Parsnip-Buttermilk Tart
This creamy dessert is made with a surprising ingredient—parsnips. The recipe, by Kaley Laird, the executive pastry chef at Asheville, North Carolina's James Beard Award-nominated restaurant Benne on Eagle, will surprise everyone around the table when you ask them to name the secret ingredient. The often-overlooked root vegetable has a subtle sweetness that tastes great in the tart filling (which flavored with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg), and pairs well with Pan-Roasted Apples and a Spiced Apple Butter topping. The crust, made with pecans, graham crackers, and cacao nibs for a hint of chocolate, is something special too. Laird makes the Spiced Apple Butter from scratch and while it is heavenly (she adds bourbon!), you can also save some time in the kitchen and use a good-quality jarred apple butter for the topping instead. If you do follow her recipe, you will have about 3 ½ cups of leftover Spiced Apple Butter, which you can spread on toast, swirl into oatmeal, or enjoy however you like.