Chipotle Maple Butternut Squash Soup

From the name, you can tell that this Chipotle Maple Butternut Squash Soup has it all.

(Well...you know...soup-wise.) 

A little bit spicy.

A little bit sweet.

Incredibly, ridiculously, lusciously creamy.

It's serious velvety Heaven in a bowl, and perfect for those frigid winter days that are quickly and unrelentingly barreling our way.

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DIY Hanging Sunflower Pendants (Sunflower Kissing Balls)

These colorful hanging flower balls (also known as "kissing balls") are a simple and fun decoration to hang over a buffet at a party, during a Fall-themed wedding, or to just hang on a doorway or front porch as seasonal decor.

I shared a sunflower version of this idea on the TODAY Show this morning, since we were celebrating the (unofficial) start of Fall, but feel free to swap different flowers depending on the time of year.

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Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail

I know this season is usually all about hot apple cider, but I'd love to suggest something a little different: spiced apple cider mixed with rum and fresh lemon juice, served very very cold over ice.

I served this refreshing Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch at a party I hosted last night, and can report that it was a total hit. The punch bowl was completely empty by the end of the night, and several guests asked for the recipe.

And honestly? It's so simple!

This is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket for any parties you're hosting this winter (or...if you're just craving something different for happy hour).

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Loved this recipe? Here are three other Fall Cocktail Recipes you might like:

• Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails
• Pomegranate Rose Champagne Cocktails
• Spiked Hot Apple Pie Cider

And let's connect so you can find out the next time I post! Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates.

Thanks so much for reading

Spiced Apple Cider Rum Punch Cocktail
Makes 1 cocktail, multiply as needed

Ingredients
1/4 cup gold rum
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup apple cider
1 orange slice
1 cinnamon stick
Ice, for serving

Directions
Combine gold rum, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a cocktail glass. Stir to combine. Fill glass with ice. Add apple cider. Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange slice. Serve immediately.

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9 Easy Cranberry Recipes to Try

It's cranberry season, and while homemade cranberry sauce is at the top of a lot of our lists, there are a lot of other great ways to use up fresh cranberries. From Fresh Cranberry Brownies to an easy Cranberry Ropa Vieja, read on to check out a few of my favorite easy cranberry recipes.

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Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails

Here's another fun Fall-themed cocktail for your holiday table!

This Double Apple Spritzer is fresh, sweet, and sings with the crisp flavors of fall.

This is one of the cocktails I created as part of my ongoing collaboration with Smirnoff, and features their Green Apple Vodka, which has a lovely bright, crisp flavor.

I mixed it with my homemade Apple Cider Simple Syrup and then lightening it up with a splash of sparkling seltzer water.

Served in a pretty coupe glass (like these vintage ones I found on eBay for $4!) and garnished with fresh green apple slices, it's a really great drink to serve guests as they arrive at your house.

This is also one of those drinks that's really easy to make in a big batch for a pitcher or punch bowl. Just wait until just before the guests arrive to pour in the seltzer, and then let them serve themselves while you finish things off in the kitchen.

Nice and easy--just how I like it!

Disclaimer: This recipe was created as part of my ongoing sponsored collaboration with Smirnoff. All opinions are, of course, my own. Please remember to always drink responsibly! 

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Double Apple Spritzer Cocktail Recipe
Yields 2 cocktails (multiply as necessary!)

Ingredients
3oz Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka
1/4 cup Apple Cider Simple Syrup
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Ice
Seltzer
Green Apple slices, for garnish

Directions
In a shaker, combine Smirnoff Green Apple Vodka, Apple Cider Simple Syrup, Lemon Juice, and Ice. Shake until frosty, then divide into two coupe glasses and top with seltzer.

Garnish with fresh green apple slices

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Apple Cider Simple Syrup

It recently occurred to me that it's possible to make simple syrup out of just about any liquid. I don't mean by infusing the sugar and water with flavors, but actually replacing the water with another liquid.

Hence, this Apple Cider Simple Syrup.

Regular simple syrup is made combining equal parts water and sugar, then simmering on the stove until reduced into a thin syrup. It's key for sweetening drinks like lemonade or cocktails, so that you don't end up with grainy sugar at the bottom.

To make this Apple Cider Simple Syrup, I combined fresh Apple Cider and sugar (not quite equal parts since the cider already has plenty of natural sugars), and created a lovely, golden syrup that's fantastic in cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages.

It's also great for drizzling on fresh fruit or plain cakes (like pound cake)! I bet this would work on pancakes, too!

A stick of cinnamon added to the pot gives it an extra dash of autumn flavor.

