Butternut and Apple Harvest Soup

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup light cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potato, squash, carrots, apple, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
2. Carefully puree the soup in batches in a blender, or use a stick blender to puree the soup right in the pot. Once the soup has been pureed, return it to the pot and stir in wine and cream. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped chives.

Apple Cider Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups apple cider
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 large bay leaf
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 3 potatoes, cubed
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large McIntosh apple, sliced

Directions

1. Combine flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in a bowl. Toss beef cubes in the flour mixture.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef cubes on all sides. Combine browned meat, apple cider, water, and cider vinegar in the pot and bring it to a boil. Add bay leaf; reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour.
3. Stir in carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, and apple and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour more.

Slow Cooker Zucchini Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces celery
• 2 pounds zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 2 green bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Mix celery into cooked sausage; cook and stir until celery is softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Combine sausage mixture, zucchini, tomatoes, bell peppers, onion, salt, sugar, oregano, Italian seasoning, basil, and garlic powder in a slow cooker.
3. Cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. Garnish each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese.

Applesauce Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups dry pancake mix
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together pancake mix and cinnamon. Make a well in the center of the pancake mix. Add the eggs, applesauce, lemon juice and milk; stir until smooth.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Sausage and Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 8 ounces merguez (spicy lamb) sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk or plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 tablespoon plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the 4 squash halves in one layer.
2. Crumble sausage into a bowl. Add salt, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, diced pepper, buttermilk or yogurt, chopped mint, and egg. Mix well, breaking mixture down to a paste-like consistency, 3 or 4 minutes. Mix in cooked rice.
3. Divide mixture among the squash halves. Sprinkle stuffing with a pinch or 2 of breadcrumbs and some grated cheese. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
4. Cover dish loosely with aluminum foil, more tented than wrapped; foil shouldn't touch the tops of the stuffed squash.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until top is golden brown and squash is soft and tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

Kielbasa and Cabbage

It's that time of the year when you're starting to run out of variety in the garden.  This week I harvested the last of the items before I start to get ready for fall.  I got five heads of red cabbage and about half a bucket of carrots.  The carrots I'm planning on freezing, but what can I do with red cabbage?  This is where one of my favorite kitchen gadgets comes into play.  I love my electric pressure cooker!

Ingredients

• Cabbage (Red or White)
• Kielbasa
• Carrots*
• Onion*
• Celery*
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried Garlic

*optional ingredients

Directions

1. Cut up the kielbasa into slices.  Brown in the electric pressure cooker.  (Most have a "sear" setting.)
2. Add cabbage and other ingredients until full.  I use the heat of the freshly browned kielbasa to help wilt down the cabbage.  Also, don't be afraid to fill it past the "max fill" line.  It's amazing how much the cabbage will wilt.
3. Add seasonings.  I prefer a ton of pepper, some salt, and a pinch of dried garlic.
4. Cook for 10 minutes at 10 psi.  (Most electric cookers have a manual setting.)  Then release the pressure using the pressure release knob.