Giving Fall Classics A Modern Twist

With the weather cooling and winter approaching, everyone enjoys digging into comforting, traditional meals. If you’re taking online cooking courses, you’ll likely want to put your own spin on some of these beloved items. Try these recipes to explore the possibilities for updating your fall favorites:

Bring seasonal taste to a flatbread pizza

A flatbread pizza prepared with whole-wheat naan is a fantastic weekday dinner, and the right ingredients give it a fun, seasonal twist. Delish provided a recipe that’s fast, easy and packed with flavor.

Use a food processor to make a pesto, pulsing together pine nuts, basil leaves, grated Parmesan and minced garlic. Keep the processor running as you pour in a quarter cup of extra-virgin olive oil and blend into a smooth mixture. Add salt and pepper.

Toss the kernels from two ears of corn in a tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Set the flat breads on a baking sheet and add the pesto, along with the corn and your choice of additional toppings. Goat cheese, tomatoes and salt-cured olives are all solid options.

Bake in an oven set to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. After eight to 10 minutes, you should see the cheese melting and the flatbreads turning a golden brown.

Prepare pumpkin pie with a kick

Any baking and pastry arts enthusiast has a favorite recipe for classic pumpkin pie. Gimme Some Oven took this classic to a new level by adding bourbon to the mix.

First, whisk together a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves. In a separate bowl, combine two eggs and a can of pumpkin puree before pouring in the the sugar and spice mixture. Whisk until combined, and then add a can of evaporated milk along with two tablespoons of bourbon.

Pour the filling into a nine-inch pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees for another 40 to 50 minutes.

When the pie is done baking, place it on a wire rack to cool and prepare a bourbon whipped cream topping. Combine a tablespoon of whiskey with heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Use an electric mixer to whip until soft peaks develop.

Refrigerate the whipped cream while the pie cools for two hours. Then, top and serve.

Add new dimension to a comfort food favorite

While it’s still warm enough to grill, celebrate the season by thinking outside of beef for your burgers. You can use ground lamb to make a dish that’s both satisfying and intriguing, as Serious Eats demonstrated. Start by pressing the meat into patties, leaving a small indentation in the top of each, and seasoning on both sides with salt and pepper.

Fire up the grill and close the lid to heat for five minutes. Set the patties on the grill, flipping frequently and being careful to keep them from falling apart. Cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees for a medium-done burger.

Set the patties aside on a plate for three minutes, and toast the buns. Go for Greek-style with tzatziki or mint sauce or pile on the classic hamburger toppings, such as lettuce, tomato and onion.

Using seasonal ingredients unlocks endless opportunities for your cooking. In culinary academy, you’ll learn to update beloved items and make them your own by applying an array of techniques and inventive combinations of tastes. With a little creativity, you can prepare amazing food that’s ideal for the chilly evenings ahead.