Winter Squash Quiche

Monday night football was on the television, and the guys were at my place with their eyes glued to the screen. Anxious to have new recipe test subjects, I proposed that I make some food. However, when I mentioned squash, a loud groan echoed throughout my apartment.

“Why can’t we just order wings?” and “Really? Vegetables for a football game?” But I stood my ground, and finally they admitted that free food was better than no food at all.

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Tags: recipe | fall | wintersquash |

Local Restaurants

Looking for a restaurant that supports local vendors? Look no further.

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Tags: restaurant |

Parsnips and Potatoes Bake

My grandmother makes homemade potatoes au gratin for every big family event. I love her recipe, and I wanted to experiment with locally grown parsnips before they disappear into winter. The outcome is a delicious twist on an old favorite.

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Tags: recipe | fall | parsnips | potatoes |

Turnip Fries

During high school, I was always on some crazy fad diet. As a result, my cravings for unhealthy foods were always through the roof. As a way to conquer those cravings, I was constantly searching for healthy tasty alternatives that wouldn’t ruin my diet. During one of those creative cooking sessions, I came up with a cheap, easy, and healthy recipe substitute for French fries. They taste just as good minus the guilt that comes with fast food.

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Tags: recipe | fall | turnips |

Local Farmers Markets

People are always looking for the next big thing. Whether it’s wearing the latest fashion or securing a reservation at a chic new restaurant, we want to be the first to embrace new trends. However sometimes we focus too much on what others are doing that we forget what is in our backyards, literally.

This series of listings focuses on businesses in the State College area that sell and use local baked goods, produce, and meats. First up: Farmers Markets.

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Tags: market |

Harrison’s Restaurant in State College

Hotel chains typically house generic restaurants, but Harrison’s Wine Grill & Catering located in the State College Hilton Garden is an exception. The cuisine is inventive, and the restaurant is cozy and close to the kitchen where you can watch flames leap off the stovetop, adding an unexpected and entertaining aspect to your dining experience.

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Stuffed Pumpkins

I love October. I love the leaves, the Halloween decorations, and most of all, the pumpkins. Every year, on October 1st, I embark on a quest for the perfect pumpkins. Once I have found them, I try to come up with innovative ways to use them for cooking, outside of the typical pumpkin pie. Here is the perfect recipe for entertaining this fall. It is simple, quick, and the finished product is cute and tasty.

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Tags: recipe | fall | pumpkins |

Steak au Poivre

Whenever I want to impress someone with my cooking this is my go to recipe. I have yet to meet someone who dislikes it, and in fact, it usually becomes one of their favorite meals. Everyone in my family is in love with this steak. Every time I go home to visit them, they ask me to make this. While this is recipe is intended to serve two people, it can easily be doubled for more.

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Tags: recipe | steak | meat |

Penn State Meat Sale

While riding the bus to Innovation Park one morning, I saw a huge line of people standing outside a non-descript building. In my four years at Penn State, I never once paid any attention to this building, despite the fact that every football season I have walked past it on my way into Beaver Stadium. Outside there was a sign advertising a meat sale. Curious, I went online once I reached my destination and found what might be considered Penn State’s best kept secret. Almost every Friday during the Fall and Spring semesters, the Meat Laboratory holds a retail sale full of fresh cut, locally raised meat that is open to the public.

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Tags: meat | tailgaiting | psu |

Elk Creek Café + Aleworks in Millheim

Overall, I am a typical Penn State student. I drink the beer that is on tap and on special. I’m so used to drinking the cheap stuff that I’m intimidated by craft brews. Also, because I come from a wine drinking family, I have limited experience with beer. Yet I was intrigued by the allure of Elk Creek Café + Alehouse, and so I traveled with my boyfriend 30 minutes to Millheim in pursuit of something other than Bud Light.

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Tags: restaurant | beer |

Okra Hash with Spicy Sausage

Some folks are intimidated by okra, most likely due to its foreign origin and slimy texture. Before creating this recipe, I had only eaten fried okra, and, admittedly, it was not on the top of my list to eat again. But I wanted to give the vegetable a second chance.

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Tags: recipe | summer | fall | okra | meat |

Chicken in Mushroom White Wine Sauce

After chatting with Sandy Alexander from Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery, I decided I had to cook with wine. It was a new and intriguing challenge that I took head on. My three friendly “guinea pigs” tasted this creation and agreed it was a hit. If you like your sauce to be a tad creamier, you can add a tablespoon or two of flour while it’s cooking. But I prefer the fluid texture against the rice and chicken.

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Tags: recipe | summer | chicken | mushrooms | wine |

Apples in Sweet Red Wine Sauce

I have never enjoyed the overwhelming sweetness associated with desserts. When I was a little girl, my mother made this apple dish so I wouldn’t feel left out during dessert time. To this day, I have been working to recreate her recipe, and I think this is as close as I will ever get. It is a little tangy and a little sweet, just perfect for those of us who like a little bite to our desserts.

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Tags: recipe | summer | fall | apples | wine |

Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery

The drive to the Mount Nittany Vineyard & Winery is one of winding roads, quaint farmhouses, and field after green field. It’s easy to forget that the bustling downtown of State College is less than ten miles away.

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Tags: wine |

Sautéed Pepper and Onion Pasta

Here is a quick and easy pasta salad, perfect for the summer to fall transition time. It can be served either hot or cold and pairs well with heavy wheat beer.

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Tags: recipe | summer | garlic | peppers | tomatoes | onions |