Apple

December is the tail end of apple season and your last chance for apples fresh off the tree. Apples are widely available and they store well if refrigerated; keeping them chilled preserves their crispness and conserves their nutrients.

• • Apple Omelet with Cinnamon Cream Apple Omelet with Cinnamon Cream
• • Glazed Apples with Espresso Sauce Glazed Apples with Espresso Sauce
• • Chocolate Fondue Chocolate Fondue

Broccoli

Broccoli is one of the most healthful foods you can eat. It is packed with a rich supply of important vitamins and nutrients and it contains the phytochemical sulforaphane, which helps reduce the risk of cancer. Fresh, in season broccoli should have a crisp texture and clean, refreshing flavor. It is delicious lightly steamed and sprinkled with lemon pepper.

• • Asparagus Mousseline Asparagus Mousseline
• • Broccoli Vinaigrette Broccoli Vinaigrette
• • Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce Asparagus with Lemon Butter Sauce

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts pack plenty of nutritional value into a small package. They contain the cancer-fighting qualities of other cruciferous vegetables, along with good amounts of folate (folic acid), potassium, vitamin K, and a small amount of beta-carotene. A delicious addition to stews and pot roasts.

• • Pad Thai Noodles Pad Thai Noodles
• • Herb Turkey Wrap Herb Turkey Wrap
• • Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Chestnut

Chestnuts have a flavor that is rich and "meaty," and since they are a starchy food, they can be served as a vegetable. These are a popular addition to holiday dishes, including stuffing, and they are delicious roasted and eaten out of the shell. They are only available fresh for a short time.

• • Tuna Salad with a Kick! Tuna Salad with a Kick!
• • Roasted Chestnuts Roasted Chestnuts
• • Asian Chopped Salad Asian Chopped Salad

Collard Greens

Collards are one of the milder greens with a pleasantly bitter flavor that is somewhere between cabbage and kale. They are rich in beta-carotene and supply a good amount of folate (folic acid)--a disease-fighting B vitamin--and a substantial amount of calcium.

• • Seared Foie Gras with Pears Seared Foie Gras with Pears
• • Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad
• • Chicken Breasts with Green Olive Dressing Chicken Breasts with Green Olive Dressing

Cranberry

Only about 10 percent of the commercial crop is sold fresh, and the rest are frozen or canned. This is the time of year to enjoy fresh cranberries. Fresh cranberries freeze very well, so buy an extra bag or two early in the season for use later on when they are not as plentiful in stores.

• • Holiday Goose Holiday Goose
• • Cranberry Spoon Bread Cranberry Spoon Bread
• • Grapefruit-Cranberry Sparkler Grapefruit-Cranberry Sparkler

Fennel

Fennel may look like a plump bunch of celery, but its flavor certainly sets it apart. Fennel has a mild sweet flavor akin to licorice or anise. Fennel is a delicious and refreshing snack eaten raw, and roasted it makes a lovely side dish to many meat entrees. It is also a great addition to stew.

• • Broiled Grouper with Fennel Broiled Grouper with Fennel
• • Roasted Cod with Grapefruit & Fennel Roasted Cod with Grapefruit & Fennel
• • Potato and Fennel Salad Potato and Fennel Salad

Grapefruit

Super nutritious, with a clean flavor that is tart, yet sweet, pink grapefruits make a great snack. They are also excellent paired with many varieties of fish, and are great for added zing in salads.The three major types of grapefruit include white, pink/red and Star Ruby/Rio Red. Each variety has it's own unique flavor nuances, but they all have a clean refreshing, sweet-tart flavor. Grapefruits are traditionally halved, then eaten with a spoon, but they can also be peeled or sliced and eaten like an orange. Grapefruits are excellent paired with many varieties of fish, and are great for added zing in salads.

• • Roasted Cod with Grapefruit & Fennel Roasted Cod with Grapefruit & Fennel
• • Grapefruit & Avocado Salad Grapefruit & Avocado Salad
• • Grapefruit & Avocado Salad Grapefruit & Avocado Salad

Leek

Leeks have a milder and sweeter flavor than onions and a crunchy texture when cooked, making them a delicious side dish served on their own. Leeks are surprisingly nutritious, supplying more vitamins and minerals than an equal-sized serving of onions or scallions.

