Creamy homemade spinach soup thickened with a silky roux and brightened with a whisper of nutmeg. Ready in 30 minutes with simple pantry staples, this comforting bowl feeds six hungry people on a cold night.
Molasses muffins spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, studded with raisins. Make-ahead batter keeps in the fridge for fresh muffins anytime.
Sweet pinto pie blends cooked pinto beans with sautéed onions, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a silky filling baked in a pie crust. A budget-friendly, high-fiber twist on sweet potato pie that'll fool everyone at the table.
For that definitive French touch, an enriched Bechamel sauce.
Chicken breasts stuffed under the skin with creamy sour cream potatoes and chopped spinach, brushed with paprika butter, and topped with a nutmeg-spinach cream sauce. A one-hour microwave meal.
Mother's fruit cake is a brandy-soaked holiday classic with cherries, apricots, pineapple, peel, raisins, and currants bound in a spiced chocolate-scented batter. Baked slow and aged for two months.
Turning now to cooking with cheese, here's a recipe for a yummy spinach and cheese soufflé. This recipe comes from Lynne Kaplan, a chef who owns the Victoria House Bed & Breakfast in Spring Lake, NJ. For a gourmet B&B check them out at victoriahouse.net.
Chicken simmers in a rich, complex mole sauce built from chipotle chili, cocoa, peanut butter, sesame seeds, raisins, and warm spices. Authentic Mexican mole that's worth every minute.
Two-day sourdough potato rye bread with molasses, cornmeal, mace, and poppy seeds. A dense, earthy loaf with an overnight starter and old-world European baking technique.
Khoresht-e Fesenjan: chicken or lamb simmered in a rich, dark walnut and pomegranate sauce with saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg. A beloved Persian stew served with rice.
Homemade low-fat turkey sausage patties with dried apples, sage, and nutmeg. Ready in 30 minutes, these breakfast sausages skip the grease and pack real country flavor into every bite.
Pastel de pescado: a showstopping fish pie of cod and spiced Swiss chard wrapped in buttery pastry, twisted into a rustic topknot and baked golden. A centerpiece dish worth the time.
Vegan soy nog made with steamed butternut squash, vanilla soy milk, brown rice syrup, nutmeg, and a splash of mirin. A dairy-free, egg-free holiday drink.
Warm spiced apple cider punch infused with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and fresh nutmeg, blended with orange and lemon juice for holiday gatherings.
Meat and sweet potato pie with a seasoned ground beef crust filled with mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, cinnamon, and eggs. A savory-sweet dinner pie with no pastry needed.
Classic French quiche maison with blanched bacon, Gruyere cheese, and a rich egg custard with cream and nutmeg in a blind-baked pie shell. Blanching the bacon first removes excess salt for a more refined filling.