Stuffed Butternut Squash

Last year, I took the standard 'bite' of squash at Thanksgiving dinner, primarily to appease my mother, who felt that "If you just try it enough, you'll like it." Fast forward to today: I can not get enough of this fruit. I have begun purchasing squash in every imaginable form: frozen cubed squash, frozen pureed squash, and fresh from the produce department squash. And I am in love with them all.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

This time of year, squash is cheap. Last week I purchased a small butternut squash for $.39 a pound, and, after much deliberation, I decided to try stuffing and roasting it. For the stuffing, I concocted a mixture I've made before. It consists of frozen corn, whole grain bread crumbs, rosemary, and black pepper (this time I threw in a little cinnamon) tossed in a dry frying pan. No oil necessary! I let the corn warm and the bread crumbs attain a fantastic nutty flavor. For me, it hits all the flavor notes of a delicious homemade stuffing.

I preheated the oven to 400-degrees and dusted my bisected and devoid-of-seeds squash with some fresh cracked black pepper and cinnamon. I stuffed the hollow with the corn and breadcrumb mixture, then baked the whole thing for about an hour. (I was paranoid that it wouldn't be spoon-soft, but it was. In the future, I think 45 minutes is enough to bake it through.)

I served this dish with a side of just black-pepper-dusted salmon (and shrimp for me). It was the perfect fall dish, and it's a "set it and forget it" kind of side dish. I think it would make a great entree, too, with added protein in the form of diced or shredded chicken or chickpeas.

However you choose to prepare it, be sure to take advantage of the season's best offerings with fork in hand.

Shrimp and Guacamole Bite

The other night, I made fish tacos for Ram and me. I started with a batch of Guacamole. It was bright with lime and fresh cilantro (it was on sale!). I added sauteed shrimp (for me) and pan-fried tilapia (for Ram) and served it with a side of pita tortilla chips. The single bite was delicious!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

An essential component, of course, is the shrimp/fish. I simply mixed a tablespoon of taco seasoning (out of the packet!) with a little bit of canola oil and poured it over a fillet of fish and a couple handfuls of shrimp. I let them marinate for a while. When it was time to eat, I simply heated a chicken fryer, added a tiny bit of oil, and tossed the fish and seafood until both were heated through.

The pita chips were a little more innovative, I suppose, though in retrospect they were so easy, I can't believe I didn't think of it before! I cut a whole-grain pita into sixths, then cut them along the fold. I ended up with thin triangles of pita, which I baked in the oven at a low heat (maybe 250 degrees) just until they were warm and slightly hard. They were the perfect bed for the other components.

Initially, I had no intention of making these tasty little bites. I simply wanted another vessel to get guacamole into my mouth. But when I realized how convenient it was (and how cool this would be as an appetizer), I started to think about the ways I want to turn my favorite entrees into delicious appetizers. I think food is more fun when it's eaten by hand, so I plan on spending more time inventing recipes that require no utensils.

Which begs the question: can I still end with my ubiquitous salutation: with fork in hand?

Guacamole

It's the quintessential Mexican food accompaniment, and a certain chain restaurant charges $1.99 per quarter cup. You know me: I want healthy food with great flavor that doesn't break the bank. Making homemade guacamole takes a little effort, but it is not expensive-- and it's a crowd-pleaser!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Guacamole starts with a ripe avocado. I always look for one with dark skin, and you want to press it to make sure it gives a little. (Nothing thwarts guacamole efforts like a too-hard avocado.) To open the avocado, I use a trick I garnered from many hours watching Food Network. I use a nice, sharp knife and cut through the skin to the pit. I keep the knife inside the avocado and turn it so that the cut forms a circle around the fruit. I then remove the knife and twist both halves until they pull apart. Here's the tricky part: I hold the half of the avocado that contains the seed, and I carefully stick it with the knife (holding the knife as if about to cut something, blade down). When the knife is stuck in the seed, twist until the seed pulls loose. Sometimes it will come out, still stuck to the knife. Sometimes I have to use a spoon to coax it out. (If all else fails, since you're going to squish the avocado anyway, you can just use a spoon to pull it out bit by bit.

The next step is to use a spoon to scrape the flesh out of the skin. Add finely chopped onion and tomato (if you like them), a dash of salt and pepper, the juice of a lime (if you have one), and some dried or fresh cilantro. Any of these ingredients can be omitted or substituted. I have used lemon juice instead of lime, and it came out fine, just slightly different in terms of flavor. But the citrus does add a kick to the creamy, earthy avocado. And cilantro tends to be a controversial herb, so if you don't like it, leave it out. The final step, of course, is to mash the avocado and to mix everything together.