• • Old Fashioned Stockpot Meat & Vegetable Soup Old Fashioned Stockpot Meat & Vegetable Soup
• • Quiche with Leek & Roquefort Quiche with Leek & Roquefort
• • Leeks with Mustard Vinaigrette Leeks with Mustard Vinaigrette

Mandarin

This delicious little treat has been called the Satsuma Tangerine, the Satsuma Mandarin, and less commonly, the Satsuma Orange. Satsumas are one of the most anticipated citrus fruits of the season. A great snack for kids and adults alike, these delightful little oranges are so sweet and juicy, you may not be able to stop once you get started. Thankfully, they are very neat and easy to eat. A box of these tasty little citrus fruits is a traditional holiday gift.

• • Pumpkin Bread with Mandarin Pumpkin Marmalade Pumpkin Bread with Mandarin Pumpkin Marmalade
• • Simple Spinach Salad Simple Spinach Salad
• • Wonton Chicken Salad Wonton Chicken Salad

Orange

Juicy and sweet and renowned for their high concentration of vitamin C, oranges make the perfect snack and add a special tang to many recipes; it is no wonder they are one of the most popular fruits in the world.

• • Olive Oil Cake Olive Oil Cake
• • Orange-Ginger Roasted Game Hens Orange-Ginger Roasted Game Hens
• • Asparagus with Orange Sauce Asparagus with Orange Sauce

Pear

This pear has crunchy, yet tender flesh and a sweet-spiced flavor. If you have not tried a Bosc, you will be surprised and pleased. For a light spring dessert, try these pears baked or poached.

• • BruCo Chocolate Fondue BruCo Chocolate Fondue
• • Fresh Fruit Clafoutis Fresh Fruit Clafoutis
• • Pear Turnovers Pear Turnovers

Persimmon

This fall fruit has a glossy orange-red skin that resembles a tomato. When ripe, the persimmon possesses a rich, sweet, spicy flavor. Persimmons are well worth trying not only for their exceptional flavor but also for their beta-carotene; they also have some vitamin C and potassium.

• • Holiday Persimmon Cookies Holiday Persimmon Cookies

Potato

• • Steak au Poivre Steak au Poivre
• • Roasted Leg of Lamb Roasted Leg of Lamb
• • Fillet of Sole with Capers Fillet of Sole with Capers

Pumpkin

Not just for fall decorations, pumpkins provide some fine eating, as well as plenty of good nutrition. Pumpkins are rich in fiber, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamins C and E, and they are particularly rich in carotenoid pigments such as alpha-carotene, beta carotene, and lutein. Look for smaller varieties that are sold specifically for cooking.

• • Pumpkin Bread with Mandarin Pumpkin Marmalade Pumpkin Bread with Mandarin Pumpkin Marmalade
• • Pumpkin Cheesecake Pumpkin Cheesecake
• • Pumpkin Ginger Muffins Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

Squash

While the vibrant colors of fall foliage is the ultimate symbol of the changing seasons, the arrival of unique and colorful hard squashes is a close second! Hard squashes come in a rainbow of earthy colors, and more shapes, sizes, tastes, and textures than you can count.

• • Farro Risotto with Mascarpone in Squash Cups Farro Risotto with Mascarpone in Squash Cups
• • Gorgonzola Bruschetta Gorgonzola Bruschetta
• • Butternut Squash Risotto Butternut Squash Risotto

Sweet Potato

Sweet potatoes are one of nature's truly perfect foods! They're low in calories, high in fiber, great for people who are carbohydrate sensitive, and packed with vitamins and minerals. Plus, the rich, flavorful flesh of the sweet potato is so versatile, and delicious.

• • Sweet Queso Fresco Crepes Sweet Queso Fresco Crepes
• • Chocolate Fondue Chocolate Fondue
• • Steak au Poivre Steak au Poivre

Turnip

• • Old Fashioned Stockpot Meat & Vegetable Soup Old Fashioned Stockpot Meat & Vegetable Soup
• • Herbes de Provençe Roasted Potatoes Herbes de Provençe Roasted Potatoes
• • Etta's Ruby Chard Etta's Ruby Chard