Let tastes of autumn warm your heart and home

The upcoming holidays bring with them lots of fun and excitement and most often, visiting family and friends. It's nice to offer these special folk something tasty and seasonal.

Share your love and holiday spirit by spending time together feasting on seasonal delights and set the scene, allowing your dining table to take center stage as the gathering place. Don't rush it -- enjoy the meal, the conversation and your guests at a leisurely pace.

Along with the changing leaves of the season, there have been lots of changes in our choice of prime produce. I hope you're as delighted as I am to embrace these arrivals.

Roadside farm stands, farmers markets and my favorite, the Mulberry Market (at Tattnall Square Park) all offer a cornucopia of seasonal produce -- I just can't get enough apples, pumpkins and other hard squash.

Today, Ill share with you a few great new recipes that truly celebrate the season.

Cheddar Biscuit Topped Sausage & Apple Breakfast Casserole is my solution for a great breakfast or brunch -- quite simple to make but so very delicious.

Take your favorite breakfast sausage (mine is Jimmy Dean Original) and brown it up in a skillet along with some chopped onion and diced apples. This forms the base for the casserole, which also has eggs and is topped with a cheddar biscuit topping, then brushed with melted butter as it comes out of the oven. Serve with warmed maple syrup or spicy apple butter. The savory aromas are sure to wake everyone in the household.

Maybe this could be the breakfast or brunch casserole you serve for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning.

Spiced Butternut-Pecan Bread is a versatile sweet treat to have on hand. Enjoy as a breakfast bread -- it's especially good smeared with cream cheese and spread with a bit of your favorite local honey.

It makes a nice pick-me-up in the late afternoon enjoyed with a cup of hot tea, coffee or spiced cider. And this pecan-studded spice bread can easily serve as dessert, topping it with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.

Mixed Autumn Salad with Walnut & Honey Dressing is my very favorite salad this time of year. All of the ingredients can be prepared ahead. Sliced apples remain crisp and don't turn brown if you soak them for just a couple of minutes in salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt per quart of tepid water, stirring to dissolve.) Drain the apples (but don't rinse) and store in the refrigerator.

This fabulous salad is a combination of baby lettuce and spinach, crisp apples, toasted walnuts, dried sweetened cranberries, thinly sliced red onion and homemade Walnut & Honey Dressing.

Take it to the entrée level by serving larger portions and adding some grilled chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken. Add some crisp-cooked applewood smoked bacon crumbled on top -- wow!

Gingerbread Pumpkin Bars are my answer for a favorite fall treat. Leave out at room temperature (covered, of course) letting your family and guests help themselves. They don't need refrigeration and are actually better the day after baking. The gingerbread base boasts a wow factor even before the creamy pumpkin filling and glaze are added.

My husband, Bill, and I really love ginger, so we use it often, incorporating it into dishes both sweet and savory. In this recipe we're using a trio of ginger -- grated fresh ginger root, ginger powder, and also minced crystallized ginger.

The holidays are almost here! Remember to celebrate all of your blessings and bless all of your celebrations.

TEDDI'S RECIPES

Cheddar Biscuit Topped Sausage & Apple Breakfast Casserole

1 pound breakfast sausage (I prefer Jimmy Dean Original)

2 cups medium diced onion

4 cups medium diced Granny Smith ans/or Gala apples

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

6 eggs, room temperature, beaten

BISCUIT TOPPING:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

11/4 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup melted butter

Warmed maple syrup for serving

Serves eight to 10.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, stirring and mashing to crumble. Add onion and apple to the skillet and continue to cook until the sausage is cooked thru and the onion and apple pieces have sautéed nicely. Stir in the green onions and sauté briefly. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Drizzle eggs over sausage mixture.

Prepare biscuit topping: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the first five ingredients. Using a hand-held pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the size of peas.

Stir in the cheese. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour buttermilk into the center of the well and stir to blend until well incorporated, but do NOT overmix.

Using a spoon or medium scoop, drop biscuits to cover the top of the casserole. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the center of the biscuit topping tests done.

Remove from oven and brush with the melted butter. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving with warmed maple syrup.

Spiced Butternut-Pecan Bread

1 1/2 cup pecan halves

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups pureed cooked butternut squash

4 eggs

2/3 cup apple juice or cider

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Makes two loaves.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter pecan halves on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes just until fragrant and beginning to get toasted. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Coarsely chop.

Grease and flour two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans; set aside.

Beat sugar and butter together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Stir butternut squash, eggs and apple juice into the sugar mixture.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add to the batter. Add chopped pecans, blending just until thoroughly incorporated -- do NOT overmix. Divide the batter between the prepared loaf pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Slice when cool and enjoy alone or smeared with cream cheese. Store airtight at room temperature for up to three days.

Buttery Caramel Sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup heavy whipping cream, heated until VERY hot

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Coarsely ground sea salt or Fleur de Sel

Makes about 2 cups.

In a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, without stirring.

If necessary, use a wet pastry brush to wash down any crystals on the side of the pan. Boil until the syrup is a deep amber color, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Remove the caramel from the heat and add the heated whipping cream. Be careful! The mixture will bubble furiously. Stir in the butter and salt.

Store any leftovers in a canning jar with a tight fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to one year. Reheat to serve.

Mixed Autumn Salad with Walnut & Honey Dressing

DRESSING:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup roasted walnut oil

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup toasted walnuts

SALAD:

6 ounces mixed baby lettuce blend

6 ounces baby spinach

1 large Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, very thinly sliced

1 large Honey Crisp apple, unpeeled, very thinly sliced

1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

6 ounces blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese crumbles

3/4 cup Craisins (dried sweetened cranberries)

1 cup toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped

Serves eight to 10.

Dressing: In a blender or food processor, combine first five ingredients. With the machine running, add oils through the top in a thin and steady stream. Blend until emulsified. Add the walnuts and process briefly until coarsely chopped. (Dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.)

Salad: Toss together the salad greens and arrange on a large serving platter or individual salad plates. Scatter prepared apples, red onion, blue cheese and Craisins over salad greens.

Drizzle prepared dressing over salad.

Gingergread Pumpkin Bars

GINGERBREAD:

21/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

1/3 cup rolled quick oats

PUMPKIN FILLING:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (15-ounce) can (solid pack) pumpkin

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 large eggs, beaten

GLAZE:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

Gingerbread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-by-15-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar and molasses until creamy. Stir in the crystallized ginger. Add dry ingredients and blend just until combined.

Reserve 3/4 cup of this mixture and place in a small bowl. Transfer remaining batter to prepared pan and spread to level top. Add the oats to the reserved mixture and mix until combined; set aside.

Pumpkin filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, mix until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined.

Scoop the mixture over the uncooked base and use an off-set spatula to evenly spread the mixture over the top. Crumble reserved oat mixture over filling.

Bake until the topping is a golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.

Glaze: In a small bowl, mix together confectioners' sugar, butter and vanilla. Mix in just enough milk until the mixture will easily flow from a spoon; drizzle over cooled bars.

Slice into bars of desired size.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 10:34 PM with the headline "Let tastes of autumn warm your heart and home ."