four fabulous fall foodie finds

The Blood Sucker Cocktail

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz. Bacardi "O"
1/2 oz. Cointreau
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 tbsp. strawberry or raspberry puree

Preparation

In a shaker with ice pour rum, Cointreau and juice. Shake and pour into a rocks glass. Dip the end of a drinking straw into the puree, hold the tip of your finger over the other end and use the straw to squirt puree into the bottom half-inch of the drink, where it will sink in red blobs. Do not stir.

Onion-Bacon Dip

makes 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 large leek
• 6 bacon slices
• 1 large sweet onion, minced
• 1 8oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 2lb. acorn squash
• assorted multigrain and vegetable chips
• garnish: chopped fresh chives

Preparation

1. Remove and discard root ends and dark green top of leek. Cut in half lengthwise, and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit and sand; thinly slice leek.

2. Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon.

3. Sauté onion and leek in hot drippings 15 minutes or until tender and golden.

4. Stir together onion mixture, bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, and salt. Cover and chill 1 hour.

5. Cut about 1/2 to 1 inch from top of squash; remove and discard seeds.

6. Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Place squash, cut side down, in skillet, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until cut side is golden brown and caramelized. Serve dip in squash with assorted chips. Garnish, if desired.

Grilled Pizza with Steak, Pear, and Arugula

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1/2 pound flank steak
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust
• 1 red Bartlett pear, peeled and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups fresh arugula, divided
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• Freshly cracked pepper

Preparation

1. Coat cold cooking grate of grill with cooking spray, and place on grill. Preheat grill to 350° (medium heat).

2. Season flank steak with salt and pepper.

3. Grill steak, covered with grill lid, at 350° (medium heat) 8 to 10 minutes on each side or to desired degree of doneness. Cover and let stand 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk together oil and vinegar in a small bowl.

5. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin strips. Cut strips into bite-size pieces (about 1 cup).

6. Place pizza crust directly on hot cooking grate. Brush top of crust with oil mixture; layer with pear slices, 1 cup arugula, cheese, and beef strips.

7. Grill, covered with grill lid, 4 minutes. Rotate pizza one-quarter turn; grill, covered with grill lid, 5 to 6 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove pizza from grill, and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup arugula and freshly cracked pepper.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used 1/2 (16-oz.) package Mama Mary's Thin & Crispy Pizza Crusts.

Oven-Baked Pizza With Steak, Pear, and Arugula: Assemble pizza as directed, and bake according to package directions for pizza crust.

Pumpkin Fudge

Makes about 3 pounds

Ingredients

• 3 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
• 1 (7-ounce) jar marshmallow crème
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer registers 234° (soft-ball stage) or for about 12 minutes.

Remove pan from heat; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Let stand 2 hours or until completely cool; cut fudge into squares.