DIY Network

Harvest Party: Food Preparation From "Weekend Entertaining" episode WKE-306

In the food segment host Jeanne Benedict features a pumpkin brandy hazelnut soup that's made from a pumpkin puree and gets a little kick with minced fennel. Sweet potato and leek gallettes are made from scratch using puff pastry and a sweet potato and butter mixture.

Hourly Breakdown

Total Prep Time -- 8 hours

Food Preparation -- 4 hours

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Pumpkin Creme Dip

Pumpkin Creme Dip (Appetizer) -- Web Exclusive

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
One 15 oz. can pumpkin pulp
3 Tbs. brown sugar
2 cups sour cream
1 small pumpkin, seeded, pulp removed

Preparation:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pumpkin and brown sugar and cook pumpkin, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Place sour cream in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin mixture until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon into hollowed pumpkin and serve cool. Do not store dip that has been un-refrigerated for more than 15 minutes.

You can serve this dip with crackers, apple slices, etc.

Serves: 3 cups

Brandied Pumpkin and Hazelnut Soup

Brandied Pumpkin and Hazelnut Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup hazelnuts, skinned
3 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 medium bulb fennel, minced
4 cups canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup spiced brandy
6 cups vegetable broth
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place hazelnuts on a baking sheet and cook five minutes or until lightly toasted. Chop nuts into coarse bits.

Melt butter and oil in stockpot over medium high heat. Add thyme and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about five minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in pumpkin, brandy, broth, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until mixture thickens. Stir in cream and cook stirring occasionally, for five minutes more. Remove from heat.

Ladle soup into a large tureen or individual bowl and scatter hazelnuts over top.

Serves: 8

Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Gallettes with Crispy Fried Leeks

Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Gallettes with Crispy Fried Leeks

Ingredients --

One 17.3 box Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets
4 Tbs. goat cheese

Ingredients for sweet potato mixture:

1 extra large sweet potato, peeled, chopped, boiled and mashed
4 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. brown sugar
Pinch of salt

Ingredients for Crispy Fried Leeks:

2 Tbs. Peanut oil
2 cups leeks (white and pale green parts only; from about 5 small leeks), cut into strips about 1/4" in width and about 3-4" long.
1 egg

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Thaw one half of a 17.3 oz. package of puff pastry sheets, and roll it out on a floured surface to approximately 11" square. Cut out four 3.5 pastry rounds. Place rounds on baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them apart.

Spread about a tablespoon of goat cheese atop each, and spread mashed sweet potato mixture on top of the goat cheese, leaving about half an inch from the edge. Swirl the two mixtures together. Crimp pastry edges upward just enough to hold topping in place, and brush the edges with a beaten egg.

While you are waiting for the Gallettes to bake, make the crispy fried leeks by pouring peanut oil into a heavy small saucepan to the depth of 1"; heat oven to 350 degrees. Fry leeks in small batches until lightly browned, about 20-30 seconds. Transfer fried leeks to paper towels to drain. Salt the leeks while they are still hot.

Top the Gallettes with a haystack of fried leeks. Bake the Gallettes for about 30 minutes.

Ginger Snap Beef Stew

Ginger Snap Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs. beef stew meat, cut in 1" chunks
4 large carrots, peeled, cut in chunks
2 onions, peeled, cut in slivers
4 Russet potatoes, scrubbed, cut in 1" chunks
1 cup frozen peas
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
4 cups beef broth
3 cups water
10 crushed ginger snap cookies

Preparation:

Heat oil and garlic in a large stockpot over medium high heat.

Add beef and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides. Add remaining ingredients to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for two hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is done and vegetables are tender. Serve in a hollowed out round loaf of bread or in individual bowls.

Serves: 8

Cornbread Casserole

Cornbread Casserole

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey
1/2 lb. herbed chicken sausage (chicken sausage with fresh chives used on the show)
1 cup diced white onion
1/4 cup cream of chicken with mushroom soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 pkg. Jiffy Cornbread Mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup creamed corn
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbs. olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the casing from the chicken sausage and coarsely chop.

In a large frying pan, heat olive oil and cook the turkey, chicken sausage, and onions. Drain the liquid and put mixture in a large mixing bowl. Add the soup, sour cream and shredded cheese, and stir until combined.

In a small bowl, combine the cornbread mix, milk and egg. Mixture will be lumpy. Add the creamed corn.

Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish. Add the meat mixture and top with the cornbread mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, or until it's lightly browned on top and the cornbread is cooked through.

Serves: 4

Note: Green beans topped with slivered almonds were also served at the party.

Expert Tip: A standard protocol in preparing and planning for your buffet is to provide two protein options. For example, a fish and a beef. You can also serve a starch, a vegetable, a salad, and everyone loves a basket of bread.

RESOURCES :

Create for Less
Website: www.createforless.com

Fabric.com
Website: www.fabric.com

All Occasions Party Rentals
Website: www.alloccasionspartyrentals.com

Earth Fare
Website: www.earthfare.com

Zwilling Cutlery
J.A. Henckels, Inc.
Website: www.jahenckels.com

GUESTS :

Harry Schwartz
Culinary Expert
PO Box 1320
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Phone: 207-846-8881
E-mail: chefharry@chefharry.com
Website: www.chefharry.com

Debbie Lee
Culinary Expert
President
Paragon Events and Catering
1620 Broadway #H
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: 310-453-8023
E-mail: debbielee@paragoncatering.com

Wade Wesson
Event Planning Expert
Dazian, LLC
124 Enterprise Ave., S.
Secaucus, NJ 07094
Phone: 877-232-9426
E-mail: E-mail: info@dazian.com
Website: www.dazian.com

Marta Monahan
Etiquette Expert
Vittorio Media, Inc.
11601 Wilshire Blvd., 5th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: 818-907-5488
E-mail: marta@martamonahan.com
Website: www.martamonahan.com