Here are edited excerpts from a recent online chat. Recipes whose names are capitalized can be found in our Recipe Finder at washingtonpost. com/recipes.
Q: I bought turnips at the farmers market over the weekend and have no idea what to do with them. Do you have any vegetarian-friendly suggestions?
A: For starters, they’d be great to boil along with potaotes and just mash together. Our recipe for Silken Turnip Soup (Thanksgiving alert!) is terrific, and you can make it with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Ginger, Carrot and Turnip Casserole With Candied Chestnuts is also a keeper. Or try Roasted Turnips With Mushrooms and Wine.
– Bonnie S. Benwick

Q: I made your recipe for Squash, Roasted Tomato and Popped Black Bean Salad, and it was phenomenally good. I plan to make it again tonight. I noticed that the recipe didn’t say to peel the butternut squash. I went ahead and peeled mine before slicing it, but was that intentional, to leave the peel on? I didn’t realize butternut squash peel is edible. Seems to me it would be quite tough.
A: The peel softens when baked. It’s a little firmer than the soft flesh, of course, so if you’re going to puree the squash you should definitely peel, but other than that, it’s a matter of preference. I leave the peel on when I make roasted squash rings, with acorn or delicata squash. I like having it there for a little extra texture.
Not just squash can be left unpeeled: I can’t think of the last time I peeled a carrot or potato, preferring to just scrub them. Beets were a revelation.
Here are two other recipes that skip the peeling: Roasted and Stuffed Squash Rings, and Whole Roasted Beets With Mole Sauce.
– Joe Yonan

Q: Although I don’t much care for bananas, zucchini, etc., I absolutely love them in quick-bread form. It seems that if you make it a carb and put cinnamon on it, I’m a fan. Do you have any recipes for unusual fruits or veggies to make into quick breads?
A: The Green Tomato Bread from our all-tomato issue in August is a good one. Other sweet (though not necessarily “unusual”) options: Turkish Coffee Pear Bread, Maple Sweet Potato Spice Bread, Chocolate Spice Bread.
Or you could go savory, with Walnut and Cheddar Loaf, Olive-Rosemary Bread or Savory Cheese and Chive Bread.
– Kara Elder

Q: I bought a red bell pepper from the farmers market to use in a salad. When I cut open the pepper, I found the seeds were coated in white mold, which was rather off-putting. However, the red exterior flesh of the pepper was mold-free and perfectly firm (and tasted fine). So I proceeded to use it in the salad. Was that a bad idea? Should I have just tossed it?
A: You did the right thing.
– J.Y.

Q: I’m curious: Why, when you publish recipes from a cookbook, do you say they’re “adapted from” the cookbook? You certainly don’t mean to indicate that you’re finding fault with the author’s recipe.
A: We say “adapted” for any of a number of reasons: Mostly, it’s because we have a standard/style guide for how to express techniques and directions. Sometimes it’s because the recipe has not called for unsalted butter or kosher salt or no-salt-added canned beans or broth, and that’s what we’ve used for testing. (We typically try to keep an eye on that bottom-line nutritional analysis.)
And I wouldn’t say “finding fault” is a reason, per se, but on occasion we test published recipes from cookbook authors and the recipes don’t quite work. Or we test them and discover a more user-friendly way to make them, or we test them with substitutions and include that information.
– B.S.B.

Q: I found a pie recipe I’d like to try, and it calls for a tablespoon of whiskey. I know nothing about whiskey and don’t see myself developing a taste for it. What should I get for this recipe?
A: With that small amount of whiskey, and in that recipe, the brand won’t matter hugely. I’d probably go with bourbon in most of the autumnal pies I can think of, and I’d just get a mini-bottle of decent bourbon from the local ABC. Several of the major brands sell itty-bitty bottles, and you can save cash that way – unless you’re expecting an onslaught of holiday guests who feel differently about whiskey!
– M. Carrie Allan

Q: The Rosti With Mushrooms recipe looks amazing, and the poached eggs look perfect. Any tips, aside from those in the recipe, for getting my poached eggs to look like that?
A: Those tips will definitely help. Two others:
1. Use a nonstick pan. That will help keep the egg from sticking to the bottom of the skillet, which can happen even with all that water. (If you don’t want to do that, just use a slotted spoon to gently scrape up and nudge the egg if it looks or feels as if it’s sticking.)
2. Use fresh eggs; the older ones will have more wisps because the egg white gets more watery with age. Or use one of those slotted spoons meant for straining the watery parts of the egg first.
– J.Y.

Q: I’ve been assigned to bring a chocolate dessert to a dinner party, and I’ve gone through my binder of recipes and nothing is inspiring me. What is your go-to chocolate cake recipe? Or chocolate pie? For flourless cakes, what kind of chocolate do you recommend? Can I get away with the Trader Joe’s Pound Plus bars?
A: What about making Chocolate-Espresso Pots de Creme? Easier than cake, really. Smooth, pure-tasting, makes people go “ooh” while they’re consuming it. If you don’t own ramekins, you can buy little disposable aluminum ones or use teacups (not porcelain). Trader Joe’s chocolate should be okay for those, although I’m a big fan of the idea that the better-tasting chocolate you use, the better the chocolate dessert will be.
– B.S.B.

Q: My daughter will be graduating from college in December. I’m trying to decide on a brunch menu for around 13 people. Can I mix brunch and lunch items? I’d like to make it slightly fancier than her high school graduation party. Also, since most attendees are over 21, I would love to incorporate some alcoholic beverages.
A: To mixing brunch and lunch items, I say yes!
I think a mix of nibbles and larger dishes served family-style could be nice. For nibbles, maybe Sweet Potato Samosas, Lamb and Phyllo Cigars, and hummus and other dips with fresh vegetables or flatbreads. For larger dishes, how about a strata, which would be perfect for assembling ahead: Caprese Strata or Beet Greens Strata. If a strata seems too hefty, frittatas: Persian Zucchini Fritatta or Yogurt Kuku. You can prep sturdy salads ahead of time, too, such as our Fresh Kale Salad.
– K.E.