Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this salad. It is so delicious.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry (I used a spring mix)
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup.

Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Chewy Chai Sugar Cookies

These cookies were so yummy. I love the flavor of chai this time of year. The cookies are best the day you make them - warm and chewy. I found they hardened somewhat the next day but as long as you do not overcook them they stay fairly chewy. I made them with white whole wheat but you can use all-purpose.

Chewy Chai Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, November 2010

2 ¼ cups (11 1/4 ounces) white whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch ground black pepper
1 ½ cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar , plus 1/3 cup for rolling
2 ounces cream cheese , cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter , melted and still warm
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Set aside.

Place 1½ cups sugar, cream cheese, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and black pepper in large bowl. Place remaining 1/3 cup sugar in shallow baking dish or pie plate and set aside. Pour warm butter over sugar and cream cheese and whisk to combine (some small lumps of cream cheese will remain but will smooth out later). Whisk in oil until incorporated. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; continue to whisk until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix with rubber spatula until soft homogeneous dough forms.

Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 tablespoons each. Using hands, roll dough into balls. Working in batches, roll balls in reserved sugar to coat and evenly space on prepared baking sheet, 12 dough balls per sheet. Using bottom of drinking glass, flatten dough balls until 2 inches in diameter.

Bake, 1 tray at a time, until edges are set and just beginning to brown, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating tray after 7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook. Cool cookies on baking sheets 5 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room temperature.

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

When I was little and stressed out, my mom would bring me small presents. One of these gifts was the "365 Ways with Pies" cookbook. I think I made every one of them, but this one is an annual favorite on Thanksgiving. Its tasty and most importantly, easy!

Spicy Pumpkin Pie

2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons molasses (or maple syrup, if you must)
1 tall can (1 2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1 unbaked pie shell

Combine eggs, sugar, spices, salt, pumpkin, and molasses. Add evaporated milk; stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in 450 degree oven for 15 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and bake for 40 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Sometimes you need comfort food and a pot pie is as comforting as it gets. On days when I have a lot of time, I love to make the Barefoot Contessa's pot pie. However, most days that require comfort food are hectic. This one is fast and easy. I like to put initials on everyone's pie. It's just cute.



Easy Chicken Pot Pie

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
½ cup milk
1 - 2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 10-oz packages of frozen vegetables
Frozen pie crust
Salt and pepper
Butter

In a large saucepan, heat soups and milk, stir in chicken, onion, vegetables, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour into gratin dishes. Cut pastry for top and lay over pie filling. Dot with butter, season with salt and pepper and bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Butternut Squash Pizza

This was really delicious and different. I love butternut squash but I always run out of new ways to cook it. I used whole-wheat pizza dough from whole foods.

Butternut Squash Pizza
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

1 cup very thinly sliced peeled, halved butternut squash
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt
1/4 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1 ball Pizza Dough
6 to 10 small or torn sage leaves
1 to 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Drizzle squash with oil, and season with salt; toss.

Spread cornmeal on a baking sheet. Stretch dough into a 9 1/2-inch round; transfer to baking sheet. Drizzle dough with oil, and arrange squash on top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile toss sage with garlic, and drizzle with oil to coat. Sprinkle sage mixture over pizza. Bake until crust is golden brown and cooked through, 10 minutes more.

Sprinkle with hazelnuts and serve.

Serves 1 to 2.

Fall Vegetable Hash

I made this for breakfast along with eggs. So yummy, hearty, and healthy. Jamie - even you can eat this!

Fall Vegetable and Quinoa Hash
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 beets, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes, greens reserved and rinsed well
1 leek, white and pale green parts only, halved lengthwise, cut ¼ inch thick, and rinsed well
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss sweet potato with ½ teaspoon oil and ¼ teaspoon salt; spread in an even layer on half of a rimmed baking sheet. Toss beets with ½ teaspoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt; spread on other half of sheet (so they do not discolor potatoes). Roast, stirring halfway through, until tender, about 35-40 minutes.

Thiny slice beet greens. Heat 1 ½ teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add greens, leek, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cook until tender and lightly browned, about 8 – 10 minutes. Stir in quinoa, thyme, and vegetables. Cook until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve.

Apple Cake

Apple Cake
From SmittenKitchen.com

I sprinkled powdered sugar on top. Christian ate this every morning for breakfast.

6 apples, I used Gala apples
1 tablespoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons sugar

2 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour, sifted
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a tube pan. Peel, core and chop apples into chunks. Toss with cinnamon and sugar and set aside.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, orange juice, sugar and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ones, then add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Spread half of apples over it. Pour the remaining batter over the apples and arrange the remaining apples on top. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until a tester comes out clean.