Another seasonal one is to get a pumpkin, scoop out the seeds, and fill the hole with chopped up leeks, lumps of gruyere cheese (or anything of a similar consistency – a bit stretchy and rubbery) and double cream. Put the lids back on and bake for about an hour. Do a small pumpkin per person because you don’t want to share!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds and stringy stuff. Place squash halves in a baking dish. Season squash, then drizzle with olive oil. Pour water into baking dish, until it comes about half an inch up sides of squash.
Bake squash 45-50 minutes.
Remove from oven, and divide bolognese sauce between the two halves. Sprinkle with cheese. Return squash to oven, and bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until squash is tender, sauce bubbling and cheese golden.
Serves 2.

And they served Av0gadro’s biscuits drowning in butter, except subbing shrimp for cheese. It was the simplest and the tastiest thing on the menu.

I have made the brie in puff pastry, and it was a mega-fail. Part of the pastry was gooey, part of the cheese leaked out, and part of the cheese was cold. Obviously I was doin’ it wrong.

Pesto baked brie

1 round brie
1 bottle prepared pesto

Put brie round on a cookie sheet or other pan with a lip. Pour pesto sauce over until top and sides of brie are coated. Bake at 350F (177C) for ~30 minutes. Serve with your favorite cracker, pita chip, or bread. I’ve never had leftovers!

Pesto is my favorite topping for baked brie, but there are a million variations, e.g., jam and walnut, fig, roasted red pepper, etc., etc. You can also wrap the brie and toppings in prepared puff pastry dough before baking, though I’ve never tried this.