Spiced Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

serves serves 8, active time 15 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2/3 cup dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Procedures

1. Combine cranberries, sugar, wine, syrup, molasses, ginger, orange zest, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and allspice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until berries start to pop, about 5 minutes. Press berries against side of pan with wooden spoon and continue to cook until berries have broken down and sauce thickens to a jam-like consistency, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool for 30 minutes. Adjust consistency with water as needed. Serve immediately or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Can be served cold or reheated.

Spiced Pumpkin and Golden Grahams® Cereal Trifle

Notes:Chilling the mixer bowl and whip helps to whip the cream faster. Depending on the size and shape of your bowl, the amount of pumpkin mixture and Golden Graham Cereal may differ. So that the trifle looks it's prettiest, aim for at least 3 layers of pumpkin filling and at least 2 layers of cereal.


Special equipment: Mixer, 14-cup volume bowl or trifle bowl

Ingredients

serves Serves 10 to 12, active time 30 minutes, total time 3 hours 30 minutes

• 3 cups heavy cream cold, divided
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon dark rum (or 2 teaspoons rum flavoring), optional
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups (8 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 (15-ounce) cans pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 7 cups Golden Grahams® cereal, divided

Procedures

1. Whip cream on medium speed using mixer fitted with whip attachment until cream beginning to thicken. Add granulated sugar and rum (if using), increase speed to medium high, and continue to beat until cream is soft to medium peak. Transfer to bowl and keep chilled.
   
2. Beat cream cheese on mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until softened. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Gently fold about 1 1/2 cups of the chilled whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture.
   
3. Spoon about 2 cups of the pumpkin mixture into bottom of serving bowl. Sprinkle with about 2 cups Golden Grahams® cereal, reserving 1 cup for garnish. Continue to layer pumpkin mixture with cereal (see note) ending the top layer with remaining whipped cream. Chill to set and to let cereal soften, about 3 hours. Sprinkle with remaining cup of Golden Grahams® cereal just before serving.

Spiced Sweet Potato Cookies

Special equipment

stand mixer, baking sheet, parchment paper

Ingredients

serves makes 2 dozen cookies, active time 15 minutes, total time 2 hours

• 1 1/2 cups plus 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (see note)

Procedures

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
   
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and light brown sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses, and beat to combine. Add sweet potato puree and beat until well incorporated. Add dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until it just comes together. Wrap dough in plastic wrap (it will be soft) and chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
   
3. Adjust oven rack to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
4. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake until browned and darkened at the edges, about 12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Cooled cookies can be kept in a airtight container for up to 3 days.

Spiced Squash Doughnuts

Special equipment

dutch oven or electric fryer, doughnut cutter, wooden chopsticks, heat resistant spatula, frying thermometer

Ingredients

serves Makes about 2 1/2 to 3 dozen doughnuts, active time 1 1/2 hours, total time 3 1/2 hours

• 5 cups (22 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (14 ounces) sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup (4 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup (8 ounces) buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (8 ounces) squash puree
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 quarts canola oil, for frying

Procedures

1. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
   
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, 1 cup sugar, and brown sugar, beating until combined and slightly foamy. Add buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla, and squash puree. Stir until smooth. Slowly add flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Lay out two large sheets of plastic wrap. Spritz plastic wrap with canola oil. Divide dough into two balls. Wrap in plastic wrap then flatten into discs. Refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight.
   
3. Generously flour a large work surface. Take one of the discs and turn out the dough to coat with flour, sprinkling the surface of the dough with flour to lessen stickiness. (Note the dough is sticky, don't be shy about adding flour until it's workable). Gently pat the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Use a floured 3-inch doughnut cutter to cut out doughnuts and place cut doughnuts on a well floured sheet of parchment paper. Collect any scraps and roll out dough to cut more doughnuts until all the dough is gone.
   
4. Fill a Dutch oven or deep fryer with 2 inches of oil. Heat oil over medium high heat to 360°F. Using a shallow, heat resistant strainer, drop doughnuts in the oil and fry until a deep golden brown on both sides (about 2 minutes per side, use the color as your guide as the oil temperature can very with time). Use wooden chopsticks to turn the doughnuts. Be careful not to crowd the doughnuts in the pan (no more than 2 to 3 doughnuts at a time). Remove doughnuts immediately from the pan using a heat resistant strainer or tongs. Set on paper towel lined baking racks to cool. Once cooled slightly, toss in a paper bag with remaining sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately. Doughnuts are best the day they are made, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for a day.

Spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

Special equipment

electric stand mixer, 9 inch loaf pan

Ingredients

serves Serves 12, active time 30 minutes, total time 1 hour and 30 minutes

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1/4 teaspoon ground all spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 12 ounces chocolate chips
• Nonstick cooking spray

Procedures

1. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour loaf pan and set aside.
   
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
   
3. In a medium saucepan, brown butter over medium heat, swirling the pan every so often. Once the butter has browned, transfer it to the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Let the butter cool slightly then cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides and beating until fully incorporated. Add in half of the flour mixture, mixing to combine, then add the milk and vanilla, finishing with the remaining flour. Beat in pumpkin until just combined then fold in the chocolate chips.
   
4. Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes or a until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert and remove loaf from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.

Spiced Zucchini Layer Cake

Special equipment: 

two (8 inch) round cake pans, electric mixer

Ingredients

serves Serves 12, active time 45 minutes, total time 2 hours

• For the Cake
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 pound of zucchini, ends trimmed
•  
• For the Frosting:
• 8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Procedures

1. Move oven rack to the center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round pans and set aside.
   
2. Fit food processor with a fine grater disk and grate zucchini. Set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, sugar, and brown sugar. Stir in the oil until flour is moistened then add eggs and vanilla, stirring until thick batter forms. Stir in zucchini until just combined.
   
4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
   
5. For the frosting: Combine cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until thoroughly combined. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread over cake and serve. Store cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Make-Ahead Bulgur Pita Pockets with Spiced Chickpeas, Carrots, and Tahini

Ingredients

serves Serves 2, active time 15 minutes, total time 15 minutes

• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large carrot, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 1 cup)
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon very hot water
• 2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 pitas with pockets, halved

Procedures

1. Bring 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boil in saucepan. Add bulgur, return to boil, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Let sit off heat for 5 minutes; fluff with fork. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add carrots and chickpeas to pan; stir in coriander and paprika. Mix to coat and cook over medium-low heat until fragrant and carrots are softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in bulgur. Season to taste with salt.
   
2. Whisk together tahini, hot water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice until very smooth. Stir into chickpeas and bulgur to coat. Pour in remaining lemon juice and fold in parsley. Season to taste with salt. Serve immediately, or let cool slightly then refrigerate. Reheat the next day in microwave, covered with damp paper towel, before stuffing into pita halves, or stuff into pitas once cooled and refrigerate until ready to eat at room temperature or cold.