Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust

MAKES 10 CUPCAKES

Pumpkin is a great base for cupcakes because it keeps the cake moist. I've added lots of pumpkin spices like cinnamon and ginger plus a frosting made with pure maple syrup. If you insist on making them even better, you can crumble some Heath bars on top for added crunch. These are great for a birthday party—grown-ups and kids both love them.

1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing the pan
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

Maple Frosting (recipe follows)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped Heath bars, for serving (two 1.4-ounce bars)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the top of a muffin pan with vegetable oil and line it with 10 paper liners.

Into a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the - cup vegetable oil. Add the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Scoop the batter into the prepared tins (I use a 2.-inch ice cream scoop) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, spread the -cupcakes with the Maple Frosting, and sprinkle with the chopped Heath bars.

Canned pumpkin is actually better for baking than purée made from a fresh pumpkin. It's a different variety of pumpkin than our traditional jack-o'-lantern.

Maple Frosting
FROSTS 10 CUPCAKES

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla on medium-low speed until very smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.

Be sure the cream cheese and butter are absolutely at room temperature or the frosting will be lumpy. I leave them on the counter overnight.

Slow-Roasted Filet of Beef with Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise
SERVES 6 TO 8

I had always cooked filet of beef at a high temperature to sear the outside and keep the inside moist and rare. Recently, though, I tried slow-roasting a filet of beef, and found it was the tenderest I'd ever tasted. Prep it in advance and throw it in the oven two hours before dinner. The homemade mayonnaise with basil and Parmesan is a delicious accompaniment.

1 whole filet of beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (4 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
10 to 15 branches fresh tarragon
Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise, for serving (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to be sure your oven temperature is accurate!

Place the filet on a sheet pan and pat it dry with paper towels. Brush the filet all over with the oil, reserving about half a tablespoon. Sprinkle it all over with the salt and pepper (it will seem like a lot but believe me, it makes a difference). Place the tarragon branches around the beef, tying them in 4 or 5 places with kitchen string to keep them in place, and then brush the tarragon with the reserved oil.

Roast the filet of beef for 1. to 1- hours, until the temperature registers 125 degrees in the center for rare and 135 degrees for medium-rare. I place the thermometer horizontally through the end of the beef. Cover the filet with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice thickly and serve warm or at room temperature with Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise.

Basil Parmesan Mayonnaise
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

Homemade mayonnaise sounds intimidating but there's really only one trick: the eggs and oil must be totally at room temperature. Adding fresh basil leaves and salty Parmesan cheese makes this a great sauce for filet of beef but it's also delicious as a sandwich spread, a dip for crudit?s, or served with a flavorful fish like salmon or swordfish.

2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (see note)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup vegetable oil, at room temperature
1/2 cup good olive oil, at room temperature

Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, Parmesan, mustard, basil, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for 20 seconds, until smooth. Combine the vegetable oil and olive oil in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. With the processor running, slowly pour the oil mixture through the feed tube to make a thick emulsion. Taste for seasonings—the mayonnaise is a sauce so it should be highly seasoned. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use; it will keep for up to a week.

I "grate" the Parmesan in the food processor—it's actually ground, which is better than grated.

Winter Minestrone & Garlic Bruschetta
Serves 6 to 8

This incredibly hearty winter soup falls somewhere between a soup and a stew.
The texture and flavor are amazing—it's filled with chunky vegetables, pasta, beans, and spinach. Pesto and Parmesan swirled in at the end make it even better. I serve it in big shallow bowls with garlic bruschetta on top.

Good olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, 1/2-inch-diced
11/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced carrots (3 carrots)
2 cups (1/2-inch) diced celery (3 stalks)
21/2 cups (1/2-inch) diced peeled butternut squash
11/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
26 ounces canned or boxed chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
6 to 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 62)
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta, such as tubetti (see note)
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup good dry white wine
2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
Garlic Bruschetta (recipe follows)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. The soup should be quite thick but if it's too thick, add more chicken stock. Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad). Cook just until the leaves are wilted. Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste.

Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil, and serve hot.

NOTE: To cook the pasta, put 1 cup of pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook according to the directions on the package, drain, and set aside. You can make this soup ahead and reheat it before serving. It will need to be reseasoned.

Garlic Bruschetta

1 baguette
Good olive oil
1 garlic clove, cut in half lengthwise

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Slice the baguette at a 45-degree angle in - inch-thick slices. Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and bake for 6 minutes, until lightly toasted. Take the slices out of the oven and rub the surface of each one with the cut clove of garlic