Low Fat/Low Sugar Pumpkin Bread

Getting through the holiday season without going up a pant size can be challenging and we're not suggesting this recipe will stop the spread. But having this healthy treat around can lessen the damage. At a time when the house may be filled with chocolates and fattening pastries, a slice of this tasty sweet bread and a cup of tea can substitute...at least some of the time.

Apples and Pumpkins and Leaves (Autumn in the Hudson River Valley)

Late October drive north

Crispy Artichoke Hearts with Dipping Sauce

What's a drink without an accompanying snack? Wine goes well with cheese and salty snacks such as nuts and pretzels work well with beer. But a fine, sophisticated cocktail deserves something better. I'd seen a recipe for deep fried artichoke hearts which looked great but a little high on the fat and calories. So this is a lightened up version of a delightful cocktail snack, complete with a creamy and refreshing dipping sauce. Cheers!

Stuffed Delicata Squash Part 2 (Meat)

This heartier version of the stuffed Delicata squash is quick and easy enough to make during the work week. Dress it up, as it were, by serving it over an herbed risotto (as we've shown here). Or make it simple with a generous side salad and some crusty bread.  The flavor combination of the beef and squash is an excellent blend.

The Old Fashioned Cocktail

We recently bought these glasses but hadn't gotten around to making their name-sake cocktail until now. The Old Fashioned is one of the classic cocktails with a whiskey base. We were happy with the ratios on our first attempt and the initial taste of the drink was delicious. We did find, however, that the whiskey quickly overpowers. This one is definitely for slow sipping.  Cheers!

Stuffed Delicata Squash Part 1 (Grain)

Delicata Squash at Fishkill Farms

Continuing to experiment with the autumn bounty in the market, we picked up the appropriately named Delicata squash. Tender and flavorful, it cooks more quickly than many of the other squashes and comes in two shapes. The ones we find most often in our market are long and boat-shaped and can be sliced horizontally or vertically for stuffing. But, occasionally we find the smaller, pumpkin shaped ones. The taste is identical but the pumpkin shaped version makes a more refined presentation and we can't resist them when we see them.

The Balalaika Cocktail

While searching for the recipe for a classic Sidecar, we came across this interesting variation.  Made with vodka instead of cognac, it seemed more to our liking.  We initially made it as the recipe stated, with equal parts liquor and lemon juice.  It was delicious but overly tart and we found we really needed every bit of sugar on the glass.  This updated recipe uses half the lemon, is still tart, but in better balance.

Pumpkin Risotto

The first time we ever tasted pumpkin risotto was at Amarelle Restaurant on the north shore of Long Island. It was beautifully presented inside a small pumpkin and tasted heavenly. I was determined to recreate that recipe and, after several attempts, I think I've finally cracked it.

The Flirtini

Our first reaction when we tasted this drink was it was the most like something you'd pay a lot of money for at a trendy cocktail lounge. We improvised slightly because the recipe calls for champagne but we didn't feel like opening a whole bottle just for the couple of ounces we'd need here so we used a split of sparkling wine instead. Delicious!