Fall brings the most wonderful apples and other delicious foods. Once again, I am always experimenting with vegan and vegetarian recipes. Lentils are one of my challenges. Puy lentils are French, smaller and have a peppery taste. Any lentils are fine.

Mushroom Strudel with Demi-Glace Sauce

Here is a recipe my friends in Seattle gave me that I recently attempted. I used my old standby, frozen puff pastry for the dough. Filo can be used but I find it too greasy and too much work. I used brown mini portobellos, with about two boxes.

This recipe calls for espagnole sauce. I created a shortcut for this using tomato paste in a tube. It is always in my fridge. I also have jars of Better Than Bullion in the fridge. It can be added to anything to enhance a soup or sauce.

Mushroom Strudel Filling:

2 cloves garlic smashed.

2 tablespoons neutral oil

2 boxes of sliced baby portobello mushrooms

1 cup finely diced onion (about 2 small)

2 ounces butter

4 ounces white wine

Sauce

2 tablespoons Better than Bullion (vegetable)

1 teaspoon tomato paste (add more if necessary)

1 cup of Marsala wine

1/2 cup water

Lentils

1/2 cup Puy lentils

2 cups of vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

1 sprig of thyme

Sauté the onions and the garlic in oil. Deglaze with white wine. Cook lentils in stock until all stock is cooked out and the lentils are soft. Mix wine mushrooms and onion. Spread into the center of the pastry. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake 400 degrees until pastry is golden and done. Mix tomato paste, bullion and water. Cook until sauce coats a spoon. Top pastry with sauce.

Grandma Eva’s Noodle Pudding

During the recent Jewish holidays, our congregation from Spring Glen had the opportunity to eat at the Shor’s home. Fern created a wonderful noodle kugel that was her grandmother Eva’s recipe.

1 pound box of egg noodles

1 stick sweet butter

½ pint sour cream

1 pound cottage cheese

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup raisins

2 eggs beaten

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 ½ cup sugar

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons of butter for pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles according to directions on the package. When done add the stick of butter, mix in to melt. Add the rest of the ingredients except the eggs. The mixture should be cool (so the eggs don’t scramble when added). Mix eggs together and add. Pour into buttered 9x13” pan and bake for 45 minutes until done and a knife comes out clean.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

As a child, we visited Pennsylvania Dutch county and discovered apple butter. It was eaten with cottage cheese on bread. I do not recall why this was so fascinating. But I do still love it. Now there are slow cookers that are much easier to use than standing over the stove all day. Also using an immersion blender makes this recipe much easier. I have also made it with Splenda for a sugar-free version.

5 pounds of sweet apples (such as Gala), peeled

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground freshly nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup of apple cider

Place everything in the slow cooker and cook overnight until all moisture is dissolved.

Allow it to cool. Check for sweetness. You can add more sugar at this time. Mix with immersion blender. You can store it for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or follow directions on the box of Ball canning jars. I give it away as gifts during the holiday season.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Vegetables

I love roasting vegetables. They become much sweeter and make great sides to any meal. They can be roasted up to 2 days in advance and reheated to eat for dinner. The farm stands are filled with squash this fall. I enjoy acorn but find it easier to work with butternut.

1 medium butternut squash (about 1½ pounds), peeled,

seeds and membranes scraped away, and cut into ¾ to

1-inch dice.

1 large fennel bulb

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces (quarter

at the fat ends, cut in half at the thin ends, then cut in

thick slices)

1 large parsnip, quartered, cored, and cut in ¾-inch

pieces.

1 medium-size fennel bulb, quartered, cored and cut in ¾

inch pieces.

3 tablespoons oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Dressing

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup mustard

1/2 cup feta cheese

Roast vegetables. Place unpeeled squash in the microwave for three minutes to make it much easier to cut. Heat honey in microwave for 2 minutes so it becomes runny. Add mustard and pour over roasted vegetables. Cheese can be added and served with hearty bread for lunch.

Apple Pie

An easy fall dessert is apple pie with very few ingredients. I use puff pastry here once again. This makes every weeknight delightful.

½ cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup raisins

7 peeled and sliced apples

2 tablespoons

1 sheet of puff pastry

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix apples, cornstarch, sugar, raisins, and cinnamon in a bowl until well coated. Melt butter in an oven proof pan. Add apple mixture sauté until thick. Remove from heat. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes. Place the puff pastry on top of the mixture. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, about ½ hour. Serve warm with ice cream.

For my next column, I am curious what questions you may have for the holidays. Please write to me at the Journal and I can answer many of your questions.