It is here! Pop the Champagne and shout with joy! Delicious Poke Cakes is available now! We want to celebrate every test, taste and word—and share our gratitude for the people who helped us through the tasty journey.
It takes more than a year for a new book to be released. It is unbelievable that last fall at this time, we had just turned in the manuscript. It takes months to even get to that spot, so it is a journey—a fun journey, but still a journey. [Read more…]
Do you feel it? Is time swishing by as fast as a 747 jetliner? I looked it up and yep, a jetliner exceeds 600 miles an hour! Whew! That’s how September and October have felt around our house. I blinked and the days flew by. We have had birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate, and that has been beyond fun to spend time with those I love. We have also been busy with hospital visits and doctors appointments. My sweet mother has had plenty of medical issues the past few months. Thankfully she is on the downhill side of this. My advice to you dear friends? Wear sunscreen…..you do not want to deal with melanoma. My husband and I even took a much needed weekend get away trip to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. That is a blog post for another time, but it was a wonderful respite. We stayed at a quaint bungalow within walking distance of all the shops and restaurants on Main Street. The weather was picture perfect and I am still remembering the bliss!
Of course, as always my antidote to busyness and yes, even stress is to enjoy delicious food. The apples were about to spoil on the kitchen counter from days of neglect so on Sunday it was time, well let’s be real, it was passed time to peel apples. I carved time for my most favorite experience in the kitchen, baking pies. [Read more…]
There is something special about the fall. I love the color of changing leaves, the cooler weather and of course, the food.
We are still fighting the heat, but the markets are full of mums, pumpkins, and apples. It will soon be cool enough to think about making chili and baking fall treats! [Read more…]
Summer is lingering on just a bit longer, especially if the thermometer here in the Midwest has anything to say about it. I am still enjoying cucumbers from the CSA that Hen House provided long after the CSA has ended.
My mom always marinated cucumbers in vinegar, water and onion. Growing up I grew extremely fond of this combination. Recently I tasted a cucumber salad that was laden with poppy seeds and was very tart to the taste. It was delicious too! I came home and immediately began working on my version of this seasonal treat. Traditional Midwestern cucumbers will work fine but I actually prefer the variety of cucumber known as English. [Read more…]
Where did the summer go? It raced by! We had lots of fun times, and made great memories, but I sure wasn’t ready for it to fade away.
But, the calendar page turned and September is here. Back to school treats and fall cooking (think chili, apple pie, and pumpkin bread) awaits and those great flavors that help ease the pain of saying “see ya later” to warm, summer days.
I was thrilled that the Hen House Market CSA included a butternut squash last week. Apples from this week’s CSA were the ideal addition to this salad, too. You bet this salad is absolutely perfect this time of year and it is one of my favorites.
The end of the summer also means the end of the CSA. What fun it has been to eat local and explore such fresh produce, local meats, bread and other goodies. Thank you Hen House Market for sharing local food with us! It was great!
Now—on to the salad. It makes plenty—so it is perfect for that last cookout when friends come over. I often keep some salad undressed and put some of the dressing separate in a separate container. The salad stays fresh and I can enjoy it for lunch the next day. It is chocked full of goodness and healthy ingredients so it is the perfect lunch.
Try it—I bet you will soon be a fan of Butternut squash too.
One more thing. Do you ever shy away from Butternut because it looks hard to cut? Follow the tip at the end of the recipe and after a minute or two in the microwave oven, it will be so much easier to cut.
Enjoy!!!
1 butternut squash, (about 1-1/2-pounds) peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch
cubes (about 4 cups)
6 tablespoons olive, divided
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
5 to 6 cups torn mixed greens or romaine
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 apples or pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/3 cup candied pecans or walnut halves
Preheat the oven to 400⁰ F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Place the squash cubes in a zip-top bag. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, honey, rosemary, salt and pepper. Seal and shake bag to coat evenly. Pour squash onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until squash is tender when pricked with a fork, stirring once midway through cooking. Set aside.
In a small, 8-ounce jar with tight fitting lid, combine remaining ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, shallots, Dijon, salt and pepper. Seal and shake until combined and emulsified.
Place the greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture. Add the red onion, sliced apples or pears, and cranberries and toss to combine. Drizzle with dressing and toss. Garnish with candied pecans.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Tips:
To make peeling the butternut squash easier, prick the squash with the tip of a sharp knife in several places. Microwave on High (100% power) for 1 to 2 minutes, then allow to stand for 3 minutes. Use a sharp, heavy knife and first slice off the stem. Peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut in half and scoop out seeds. Cut into cubes.
If desired, substitute flavored olive oil or balsamic vinegar in this recipe. For example, use rosemary flavored olive oil for the olive oil and substitute cranberry pear balsamic vinegar for the balsamic vinegar. This salad is also great with crisp, crumbled bacon in it.
Candied pecans? Pick up a bag at the grocery stores, but they are also easy to make. Here is my favorite recipe.
This post has been sponsored by Hen House. More information on their CSA can be found here. All opinions expressed in this post are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make this site possible.