I especially love this syrup in my Double Apple Spritzer Cocktails, but am also experimenting with it in other fun ways.

How would you use this syrup?

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!   

Apple Cider Simple Syrup
Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients
2 cups apple cider
1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch kosher salt (optional, but adds a nice balance to the syrup)

Directions
Combine apple cider, sugar, cinnamon stick, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer until syrup is reduced by about half (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool completely. Store in a closed jar or container in the refrigerator.

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Baked Apple Cider Donuts

If there is one thing I'm rarely able to resist, it's the Apple Cider Donuts at the Union Square Farmer's Market.

Sold by the apple farmers alongside steaming vats of hot apple and pear cider, they're one of my favorite autumn treats.

As much as I love those donuts, the Union Square market is a bit of a hike from my uptown apartment, so it's rare that I actually make it down there. But I recently learned that there actually is a farmer's market held every Tuesday just about half a mile from where I live! Excited to potentially have a market (and these donuts) within walking distance, I packed up Hudson and few grocery bags and walked up there earlier this week. I rushed past the stalls piled with hearty greens and dusty root vegetables in search of the apple vendors and excitedly pushed through once I saw them.

They had a dozen or more varieties of apples, and they had hot steaming cider, but sadly...

No donuts.

The dog and I walked home, enjoying the crisp fall air and crunchy leaves, but with an unsatisfied craving for donuts.

By the time we got home, I'd already decided to make my own.

Real apple cider donuts are fried--something which I do actually plan to do in the future--but for now I wanted something a little quicker.

Hence these Baked Apple Cider Donuts.

It's a quick batter that is then baked in donut pans (or use muffin tins if you don't have donut pans), and then dipped in butter, cinnamon, and sugar. I made sure that they got a great apple cider flavor by doubling the usual amount and then reducing it down to a more concentrated cider.

If like me, you've got a craving, these are definitely a great way to satisfy it (a little bit).

Enjoy!

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Love Always Order Dessert? Let's connect! Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest, become a fan on Facebook, or sign up to receive my once-a-week e-mail updates. And if you ever need any entertaining or cooking advice, please don't hesitate to e-mail me. Thanks for reading!  

Baked Apple Cider Donut Recipe
Makes 12 Donuts. Adapted slightly from Eat Live Run.


Ingredients
1 cup apple cider
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the topping:
6 tablespoons (2/3 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two doughnut pans (6 doughnut wells each).

Place apple cider in a small saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and let cook 5 -7 minutes, or until cider is reduced by half. Remove from heat and let cool completely (can be done in advance and chilled).

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon and set aside. In the base of a mixer or by hand, beat the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and cider reduction. Pour into the flour mixture and mix gently just until completely combined with no dry bits.

Divide into the doughnut pans, filling each about 3/4 of the way. (I use a piping bag for this, but a spoon and wet fingertip works well, too!), and bake in the preheated oven about 20-25 minutes, or until puffed up and golden. Let cool in pan about 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

For the topping
Melt the butter and place in a shallow bowl. Whisk sugar and cinnamon and place in another shallow bowl. Dip the donuts into the butter then into the sugar until fully coated. Repeat until all donuts are coated. Let set for a few minutes, and then serve.

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Inspired Entertaining: A Fall Harvest Party

There is something particularly lovely about this time of year. With Thanksgiving and the buzz of the  holiday season still several weeks away, we have a few quiet days to just be in the moment and enjoy the beauty of the changing season. Why not take advantage of the loveliness, and invite a couple of your closest friends together for a low-key Fall Harvest Party at home.

This isn't meant to be a big complicated bash--there will be puh-lenty of time for that later on in the season--this one is all about spending time with some of your favorite people in the comfort of your home (no matter how tiny it might be!).

A few friends, great food, and delicious cocktails served casually around the coffee table--what a great way to spend an evening!

This season, I've teamed up with Smirnoff to bring you a series of posts on entertaining, simplified.

I'm going to be sharing monthly posts filled with creative entertaining ideas, recipes, and advice to help you get through the busy party season without the hassle. My goal is inspire you to create amazing moments for your friends and loved ones, because we all know that it's those times together that make the best memories.

My Fall Harvest Party is the perfect example of this. Simple enough to host on a weekday evening after work, but with enough special touches to make it seem a little bit more festive than your average dinner or happy hour.

Read below for tips and ideas on how to host your own Fall Harvest Party:

COCKTAILS

You don't have to be a master mixologist with a full expansive bar. Instead, pick one or two signature cocktails that can be prepared in advance and have them ready to go as guests arrive.

