Must-Try Cozy September Recipes!
Grape Focaccia – Yield: 8-10 Servings
Ingredients
Dough
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
2 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 ⅔ cups lukewarm water
5 tbsp olive oil, divided
Grape Topping
21 oz concord grapes
⅓ cup superfine sugar
coarse sea salt
confectioners sugar
Instructions
In a small bowl, add yeast into ½ cup of water and stir until dissolved.
In a larger bowl, pour 4 cups of flour and 1 ½ tsp salt into a bowl and stir. Create a well in the center, then pour in the yeast mixture and stir. Gradually add the remaining water as you mix until it is absorbed.
Stir in 1 tbsp olive oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap to let rise for 1 hour. Dough should be doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375℉. Rinse grapes and remove from stems. Coat an 8x12-inch baking pan with oil.
Divide the dough into two halves, making one slightly larger. Press the larger half into the bottom of the pan, spreading it evenly. Scatter ⅔ of the grapes over the dough and add half of the superfine sugar.
Coat the top with 2 tbsp oil. Stretch the remaining dough over the layer of grapes. Seal the edges by rolling the bottom edges upward. Press your fingers all over the dough to create dimples. Add the rest of the superfine sugar and place the remaining grapes on top. Coat with 3 tbsp olive oil.
Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. The dough should be golden brown. Top with sea salt and confectioners sugar and let cool.
Use for sandwiches and more!
Grape Jam – Yield: 3 Cups
Ingredients
8 cups concord grapes
6 cups granulated sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup water
½ tsp unsalted butter
Instructions
Squeeze each of the grapes between your fingers to separate the skins from the pulp into 2 different bowls.
Place the skins in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Transfer into a large pot and bring ¼ cup water to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
In a separate saucepan, bring the grape pulp with seeds to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Separate the seeds by straining the pulp through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Press with a spatula or spoon to push the fruit out.
Add the strained pulp into the pot with skins. Add 6 cups of sugar, lemon juice, and ½ tsp butter. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring constantly.
Before jarring, test the temperature by placing a plate in the freezer for 5 minutes and spoon the jam onto the chilled plate and freeze for 1 minute. Gently press it with your finger to see if it holds its shape, indicating it is ready.
Store the jam by ladling into jars, leaving ¼ headspace. Store for up to 1 month in the refrigerator!
Old Fashioned Ambrosia – Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients
1 cup seedless grapes (red or green), halved
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup sour cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup pecan or walnut halves
Instructions
Pour the mandarin oranges and pineapples into a colander and let drain completely. Slice grapes in half lengthwise and pat dry.
In a bowl, add ½ cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, and ½ tsp vanilla and whip using a hand mixer until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine grapes, oranges, pineapple, marshmallows, and coconut. Pour the whipped dressing over the fruit and fold until evenly combined.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill for at least 2 hours.
Top with pecans or walnuts before serving and enjoy!
Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Apples – Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
4 bone-in or boneless porkchops
2 large honeycrisp or gala apples, thinly sliced or small wedges
2 medium shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup low sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup apple cider
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Prep the pork chops by patting dry with a paper towel. Season both sides evenly with salt and black pepper.
In a skillet, heat olive oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and sear without moving for 4 minutes per side. Transfer pork to a plate and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium and add apples and onions. Cook for 6 minutes until the apples soften, stirring occasionally.
Add minced garlic and thyme to the pan. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Pour in chicken broth, mustard, and apple cider. Bring to a simmer before adding in pork chops.
Place the pork chops in the sauce and nestle between the apples. Simmer for 5 minutes until the thickest part of the pork reaches 145℉. Remove from heat.
Add the remaining butter over the pork and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Classic Apple Crisp – Yield: 6-8 Servings
Ingredients
Filling
5 honeycrisp or gala apples
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
Topping
1 cup rolled oats
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
½ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
To make the filling, add apples, lemon juice, 1 tbsp flour, granulated sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon to a bowl. Toss until apples are evenly coated and spread onto the baking dish.
In a bowl, mix oats, ½ cup flour, nuts, brown sugar, salt, melted butter, and ½ tsp cinnamon until clumpy and thoroughly combined.
Scatter the crumble topping over the apples. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Salsa Verde – Yield: 2 Cups
Ingredients
1 lb tomatillos, husked and halved
1 medium white onion, quartered
1 or 2 jalapeno or serrano peppers, halved (spice preference)
½ cup fresh cilantro
2 cloves peeled garlic
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
Remove the seeds from peppers for less spice if desired. Position the oven rack so that it is 4 inches under the broiler.
Line a baking sheet with foil and place onions, peppers, garlic, and tomatillos with their cut-side down. Broil for 5-7 minutes until the tomatillos are blackened.
Transfer the charred vegetables to a blender. Add cilantro, salt, lime juice, and cumin and pulse in short bursts until desired texture is reached. Salsa can be left chunky or blended until smooth.
Squeeze fresh lime juice on top and serve with tortilla chips!