Chopped Salad with Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts

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Looking for something light, but hearty for lunch or dinner?  How about something to serve your vegetarian guests during the holidays? This salad will be your answer.  It is showstopper in color, texture and, most importantly, flavor.

The star of this salad is the butternut squash.; roasted until tender and lightly caramelized.  This squash is high in fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C.  And although is is heavy on the carb scale, it is low on the glycemic index,  making it an excellent addition to your daily nutrition.   It is also referred to as a vegan protein, but you would have to supplement with other lean proteins like...romaine!  Did you know that one head of romaine has 8 grams of protein and is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.  Yes,  even though it is not talked about much, romaine is considered a superfood.  The other supporting elements in this salad come from an apple (an apple a day...), goat cheese (I love a good cheese), and radicchio. 

Radicchio is kind of a hit or miss for some people because it does have a strong bitter taste.  However, you can weaken that taste in this salad by cutting it into smaller pieces and soaking it in water (you need to wash it anyways).  By cutting it into smaller pieces and soaking it, you create more surface area for the bitter taste to bleed out into the water. (You can also grill or roast radicchio to tame the bitterness, but I'll save that idea for another recipe post.)

Toss all of these lovely mind and body healthy ingredients together with a simple and scrumptious balsamic vinaigrette and you have...Wait, I almost forgot the HAZELNUTS!!  Ok, now you have a powerhouse of a salad!

Some of you might ask, "Can I substitute the goat cheese and hazelnuts with another cheese or nut?" I say, "Of course you can!" 

Here are some nut and cheese combinations that work for my taste buds-

Goat cheese w/ hazelnuts or pistachios

Blue cheese w/ pecans or walnuts

Feta cheese w/ almonds

As always- Make it for you, make it your own! Happy cooking!

Sunday Dinner

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Caramelized Onion and Apple Tassies

Cassoulet with Toulouse Sausage, Lamb Stew, and Duck Confit

Simple Green Salad

Country Bread

Chocolate Tart

It's that time of year when I get to choose the Sunday Dinner menu. Actually, I choose most of the Sunday menus, but this Sunday happens to precede my birthday (always nice to turn 21 again).  You'll note that not much has change over the past three years when my birthday rolls around.  In fact, the only thing that really changes on the menu is the appetizer and dessert.  I promise that one of these years I will get to the Cassoulet.  But it is very involved (I even make my own sausage) and I spend days prepping.  So for now, I will keep it simple and share the appetizer.  

We enjoyed these little bite-sized cups a few weeks ago.  They were so delicious that I wanted to make them again while the apples are at their peak.  I changed up the original recipe a bit to suit my own tastes.  The original recipe called for Asiago cheese in the dough and filling, but I chose to use a good aged White Cheddar, but just in the filling.  I completely omitted the cheese from the dough.  I also used apple cider vinegar in lieu of balsamic since there are apples in the recipe.  I added some crème fraîche for richness and an egg as a binder.  These adaptations made for a two bite cup of Fall goodness.  Oh and I almost forgot... there's bacon in there too!

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Sunday Dinner three years ago

Carrot Apple Soup

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Apples, Carrots, Onions, and Butternut Squash...an ode to Fall in food terms.  Seriously.  When my middle daughter Emma took her first spoonful, she said, "Mmmm...tastes like Fall".  I couldn't agree more.

The original recipe called for ginger, but I didn't want to overpower the seasonal flavors of the root vegetables and squash.  Instead, I added lemon zest to brighten the flavors and added some cayenne for a little kick.  Some added fresh thyme for a subtle herbal flavor, and a dollop of crème fraîche really rounds out the savory flavors.  It is delicious on its own, but I highly recommend serving the soup with bacon and melted cheddar sourdough toasts.  So good!

Apple and Fennel Slaw

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An unseasonable mid-week warm up has pushed my braised red cabbage off the menu.  So in order to satisfy my craving for that cruciferous vegetable, this cool and crisp slaw comes in to play.

Tart green apples and aromatic fennel are combined with thinly sliced cabbage.  As much as I enjoy the raw, anise-like flavor of fennel, it is better suited for this recipe when it is briefly blanched.   Chilling the apples, fennel and cabbage in ice water helps them retain a nice crunch.  Just remember to thoroughly dry them before tossing with the dressing.  A soggy slaw is not good eats.  Sweetness, tartness, and plenty of crunch make this slaw a winner salad or side to many pork and chicken sandwiches and dishes. 

Sunday Dinner

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Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions

Roast Chicken 

Twice Baked Herb and Sour Cream Potatoes

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Bacon and Croutons

French Apple Cake

A classic Fall day with mild temperatures and puffy cumulus clouds passing overhead calls for a classic Autumn meal.  The capper to this menu uses the staple fruit of the season---apples.  Although this is called a cake, the taste, texture and appearance call to mind a bread pudding or a thick apple crêpe.  The minimal amount of batter is simple to prepare with no stand mixer needed.  Four large apples are folded into the batter.  And for a play on texture, use different varieties of apples.  I used Gala, Pink Lady, Golden Crisp, and one that a neighbor shared (I think it was a Macintosh).  Serve it with a cinnamon and sugar infused crème fraîche for a delicious dessert worthy of rounding out a hearty meal. 

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars with Streusel Topping

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Have you ever had something so awesome that you didn't want to share it with anybody?  Scratch that.  Have you ever had something so awesome that you had to share it with your neighbors because you knew you would polish off the whole thing all by yourself?  These bars are the dessert that would be served on the last train to Awesome Town.  Seriously, re-read the name of these.  Caramel Apple- check,  Cheesecake Bars- check, Streusel Topping- check!  I really wish I could take credit for these, but I can't.  So I am sending a big thank you to the queen of butter herself, Ms. Paula Deen. Once you make these bars, you will do the same.  I did add some salt to the crust and the streusel.  And since I like a little citrus with my fruit desserts, I added a little bit of lemon juice to the apples.  Oh, and for the caramel... a generous drizzle of the caramel sauce cockaigne.  These bars are bananas, or should I say apples☺? Let's just say they are crazy, crazy good!

Homemade Apple Pie Spice

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Apple pie spice can be used in lots of great recipes.  But it won't find its way into my shopping cart.  Why would I buy a special ingredient when I already have the makings of it in my own cabinet?  It takes no time to whip it up, it saves me several dollars, and the mix of spices can be adjusted according to one's own taste.  I like to keep my combination simple, but nicely spiced.  I don't add ginger (I save that for pumpkin spice) or cloves, but you can if that's what you like.  I have even seen cardamom listed on the ingredient list of some blends.  I haven't said this in a while, but make it for you, make it your own☺.