GINGERED SQUASH SOUP

Serves 6

Note: You can use any hard-skinned winter squash for this soup, including cooking pumpkin (but not the oversized type used for jack-o’-lanterns). Or use precooked squash (either frozen or baby food).

• About 3 pounds winter squash, such as delicata or butternut (about 4 cups cooked) (see Note)
• 1 tablespoon (or more) grated fresh ginger root
• 3 cups vegetable stock (or water or chicken stock)
• Salt and white pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Sour cream, for garnish
• Sprigs of fresh thyme or slivers of uncooked squash, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. (If the squash is too hard to cut in half, poke holes in it with a knife and microwave for several minutes to soften.) Place squash halves face down in a lightly oiled baking dish or on a baking sheet; cover with aluminum foil. Bake until the pulp is soft, about 1 hour. Scoop pulp from the skin; discard skin.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together cooked squash, ginger, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer about 20 minutes, breaking up squash with a spoon. Remove soup from heat and purée with a food processor or blender until smooth. If desired, strain for a smoother texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add nutmeg. Stir in cream and heat throughout. Serve hot, garnished with a small dab of sour cream, sprig of thyme or sliver of uncooked squash.

CARAMELIZED LEEK, GOAT CHEESE AND SUN-DRIED TOMATO TRIANGLES

Makes 24 appetizers

Note: Goat cheese too tangy for you? Then use cream cheese. These bite-size appetizers go nicely with squash soup. Or serve them separately with wine. Remember that phyllo dough, found in the freezer section of the supermarket, comes frozen and must defrost overnight in the refrigerator, so plan accordingly.

• 1/2 cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 tablespoon minced red onion
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1-1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3/4 cup finely diced leeks (1 leek)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 8 ounces goat cheese (chèvre), at room temperature
• 1 -1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8 sheets of phyllo dough (see Note)
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

In a small pan over medium heat, sauté the tomatoes, onions and shallots in olive oil, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar and sauté, stirring constantly, until the vinegar evaporates. Remove from heat, and reserve.

In a large pan over medium heat, sauté leeks in 11/2 tablespoons butter, stirring frequently, until they are golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, fold in the goat cheese and thyme, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the onion-tomato mixture.

Unfold the phyllo dough; keep unused sheets covered with damp paper towels. Lightly brush 1 sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo; brush lightly with butter. Using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo dough in half, widthwise. Cut each half into 3 even strips across the short side, giving you 6 strips.

Place a generous 1/2 tablespoon of the goat cheese mixture at the base of 1 strip. Fold a corner of the strip over the filling to enclose it. Continue to flag-fold the strip into a neat triangle. Lightly brush the edges with a little butter. Continue with remaining strips. Chill triangles for 20 minutes. (Can be made in advance to this point and refrigerated or frozen.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the triangles until they are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool briefly on a baking rack. Serve warm.

BRAISED SHORT RIBS

Serves 6.

Note: Beef short ribs are not to be confused with the more familiar back ribs. Short ribs are the meaty version cut from the end of the rib. They tend to be fatty (which is why you cut off any exterior fat and remove the drippings after browning them) and tough (which is why they cook a long time). Plan on one to two ribs per person.

• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• About 12 beef short ribs (about 3 pounds), excess fat trimmed (see Note)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium carrots, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cup.)
• 2 medium onions, quartered
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 3 cups beef or chicken broth, or water
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 fresh sage leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried, optional
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a pie plate or shallow bowl, season flour generously with salt and pepper. Dredge ribs in the flour. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet or Dutch oven. Brown the ribs in batches; set meat aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from the pan, and cook carrots and onions over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Combine the ribs and vegetables in a Dutch oven or a casserole dish with a cover. Add broth, bay leaves, sage and thyme. Cover and roast for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat falls away from the bone.

Remove the meat from the pan and place on a plate, covered, to keep warm. Strain the liquid, discarding vegetables. Return liquid to Dutch oven or heavy pan and skim off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. On the stovetop over high heat, heat sauce until it thickens and reduces slightly. Serve with ribs and polenta.

Other cooking methods: With a Dutch oven, you can cook this on top of the stove at a simmer. You also can make this recipe in a slow cooker. For either one, begin by browning the ribs and sautéing the vegetables on the stovetop. For a crusty exterior to the ribs, whichever cooking method is used, the ribs can be browned after they are cooked. To do so, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees and place the ribs on a roasting rack in a pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes while the sauce is thickening.

CREAMY POLENTA

Serves 6 to 8

Note: A fast-cooking version of cornmeal is sometimes available at supermarkets. If using that, follow package instructions. You can substitute chicken broth for water, or use half water and half chicken broth.

• 5-1/2 cups water, divided (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal (see Note)
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil with salt. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together remaining 11/2 cups water and cornmeal. Gradually add the cornmeal to the boiling water, over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook until the cornmeal is thick, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter and Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Variation: Substitute a blue cheese, such as gorgonzola, for the Parmesan.

CRANBERRY-PEAR CRISP

Serves 6 to 8

Note: Prefer apples to pears or cranberries? The fruit in this recipe can be mixed and matched however you prefer, even substituting apples for one of the fruits. Keep in mind that the 1/4 cup granulated sugar is for the cranberries, because of their tartness; if you eliminate or decrease the cranberries, the granulated sugar should also be cut. Want some style for serving? Bake these in individual ramekins instead of a 9- by 13-inch pan.

Filling

• 8 ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut in 1/4-inch slices
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened and cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the pear slices in lemon juice and combine with cranberries in an ungreased 9- by 13-inch baking pan (see Note); toss with granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a bowl, mix oats, flour, brown sugar and butter with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over fruit mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is lightly browned. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

"Frankly, in our experience, when our pals sit down at a dining-room table set with matching china and matching silverware on a white tablecloth, they come under the shadow of a penal dining code learned in childhood. In the kitchen or out on the porch, they can be about fifty-percent funnier than at the table, where they sit up straighter and their conversation takes a turn toward higher ground—into the realm of issues and problems, needs, and priorities."

— Garrison Keillor, humorist