One thing that can go wrong with baked whole pumpkins is incinerating it into mush. Filled with cream and Gruyère cheese, you’ll know when the pumpkin is overcooked. It will likely collapse into a deflated mound of white and orange laced with strings of melted Gruyère. The semi-successful dish will still be delicious, as long as the cream spills into a baking dish instead of the oven floor.

That’s my long-winded way of saying that you can’t mess this non-recipe up.

The pumpkin top is sliced off to serve as its own lid and the structural integrity of the baked pumpkin depends on the carving method. Instead of cutting off the tops horizontally in one stroke, use a narrow pointed knife and slice around the stem at a 45 degree angle. Just don’t forget to watch those fingers.

View Whole Pumpkin Baked with Cream and Cheese Recipe recipe »

Finding this Norwegian brown cheese at the local cheesemonger means that I finally get to break 90% with the omnivore’s hundred list. Cue applause here. If you’ve been living under a foodblog-free rock the past month or so, you can find the original list at Very Good Taste. I’m probably only 1 of 3 people who bothers to update my list, getting a rush whenever another item gets marked off, but it’s all in good clean fun.

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Studies conducted on yours truly have shown that whole grains are beneficial to one’s health particularly during breakfast, the most important meal of the day.* One noteworthy perk is improved appetite control until the daily ritual colloquially referred to as “lunch,” usually partaken of between 1200 and 1300 hours. This effect is attributable to complex carbohydrates and its slow digestion, a bodily function whereby food is deconstructed into absorbable nutrients.

* citations needed

Please consult the following list for the advantages and disadvantages of carbohydrate-based breakfast options discussed thus far:

View Old-Fashioned Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes recipe and a list of other breakfast options »

Chocolate pot de crème is my dessert of choice for intimate gatherings because it is easily scalable and can be made a day in advance. A silky custard baked in single-serving portions, pots de crème can be topped with fresh fruits, whipped cream, or chocolate shavings to make a dainty-looking but unfussy dessert.

You may already have the ingredients necessary to make this version of pots de crème, perhaps with the exception of chocolate liquor. Chocolate liquor is also known as baking chocolate, consisting of roughly 50% cocoa powder, 50% cocoa butter, and 0% sugar. The bitterness will short-circuit your palate for a bit so don’t confuse it with regular sweetened chocolate when snacking. A small amount is enough to lend the custard a deep but pleasant bittersweet flavor.

View Pots de Crème au Chocolat recipe »

At the risk of getting called a donkey, this Italian antipasto recipe from Gordon Ramsay is hereby dubbed rolls of zucchini instead of courgettes. Slivered almonds are folded into a creamy mixture of ricotta cheese, basil, and lemon juice to create the filling. Nestled in paper-thin strips of zucchini and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, these bite-sized rolls are an excellent starter to any meal, Italian or not.

Using the best of seasonal summer produce in zucchini and basil, it also needs no heat to prepare — perfect for days when the thermostat can barely keep up with the heat.

View Ricotta-Stuffed Zucchini Rolls - Gordon Ramsay Recipe »