Acorn Squash Rings with Apple Glaze
October 23, 2011
Nothing says fall like winter squash… and apples… and walnuts, so clearly this is the perfect side dish to make NOW. We are big fans of butternut squash around here, check out the Butternut and Black Bean Salad from last year. This year though, somehow butternut squash never made it into the ground and we are the happily storing quite a few acorn squashes that took their place in the planting beds. There are lots of fun ways to cook up these beautiful treats, but my favorite is to make Acorn Squash Rings with Apple Glaze.
Take care in slicing the squash, as that is as good a way as any to loose a finger. It helps to take a small slice off of one side, then place the cut side down. That will give the squash some stability as you hack into it. Scoop out the membrane and seeds and they are ready to steam. Do not forget to try on some squash glasses for size! Note: at least with my kids, they are more likely to eat the veggies if they have a hand in making/playing with them! (For more ideas on getting kids to eat their veggies check out this post.)
This recipe is not mine and if you look you will find many versions on the web. While that may be a turn-off to some, I say it is evidence of a great recipe that is worth sharing. My version uses non-clarified butter and less of it, but otherwise it is basically the same. The tender squash soaks in the sweet and tangy apple glaze and the candied walnuts add a pleasant crunch. These rings look beautiful on the plate, making it great for a weeknight dinner or special enough for a holiday. My mother-in-law first introduced me to this yummy dish with asparagus laced through the centers of the rings (as you will find is the most common version.) I opted not to include the asparagus this time (there is no chance of finding local asparagus in October), but love the way they make this into a truly elegant side dish. If we have any squash leftover in springtime, I will definitely add them in. The acorn squash rings are attractive enough to stand on their own, or fill the centers with a scoop of wild rice or stuffing.
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Oven-baked Yam Fries
September 23, 2011
When a dish is easy to put together and the whole family loves it, there is really no reason not to make it…often. That is how these yam fries became a staple in our diet. They just seemed to be the perfect thing to accompany so many of our summer dishes. The kids love them, because well, they contain the word “fries.” Of course, in reality they are baked and contain very little oil. The roasting process makes them nice and crispy though and they are excellent dipped in ketchup or herb-blended oil, or my personal favorite, Chipotle Mayonaise.
Oven-baked Yam Fries are crunchy, slightly sweet, and salty, but have all the credentials of a very healthy side dish. If your experience with yams is limited to sweetened dishes (perhaps with marshmallows atop?), you should definitely try these. They are nothing like the signature Thanksgiving dish. Slice the yams into wedges, toss in oil and salt, and bake until crispy. This dish could not be easier and is incredibly adaptable. They go very well with grilled meats. I serve them with Fresh Ground Bacon Burgers or Southwestern Chicken Burgers. They are incredibly addictive. Watch out, you might be making them week after week as well!
What dishes have you loved this summer?
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Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes and Greens
September 16, 2011
Our country is awash with cheap fast food options. As companies increasingly market these inexpensive, yet low quality foods to us in the drive-through and the supermarket the questions arise: Are fast food and prepared foods the only option for families on a budget? Can nutritious and delicious foods also be economical? For our family, we make almost all of our food from scratch, yet still adhere to a strict food budget. Absolutely, YES, nutritious and delicious foods can be economical! September 17, 2011, Slow Food USA is hosting a $5 Challenge. They seek to counter-act the myth that slow food has to cost more than fast food. The challenge calls upon us to serve a meal to our friends and/or family for less than $5 per person.
Truly, $5 per person is quite generous. At this cost, a meal can be more than just a way to feed our hunger, it can be special. Back in May, my Sausage and Kale Dinner Tart won Best Dirt Cheap Dinner on a food52 contest. This tart, though inexpensive to prepare, is suitable to serve for a dinner party. For $5 per person, you can afford the tart, a salad, and a bottle of wine! Most of the meals I serve my family come in at about half that price- closer to $10 for our family of 4. In fact, the more of the preparation I take on myself, the lower the cost. The base ingredients for bread, sausage, and soups are very low. We also have a productive garden which helps to cut the costs of our produce. Preserving the bounty of the seasons is a great way to ensure low cost, high quality food throughout the year.