I suggest choosing something super simple, but with a special little touch that will instantly help your friends shrug off the cares of the day and relax into celebration mode.

I welcomed my guests with flutes of an autumn-inspired Pear & Pomegranate Spritzer made with fragrant Smirnoff Pear vodka (one of my favorites from the Smirnoff flavored vodka line), seltzer, simple syrup, and a sprinkle of chilled fresh pomegranate arils.

The bubbles in the seltzer make the pomegranate seeds dance around in the glass as your guests sip their drink! Click here for the cocktail recipe.

Because the nights are getting colder, it's also nice to offer something hot at the end of the evening. Coffee or tea work well, but my current favorite is spiked hot apple cider.

For this party, I prepared a batch of Hot Apple Pie Cider using local apple cider, whole spices, and Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka. The sweet vanilla tones in the flavored vodka worked beautifully with the cinnamon and apples to create a warm and cozy adult beverage reminiscent of a classic apple pie.

Click here for the recipe.

APPETIZERS & MAINS

Keep the menu simple. One main course, a big salad, and an abundant cheese board are more than enough for a casual party like this one.

We started with a big baby arugula salad studded with crisp local apples, toasted pecans, and a simple carrot-ginger dressing. By using pre-washed clamshell baby greens, this salad took mere minutes to assemble, but the little touches of apples and pecans made it really special.

For the main course, I topped store-bought whole wheat naan flatbreads with some creme fraiche (cream cheese would also work!), roasted butternut squash, and little bits of chopped chorizo.

I suggest dicing and roasting the squash ahead of time so that all you have to do on party day is assemble and pop under the broiler for a couple minutes.

A sprinkle of pomegranate seeds on top just before serving adds a stunning seasonal touch that works nicely with the sweet squash and spicy chorizo, and pairs nicely with the pear cocktails.

ENCOURAGE CONVERSATION (WITH CHEESE!)

I never want people to feel like they have to leave once the main dishes are gone, so I love to put out a great cheeseboard for people to linger over.

The sweet and savory flavors work beautifully with the cocktails, and will give your guests something to snack on while the conversation flows.

I use a plain wooden cutting board and pile it with a couple kinds of soft and hard cheeses, some crusty sourdough bread from a nearby bakery, crackers, walnuts, carrot sticks, sliced fruit, and a little pot of onion jam.

(Tip: This is a great time to dig through your cabinets and refrigerator to pull out those long-forgotten gourmet jams and fancy souvenir mustard your boss gave you for Christmas last year!)

Oh and don't worry about labels or having a special knife for each cheese; just pile on the yummy things and let your friends enjoy!

DESSERT

All parties need to end with something sweet!

In keeping with the casual spirit of the evening, I offered up a pile of sugar-dusted Baked Apple Cider Donuts. No forks or plates required!

For this party, I actually baked my own using a no-fuss one-bowl recipe (with a splash of Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka instead of extract!), but if you're tight on time, you can also pick up a few bags of them from your favorite farmer's market or local doughnut shop.

Hint: No matter where you get them, they're especially good when dunked into the aforementioned Hot Apple Pie Cider!

DECORATIONS

The upside of entertaining in small spaces, is that you really only need a few little touches to create a festive environment. And you don't have to spend much money, either!

While walking home from subway a couple days ago, I passed a street vendor selling little white pumpkins at a dollar a piece.

I bought a bunch of them, and painted them with a mix of Mod Podge and glitter in shades of plum, bronze, and gold, and then piled them on a small platter to use as a centerpiece.

Even better? These pumpkins will keep for weeks, so I can reuse them throughout the holiday season.

Instead of a tablecloth or runner, I picked up a package of one-dollar paper leaves at the supermarket, and scattered them around the coffee table for a little extra Fall color.

When looking down at them from above, they looked like leaves on the ground!

I hope that you've enjoyed these ideas and use them as inspiration to create your own great parties! Let me know about any great fall party ideas you've spotted recently.

And click over to my Pinterest board for more Fall Entertaining Inspiration. 

Note: This post is sponsored by Smirnoff. Thank you for supporting great companies like Smirnoff that make it possible for me to keep creating fun new content for you to enjoy. All photos, opinions, and recipes are (of course!) my own.

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Guest Post: Ginger Spiced Pumpkin Butter by NoshOn.It

Hi Always Order Dessert readers! Vijay from NoshOn.It here and I’m so excited to be guest posting while Alejandra is on vacation...and a little jealous! I’ll admit, right after Labor Day Passed, I was NOT one of the people on the “OMG, THE PUMPKIN RECIPES ARE COMING” bandwagon. Don’t get me wrong, I love pumpkin things as much as the next person but I’m not quite ready to let go of summer.

