Orzo Stuffed Peppers by Heather

I've been making a lot of stuffed veggie recipes this fall.  Most stuffed veggie recipes are warm and hearty, and even if they are covered in cheese, well, you're still eating your vegetables!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mint, chiffonade
1/2 cup shredded Pecorino Romano, plus 1/4 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large zucchini (or two medium) grated with a box grater
1/4 cup olive oil
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup basil, chiffonade
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
6 bell peppers (choose a few colors like red, orange, and yellow)

Butternut Squash and Mushroom Lasagna by Heather

Even though September and October are apparently the "summer" months in SF, I'm ready for fall.  While this may be a pasta dish, it's still relatively healthy- there's mushrooms, squash, kale, and Greek yogurt!  I'd save this dish for a Sunday supper, though, as it does take some time to prepare, but trust me- it's worth it!

Ingredients:
1 lb. shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped lengthwise (you could also use a blend of chantrelle and oyster mushrooms)
3 portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and roughly chopped lengthwise
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot (or 3 small), minced
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves separated and chopped
3 tbs. sage leaves, chiffonade
2 lbs (2 packages) chopped butternut squash
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup part-skim ricotta
5 oz. shredded parmesan
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 package no boil lasagna noodles
3 leaves kale, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste (note: since butternut squash gets quite sweet when roasted, you'll have to add a good deal of salt.  The best rule of thumb is to taste as you go and season the squash mixture thoroughly once blended)

Mushroom Lasagna by Heather

This is a very versatile dish.  You can really add whatever mushrooms and cheese you like.  I decided to use portobello and chantrelle mushrooms, but any mushrooms with an earthy flavor would work.  I found a great truffle gouda at Whole Foods, which I sprinkled on top of the lasagna to finish the dish.  Instead of a red sauce, you could certainly add a cream sauce if you wanted the mushroom flavor to really stand out.

Ingredients:
1 box no boil lasagna sheets
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup white or red wine (I used red)
1 lb assorted mushrooms, chopped
1-2 tbs. minced rosemary
1-2 tbs. minced sage
1 28 oz. can crushed tomato
8 oz. container goat ricotta
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed, and squeezed of excess water
pinch of nutmeg
8 oz. shredded parmesan cheese
4 oz. shredded truffle gouda

Mushroom Toast by Heather

Sometimes the best meals come about by cleaning out the fridge.  Last night, I had a bunch of shiitake mushrooms, some bread, and a lot of cheese, so I decided to make mushroom toast.  The best mushroom toast I've had is in Venice, CA at Gjelina, and this is my take.

This recipe is very versatile.  If you don't have all the ingredients below, you can substitute for whatever you have in your fridge.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, rubbed clean with a lightly damp paper towel, and roughly chopped
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. cider vinegar (any type of vinegar will do)
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup ricotta (you could also use greek yogurt)
1/3 cup milk (can be any kind- obviously the higher the fat, the more creamy this will be)
1/4 cup feta (you could also use goat cheese)
truffle salt to taste (you could also use truffle oil)
1 tbs, parsley or chives
loaf of bread, cut into slices and toasted or grilled- I used a rosemary sourdough boule

Pancetta and Cheese Gougères by Rachel

Choux (pronouced "shoo") pastry can seem like a daunting thing to make (because it's all french and fancy), but it's actually really easy and if you've made it right once, you can make it right every time after that.  Choux pastry is what is used to make cream puffs and eclairs.  I had a hankering for the light and fluffy pastry, but I wanted a savory version, so I went for a smoky cheddar and pancetta version.  Hence, the gougère.

I think I might have overdone it with the cheese (though can one every really overdo it with cheese?), so they didn't puff as much as other times I've made them, but I made them to go with soup, so they turned out to be just the right consistency for me.

