Gooey Pumpkin Cake

Cake:
18-1/4-ounce yellow cake mix
1 egg
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 15-ounce canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 16-ounce box powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For cake: Combine cake mix, egg and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13-by-9-inch pan.
For filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin together until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla and butter; beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Spread mixture over the cake layer and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Do not overbake as the center should be a little sticky.

Pumpkin Salad

2 Servings
Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min. + chilling
Ingredients
 1-3/4 cups cubed peeled pie pumpkin
 2 teaspoons canola oil
 1/4 teaspoon salt
 2 tablespoons sunflower kernels
 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
 1/2 cup plain yogurt
 1 teaspoon ground cumin
 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot
Directions
Place pumpkin cubes on a baking sheet. Brush with oil; sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until tender. Cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the sunflower kernels, pecans, cilantro, onion and pumpkin. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, cumin and ginger. Pour over pumpkin mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. Yield: 2 servings.
Nutrition Facts: 3/4 cup (prepared with reduced-fat yogurt) equals 212 calories, 16 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 376 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 7 g protein.

Goat Ragù

Adapted from "Urban Italian" by Andrew Carmellini and Gwen Hyman
Time: 2 hours
FOR THE RAGù:
3/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds ground goat meat
1/2 cup finely diced carrot
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 cup canned tomatoes
3 cups chicken broth or water
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
FOR FINISHING:
1 pound spaghetti or orecchiette
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped mint
1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese.
1. For the ragù: Place a large stewpot or skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oil and add goat, stirring to break it up. Raise heat to high and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Spoon off excess liquid. Add carrot, onion and celery, stirring for about 2 minutes.

2. Add tomato paste and stir until blended, about 1 minute. Add wine and stir, scraping bottom of pan, until completely evaporated, about 2 minutes; adjust heat as necessary to prevent burning. Add tomatoes, chicken broth or water, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, fennel, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.

3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until most of the liquid evaporates, about 1 1/2 hours, scraping down sides of pot as necessary to avoid burning. Meat will turn dark brown and liquid dark orange.

4. For finishing: Cook pasta as desired, drain and add to sauce. Stir over medium-low heat, adding olive oil, butter and mint. Transfer to a heated serving bowl, and top with pecorino. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Goat and Pork Meatballs

Adapted from "The Classic Italian Cookbook," by Marcella Hazan (Knopf, 1976)
Time: 30 minutes
1/3 cup milk
1 slice bread, crust removed
1/2 pound ground goat
1/2 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 large egg
Pinch ground nutmeg or dried marjoram
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Vegetable oil, as needed
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup panko or other dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup horseradish mustard, optional
1/2 cup sour cream, optional.
1. In a small saucepan, combine milk and bread. Place over medium-low heat and bring to a boil. Mash bread with a fork, and remove from heat.

2. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add goat, pork, onion, parsley, egg, nutmeg or marjoram, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly but gently by hand.

3. Gently, without squeezing, shape mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll in bread crumbs to coat.

4. Place a large skillet over high heat, and add about 1/4 inch oil. When oil shimmers, gently add meatballs by sliding them onto a wide spatula and then into oil. Turn meatballs until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, then immediately to a warm serving platter. If desired, serve with mustard or a sauce of equal parts mustard and sour cream.

Yield: 4 servings (about 56 meatballs).

Five-Hour Goat

Adapted from "Les Halles Cookbook," by Anthony Bourdain (Bloomsbury, 2004)

Time: 5 1/4 to 6 1/4 hours
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, plus 20 whole peeled garlic cloves
2 3- to 4-pound goat legs, trimmed of fat and caul
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
2 small onions, thinly sliced
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 bouquet garni
1 cup dry white wine.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Use a paring knife to make many small incisions around each leg, inserting a slice of garlic in each (use 3 cloves for each leg).

2. Place legs in a large heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid. Rub meat with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add whole garlic cloves, onions, carrots, bouquet garni and wine.

3. Place lid on pan and place in oven. Braise legs until meat is very tender and almost falling off the bone, 5 to 6 hours. Check occasionally to be sure contents do not become dry, adding water as necessary.

4. When done, transfer meat and vegetables to a platter and keep warm. Skim fat from surface of liquid in pan. To serve, cut meat off bones and place in wide shallow bowls with onion, carrot and garlic. Top with broth spooned from pan.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings.

Mushroom and Chevre Provencal Pizza

Courtesy of mushroominfo.com and Sodexo

Yield: 1 pizza

Ingredients

1 ea 7″ presheeted pizza dough

2 TB Pizza sauce

.5 oz Mozzarella, shredded

1.5 oz Roasted Mushroom medley

.75 oz Caramelized Onions

1 oz Goat cheese, crumbled

1 tsp Rosemary, fresh

1/4 tsp Black pepper

Roasted Mushroom Medley

10 1/2 oz Button mushroom, quartered

9 oz Portobello, caps

2 1/4 oz Shiitake, whole

1 TB Pan coating

3/4 tsp Black pepper

Caramelized Onions

1 lb 8 oz Onions, sliced

1 TB Olive oil

1 tsp Salt

Directions

For Roasted Mushroom Medley

1. Dice portobello into 1/2″ dice, and slice shiitake mushrooms

2. Place mushrooms in single layer on sheet pan

3. Spray lightly with pan spray and season with pepper

4. Roast at 450°F for 4 to 6 minutes until lightly golden

For Caramelized Onions

1. Heat oil in sauté pan on medium heat, sauté onions, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to turn golden brown and are well softened

2. Season with salt

For Pizza

1. Spray dough with pan spray, cover, place in warm place or proof box, let rise until double in size

2. Dust work surface and rim of pizza with cornmeal. Stretch dough to 8 inch diameter

3. Place on coated pizza screen, spread each dough with 2 TB pizza sauce

4. Evenly distribute 1/2 oz mozzarella, 1 1/2 oz roasted mushroom medley, 3/4 oz caramelized onions, 1 oz goat cheese, 1 tsp rosemary, and 1/4 tsp black pepper

5. Bake at 490°F for 5 minutes until crust is a light golden color, or  it has a  minimum internal temperature of 165°F or above

Apple Walnut Cake

This is one of my all time favorite apple cakes. It is an office snack day winner, always the first dish to be empty. How can you go wrong with cream frosting.
Ingredients
1-2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups chopped unpeeled apples
1 cup chopped walnuts

FROSTING
2 packages (3 ounce each) cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs. Add oil and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; gradually add to sugar mixture, mixing well. Stir in apples and walnuts. Pour into a greased and floured 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
For frosting, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until the frosting has reached desired spreading consistency. Frost cooled cake. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 piece) equals 283 calories, 13 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 31 mg cholesterol, 281 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Apple Walnut Cake published in Taste of Home October/November 1993, p35