Enjoy the seasonal bounty of pumpkins with this recipe for Pumpkin Flan, taken from the impressive kitchen resource, Vegetables From an Italian Garden.

Pumpkin Flan
Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 4

For the flan:
2 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
1 quantity béchamel sauce*
1 onion, sliced
1 x 2 1/4 lb pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and diced
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup pine nuts
Salt and pepper

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If you can't wait until this Saturday's Brown Betty Pop-Up Shop to experience the divine sweetness of Brown Betty's desserts, try this recipe for rice pudding for a sneak peek at what's in store.

Rice Pudding
courtesy of Brown Betty Dessert Boutique
yields 15-20 servings

What you'll need:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
3/4 cup white rice
5 cups whole milk
5 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
Raisins, optional

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Seasoned veterans in the kitchen, Christopher and Melissa of Canal House, never cease to amaze us with their thoughtful and tasty dishes in every volume of their self-published series, Canal House Cooking.  Mixing in ginger and potatoes, this recipe is the duo's take on traditional creamed spinach and is their favorite comfort food for fall.

Come say hello to Christopher and Melissa this Saturday, 9/24 at our annual Autumn Bounty Festival where they will be sharing samples of their savory paella. For more information on our Autumn Bounty Festival, please click here.

Creamed Spinach
Serves 2-4

Potatoes thicken this creamy spinach, and ginger brightens its green flavor.

For the ginger-garlic paste:
1 5-inch finger fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic
Salt
Really good extra-virgin olive oil

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As a special treat, Yvette van Boven, our friend and author of Home Made, sketched us this recipe for her take on peanut butter made right in your own kitchen. The results are simple and sweet with a spicy kick. Thanks again Yvette!

In her celebrated title, Maggie's Harvest, Australia's best-loved cook Maggie Beer shares countless seasonal recipes, stories, and inspirations for the kitchen. Taken from the Autumn chapter, these instructions for smoked mushrooms are simple to follow and heed a flavorful snack.

Smoked Mushrooms with Rosemary and Thyme

Smoked mushrooms have a wonderfully intense flavour, and are delicious served as a light appetiser with rosemary and thyme. An easy way to smoke your own mushrooms is using a large wok lined with foil.

Soak a few handfuls of vine cuttings or bought wood chips in water for half an hour, then place them in the bottom of the wok, and position a small 'cooling' rack over them.

Heat the wok over high heat on the stove until the cuttings or chips begin to smoke (this should take about 10 minutes), then place your mushrooms on the rack, cover the wok with a lid and smoke for about 2 minutes (the mushrooms won't be cooked all the way through).

Garnish with rosemary and thyme as desired.

Maggie's Harvest, by Maggie Beer. Photography by Mark Chew. Penguin Global, $125

Before summer comes to a close, here are a few quick ideas from our kitchen specialist, Susan Schu, for setting the table with fresh herb-infused treats.

Fruit Salad with Rosemary
Mix together your favorite combination of fresh, ripe fruit. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with freshly chopped rosemary.

Balsamic Strawberries with Basil
Hull and wash fresh strawberries; arrange along the rim of a serving platter. Drizzle the strawberries with high quality balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with freshly grated pepper and cover with freshly chopped basil leaves.

Mint-Ginger Caipiroska
Muddle 3 slices of fresh ginger with 1 1/2 teaspoons superfine sugar. Add 5 mint sprigs. Muddle altogether until fragrant. Add 4 oz. vodka and ice. Garnish with mint.

One of our favorite sources for seasonal meal planning, Canal House Cooking, Vol. 6 has this take on the classic tarte Tatin, and it happens to be exactly what we’d like to eat on a September evening.

Apples Tatin
Serves 4-8

This is a homey version of the French classic tarte Tatin. We use sweet, juicy, Braeburn apples which hold their shape when they’re cooked.

For the pastry:
1 cup pastry flour
6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
1 egg

For the apples:
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
6-7 apples, such as Braeburn, peeled and thickly sliced

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Our friends Matt and Renato of Baked stopped by for a visit recently, bringing with them a half-dozen beautiful, not to mention delicious, cakes. Light and sunny, this Lemon Drop was a definite favorite.

Lemon Drop Cake
Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake

For the Lemon Drop Cake Layers
2 ½ cups cake flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1 ¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Grated zest of one lemon
1 large egg
1 ½ cups ice cold water
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

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Just the thing to garnish a brunch Bloody Mary, these pickled green beans come from Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It.