Ingredients
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs (though you may not need all of the eggs)
3/4 cup smoked cheddar
1 tbsp chives diced
3 slices of pancetta, diced

Lentil Meatballs with Lemon Pesto by Heather

This has to be one of my favorite recipes.  There's actually no meat in these meatballs, just lentils and cheese, but you won't miss the meat.  Lentils are a somewhat recent discovery for me- I always thought they would be bland and dry, but they're so tasty!   This is another recipe adapted from Sprouted Kitchen- I love Sara's recipes.  They're always packed full of flavor and healthy without making you feel like you're missing out on anything.  I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
1 cup lentils (I use brown lentils)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup ricotta (use whole milk or goats milk)
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
2/3 Cup Breadcrumbs (use fresh breadcrumbs if you can find them)

Lemon Pesto Sauce:
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or toasted almonds
Zest and juice of two lemons
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups basil leaves
1/4 - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan
2-4 Tbs. water to thin if necessary

Special Ingredient: Brussels Sprout Gratin by Heather

This month, our special ingredient is brussels sprouts.  I've featured them in a gratin that would make a great side at Thanksgiving.  This recipe is definitely heavy on the cheese, so it's guaranteed to win over any one that says they don't like brussels!  This recipe is adapted from Bon Appetit- I added Stilton to the cheese mixture, and it adds a sharp bite that helps cut through the density of all the cream in this dish.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed, and quartered
1 1/2 pound head cauliflower, trimmed, and cut into small florets
2 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup chopped shallots (about 2 large shallots)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
2 Tbs. chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
3 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 lb. stilton or any other blue cheese you prefer

Special Ingredient: Kabocha and Goat Cheese Empanadas by Heather

I decided to make empanadas with the special ingredient this month.  I wanted to create a dish that captured the flavors of fall and played on elements that were both salty and sweet.

In full disclosure, I don't do a lot of baking, so I was a little nervous to make these empanadas, but the dough recipe is basically fool-proof, and you can really add whatever ingredients you desire for the filling. I thought goat cheese would be a nice complement to the kabocha, but you could also try a blue cheese if you wanted to make these a little more daring.  The sweetness of these empanadas are balanced by the tanginess of a nicely aged, syrupy balsamic vinegar.  Using a good quality balsamic vinegar is really key to this recipe.  I used Olivier&Co's Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

For the dough, I stuck to this recipe here: Give Me Flour

For the filling, I used the following ingredients:
1 kabocha squash, halved
1 sprig rosemary
3 sage leaves, chiffonade
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 log soft goat cheese
2-3 tbs. milk
2/3 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar, divided
spice mix: 2 parts cinnamon, 1 part chili powder, couple dashes of nutmeg
Egg wash: 1 egg white and 1 tbs. of water

To prep the squash, cut in half, and rub inside and out with olive oil.  Place squash cut-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.   Bake in over for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until you can easily insert a knife into the outside of the skin. When the squash bakes like this, it's called steaming.  Because the moisture within the squash is trapped inside, it allows the squash to cook more quickly.

While the squash cooks, prepare the dough and set aside into the fridge to cool.

As the squash cools, saute the onions with the herbs in olive oil until the onions are translucent and set aside.
Once the squash has cooled, remove from skin and cut into chunks, adding them to a food processor.  Add the onion mixture, vegetable stock, and most of the spice mixture to the food processor, and blend until all ingredients are smooth.  If the mixture looks a little dry, add the milk to add in some creaminess, then half of the balsamic vinegar and blend until combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out into a thin sheet 1/8 in. thick on a floured surface.  Use a cookie cutter or any rounded object you have on hand to cut the dough into disks.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the squash mixture onto one side of each disk and as much goat cheese as desired, leaving about 1/4 in. room at the edges.

Fold the empanadas in half, then crimp edges together with a fork.

Repeat process until all empanadas have been filled, then brush with egg wash and sprinkle the remaining spice mixture on top for a bit of color.

Cook until empanadas are lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes.

Serve with a small dish of balsamic for dipping and enjoy!!