Five Recipes to Try This Fall

It's officially Autumn in Westwood, and that means a season filled with some of the best-cooked foods of the year.

But you don't need to wait until Thanksgiving or the holidays for a great fall meal or desert. As the temperatures drop, October (which begins Saturday, by the way) is as good a time as any to try some new recipes.

For this week's , we're highlighting some great recipes to try this season. And don't be shy - if you've got your own recipe you'd like to share, please do so in the comments section below!

Turkey and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 quarts low sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 pound green beans, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 lb turkey cutlets, cut into approx 1 1/2 by 1/2 inch strips

Directions:

1. In a large pot melt butter, add onion and sage and cook for about five minutes.
2. Add the sweet potato, broth, 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Transfer 1/2 the soup into a blender and puree (a stick blender works too). Return the puree into the pot and add green beans. Simmer for about eight minutes.
4. Stir in the strips of turkey. Cook until the turkey is done.

Source: Courtesy, .

Spiced Butternut Sauce

1. Cook some diced onion and freshly grated ginger root in butter until onions are translucent.
2. Add some curry powder, cardamom and trumeric and toast the spices in the butter for a minute.
3. Add diced, peeled butternut squash and cook for a few minutes.
4. Cover squash with chicken or vegetable stock and cook until soft.
5. Cool to room temp. and blend in a blender until smooth.
6. Season sauce and if desires, add a bit of cream to thin if too thick.
7. This sauce is good for pumpkin ravioli and as a garnish use toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts.

Source: Courtesy, Executive Chef .

Spiced Pumpkin Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 teaspoon Pure Orange Extract
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• gingersnap cookies

Directions:

1. Blend cream cheese and confectioners sugar until smooth in a food processor. Remove cover, add pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Blend thoroughly.
2. Chill 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Serve with Gingersnap cookies.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spiced-Pumpkin-Dip/Detail.aspx

Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 cups white sugar
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7-by-3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/downeast-maine-pumpkin-bread/detail.aspx

Classic Apple Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-pie-by-grandma-ople/detail.aspx