Vidalia Onion Pie

1 recipe pie crust
1 medium Vidalia onion (or substitute another sweet onion variety)
5 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cream (omit the cream and use more milk if you prefer)
1 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1 heaped cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, preferably white
 
Heat oven to 400 F.  Prepare pie crust.
 
Peel and slice the onion 1/8-inch thick.  Cut most of the rings into halves or quarters, while leaving a few slices whole for topping the pie.
 
Gently whisk the eggs to break them up, and whisk in the milk and cream.  Season with onion salt and pepper.
 
Spread the cheese out onto the pie crust, and then follow with most of the onions, reserving a few rings for the top.
 
Pour the egg and cream mixture into the pie crust; it should just fill it to the top.  Arrange a few whole onion slices over the top of the pie.  Put the pie on a baking sheet (this makes it easier to transfer to the oven) and bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until the pie is risen and golden brown.  If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the pie halfway through.
 
Let the pie cool slightly and serve it nice and warm, or enjoy it at room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate any leftovers, it reheats well in a low oven or in the microwave.
 
Serves 8-10.
 
From The View from Great Island blog

Cinnamon (and maybe Raisin) Sourdough Bread

Dough:
1/2 cup (113g) sourdough starter, ripe (fed) or discard
3 cups (361g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons (8g) salt
1 large egg
5 tablespoons (71g) butter, softened
2/3 cup (152g) lukewarm water
 
Filling:
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup (74g) raisins (optional)
 
To make the dough:
Combine all of the dough ingredients, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough.  Place the dough in a lightly greased container, and allow it to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until it's just about doubled in bulk.
 
To make the filling:
While the dough is rising, make the filling by stirring together the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
 
Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.  Roll and pat the dough into a rough rectangle approximately 6" x 20".  Brush the dough with the egg/water mixture and sprinkle it evenly with the filling and raisins, leaving a bare strip about 1" wide along one short edge; this will make the log you're about to roll easier to seal.  Starting with the short end that's covered with filling, roll the dough into a log.  Pinch the ends to seal, and pinch the long seam closed.  Transfer the log, seam-side down, to a lightly greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover and allow the bread to rise until it's crested about 1" over the rim of the pan, about 1 hour.
 
While the dough is rising, heat the oven to 350°F.
 
Bake the bread for 40 to 45 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after the first 15 to 20 minutes.  The bread's crust will be golden brown, and the interior of the finished loaf should measure 190°F on a digital thermometer.  Remove the bread from the oven, and gently loosen the edges.  Turn it out of the pan, and brush the top surface with butter, if desired; this will give it a soft, satiny crust.  Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

Makes 1 loaf.

From King Arthur Flour

Perfect Chocolate Biscuits

100 grams dark chocolate
150 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

130 grams granulated sugar

70 grams Lyle's golden syrup

215 grams unbleached all-purpose flour

45 grams cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Start by roughly chopping the chocolate into shards of the size you'd like to find in a biscuit.

Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer and beat briefly to soften, then add the sugar and syrup and beat on a medium speed for about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until fluffy.

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.  With the mixer running on a low speed, add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until everything comes together into a dough.

Roll into a sausage shape about 2 inches in diameter.  Wrap well and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 10 days.

Heat the oven to 350°F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.  Cut the dough sausage into thin rounds and arrange, fairly well spaced apart, on the trays.  Bake for 25 minutes for crisp biscuits, 15 minutes for squidgy biscuits, or 20 minutes for something in between.  Leave to cool on the baking tray.

Recipe from Felicity Cloake in The Guardian

Crispy Sage and Garlic Butter

2 tablespoons plus 6 tablespoons
1-2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
8 fresh sage leaves

Heat 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic and sage in a small skillet over medium heat.  Cook until the butter begins to brown and the sage is crisp, about 3-4 minutes.  Puree the browned butter, sage, and garlic with the remaining 6 tablespoons butter.

Makes 1/2 cup.

From Half Baked Harvest blog

Sweet Potato and Herbed Goat Cheese Gratin with Chipotle

3 cups heavy cream    
1 tablespoon chipotle puree (or 1 canned chipotle pepper)
4-5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced very thin
4 or 8 ounce package herbed goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 350°F. 

In a blender, puree the cream and chipotle until smooth.

In a 10x10-inch baking dish, arrange a fourth of the sweet potatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle with one fourth of the crumbled goat cheese, and pour a fourth of the cream over all.  Repeat with remaining potatoes, cheese, and cream, forming 4 layers.  

Bake for 1 hour, or until the cream has been absorbed and the potatoes are browned.  (May be prepared up to 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated.  To serve, reheat in a 350°F oven for 12 minutes.)

Serves 8 to 10.

From Bold American Food by Bobby Flay

Brussels Sprouts, Apple, and Pomegranate Salad

1/2 large red onion, diced small
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons ground sumac
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to season salad
2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from about 1/2 a large one)
1/2 a large, tart, peeled apple, cored and diced
Juice of half a lemon, plus more to taste
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons honey, plus more to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
Ground chipotle chile pepper, hot smoked paprika, or another chile flake, to taste
 
Make the sumac-pickled onions:
Combine red onion, wine vinegar, sumac and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a small dish and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients, or ideally at least 15 minutes.
 
Combine all salad ingredients, including red onions and their pickling liquid, in a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and red pepper. Taste and adjust ingredients as desired.
 
This salad can be prepped ahead, but keep the dressing off of it until at most an hour before serving so it doesn’t discolor the sprouts.
 
Serves 4 to 6.
 
From Smitten Kitchen blog

Apple-Herb Cornbread Stuffing

6 cups cubed cornbread (about 1-inch cubes)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large sweet onion, chopped small
1 large or 2 small stalks celery, diced small
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large or 2 small firm, tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and diced small
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 sage leaves, minced
1/2 to 1 cup vegetable, chicken, or turkey stock or broth
1 large egg
 
Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350°F. Spread cornbread cubes in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool in pan while you prepare the other ingredients.
 
Generously butter a 2-quart baking dish (a 9×5-inch loaf pan, 8- or 9-inch square dish, etc.) with 1 tablespoon butter. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, thyme, salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper, and cook for 2 minutes, until becoming translucent. Add celery and cook for 2 more minutes. Add apple and sauté until a bit tender, 3 to 4 minutes more.
 
Place toasted cornbread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Scrape contents of skillet on top. Whisk egg and 1/2 cup stock together and pour over. Stir in parsley and sage. Spoon into prepared pan. If mixture looks a little dry, pour remaining 1/2 cup broth over it. (This is a good place to pause, if needed. Nothing bad comes of the stuffing absorbing the liquids for longer.) Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until brown on top and no liquid appears if you insert a knife vertically into the center of the stuffing pan and turn it slightly. Serve immediately, or reheat as needed.
 
From Smitten Kitchen blog, with some changes