Pumpkin Crumble

1 (18.25-ounce) white cake mix
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin (about 1 3/4 cups pumpkin puree)
2 eggs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Ignore directions on cake mix box.  Place cake mix in a medium sized bowl and add 1/2 cup butter.  Use hands to combine mixture until it looks like dry crumbs.

2.  Place half of mixture (about 1 3/4 cups) in an 8x8 inch pan and press into a flat, even layer.  Reserve remaining crumbs for later.

3.  Combine pumpkin, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt in a separate bowl.  Whisk until well combined.  Pour pumpkin mixture over crumb layer in pan.  Add pecans to reserved crumb mixture and then sprinkle on top.  Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over crumb topping.

4.  Bake 35-45 minutes or until top is golden brown and a knife or skewer inserted in center comes out clean.

If you are serving a big crowd double the recipe and serve in a 9x13 inch pan.

(From Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites)

Gnocchi With Squash and Kale

 

Gnocchi with Squash and Kale  (from Dana)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
• 1 bunch kale, stemmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups)
• 1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese

Directions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and cook, stirring, until slightly soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, sage, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Add the chicken broth to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the kale and cook until it wilts slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the gnocchi, stirring to coat. Cover and cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

A bunch of tomatoes, any variety (I usually use Roma)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Pepper
a bunch of garlic cloves


Preheat oven to 325.

Cut your tomatoes. If you’re using small romas, just cut them in half. Anything larger, quarter them. Put tomatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil (enough to coat everything) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lightly toss together, coating everything.

Arrange tomatoes in a single layer, skins down, on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Mince garlic and sprinkle over tomatoes being careful to let most of it drop directly on the tomatoes. Give it one more generous drizzle of olive oil. 

Place in oven and cook for about 3 hours or so (the larger the tomatoes the longer they will take--if you cut them smaller they will cook faster).  They are done when they start to get black around the edges and are dried up, but are still soft.  In a pinch I have upped the oven temp to 425 and cooked them in an hour as well.

So good for snacking---I always eat a ton right out of the oven.  I will use them as a substitute for anything that calls for sun-dried tomatoes or puree them in a tomato sauce, throw them in some pasta, you get the idea.  They are SO good and smell heavenly!

Quick Apple Dumplings

6-8 apples
1 (8 count) refrigerated crescent roll dough
1/8 teas ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1. Preheat ovn to 350.  Grease baking dish. 
Combine butter, orange juice, sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to boil.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Chop 6-8 apples, spread in 9x13" pan.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbs flour and pour on orange syrup.  Sprinkle with pecans. Cover with layer of crescent roll dough.  Sprinkle wiith cinnamon.  Bake 35 mins or until crust is golgen and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.