Fresh Plum Cake

Yields: 12 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
• 2 extra large eggs (or 2 large +1 egg white)
• 6-8 plums (mine were huge so I used 4)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place a sheet of parchment over the bottom disk of an 8-9 inch spring-form pan. Fasten the ring around the disk with parchment paper secured in between. Cut off the excess paper. Grease the sides of the pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
3. In the electric mixer, cream 1 cup of sugar with the butter. Add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and mix again.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Slice the plum into eights. 
5. Place the plum slices around the top of the cake in a pretty pattern. Make sure they are close together. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice over the plums. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Make SURE not to over bake! Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, and another 10 minutes out of the pan before serving.

*Try with summer peaches, nectarines or apricots!

~Recipe via A Spicy Perspective

Braised Red Cabbage

Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1 red cabbage, sliced 1/4" thick
• salt & pepper
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 2 sweet apples, quartered and sliced thin
• 6 allspice berries, lightly crushed, wrapped in cheesecloth & tied
• 1/3 cup red wine
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup molasses or cane syrup

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a deep saute pan witha cover. Once the butters melted and the foams subsided, add the cabbage and stir to coat.
2. Add salt & pepper, to taste, red onion, apple and allspice packet, cover the pan and lower the flame to low-medium, turning once in a while, until the cabbage is soft, but still slightly firm about 15 minutes.
3. Remove lid and deglaze with red wine, bring up flame and cook, uncovered, until the wine is reduced by at least half.
4. Add the red wine vinegar reduce a little, add the molasses or cane syrup and toss to coat.
5. Cook 2 to 3 more minutes, remove allspice packet, season with salt & pepper, to taste.

~Recipe via Guy Fieri on foodnetwork.com

Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Couscous

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup Israeli couscous

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Remove to a plate, reserving the drippings in the pot. Add the celery, onion and mushrooms to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced, about 1 minute.
2. Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the pork and rosemary. Cover and gently simmer until a thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145°, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the pork to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pot and stir until melted; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley.
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the couscous and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon butter; season with salt and pepper. Thickly slice the pork and serve with the couscous; top with the mushroom sauce.

~Recipe from Food Network Magazine (October 2016)

Gnocchi with Bacon and Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cut into small florets
• 2 Tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 17.5-ounce package potato gnocchi
• 4 slices bacon
• 2 Tablespoons pine nuts or roughly chopped hazelnuts
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 Tablespoons roughly chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the cauliflower, capers and 1 Tablespoon olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring halfway through, until the cauliflower is tender and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain.
3. Cook the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, turning, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the dripping in the skillet. Add the gnocchi to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and well coated, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the pine nuts and garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until pine nuts are lightly toasted and the garlic is softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the roasted cauliflower, the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Remove from the heat. Crumble the bacon and stir into the gnocchi along with the chives. Season with salt and pepper.

~Recipe from Food Network Magazine

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 Tablespoons vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
2. Cook over medium heat until thick. stirring often.
3. Pour over chicken, meatballs, smoked sausage, veggies, etc.

~Recipe adapted from food.com