Cannellini Beans with Tomatoes and Greens is a perfect late summer stew. It is for those days when tomatoes are still abundant, but the air slightly hints of fall. The flavors are rich without being too bold and the light color of the beans makes the dish seem light enough for even a hot night. It is a perfect example of a delicious meal that does not cost much nor take exorbitant amounts of time to prepare. In fact, the total cost of this meal is less than $10 total, or even less if you have garden tomatoes and cook with dried beans instead of canned ones. This meal came together on a Thursday night, when the cupboard was nearly bare and the young natives of the household were restless and hungry. Taking stock of the pantry, I found two cans of cannellini beans. Heading out to the garden, I collected a pile of tomatoes and a handful of basil. These humble ingredients cooked up with a small amount of sausage for flavor and protein made for a tasty dish. The little man gave his seal of approval stating that it was “very, very good.” For an extra treat, bake up a loaf of Weeknight No-Knead Bread to serve on the side. Nutritious, delicious, homemade food does not have to be expensive.
What will you make for the September 17th, $5 Slow Food Challenge?
Other My Pantry Shelf meals for under $5 per person:
Soups and Chili
Big Beef Chili, Chicken Tortilla Soup, Mexican Pozole Rojo, Split Pea Soup with Ham and Beer Bread, Vietnamese Hue Noodle Soup
Pasta, Pizza, and Tarts
Perciatelli and Meatballs, Green and Brown Spaghetti with Basil Pesto, Roasted Asparagus Pizza, Sausage and Kale Dinner Tart
Poultry and Meat Dishes
Chicken Satay, Biscuit-topped Chicken Pot Pie, Corned Beef, Divine Indian Butter Chicken, Fresh Ground Bacon Burgers with Homemade Bun, Huevos Diablos con Chorizo, Lamb Kebabs with Greek Salad, Roasted Garlic Lemon Chicken, Sesame Ginger Meatballs, Southwestern Chicken Burger, Swedish Meatballs (Kottbullar), Thai Lettuce Wraps, World’s Easiest Carnitas with Grilled Tomatillo Salsa
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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chevre and Almonds
July 1, 2011
Some dishes seem to create themselves. The ingredients radiate with pure excitement when they enter into each others’ proximity. This was the case when the loads of astonishingly fragrant strawberries pushed into the log of chevre in the fridge the other night. They called to me in their sweet seductive voices to please toss them with fresh spinach and roasted almonds, I was powerless to resist. Luckily, this force is pure good. This dish is full of vibrant seasonal nutritional powerhouses, so the guilt factor is nearly nil.
While strawberries are often restricted to dessert or breakfast dishes, they make an excellent salad. Feel free to adapt this at will. The spinach can be replaced with arugula or butter lettuce, the chevre with feta, and the almonds with walnuts or pinenuts, but do not leave out the STRAWBERRIES! They are too good right now to miss.
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Beets with Pistachios and Mint
June 27, 2011
Adventures come few and far between for me these days. It is not that I am not loving my maternal/ professional/ domestic life, but I do feel the nostalgic for the days when I could take off on a moment’s notice for some incredible journey- usually with twenty bucks in my pocket and only the vaguest of plans. So when my husband’s parents offered to watch our kids for a weekend so we could fly away (Yes, on a plane, with no children!) for a friend’s wedding, we jumped at the opportunity.
We filled the weekend with all sorts of adult outings and completely refrained from anything even hinting at a whine. It was fabulous. The wedding itself was special in just about every way. I was especially smitten with the food. Every dish served was beautiful and inspired. One dish in particular though, struck me with its intriguing taste and unique presentation, the beet salad.
My Pantry Shelf 