The sun is still shining, the weather is still sometimes warm enough where my flip-flips stay in rotation, and part of me wishes I were still in school so I could have a summer vacation.

But alas, you can’t always get what you want and soon enough, I’m going to have to come to the realization that fall is here. Lately, I’ve been trying to get into making more of my condiments at home. This is partially to try to flex my DIY muscles more than I have in the fast and partially to see if I could actually do it. I can handle savory things on the stove, but baking, sweets, and desserts in general are not really my thing.

Given that the name of Alejandra’s blog is “Always Order Dessert,” I thought I’d try my hand at making something sweet that you could use for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime!

Plus, it has pumpkin so consider this my fall confessional.

Unlike other forms of butter made from dairy, pumpkin butter is nothing more than pumpkin puree simmered on the stove with something to sweeten it and spices until it’s thick, shiny, and spreadable. You can go as simple as using pumpkin pie spice, but I prefer to make my own spice blends so I can control every element.

This pumpkin butter has both grated fresh ginger as well as dried ground ginger and a host of other spices to really warm it up. I originally had the idea of adding ground cardamom...but in the midst of a busy day I totally forgot. Feel free to add a ½ teaspoon if you’d like and change up the quantities of the spices to suit your taste. Stored in jars, this stuff will stay good in the fridge for at least a week and in the freezer for several months...if it even lasts that long.

Some ideas on how to use it: spread it on toast, fill it into crepes, use it instead of plain maple syrup on pancakes, sandwich it with cream cheese between bread for a stuffed French Toast, serve it warm over vanilla ice cream, use it as a condiment for grilled pork or chicken. Or just eat it with a spoon!

I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I enjoyed making it for you. Come on over and say hello to us at NoshOn.It and until then, happy noshin’!

About Vijay & NoshOn.It: Vijay Nathan is the Co-Founder, Editor, and Chief Nosher of NoshOn.It, a daily recipe newsletter and website that helps you discover recipes you’ll crave from new food bloggers you’ll love. He is passionate about helping people realize that anyone can be a great cook with just a little bit on inspiration and education. And he’ll fight you for that last piece of bacon. Send him a high-five on Twitter!

Ginger Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Makes: 2 ½ cups

Ingredients:
1 14.5 oz. can 100% pumpkin puree (or homemade)
¾ cup apple juice or apple cider
½ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg


Directions:
In a saucepan with tall sides, combine all of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Bring the pan to a simmer over medium heat, turn the heat down to low, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, whisking often. The mixture has a tender to splatter so you can partially cover it while simmering if needed.

Remove the pan from the heat, allow to cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for 1 week or in the freezer for several months.

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Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onion, and Bacon Empanadas

People always ask me if I would be interested in one day opening a restaurant, and my answer is always "no, absolutely not, no way, not ever."

Because that's just not my thing. I like to come up with recipes and write about them. I love to talk about food and teach people how to make delicious things in their own kitchens. And I especially (especially!) love cooking for friends and then sitting down to eat with them.

But I would never want my own restaurant.

That said, I think that if I were forced into it in some kind of very weird and unlikely life or death situation, the likes of which only ever arises in those conversation starter card games, I would choose to open a small empanada shop featuring all kinds of sweet and savory empanadas with different kinds of crusts and dipping sauces.

And, I would call it "EmpaNanda's." (Some of you might know that "Nanda" is kind of a family nickname that came about when my then-baby brother was unable to pronounce my name.)

These Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onion and Bacon empanadas are the sort of thing I'd offer at EmpaNanda's. (Although until then, I'll just serve them at Thanksgiving and I think that is what you should do, too!)

These were inspired by an appetizer I had at a restaurant a couple years ago that featured sweet potato dumplings served with an onion and bacon jam on the side. It was one of those appetizers where they served us three and Eugene and I had a bit of a stand-off over the last one. (We ended up splitting it, reluctantly.)

I loved the combination of the sweet and smoky with the onion jam, and knew I wanted to recreate it at home with a flakier dough and all the flavors tucked inside for easier eating. (And I would definitely make more than just three!)

These empanadas are AWESOME.  Sweet and smokey and salty and just a little bit spicy. They are like little pockets of Fall in a flaky package.

This recipe isn't hard, but there are a few steps involved. And I'll warn you that to make these, you need a bit of patience so that you can properly caramelize the onions.

You can't rush caramelized onions, folks!

To cook them properly it takes at least 40 minutes...really more like an hour. People usually just saute (or even burn) their onions and then call it a day. They still taste good, but it's a far cry from the sweet toffee-like silkiness of real caramelized onions, which is what makes these empanadas sing.

