Crisp Cucumber Poppy Seed Salad

Posted by Roxanne on September 20, 2017

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…]

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Posted by Kathy on September 6, 2017

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!!!

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

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.

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Our Total Eclipse Party!

Posted by Kathy on August 20, 2017

The excitement in this part of the county is of Galaxy proportions!

The Total Eclipse is absolutely mind boggling. Those of us here in the Kansas City area are super excited. And we are not alone—everyone around here is Eclipse crazy!!! It just seemed natural to have a party and invite a few of our younger friends. Roxanne’s nephews and niece had a ball helping us explore the Galaxy and bake the treats! (We laughed all afternoon and had a ball with them!) [Read more…]

Beer Can Chicken

Posted by Roxanne on August 4, 2017

I was lucky enough to grow up during the time when we did not have cell phones, Twitter, Facebook or any other social media distractions. I spent summers at our lake home on the Lake of the Ozarks. Lucky me! Weekends were filled with All-American fun such as picking blackberries from a wild field, my mom making her famous cobbler and laughing with friends as we “played on the lake” all day long. The memories that I have stored in the memory safety deposit box in my mind will last for my lifetime and for that I am eternally thankful.

A fond food memory of weekends on the lake includes my dad at the grill. He was always in his happy place when he was at the lake. One of the recipes that he would grill throughout the summer was beer can chicken. Beer can chicken would be served with corn on the cob, plump, ruby red summer tomatoes and peach or blackberry cobbler. Are you getting the picture? This truly was heaven on earth and as close to any Norman Rockwell painting that you have ever seen.

Years have flown by since weekends were carefree and spent at the lake but recently when the Hen House Market CSA included a fresh, free range local chicken all those memories surfaced and if I am totally honest, a few tears, too. I declared to my family that it was beer can chicken for Sunday dinner and they were as excited as I was. [Read more…]

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Posted by Kathy on July 18, 2017

Is there anyone who doesn’t eat seasonally in the summer? Burgers out on the grill with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers are standard fare at this house all summer long. You, too? And, one of my favorite summer recipes is this Tomato and Cucumber Salad.

The CSA at Hen House this week was filled with all kinds of summer goodies! I zeroed in on the ground beef, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions right away! [Read more…]