Roasted Grape Crostini with Chevre & Herbs

I'm seeing this in magazines again lately. The exact herbs, cheese or other toppings varies slightly, but the basic format is the same: Toasted bread, spread with soft cheese, topped with roasted grapes and herbs. Often they're finished with a drizzled with extra olive oil and balsamic glaze. Yum!

Ingredients

½ baguette, sliced into ¼" thick slices

2 C seedless grapes*

2-3 T olive oil

1 T fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano...)

        + more for garnish, if desired

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

½ C chevre (or ricotta)

2 tsp lemon zest

¼ C toasted pine nuts (optional)

balsamic glaze

* Assorted colors makes for a more interesting presentation, but any color will work

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

In a small bowl, mix olive oil with 2 tsp of the fresh herbs, salt and pepper. Toss grapes in seasoned olive oil; spread grapes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until grapes are tender and skins just begin to wrinkle and toast (about 20 minutes).

If desired, brush baguette slices with remaining herbed olive oil. Place on another baking sheet in the oven, along with grapes, until toasted and golden (10-15 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

In a small bowl, mix lemon zest into softened cheese. (Additional herbs can be added as well, but aren't necessary.) Spread cheese onto toasted crostini. Top with grapes (halved, if desired). Drizzle with balsamic glaze and a little additional olive oil, if desired. Sprinkle with remaining fresh herbs and toasted pine nuts.

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds - Appetizer

There are a lot of variations of this appetizer posted online -- topped, most soften, with goat cheese and any number of different things: cranberries (dried or fresh), diced apple, minced shallot, thyme, basil, candied walnuts or pecans, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts... And then drizzled with: honey, maple syrup, balsamic glaze, olive oil (mixed with a  little lemon or blood orange or cranberry or pomegrante juce) with herbs or spices like smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary, basil... You get the idea. It's pretty adaptable!

Here's the basic idea:

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes - long and thin works best

3 T olive oil - flavor infused oils could work here!

½ t salt

¼ t pepper

½ t smoked paprika

2 t lemon zest

1 T honey (or maple syrup)

5 oz chevre (soft goat cheese)*

1/3 C dried cranberries (or other chopped fruit)

1/3 C chopped candied pecans**

2 T fresh chopped basil leaves (sage, thyme, rosemary...others could also work here)

optional: balsamic glaze

* You can buy a pre-seasoned chevre with herbs, or one pre-sweetened with honey; or you can go basic and add your own flavorings in the toppings.

** I skipped the pecans -- I have nut allergies. But if I made these again (WHEN I make these again!) I think I'd throw something else in to add a crunchy, textural element. Honey roasted peanuts would be a nut alternative I CAN have; pumpkin or sunflower seeds would work. Crumbles of crisp bacon would be delicious!

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450°.

In a small bowl combine 2 T olive oil with salt and pepper. Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into ½" thick rounds. Toss the rounds in olive oil, s&p; place them on a baking sheet in a single layer, slightly spaced apart.

Roast the sweet potatoes about 20 minutes, turning half way through, until golden and browning around the edges. While they are roasting, add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to small bowl of olive oil, s&p. Stir in smoked paprika and lemon zest (or other spice/flavorings).

Transfer sweet potato rounds to a serving platter. Top with goat cheese, cranberries, and candied nuts. Drizzle with seasoned olive oil. Sprinkle with chopped herb(s). If desired, drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Best served warm.

Salted Maple Pie

It's been over a year since my friend Teresa and I got together for pie baking. Blame it on Covid, but it's been far too long since our peach hand pie baking adventure; we were overdue! Earlier this morning, we tried out this pie -- recipe from  the Sister Pie cookbook (photo below) -- for a fall-flavored treat to celebrate both our birthdays (both in October). I made mine in mini-pie/tart pans, and used my own pie crust recipe.

Other than the fact that, in my opinion, quite a few of the photos in the cookbook look a little overcooked (TOO dark brown crusted), there are lots of enticing flavor combinations that intrigue me! While there are plenty of other recipes in the Sister Pie cookbook I'd like to try out (Brown Butter Plum Crumble Pie; Sweet Corn Nectarine Streusel Pie; Caramelized Onion, Delicata Squash & Sage Hand Pies...) I won't be posting any other of their recipes -- buy their book! But I'll include this one as a teaser... 

Crock Pot Butter Chicken for 2

Inspired by Better Homes & Gardens recipe, mine is slightly less spicy, with a little extra ginger (simply because I like it that way!), and reduced to serve 2.

Ingredients

2½ T butter

½ lb boneless chicken thighs (or nearer ¾ lb bone-in)

3 C chopped yellow onion

7 oz diced tomatoes

2 tsp fresh grated ginger

1½ tsp garam masala

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ tsp cumin

¼ tsp turmeric

pinch cayenne pepper

¼ C heavy cream

s&p to taste

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon butter; brown chicken on both sides (it doesn't have to cook all the way through; it will in the crock pot). Transfer chicken to a 1 qt crock pot. (If you don't have a small one, best to double or tripple the recipe so it won't dry out while cooking in a larger crock pot.)

Sauté chopped onion in the butter until beginning to caramelize. Transfer to slow cooker with chicken. In a small bowl, combined tomatoes (drained if you're using canned tomatoes), grated ginger, garam masala, minced garalic, cumin, turmeric and cayenne. Stir to combine evenly; add to crock pot.

Cover; cook on low 6-8 hours.

Stir in cream and remaining butter. If sauce is too thin, cook, uncovered, until thickened.

Salt & pepper to taste.