Katherine Sheets, Executive Editor
{All meals were made for under $25, can feed eight to 10 people, and can be made in a student center or dorm kitchen. Post a photo of you trying one of these recipes on social media and tag @asburycollegian for a chance to win a Collegian T-Shirt.}
Although autumn can be characterized by crisp, sunny days of taking walks and listening to leaves crunch, the number of dreary-weather days increases as winter approaches. Instead of moping around the next cold, rainy day, grab some friends and try some of the Collegian’s favorite flavors of fall, sure to warm your heart.
Appetizer: Potato Soup – Skill Level: Medium
Ingredients:
4 c. chicken stock
2 lbs. potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and diced
½ white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbs. butter
2 tbs. flour
4 oz. cream cheese
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
Optional: 2 tsp. chives, 2 tbs. bacon bits or diced ham, cheese for garnishing
Instructions:
In a medium-size pot, add cubed potatoes and chicken stock. Cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes or until potatoes are tender when poked with a fork. In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat and saute onions until they’re translucent. Sprinkle flour in and stir until combined and fragrant. Add potato and stock mixture in 1 cup increments and stir until blended. Continue until all the potato and stock mixture is added. Stir in cream cheese until well blended and melted. Season with salt and pepper. Add optional ingredients and garnish. Eat.
Main Dish: Ratatouille – Skill Level: Hard
Ingredients:
Sauce: 3 tbs. olive oil
2 cans diced tomatoes
½ white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic
1 ½ tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
½ tsp. sage
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. sugar
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1 large eggplant or 4 medium potatoes
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, saute onion and garlic in 2 tbs. olive oil. When onions are translucent, add diced tomatoes and stir over medium heat. Add thyme, basil, sage, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir and simmer 10-15 minutes or until sauce has thickened and the vegetables are prepared. Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and very thinly slice zucchini, squash and eggplant. (If using potatoes, peel first.) In a 10 inch baking dish, pour sauce as bottom layer. Alternating vegetables, arrange in a circle around the dish. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and cover with parchment paper cut to fit the bakeware. Cook at 450°F for 30 minutes. Remove the parchment paper and cook another 10 minutes uncovered or until vegetables are tender and roasted. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Tips: The more symmetrical the vegetables are sliced, the more evenly the dish will cook. For more al dente ratatouille, slice slightly thicker vegetables.
Def: al dente- from the Italian “to the tooth;” thoroughly cooked but still firm when bitten.
Dessert: Pumpkin Pie – Skill Level: Easy
Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
¾ c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. ginger
½ tsp. cloves
2 eggs
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Lay out raw crust in a 9-inch pie pan. In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in sugar and spice mixture and pumpkin. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into raw crust. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool for 2 hours. Consume or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.
Whipped cream:
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
¼ cup sugar
Using stand mixer or hand beaters, mix on high using chilled beaters in a chilled bowl. Stop just before mixture turns into sweet butter.
