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From Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times by Mark Bittman

In place of apples, you can use pears here or a mixture. In fact, this is a universal crisp recipe and will work with just about any fruit. Almost needless to say, it’s great with vanilla ice cream.

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the fruit with half the cinnamon, the lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar and spread it in a lightly buttered 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan.

2. Combine all the other ingredients, including the remaining cinnamon and sugar, in a food processor and pulse a few times, then process for a few seconds more, until everything is well incorporated but not uniform. (To mix the ingredients by hand, soften the butter slightly, toss together the dry ingredients, and then work in the butter with your fingertips, a pastry blender, or a fork.)

3. Spread the topping over the apples and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the topping is browned and the apples are tender. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Makes 4 Servings
Time: About 1 Hour

From Carolyne Roehm’s A Passion for Parties

For an autumn party, I like to serve this maple-syrup-and-rum-spiked pumpkin pie created by Nancy Quantrini, Weatherstone’s cook for all seasons. A bit more nutmeg along with the rum gives our version of this classic Thanksgiving staple a little edge.

Serves 8

1. Prepare the pie crust. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Compbine the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a small bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, cream, and sugar. Mix in the pumpkin, maple syrup, rum, and spices.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust and bake at 450°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F, and continue baking for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the filling is firm in the center. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Pie Crust
Makes one 9-inch crust
1. Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor; pulse 3 times to blend. Add the butter; pulse about 8 times to distribute butter until the dough resembles small pieces.

2. Add ice water gradually by tablespoons through the feed tube, pulsing until the dough begins to pull together into a ball. Do not process for more than 30 seconds. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. Remove the dough, shape it into a disk, sprinkle lightly with flour, and wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate until ready to roll out for pie.

4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 12-inch round. Fit the dough into a 9-inch glass pie pan, pressing into the edges. Trim the dough to meet the edge of the pan. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork.

From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

A spectacular-looking dish for minimal effort–perfect for the holidays. Look for onions with crisp, papery skins. They’re fine without the herbs, too.

Serves 6

Heat the butter and oil in a wide skillet, then add the onions, cut sides down. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, about 15 minutes. Check their progress occasionally–those on the outside of the pan usually take longer to cook, so partway through switch them with those in the middle. When browned, turn them over and cook on the curved side for a few minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line the bottom of a 10-inch earthenware dish such as a round Spanish casserole with the herbs. Place the onions, browned side up, on the herbs and pour in the wine. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender when pierced with a knife, 1 hour or slightly longer. Serve warm with or without the Quick Vinegar Sauce for Onions.

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From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison

I love to serve these with a glass of sherry, a bowl of pumpkin soup, or a salad of pears and endive. The butter melts into the crisp toast; the cheese stays on top. It’s heady and very aromatic.
Makes 8

Toast the bread under the broiler until nicely browned on one side, then a little less so on the second. Cream the cheese and butter until smooth, then work in the cognac and three-quarters of the walnuts and season with pepper. Spread on the paler side of the toasts, then broil until the cheese is bubbling. Remove, dust with the remaining nuts, and garnish with parsley. Serve warm.