By Allison Persad
Delicious autumn! The best part? The smells emanating from the kitchen. Baked cinnamon apples, roasted chestnuts, spiced eggnog, honey glazed ham, the glories of youth.

Creating a meal rich in tradition and deepened with the flavor of the season’s boldest ingredients is no longer just a picture print by Currier and Ives.
Preparing a holiday feast does not have to mean 12 hours in the kitchen. With careful planning and sharing the tasks, it can be a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy.
Roasting is one of the simplest cooking methods leading to delectable results. It typically involves dry heat—an oven, open flame or other heat source. The outcome is a delicious brown exterior due to caramelization, which lends great color and keeps moisture inside.
Most cooks are use to the basic roasting ingredients—chicken or beef. However, most things can be roasted, including desserts!
A general rule of thumb when roasting: The smaller the roast, the higher the temperature.
Seasoning is essential to roasting. Start with the basics—salt and pepper. This accentuates the natural flavor and sweetness that comes from roasting. When roasting vegetables, cut pieces into uniform sizes to ensure even cooking.
Some seasonings to use that brings forth natural flavors in roasting include: fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage, tarragon and rosemary; garlic; and lemon.
Always let the meat or poultry rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving so the internal juices have an opportunity to distribute evenly. Use a conventional rack in a roasting pan to prevent sticking and burning; you may also use a layer of bones or aromatic vegetables, like carrots and celery, placed in the bottom of the pan.
So, whether it’s over a firestone hearth or in your Pullman kitchen, roasting this holiday season will add warmth and flavor to your meal.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped into about 1 inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon of brown sugar
1/4 cup Italian sausage, removed from the casing(turkey sausage, for a lighter version)
1 cup small dice onion
1/2 cup small dice carrot
1/2 cup small dice celery
1 teaspoon fresh ground cinnamon
pinch of grated nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (substitute: dry white wine)
11/2 quarts chicken stock, (low sodium for a lighter version)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage leaves

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a medium-size mixing bowl, drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and sprinkle with brown sugar.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the squash on top of the sheet pan. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, or until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender.
Remove the squash from the oven and set aside.
Place a large saucepan over medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and render the sausage. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized and has released most of its fat, about 3 minutes.
Add the onions, carrots, celery, and cinnamon and nutmeg to the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously.
Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the squash in the pan with the maple syrup and sage.
Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender.
Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. If desired, add 1/2 cup heavy cream for a creamier soup. Keep warm until serving. Optional: Garnish with sage leaves or toasted pumpkin seeds.
Serves about 6. (Small portions are ideal to start when serving a large holiday meal)

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy For Turkey:
1 (11-12-lb) turkey at room temperature (Brine turkey overnight using your favorite brine mix and brine bag, preferred Williams Sonoma) reserve giblets for stock or stuffing
1 medium onion, halved
1 bunch of thyme sprigs
4 large rosemary sprigs
4 large sage sprigs
1 fresh bay leaf
4 garlic cloves crushed
1 lemon, quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and halved
2 celery stalks
Kosher salt and pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup chicken or turkey broth

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400° with rack in lower third. After brining, pat turkey dry and place in a large roasting pan on V-shaped rack. Place carrots and celery on bottom of pan with half cup stock. Season turkey inside and out liberally with salt and pepper.
Stuff the cavity with lemon wedges, onion, crushed garlic, half of all herbs(thyme, rosemary, sage, bay leaf). Add remaining herbs, chopped, to softened butter and brush turkey, including under skin.
Cover pan, if using roasting pan, cover turkey with parchment paper then aluminum foil, and roast for one hour.
Baste with pan juices, and add remaining stock to pan, continue to roast covered until an instant read thermometer inserted to the fleshy part of the thigh registers 170° F, 30 minutes to an hour.
Uncover, baste with pan juices and roast for 15 minutes more or until skin is golden brown. Carefully tilt the turkey so juices inside cavity run into pan.
Transfer turkey to a platter, loosely cover with foil and let rest 40 minutes.
Serves 6.

For Pan Gravy
2 cups turkey stock
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped herbs, parsley, sage, thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Strain the pan juices and skim off the fat (using a fat separator), pour pan juices into a bowl and add stock.
Whisk together flour and melted butter in a heavy saucepan until mixture thickens, about two minutes. Add pan juices and stock in a steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
Bring to a boil, whisking until slightly thickened. Let simmer and stir in herbs, season with salt and pepper. Pour gravy into a pitcher or boat, serve with turkey.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
3 heads garlic, remove the top 1/3 of the heads to open the cloves
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stick butter, cubed
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Drizzle garlic with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then wrap in aluminum foil pouch. Place in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and cool. Squeeze or remove the garlic cloves from the head and place in a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the garlic until smooth.
Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and drain. Place the potatoes back in the pot and return to the heat. Stir the potatoes, constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the heat. Add the garlic and butter. Using a hand-held masher, mash the butter and garlic into the potatoes. Add enough cream until desired texture is achieved. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
Serves 6 to 8.

Roasted Asparagus
2 pounds fresh asparagus
3 tablespoons olive oil, good quality
1 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated or shaved Parmesan optional

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim woody ends at least 1 1/2 inches and, if they’re thick, peel them.
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.
Roast the asparagus for 15 minutes, until tender but still crisp.
Serve warm with Parmesan shavings on top.
Serves 6 to 8.

Roasted Pears with Vanilla Ice-Cream
1/2 cup apple juice
1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup of Riesling
3 firm Bosc pears, peeled, halved, cored (about 1 pound)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the pears cut side up in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
Whisk the apple juice and sugar in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Whisk in the butter, add wine. Pour the sauce over the pears.
Bake until the pears are crisp-tender and beginning to brown, basting occasionally with the juices, about 40 minutes. Spoon the pears onto plates. Top with ice cream. Drizzle with any juices and serve.
Serves 6.