Avocado is a fabulous fruit (the seed technically makes it a berry, according to sources). It contains so-called "healthy fats" that may actually help to lower cholesterol. It also contains lots of potassium and folate. Besides that, it tastes great. If colors can have flavors, then green tastes like avocado.

Ram and I ate our guacamole with a taco pizza (chicken prepared with taco seasonings, onion, and tomato atop a small naan). It was a delicious casual dinner, perfect for our traditional Friday movie night. The 'guac' was my favorite part of the meal, and I hope you'll consider crafting your own-- with fork in hand.

Pumpkin Cup-Muffins

'Tis the season for everything pumpkin, and-- thankfully-- Hannaford (and all other known grocers) have finally stocked up. I grabbed two cans the first day I saw them, and I plan on stockpiling soon.

I decided to revisit my cup-muffin recipe (a cupcake-like muffin/muffin-like cupcake) with this canned nectar from the Autumn gods, and I was not disappointed.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.0

I started with a sugar-free white cake mix, a can of pumpkin puree, and a little water. I mixed the three ingredients together, adding water as needed. The end result was a mixture about the thickness of, say, creamy mashed potatoes or squash. (When I eventually 'poured' it into cupcake papers in my muffin pan, I had to use my finger to gingerly coax it out of the ladle.) I added chopped walnuts and some cinnamon and nutmeg. I didn't measure, of course, but I would recommend a tablespoon or two, depending on how deep your love of cinnamon and nutmeg runs. Mine needed to run a little deeper on this recipe, so next time I will ere on the side of excess.

I plopped (really a more accurate term than 'poured') my batter into cupcake liners until all of the available muffin wells were full to the top of the wrappers. I threw a few unsalted sunflower seeds on top (I find killer seeds at Trader Joes) for added crunch and flavor. I baked them according to the temperature and time listed on the box; the temperature was fine, but because the pumpkin is so wonderfully moist, they needed to bake substantially longer. I let mine go an extra ten minutes, and they're still ridiculously moist. On the one hand, that enhances their deliciousness; they have a sticky top, as though coated in a glaze. On the other hand, they are messy to eat. That said, I would suggest baking them until they meet your specifications.

Dear me, these are heavenly. The flavor of the white cake still comes through, but the pumpkin is undeniable. With the added texture of walnuts and the earthiness of the sunflower seeds, these cup-muffins are, by far, one of my favorite desserts/snacks. And I don't feel the least bit guilty eating them-- with or without fork in hand!

Mom's Chili

Of the recipes my mom used regularly when we were growing up, chili "con carne" is probably her most prolific. I, in fact, have made it so many times that I don't need the recipe anymore. Over the years, I have tweaked the dish to make it a little healthier, but the flavors remain the same. It is the chili against which I judge all other chili.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.0

Mom's Chili:

One pound ground beef (I use ground turkey/chicken or small diced turkey breast.)
One large can crushed tomatoes (I used tomato puree and usually prefer crushed.)
One regular can red kidney beans (B&M are, by far, the best.)
One regular can diced tomatoes (You want the texture.)
One small can tomato paste
One cup beef stock/bouillon (I omit the paste and stock)
Two tablespoons red chili powder
Two tablespoons garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Two tablespoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I use very little. Add more if you want.)
Diced onion (medium or large)
Diced green pepper (I omit because I do not like cooked green peppers.)

Mom's chili starts with onion and green peppers sauteed in a bit of oil. When they become translucent, add the meat. The original recipe calls for ground beef, but since Ram doesn't eat beef, this is not an option for us. For years, though, I've substituted ground turkey. It tastes fantastic either way. The picture above, though, features a finely diced turkey breast (because we recently saw a program on the additives and unwanted parts that can be ground into the ground turkey/chicken). It worked out fine in every case.

When the meat is cooked through, add a little bit of the stock (or just water, in my case) and the spices. Let the flavors cook together for a while. I actually like to let the base catch on a bit. At any rate, letting it work for awhile allows the meat and the veggies to absorb the rich spices. When you're ready, add all of the other ingredients. Let it cook for at least twenty minutes (the longer, the better), stirring occasionally.

I serve Mom's chili with bread of some kind: warmed up Italian bread or corn bread (seen in the background of the photo above). Frankly, it's delicious with or without the side of bread. And this time of year, when the leaves are changing color and the air is biting at our skin, this dish is the perfect, spicy comfort food. I hope you'll enjoy it with fork (and spoon!) in hand.