Butternut Squash Baked Risotto

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil                        

2 shallots, diced small

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, leaves
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 medium butternut squash (2 pounds), peeled and diced medium (4 cups)
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 bunch black (Tuscan) or curly kale, tough stems removed, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
• Grated Parmesan, for serving
• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add wine and cook, stirring, until completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add squash and broth; bring mixture to a boil. Stir in kale. Cover, transfer to oven, and bake until rice is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan.
  
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Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

Ingredients
• 4 slice(s) (thick) country or Pullman bread
• 1 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, melted, or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
• 4 ounce(s) Gouda, grated
• 1 red pear, thinly sliced
• 1 cup(s) baby arugula

Directions
1. Brush one side of each slice of bread with butter or oil. Form sandwiches (buttered-side out) with the Dijon, cheese, pear, and arugula.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Cook the sandwiches, covered, until the bread is golden brown and crisp and the cheese has melted, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Pasta Shells with Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 pounds in all)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 pound fresh Brussels sprouts (or one 10-ounce package frozen), cut into quarters from top to stem end
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1/8 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound medium pasta shells

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon each of the oil and the butter over moderate heat. Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cook the breasts until browned and just done, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut into small pieces.
2. In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderately low heat. Add the red onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Brussels sprouts, broth, and red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook,covered, until the Brussels sprouts are just done, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, lemon juice, parsley, Parmesan, and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.
3. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain and toss with the sauce.

FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH COMTE

Recipe by Mimi Thorisson

Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2stick) unsalted butter or duck fat
6 large onions (about 5 lb.), thinly sliced
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
8 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
8 slices 1/4-thick slices country-style bread, toasted
8 ounces sliced Comté cheese or Gruyère

Preparation

Heat butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, shallots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and dark brown, 60-70 minutes. Add vermouth and vinegar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes.

Tie parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with kitchen twine; add to pot along with broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 8 cups, 35-40 minutes; discard herb bundle.

Preheat oven to 450°. Place ovenproof bowls on a large rimmed baking sheet. Divide soup among bowls and top with toasts (cut to fit if necessary) and cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 6-8 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Pumpkin Spice Bundt Cake with Buttermilk Icing

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing bundt pan
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for dusting pan
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin (from a 15-ounce can; not pie filling)
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• Special equipment: a 10-inch nonstick bundt pan(3 quart)
• 1. 1Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bundt pan generously, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.
  2. 2Whisk together flour (2 1/4 cups), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, 3/4 cup buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
  3. 3Beat butter (1 1/2 sticks) and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, then add eggs and beat 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and add flour and pumpkin mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until batter is just smooth.
  4. 4Spoon batter into pan, smoothing top, then bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then invert rack over cake and reinvert cake onto rack. Cool 10 minutes more.
  5. 5While cake is cooling, whisk together buttermilk and confectioners sugar until smooth. Drizzle icing over warm cake, then cool cake completely. Icing will harden slightly.
  6.