Root Vegetable Gratin

The Grand Café

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray

2 ½ cups milk

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 turnips, peeled, sliced on the bias, ¼-inch thick

3 parsnips, peeled, sliced on the bias, ¼-inch thick

1 large rutabaga, peeled, sliced on the bias, ¼-inch thick

1 cup breadcrumbs

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9-inch by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a small pot, heat the milk with the thyme over medium–low heat until hot.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the canola oil. Add the garlic and cook one minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is a light golden brown (about two minutes).

Slowly whisk in the hot milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until very thick. Stir in the pumpkin pie spice and salt and pepper to taste.

Coat the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a thin layer of the sauce. Place one third of the vegetable, slightly overlapping, in the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle with a layer of Parmesan. Repeat two more times.

Pour all of the sauce over top. Gently push vegetable down into thick liquid.

In a small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, remaining parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. Evenly sprinkle over the top of the gratin.

Bake until the gratin is bubbling and the topping is browned. The vegetables should yield easily when pierced (about 1 ½ hours). If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil.

Let rest for ten minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash Soup

Madison’s Café

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons margarine or butter

½ teaspoon fresh sage

3 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

2 cups chicken stock

¼ teaspoon dried marjoram

Pinch of ground black pepper

Pinch of ground cayenne pepper

4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, sauté onions in butter until tender. Add squash, chicken stock, marjoram, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan and heat through. Do not allow to boil.

Garnish with fresh sage.