For anyone preparing to host some haunts during Halloween but can not seem to find a recipe to make guests scream, chef Carlos Meltzer from Sur La Table brings both sweet and savory options to try at home.

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Winter Vegetable Stew with Moroccan Flavors
From Simple Comforts 50 Heartwarming Recipes

Serves 6 to 8

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into ¾ inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into ¾ inch pieces
2 tablespoons golden or dark raisins
2 cloves garlic, bruised with knife
1 leek, trimmed and cut into ¾ inch pieces
8 ounces winter squash (such as butternut, pumpkin or acorn), peeled, seeded, and cut into ¾ inch cubes
8 ounces Yukon Gold or other potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ¾ inch cubes
8 ounces rutabagas, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes
8 ounces turnips, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (28 ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juices
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
2 tablespoons minced preserved lemons (optional)

1. Combine the carrots, celery, raisins, garlic, leek, squash, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, and olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot. Add the tomatoes, cumin, paprika, and salt. Fold together until blended. Tuck the cinnamon stick and bay leaf.

2. Cover and place in a cold oven. Turn the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake without disturbing for 1 ¾ hours. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and preserved lemons, if using. Serve hot from the oven or at room temperature.

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Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Yield: 3 cups

7 large fresh egg whites
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place egg whites and sugar in the metal or glass bowl of a standing mixer. Gently whisk the whites and sugar together, but do no whip.

Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reaches 140 F on a digital or candy thermometer.

Carefully transfer the bowl to the mixer stand. Using the whisk attachment, beat the whites on high speed until the mixture has formed a stiff meringue around 8 – 10 minutes.

With the mixer still running on high speed, slowly add the butter one piece at a time, until all of it has been incorporated. Add the vanilla extract, and continue to mix just until combined.

Remove the buttercream from the mixer bowl and place in an air tight container. If you will be using the buttercream within a couple of hours, store the container, covered, at room temperature. Any unused buttercream can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, in the same air tight container. When ready to use, bring the buttercream to room temperature, and return to the mixer bowl, beating on low speed with a paddle attachment till creamy again.

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Pumpkin Spice Cupcake

These cupcakes are sure to be a hit at your next Fall gathering. This recipe also makes a great ever-day muffin with the addition of some chopped nuts or raisins.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 cup canned evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a standard 12 cup cupcake pan with paper liners.

In the bowl of a large food processor combine together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, pulse until thoroughly combined. With the food processor running, drop in cold cubes of butter in small amounts until mixture resembles a cornmeal.

In a 4 cup glass measuring cup, combine the eggs, canned pumpkin, and evaporated milk and stir together. With food processor running, slowly stream in the pumpkin liquid until a smooth batter is formed. Turn off food processor and scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed; mixing by hand if necessary.

Spoon the finished batter into the cupcake pans, filling each cup with approximately a 1/2 cup of batter, or until the cups are 2/3 full. Place in the oven and bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of one of the cupcakes, comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes
2 cups flavored buttercream frosting
1/2 cup chocolate jimmies or sprinkles
2 – 3 pieces large shredded wheat cereal
36 mini pumpkin candies

To decorate your cupcakes, start with a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip. Fill pastry bag with buttercream of your choice and pipe a 1” layer of frosting in a single layer atop each cupcake. Place the chocolate jimmies into a shallow pie pan, and roll the sides of each cupcake through the sprinkles to attach. Break up the large pieces of shredded wheat into a bowl, into various “strips” until it resembles broken up straw or hay. Place a small pile of shredded wheat on top of each cupcake, keeping within the border already created by the jimmies. Place 3 pumpkin candies in the center of each cupcake on top of the shredded wheat, placing one on its side to add character. Enjoy!!