Baked Acorn Squash

Classic Baked Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 1 Acorn squash
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
• Dash of Salt

Method

1 Preheat oven to 400°F.

2 Using a strong chef's knife, and perhaps a rubber mallet to help, cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff in the center of each half. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out.

3 Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter. Add a dash of salt if you are using unsalted butter. Add a Tbsp of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Dribble on a teaspoon of maple syrup to each half.

4 Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce that has not already been absorbed by the squash over the exposed areas.

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how much squash you like to eat.

Cranberry Salsa
(inspired by a recipe in Southern Living)

1 cup cranberries
1/2 cup jicama, diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces
2-3 Tablespoons honey
1-2 Tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
pinch of salt

Combine ingredients.

Cover and chill at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.

Serve with Sweet Potato Chips, tortilla chips or as a relish.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups. Easily doubled.

White chocolate, cranberry and Cointreau truffles
adapted from here

300g good white chocolate
¼ cup (60ml) whipping cream
1 ½ tablespoons of Cointreau or other orange flavored liqueur
½ cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest or rind
½ cup (70g) icing sugar

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler (bain-marie).
Warm the cream in a saucepan or microwave but be careful not to scald.
Add the warm cream to the chocolate (still in the double boiler) and mix together until evenly combined.
Remove from heat, add the Cointreau, cranberries and the grated zest and beat the mixture until smooth – chocolate will look curdled, don’t worry. Just beat well until glossy again.
Cover and refrigerate the mixture until it has set, 4 hours or overnight – remove mixture from fridge 10 minutes before rolling the truffles.
With a small spoon or cookie scoop roll small balls of the mixture.
Dust the truffles by rolling them in icing sugar and refrigerate again until hard.
Place into small paper or foil cases to serve if desired.

Makes 25-30

Cranberry Pistachio Mexican Wedding Cookies
Yields: ~40 cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar, plus more for coating
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 c shelled natural pistachios, chopped
1/2 c dried cranberries, chopped
1 3/4 c cake flour
3/4 c sifted all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 3 heavy large baking sheets. Using electric mixer, beat 2 sticks butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and salt, then pistachios and cherries. Using spatula, stir in all flour (do not overmix dough).

Shape dough by generous tablespoonfuls into balls. Place on prepared sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until bottoms just begin to color, about 16 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets 10 minutes before coating.

Pour generous amount of powdered sugar into medium bowl. Working with 5 or 6 warm cookies at a time, add cookies to bowl of sugar; gently turn to coat thickly. Transfer cookies to sheet of waxed paper. Repeat to coat cookies with sugar again; cool completely. Can be made 4 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Adapted from Bon Appetit, December 2006

Butterfinger cake *

Bake 2 chocolate cake mixes as directed in a large oblong baking pan.
Cool.
Poke holes in cake with the end of a wooden spoon.
Spread 1 can Sweetened condensed milk over cake.
Spread 1 container Cool whip.
Break up 6-8 Butterfingers into small crumbs.
Spread over Cool whip.
Chill until ready to serve.

Beef 'n Noodles *

Chop a large Chuck Roast into 2 inch cubes.
Saute in 2 Tablespoons olive oil to brown.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic power, onion powder.
Add 3 Large Onions - large dice.
Add 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
Add 1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup.
Add 1/4 Cup of Water.
Add 7 Beef Bouillon Cubes.
Cover and place in 200 degree oven.
Bake approx 8-9 hours.


Boil egg noodles until tender.
Shred the beef in the sauce and add egg noodles.
Toss together.

Hellmans Smokin' Succulent Grilled Pork *

1 C Hellmann's Mayonnaise
2 T Lime Juice
2 T Chopped Cilantro
2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
1 t Ground Chipotle Chile Pepper
8 Pork Chops, about 1/2 inch thick

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients except chops. Reserve 1/2 cup mayo mixture. Grill or broil chops, turning once and brushing frequently with remaining mayo mixture, until chops are done. Serve with reserved mayo mixture.