Pickled Green Beans
Makes 3 pints

A Bloody Mary without this must-have garnish would be a lonely brunch cocktail, aching for the snap, salt, and brine of these crisp and piquant pickles. The ingredients for this recipe aren’t complicated- you probably have the spices on hand-and in a few short minutes of assembly you’ll have fresh, flavor-forward pickles on hand for weeks to come. If green beans aren’t your thing, you can use this recipe to pickle cucumber spears, carrot sticks, small cauliflower florets, or- for the bold and zesty amount you- whole garlic cloves.

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Few things are better for dessert on a fall evening, from one of our favorite books on preserving, Tart and Sweet.

Apple Spice Cake

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 ¼ cups canola oil
3 large eggs
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt                                              
1 teaspoon baking soda                                            
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 apples, peeled, cored, & cut into ½” dice
1 cup Apple Maple Butter
¼ teaspoon ground ginger                                        
½ whole nutmeg, grated
Demerara or granulated sugar

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From Skinny Dips, one of our favorite cookbooks for party hors d’oeuvres, this spicy spread is perfect to pair with cocktails.

Indian Tomato Eggplant Dip
Yields 1 ½ cups
Serving Size 2 tablespoons

Friends won’t be able to stop eating this dip at cocktails. It’s completely addictive. The ingredients meld into a course but velvety deeply burnished puree with tiny flecks of green from the cilantro / fresh coriander leaves. It’s a lovely blend of tomato or eggplant/aubergine that you can revisit all night long, because it’s low in calories and nearly fat free. 

1 eggplant/ aubergine, halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup finely minced walla walla or other sweet onion
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
¾ cup finely chopped plum tomatoes
2 teaspoon tomato paste/ tomato puree
2 to 3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoon finely minced cilantro/ fresh coriander leaves
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon low-fat plain yogurt

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A quick cool weather salad for a weekday lunch, from one of our newest, For Cod and Country.

Maine Shrimp with Radicchio and Orange-Cashew Dressing
Yields 4 servings

Maine shrimp are difficult to serve as an entrée course because they are so small. But here they provide great flavor and a bit of bulk to a nice mix of colorful bitter greens.

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A favorite fall meal atop a nutritionally-packed grain, from Quinoa 356: The Everyday Superfood.

Apple-Glazed Pork Chops on Quinoa
Yields: Four to six servings

This is a simple, family-friendly recipe. The flavor is best if marinated overnight before barbecuing. Great served with fresh steamed green beans or Brussels sprouts.

1 cup apple juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 ½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
6 pork loin chops
3 cups water
1 cup quinoa
¾ cups packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame seeds

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Heidi Swanson’s recipes endlessly inspire us in the kitchen. This one, from Super Natural Every Day, is exactly what we’d like to eat for lunch on any given day.

Ravioli Salad with Black Olives & Pepitas
Serves 4 to 6

This pasta salad is right at home at just about any potluck or party—and it’s particularly happy parked next to a bowl brimming with a leafy green salad. I made it for my sister’s baby shower, and a dozen times since. As far as choosing the right type of ravioli, I keep red pepper ravioli with chard filling on hand (in the freezer) just for this salad. I like the play between red pepper and the zesty lemon-cilantro pesto. But you can take the idea in a number of directions, and both spinach and whole wheat ravioli are worthy substitutes. If you can imagine the filling going well with the cilantro pesto, you’re probably in safe territory.

1/3 cup pepitas, toasted
1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more if needed
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine- grain sea salt
16 ounces fresh or frozen ravioli
½ cup oil-cured black-olives, pitted and torn or chopped
Thyme or chive flowers, to garnish (optional)

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A crumbly treat for dessert or, even better, for breakfast, from Rose Bakery’s Breakfast Lunch Tea.

Oat and Apple Betty
Serves 6

Bettys are traditionally made with breadcrumbs, but this one is a cross between a crumble and a Betty.

¼ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
4 large cooking apples or 8 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Grated zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons marmalade
Double (heavy) cream or Crème Aglaise

For the topping:
¾ cup plain all purpose flour
1  cups rolled oats
½ cup cold unsalted butter
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt  
½ cup demerara sugar

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In search of new ideas for savoring her favorite jams, Bonnie Shershow gathered recipes from cookbooks and friends around the world, and created a few of her own as well. We’re happy to share two of her favorites for an autumn dinner.

Roast Duck with Apricot Glaze
Serves 6–8

This recipe for a festive dinner is easier than it appears to guests, and the presentation of these golden creatures is stunning. I make it for a friend’s birthday every year and always get rave reviews. My local butcher procures meaty and delicious fresh Long Island ducklings, which usually serve with a wild rice mixture that includes some jasmine rice and farro.

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