Recipes from: Chef Dan Catanio, Executive Chef and Food Service Manager, The Mill Casino-Hotel. Chef Catanio was at a conference in Portland when he got my e-mail looking for recipes. He shot these off as soon as he got back into town.

Winter squash with dried cranberries and toasted pecans

Squash and cranberries have a natural affinity for one another. The tartness of these American berries gives a real boost to the subtle tastes of squash.

1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (Swanson’s Chicken or vegetable broth would be good)

1 cup small diced or julienned butternut squash

1 cup small diced or julienned acorn squash

1 cup small diced or julienned pumpkin

1 tablespoon dried cranberries, plumped

1⁄4 cup chopped toasted pecans

2 tablespoon butter

Juice of one lemon

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Bring the broth to a boil in a skillet over high heat. Add the squash and pumpkin; cover the skillet and simmer over low heat just until tender, 10-12 minutes.

Remove the cover from the skillet; increase the heat to high, and allow any excess moisture to cook away, 2-3 minutes.

Drain the cranberries and add them to the skillet along with the nuts, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes, stirring gently to distribute the ingredients evenly.  Serve at once.

Preparation Note:  Whether diced or julienned, the squash should all be the same size.

Makes 6 to 8 Servings

Potato Cheddar Casserole

This popular potato dish, similar to pommes Dauphinoise, uses a technique known as gratiner, which means it is baked until a golden brown crust forms.

4 Russet potatoes

1 cup light cream

1 tablespoon butter               

1 cup of grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

2 eggs

 

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Peel the potatoes and hold them in a bowl of cool water.

Heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté just until soft about 2 minutes; set aside.

Mix the eggs and cream together thoroughly, and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic to the cream mixture.

Lightly grease a 9x11-inch baking pan or gratin dish. Slice the potatoes 1/4 inch thick and arrange them in a single layer in the pan. Cover with one-quarter of the cream mixture and sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup of cheese. Continue layering until all the ingredients are used up, ending with cheese on the top.

Cover the pan loosely with foil and bake in the preheated oven 45-50 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Bake until the potatoes are brown on top.

Preparation Notes: For silky texture, bake in a water bath at 275 degrees for 80 to 90 minutes

Variations:  To give this casserole main-course status, add slivered ham, cooked green beans, peas or asparagus, or sautéed onions.

Makes 6 servings.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

This bread pudding makes a fine change from traditional pumpkin pies as part of a holiday banquet. Whole-wheat bread along with the classic filling delivers the wonderful tastes of pumpkin pie, in a new package.

7 slices of whole-grain bread, cubed

2 cups of whole milk

4 whole eggs

1 cup sugar

11⁄2 cups cooked, pureed pumpkin, fresh or canned.

1⁄2 cup raisins

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1⁄8 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the bread on a baking sheet to toast for 10 – 12 minutes. Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole or baking dish.

Beat together the milk, eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly blended.

Add the bread cubes to the mixture and stir to moisten evenly. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Combine the pumpkin, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and stir into the bread mixture. Pour into the prepared casserole and cover with foil or parchment paper.

Place the casserole in a larger baking pan, and add enough hot water to come up to the level of the pudding.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue baking for 15 minutes, or until the pudding is completely set and the top lightly browned.

Variation: The sugar can be replaced with 3⁄4 cup of real maple syrup.

Serving Suggestions:  French Vanilla Bean Ice cream is excellent with this.

Makes 8 servings