Apple, Pomegranate, Kale Salad

Did someone say warm, fall salad? Yes, please! In this recipe, we highlight delicious fall produce like crunchy apples, hearty kale, and tart pomegranates. Paired with earthy Gorgonzola, and tangy dried apricots, this beauty is topped with sweet and spicy pecans -- a garnish so good you’ll need to make a double batch!

Apple, Pomegranate, Kale Salad
Serves 6–8

Salad Ingredients:
2 bunches Lacinato kale leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch green kale, torn into pieces
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup pomegranate arils (or 1 pomegranate)
1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
10 dried apricots, sliced

Sweet and Spicy Pecans:
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup unsalted pecan halves

Dressing Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Combine the butter, cayenne, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the pecans and toss to coat. Spread the mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are browned. Remove from heat and let cool. (Store any leftover pecans in a dry, airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

2. Meanwhile, add the kale to a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and olive oil and massage with your hands for 2-3 minutes until the kale pieces start to become tender.

3. Make the dressing by heating the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Remove from heat.

4. Whisk together the remaining dressing ingredients. Pour in the olive oil and shallot into the dressing and stir.

5. Drizzle half of the the dressing on the kale and use tongs to toss. Arrange the pomegranate arils, apples, Gorgonzola cheese, and dried apricots on top of the salad. Drizzle the salad with the remaining dressing and top with the sweet and spicy pecans. Serve immediately.

Better Than Grandma’s Rice Pudding

It’s time to dust off some old recipe cards and embrace a classic dish that you may have forgotten all about — rice pudding! We not only love this simple, decadent dish for its nostalgic memories, but also for its rich flavor that can breathe coziness into any autumn day. Serves 6-8.

Rice Pudding Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 cup short grain rice (like Arborio or sushi rice)
2 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Fruit Compote Ingredients:
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons brandy
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
Sliced almonds for garnish

Rice Pudding Directions:
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk, cream, sugar, and salt to a boil.
2. Stir in the rice and cinnamon sticks, and turn the heat to low. Keeping the rice uncovered, simmer and cook the rice for 50-60 minutes, or until the mixture thickens to the consistency of yogurt. Stir the rice occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Once the rice has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and almond extract.
4. Top with your preferred toppings - a sprinkle of cinnamon, a scoop of fruit compote (see recipe below), or chopped nuts.

Fruit Compote Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the orange juice, sugar, brandy, and water.
2. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the dried fruit and cook until the fruit is slightly plumped - about 2 more minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Dutch Baby Pancake

This dish is a real crowd pleaser, mostly due to the high impact, wow-factor of the puffy, airy pancake. Tip: Using low fat or fat free milk with make the pancake puff higher than full fat milk (for a more dramatic effect), though either way, it will immediately begin to settle once it’s out of the oven. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
Apple Topping:
1 large gala apple, peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons butter

Pancake:
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup fat free milk, room temperature
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
Maple syrup, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the cinnamon, granulated sugar, brown sugar, orange juice, and pecans until coated. On the stovetop, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Transfer the apple mixture to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
2. Heat the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven until very hot, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, milk, flour, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl until ingredients are smooth and free of lumps. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter inside the hot pan, swirl to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake for 15-20 minutes until the pancake is puffed and the edges are golden brown.
3. Top the pancake with the cooked apples and serve immediately with warm maple syrup.