For the bacon, you want something smoky and cut thick so that it can stand up to the other flavors. In NYC, I love bacon from Schaller & Weber, which I buy via Fresh Direct. Try their double smoked bacon, if you get a chance.

And then there is the dough! This is a crazy easy dough and it's so flaky that I dropped and broke two empanadas while plating them.

I don't like fussing around with complicated doughs, which is why this one is perfect--it's made with cream cheese and comes together quickly. It's wonderfully soft and pliable and rolls out easily so you can get these puppies filled and baked and in your mouth as quickly as possible.

Serve these with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (actually, I basically just ate these with an entire carton of Greek yogurt) or sour cream.

You're welcome!


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Sweet Potato, Caramelized Onion, and Bacon Empanadas

For the dough
 1 8-oz package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the filling
3 large sweet potatoes
1 large yellow onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 strips thick-cut bacon
1 tablespoon smoked spanish paprika
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the egg wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon paprika

Directions
First make the dough. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on high until smooth and creamy. Switch mixer to lowest setting and add flour slowly until completely combined. Remove dough from bowl and shape into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour (can be made ahead up to 48 hours).

While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and scrub the sweet potatoes, place on a baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes or until tender. Once baked, remove from oven and let cool before splitting and scooping the filling into the bowl.

While the potatoes bake, combine butter, oil, onions, and salt in a heavy-bottom pan over medium-low heat and stir to coat the onions well. Let cook for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so to keep the onions from burning. The onions are ready once they are dark brown in color and smell nutty and sweet.

Dice the bacon and cook in a separate pan until crisp. Add the caramelized onions, the bacon, the smoked paprika, black pepper, and cayenne to the sweet potatoes and mash and stir to evenly distribute the filling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Remove the dough from the fridge, dust your counter with flour, and roll out to 1/4" thick. Use a 4" round cutter or upturned bowl to cut out circles, rerolling and cutting any remaining scraps.

Fill each circle with about 2 tablespoons of filling and fold over, using a fork to crimp and seal the edges. Arrange on the parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with rest of batch.

Whisk together the egg, water, and paprika, and use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until empanadas are golden. Serve immediately with a side of plain yogurt for dipping.

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Five Easy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

If you're anything like me, you may still be looking for just one or two more recipes to round out your Thanksgiving table. Or perhaps you've been asked to bring a dish, but are having trouble deciding. Here are 5 easy Thanksgiving side dish ideas that only take about 20 minutes or less of active time, and which are guaranteed to be hit with your guests. Click on the recipe names to get the recipes.

1. Curried Couscous with Maple Roasted Acorn Squash

This perfect Fall side dish is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy. The dressing and couscous each take only a couple minutes to prepare, and the squash just requires that you chop it and toss into the oven for about 20 minutes or so until tender (you don't even need to peel anything!). The results are incredible and since the dish can be served both hot or at room temperature, it's an ideal choice for bringing over to a friend's house. Don't like or have couscous? You can substitute quinoa, brown rice, or even orzo (just prepare according to package directions and then proceed with the recipe).

2. Sweet and Sour Brussels Sprouts Hash

This is THE dish to make for those people who claim they don't like brussels sprouts. Shredded brussels sprouts are cooked over high heat with sauteed onions and crisp bacon, and then tossed with tangy yogurt and reduced balsamic vinegar for an absolutely incredible side dish that people will go crazy for.

3. Creamy Parsnip and Carrot Puree

This alternative to mashed potatoes is so easy to prepare, but the results are incredible. The delicate, creamy almost floral flavor of the parsnip pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the carrots for incredibly elegant dish that will impress all of your guests. This dish can be made a few days in advance and reheats easily in the microwave or in a pot with just a little bit more broth or cream added to keep it moist.

4. Sweet Blue Cornbread

I don't know about you, but I LOVE cornbread on Thanksgiving. It just goes so perfectly with all those other great flavors on the table--and is so nice for scooping up extra gravy. This delicate, sweet cornbread recipe is made with stone ground blue cornmeal, which you can find at most specialty stores or even well-stocked supermarkets like Whole Foods. It adds a little twist to a classic dish. (If you can't find blue corn, you can of course just use regular yellow cornmeal.)

5. Sweet Potato Gougeres with Cheddar and Jalapeno

If you're REALLY looking to impress, why not throw together a batch of these gougeres. Delicate cheesy puffs with plenty of sweet potato flavor and just a hint of spice. These would be great served before dinner with a glass of champagne, or can even be served along with the big meal in place of biscuits or dinner rolls.


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