Calico Beans

8 ounces bacon, about 10 to 12 slices
1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. dry mustard
2 cans pork and beans
1 can lima beans or butter beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup ketchup
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vinegar

Brown bacon, ground beef, and chopped onions. Combine drained ground beef mixture in slow cooker with remaining ingredients; cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 5 hours.

Pumpkin Praline Pie

Filling:

1 can pumpkin puree

1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1 prepared pie crust
Adjust oven rack to lowest position.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Whisk pumpkin, sugar, spices, salt, and vanilla in mixing bowl until blended. Whisk in eggs one at a time. Whisk in cream. Pierce bottom of pie shell with fork.Pour filling into pie shell.
Bake 20 minutes.
Topping:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Whisk butter, sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla together in small saucepan. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes.
Scatter nuts over pie and cover with topping. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Bake just until pie is set, 30-35 minutes. If edge browns too quickly, cover it with strips of foil.
Let cool completely.
Serves 6.

Butter-rum baked apples

4 Golden Delicious or Baking apples with stems

1/3 Cup packed light brown sugar

1/4 Cup dark rum

2 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/8 Teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1/8 Teaspoon cloves
¼ Teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Cut off top third of each apple and reserve. Scoop out seeds and some of flesh from apples using a melon-ball cutter or round teaspoon measure to form a cavity (do not puncture bottoms). Stand apples in a buttered baking dish just large enough to hold them.

Heat remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Pour some of syrup into cavity of each apple and remainder into baking dish. Return apple tops to apples and cover dish loosely with foil.

Bake in middle of oven until apples are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.

Peachy Keen Muffins

1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup diced peaches
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and buttermilk. With a fork, mix in vegetable oil, molasses, vanilla, and egg. Add remaining ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are dampened.
Grease bottoms of 12 medium muffin cups.
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake at 400° for about 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.Makes 12 medium muffins.

Mediterranean Couscous Salad

2 cups instant couscous, prepared as per box instructions
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
1 ¼ cups tomatoes, stemmed, seeded and diced
¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint, plus whole sprigs for garnish
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano, plus whole sprigs for garnish
For dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. grated lemon zest

3 Tbs. white balsalmic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Prepare couscous as per box instructions. Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl. Using a fork, fluff the couscous grains to separate them. Add the pine nuts, kalamata olives, tomatoes, feta cheese, chopped mint and oregano and toss.
In a separate bowl whisk lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, and the vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until well blended. Mix into couscous mixture gently but well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend. Garnish with the mint and oregano sprigs and serve the salad chilled or at room temperature. Serves 6.

Secret Ingedient:Gorgonzola Cheese

Our first winner in the Secret Ingredient Recipe Poll is Gorgonzola Cheese.

Gorgonzola is an Italian cows' milk cheese named after a village outside of Milan. It can be buttery or firm, crumbly and quite salty, with a 'bite' from its blue veining. The cheese dates back to the 9th century, with the blue/green mold developing accidentally sometime around the 11th century. As with most blue-veined cheeses, Gorgonzola was originally aged in caves and the blue veins of mold developed from spores naturally present in the caves. Today, the mold spores are mixed right in with the curds in the cheese making process to maintain consistent standards.

Fettuccine with Gorgonzola and Mushroom sauce

1 1/2 c. dry white wine

2 1/4 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter5 shallots, finely chopped
1 pint button mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp. Fresh thyme, chopped or 1 1/2 tsp. dried, crumbled

3/4 lb. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled additional for garnish

3/4 lb. fettuccine

Fresh ground pepper
Italian parsley for garnish

Bring white wine to boil in heavy saucepan, reduce by one half. Add cream, bring to boil and lower heat to simmer. Continue simmering for about 5 minutes, liquid will reduce by approximately 1/8.

In separate medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms, sauté until shallots turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in thyme.

Add Gorgonzola to cream mixture and stir until cheese melts and sauce thickens slightly.
Cook pasta in boiling water until tender. Drain and return to hot pot.
Remove cream sauce from heat. Fold in shallots and mushrooms. Season with ground pepper to taste. Pour over pasta, stirring constantly.
Divide pasta onto plates and sprinkle with remaining Gorgonzola cheese and Italian parsley garnish. Serve immediately. Serves 4.