combined. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir together just until batter is well combined. Fill each prepared cup 2/3 full with batter. Bake until puffed and golden at the edges and a cake tester inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
   
4. For Glaze: If serving cakes with glaze, whisk together confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and water until smooth. Spread the top of each cooled cake with glaze. Let stand 20 minutes or until set before moving.

Peanut Butter Reese's Pieces Blondies

These peanutty bar cookies are jammed with Reese's Pieces on top for an extra pop of chocolate-PB flavor.

Special equipment: 8- by 8-inch pan

Ingredients

serves makes one 8-inch pan, active time 15 minutes, total time 1 hour 30 minutes

• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (7 ounces) packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (6 1/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Reese's Pieces candy

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Line bottom and two sides of 8- by 8-inch pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing ends to overhand sides. Lightly grease pan.
   
2. Place butter in a large microwaveable bowl and microwave on low power until just starting to melt, about 30 seconds. Stir in sugar and salt until combined. Stir in peanut butter, then egg and vanilla. Add flour and baking soda to the bowl, then stir until combined. Stir in peanuts.
   
3. Spread into pan and smooth top. Sprinkle with Reese's Pieces. Bake until golden and just set, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with fudgy crumbs, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pan, about an hour. Lift blondies out of pan and slice.

No Knead Whole Wheat Buns with Honey Butter

Special equipment

baking sheets, parchment paper, whisk

Ingredients

serves makes 12 buns

• For the Buns
• 1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
• 1/2 ounce active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
•  
• For the Honey Butter
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup honey, or to taste

Procedures

1. For buns: In a large bowl, combine yeast and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir to combine then let sit for 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup water, salt, sugar, and whole wheat flour to the bowl and stir for 2 minutes. Add all purpose flour and stir until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute more. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a dish cloth and let sit until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
   
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide dough into 12 equal portions, lightly rolling each portion into a ball and placing on the baking sheets. Let buns sit for 15 minutes to rise some more. Bake buns until golden and lightly crisp on top, 20-25 minutes.
   
3. For honey butter: In a small bowl, stir together honey and butter until smooth. Serve immediately with buns or store in the refrigerator.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Cereal Bars

Special equipment: 

9- by 9-inch pan

Ingredients

serves serves 9, active time 15 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1 (10-ounce) bag marshmallows (47 large)
• Pinch salt
• 5 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 5 1/2 cups Captain Crunch Peanut Butter cereal
• 1 cup honey roasted peanuts

Procedures

1. Grease a 9- by 9-inch pan. Heat butter in large saucepan (preferably non-stick) over medium-low heat until almost melted. Add marshmallows and salt and heat, stirring, until marshmallows have melted.
   
2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until combined. Stir in cereal and peanuts until combined. Immediately spread into pan and press to smooth top. Let cool until set, about 15 minutes.