Chocolate Lava Cakes

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it definitely looked like a keeper. Let me know if any of you try it before I do.

Lava middle:
1/2 bar (2 oz) of Ghirardelli bittersweet baking chocolate bar
1/4 cup heavy cream

Melt chocolate and cream in a double boiler. Whisk gently. Put in the fridge for about 2 hours or until firm. Make into six balls; refrigerate.

Cake:
1 bar (4oz) Ghirardelli bittersweet baking chocolate bar
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 C sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 C cake flour

Heat oven to 400. Spray six ramekins or baking cups with nonstick spray. Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler. In an electric mixer whisk eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla on high for 5 minutes or until thick and light in texture. Fold chocolate mixture into flour and egg mixture just until combined. Spoon cake batter into ramekins. Place a chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin. Bake about 15 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch. Let it sit out of the oven for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around inside of each ramekin, place a plate on top, invert and remove ramekin. Garnish with fresh raspberries, whipped cream or ice cream. Recipe courtesy of Ghirardelli.

Butternut Squash Pancetta and Sage Pasta

Ingredients
1 medium (about 2 1/4 pounds) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt
3/4 pound penne pasta
3 ounces pancetta, sliced 1/4 inch thick and finely chopped (bacon works, too)
2 shallots, thinly sliced crosswise (onions work just fine)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped or torn (i didn't have sage on hand, but i did have some thyme and it worked well)
1/2 cup finely grated pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving (substituted with parm, and it was great)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil; season with salt. Transfer to oven and roast until squash is browned and tender, about 15 minutes.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Set pasta and reserved cooking liquid aside.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and cook until just crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Add shallots, crushed red pepper, and sage. Cook until shallots are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add penne and squash and toss gently, adding reserved pasta cooking liquid as necessary to moisten.

Add cheese and black pepper and cook, tossing gently, until pasta and squash are heated through. Serve immediately with more grated cheese, if desired.

Bean Wraps

This is the recipe that Angella requested. It's great cold or room temperature and makes a good dip for chips or wrapped in a tortilla.

2 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans
2 cans 11 oz. mexi corn
bell pepper to taste (I usually do 1/2 a pepper)
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 c chopped cilantro (depending on how you feel about cilantro...)

Mix all together and then pour over the dressing and mix.

Dressing:
1 T oil
3 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste
2 T honey
juice of one lime

This is also fine if you cut the recipe in half. I've been wanting to try mixing in tomatoes and avacadoes to makes more of a salsa. Let me know if anyone tries it before I do...

Bean Dip

Melissa- can you share that recipe for that bean dip you make? I think it has black beans, cilantro, some dressing. You made it for me when I was pregnant with Carter, and I've been thinking of it lately (no, I'm not pregnant)! :) It's just so yummy!

Aunt Beth's Apple Cake

This is our favorite fall recipe.  It's a family tradition at our house. (We used to make it with apples we picked at Grisamore Farms.  Sigh.  I miss Ithaca.)  All credit for the recipe goes to my great-aunt Beth Snow.

Aunt Beth's Apple Cake

1 and 3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. shortening

Cream the above and add the following:

2 unbeaten eggs

6 large apples, peeled, cored, and grated (makes 2 c. ground)

2 c. nuts (we leave these out)

2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

2 c. flour (we use whole wheat)

2 tsp. cinnamon

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes in a 9 x 12 inch pan.  Serve drizzled with caramel sauce.  We usually are lazy and buy some, but you can also make your own:

Caramel Sauce

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

2/3 c. canned milk

1 c. white sugar

1/2 c. corn syrup

Heat until thoroughly dissolved and serve warm.

Super EASY whole wheat bread

I love homemade whole wheat bread, but I was always afraid to make it because it seemed so hard, but then I was given this recipe. It is seriously the EASIEST bread to make...with maybe 15 minutes prep time. (given that you have a Bosch or a Kitchen Aid)

10-12 cups whole wheat flour (I usually use about 11)--if you grind your own flour it's about 7 cups wheat ground
2 rounded tablespoons dry yeast
500 mg vitamin C (optional--I've never used this and it turns out fine)
4 cups very warm water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey (or you can substitute sugar)
1 tablespoon salt

Mix half of flour, yeast, vitamin C

Add water, oil, honey, and salt (new trick that someone just taught me...add the oil, then measure the honey in the same measuring cup as the oil and it will all come out no problem). Mix

Add remaining flour, and knead for 8 minutes.

Make into 3 loaves (shape with your hands). Let rise in the oven with a bowl of boiling water for 30 minutes.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (just let the oven warm up as part of the 30 minutes.)

Butternut Squash Soup

A few years ago I discovered Moosewood (YUM!)...one of the first things I tried there was butternut squash soup. Since then I've been searching for a recipe that tastes as good as what I had there, and I think I've finally found one! I was perusing the internet and found this recipe on a blog. Unfortunately I quickly scribbled it down and didn't bother to write down the blog where I found it to give the owner the credit deserved.

2 1/2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 med. onion
1/2 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 TBS butter

Saute onion in butter, add butternut squash and cook for 10-20 minutes until tender. You can add 3-4 TBS broth to keep from burning. Add sage, thyme, and nutmeg and saute for 1 minute. Add remaining broth and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Cool and puree (directions noted that it is a disaster if you don't let it cool before you puree). Return to stove and reheat.