Autumn Harvest Cookies

It’s an oatmeal raisin cookie, but with an autumn twist. … Pumpkin spice. It’s pumpkin spice.

Ingredients

• 1 cup softened butter

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cream together butter and the brown and white sugars in a bowl until smooth. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and orange extract.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice; stir flour mixture into the sugar mixture. Add the rolled oats, walnuts and cranberries and mix thoroughly. Using a small ice cream scoop or teaspoon, drop rounded scoops of dough onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Autumn Spiced Butternut Squash Bread

This is a good way to use butternut squash. It has the aroma and flavors of a pumpkin bread. A great bread for Thanksgiving time.

Ingredients

• 2 2/3 cups white sugar

• 2/3 cup shortening

• 2 cups pureed cooked butternut squash

• 4 eggs

• 2/3 cup water

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• 2/3 cup raisins (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans.

2. Beat sugar and shortening together in a bowl until fluffy. Stir butternut squash, eggs, and water into sugar mixture.

3. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cloves in another bowl; stir into sugar mixture. Add nuts and raisins; stir until batter is just blended. Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Black Magic Cake

You don’t need the Half Blood Prince’s potions book to whip up this super spooky dark chocolate cake. Suitable for all your wizarding get-togethers. It also tastes much better than polyjuice potion, but you’ll need to supply your own costume.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups white sugar

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup strong brewed coffee

• 1 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9x13 inch pan.

2. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center.

3. Add eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and finish cooling on a wire rack. Fill and frost as desired.

Fall Harvest Soup

Simple Potlatch fare, comes from the fruits of the earth and sea. Here, pureed pumpkin and canned cream corn simplifies the otherwise tedious preparation, and may be spiced up to your liking or left mellow and earthy.

Ingredients

• 1 (29 ounce) can solid-pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

• 1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn

• 1 cup 2% low-fat milk

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

• 1/2 cup apple cider

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 teaspoons butter

• 1/8 teaspoon ground mace

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed

Directions

1. Combine the pumpkin and creamed corn in a blender; pulse to puree the mixture for 1 minute or until smooth.

2. Add the milk and continue to pulse the mixture for another minute, or until well combined.

3. Pour pumpkin mixture into a 3 to 4 quart saucepan over medium heat.

4. Immediately stir in the broth, apple cider, water, butter, and ground mace.

5. Heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Add thawed corn kernels and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Rustic Fall Fruit Tart

This rustic tart is full of apples, fresh cranberries, walnuts, and spices, and is baked in a cream cheese pastry.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup butter, chilled

• 1/2 cup cream cheese

• 1 tablespoon water, or as needed

• 4 apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

• 2/3 cup fresh cranberries

• 1/4 cup brown sugar, or more to taste

• 1/4 cup white sugar, or more to taste

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1/3 cup roughly chopped walnuts, or more to taste

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 tablespoon raw sugar

Directions

1. Place 2 cups flour in a bowl. Cut butter and cream cheese into flour using a knife or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gently mix water into flour mixture until dough forms into a ball.

2. Mix apples and cranberries with brown sugar, white sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl until coated.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

4. Roll dough onto a lightly floured work surface, forming about an 11-inch circle. Transfer dough to the prepared baking sheet. Arrange apple-cranberry mixture decoratively on the dough, leaving a 2-inch rim of exposed dough. Sprinkle walnuts over apple-cranberry mixture. Fold exposed crust up and over the edge of the fruit.

5. Brush egg over the crust and around the edge of the tart; sprinkle with raw sugar.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until crust is browned and filling is tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Ethiopian Cabbage (Atakilt Wat)

Atakilt Wat, a traditional Ethiopian cabbage dish, is an easy, spiced side full of amazing flavor. It’s also a great vegan option free of dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast, nuts, and gluten.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 4 carrots, thinly sliced

• 1 onion, thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1/4 tsp cumin powder

• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds or powder

• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/8 tsp cloves powder

• a generous dash of black pepper

• 1 head cabbage, shredded

• 3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.

2. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the spices and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

4. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.