Texas Sheet Cake with Frosting

1 C butter
1 C water
1/4 C cocoa
2 C sugar
2 C flour
1/8 t salt
2 eggs
1 t baking soda
1/2 C sour cream
1 t vanilla
Chopped Pecans

Combine butter, water and cocoa in saucepan over medium heat; heat until butter melts. Add sugar, flour, salt, eggs, soda, sour cream & vanilla; mix well. Pour into a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Spread frosting over hot cake and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

For Frosting combine 1/2 C butter, 1/4 C cocoa and 1/4 C plus 2 T milk in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Add 1 box (1 LB) confectioners' sugar, sifted (4-1/4 Cups Sifted), 1/2 t vanilla; mix well with electric mixer. Spread over the hot sheet cake then sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Karen's Orange Juice Cake *

4 Eggs
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
1 Reg. Lemon Instant Pudding
1 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup Oil

Mix ingredients, pour into Bundt pan & bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Poke holes with fork or toothpick all over top of cake when you take it out of the oven.

Boil 2 minutes & pour on cake while cake is hot: 1 Cup Confectionary Sugar, 1/4 Cup Orange Juice, 1 Stick Margarine.

Lobster Bisque

2 Whole Lobsters - 1 to 1-1/2 Lbs. Each
1/4 C. Flour
1 Qt. Chicken Broth
1/2 C. Brandy
2 Carrots
1/2 Stick Butter
2 Celery Stalks
Pepper
1 Medium Sweet Onion
Salt
2 C. Heavy Whipping Cream

Boil and clean 2 whole lobsters. In a large sauce pan, boil chicken broth with carrots, celery and onion until soft. Let stand to cool. Once cool, blend about 2 to 3 cups at a time to the vegetables and broth. In another large sauce pan, melt butter and add flour; cook for 2 minutes on medium high heat. Add the broth from the blender and brandy to the sauce pan. Bring to a boil, it will be thick. Add cream, salt & pepper to taste. If the bisque is still too thick, thin down with milk or chicken broth. Add cleaned and cut lobster meat.

Baked Pizza

3 Pkgs. Buttermilk Biscuits, quartered
1-1/2 Cups Spaghetti Sauce
3 Cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Garlic Clove, pressed

Any toppings of choice.

In a large mixing bowl, quarter biscuits and stir in 1 cup of spaghetti sauce and 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Press garlic with garlic press and add to biscuit mixture. Add any additional toppings. Mix to combine. Spread mixture into a 9 x 13 baked stoneware dish. Pour remaining sauce and cheese over top.

Preheat oven to 375 and bake approx 30-35 minutes or until sides are golden brown.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Barbecue Spice Rub

1 Cedar Grilling Plank
1-1/2 t. Kosher Salt
1-1/2 t. Brown Sugar
1 t. Ground Cumin
1 t. Thyme
3/4 t. Black Pepper
3/4 t. Hungarian Sweet Paprika
3/4 t. Chili Powder
1/4 t. Cinnamon
1 3 Lb. Center Cut Salmon

Soak Plank in water for 1 hour; drain. Preheat grill to medium high. Combine salt and balance of spices; rub mixture over fish. Place plank on grill rack; grill 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Turn plank over; place fish on charred side of plank. Cover and grill 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

Maple & Brown Sugar Baked Oatmeal

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/2 t. Salt
1 T. Baking Powder
3 Cups Quick Oats
2 T. Brown Sugar
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1 Cup Maple Syrup

Beat together oil and sugar; mix in eggs, milk, salt, baking powder & oatmeal. Beat well. Stir in maple syrup. Pour into lightly greased 9 " pie pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Bake until firm, approx 35 minutes. Garnish with strawberries or blueberries.

Cheesy Ham Frittatas

Cooking Spray
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Green Pepper
2/3 Cup Chopped Ham
1/3 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 T. Chives
1/8 t. thyme
1/8 t. pepper
4 large Egg Whites
1 large Egg

Preheat oven to 350. Heat a large skillet coated w/ cooking spray over medium heat. Add onion & green peppers, saute 2 minutes. Add ham, saute 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; whisk together. Add ham mixture; stir. Spoon into 6 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set.

Wine & Herb Braised Roast

3-4 lb Beef Chuck Roast
Salt, Black Pepper
2 T. Olive Oil
Approx 4 Cups thinly sliced Onions
3 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
1-1/2 T. Minced Garlic
1 T. Tomato Paste
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 t. rosemary
2 Cups Red Wine
1-1/3 Cups Beef Broth

Preheat oven to 325. Rub Beef with salt & pepper. Heat oil in ovenproof casserole over medium high heat. Add beef to pan and brown on all sides. Transfer beef to a plate. Add onions to pot and saute until soft. Add garlic, mushrooms, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper, cook for approx 2 minutes. Add wine and broth and bring to a boil. Return beef to pot, cover tightly and braise in oven, turning once an hour until beef is tender, approx 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Let beef stand uncovered approx 15 minutes.