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roasted butternut squash with sage brown butter sauce

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One of our favourite vegetables is butternut squash. It is one of those things that need very little to enjoy. A drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper, and roasted in a 350 degree oven, you have yourself something pretty fantastic.

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, this is definitely something to add to your menu. It’s easy and the sage brown butter sauce elevates this simple dish into something amazing. The dish is complete with a sprinkling of roasted pecans.

This sauce….it is something else. Butter and sage pulled together with a splash of cream – something so simple but so luscious. It is one of those sauces that you will make you want to lick the plate. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Roasted Butternut Squash with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

1 medium butternut squash
1/4 cup unsalted butter
10 sage leaves
2 TB whipping cream
1/4 cup pecans, roasted
salt
pepper

Peel the butternut squash. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut into slices and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over the squash and add salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for approximately half an hour.

In a small pan, on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the sage and let the butter brown. Stir in the cream and mix until smooth. Season with salt.

Arrange the roasted squash on a plate. Drizzle with sauce and pecans.

zucchini pakora

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We have been trying to use up the zucchini from the garden before the cold sets in. We have roasted them, grilled them and of course put them in loaves. Here is another way to use up that zucchini – pakora! I’m pretty sure Q ate most of these. He doesn’t like onions but these were so tasty, the fact that they were in there didn’t bother him at all.

These golden balls are easy to fry up and filled with deliciousness. The addition of baking powder makes them a little puffy. The pakora make a great appetizer or snack and are even tastier when dipped in tamarind chutney.

Zucchini Pakora

2 cups gram flour (chickpea flour)
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup zucchini, grated
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp crushed ginger
1 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
1 small egg
1/2 cup water 
1/2 tsp baking powder

Combine the flour with the spices, egg and vegetables.  Slowly add the water mixing until it forms a batter. Add the baking powder and mix well. Drop by spoonfuls into hot oil until golden. Enjoy with tamarind chutney.

broccoli and cheddar soup

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On a recent trip to Vegas, while waiting for our flight back, I enjoyed some broccoli and cheddar soup. It had been a long time since I had that type of soup and I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. I have stayed away from making too many cheesy things since it can’t be enjoyed by all of us but lately there are some great lactose-free cheese options. Since broccoli is one of the vegetables that my kids will actually eat, I thought this was something I really wanted to try at home.

I made this soup last month and it was a keeper. The cheesy broth with chunks of broccoli was tasty and comforting. This paired deliciously with the homemade cheddar crackers – there’s no such thing as too much cheese, right? This will definitely be keeping us warm during those cold days of Fall and Winter.

I’m happy to be participating in the Canadian Food Creatives Autumn Soup Collaboration. Thanks so much to Diana for hosting! Check out all the fabulous recipes and see this recipe below.

Roasted Chicken Minestrone Soup by My Kitchen Love
Lighter Potato Leek Soup by Fuchsia Freezer
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup by 365 Days of Easy Recipes
Cream of Spinach Soup by I Say Nomato
Miso Noodle Soup by The Refreshanista
Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Polenta Croutons by Flavour and Savour
Creamy Carrot Orange Soup with Cashews by Making Healthy Choices
Roasted Butternut Squash Ginger Pear Soup by She Loves Biscotti

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Oil or butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups broth
1 small broccoli, chopped
2 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese
salt
pepper

In a pot, heat some oil and saute the onion until translucent. Add some more oil or butter and cook the flour. Whisk the milk into the flour, then the broth, stirring constantly to make sure there are no lumps. Let the broth mixture cook for ten minutes. Add the broccoli and cook until the florets until tender. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers or bread.

spinach dip

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My little guy turned two last week. Two! He is so precious, always ready to greet everyone with his mischievous smile.

Normally, I plan out birthday parties weeks in advance, giving me lots of time to prep and plan. This time, I decided to do a very last minute gathering for our family and close friends.  Not having the luxury of time, I needed to do things that didn’t require a lot of effort.

This spinach dip is a crowd pleaser and takes just a few minutes to throw together. You do need to make this the day before though, allowing the dip to chill overnight.

Put the dip into a bread bowl and serve with bread, crackers or veggies and voila, an easy but delicious appetizer. I’ve been making this dip for years and it is always a hit!

Spinach Dip

2 cups sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 package chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package dry vegetable soup  mix

Combine all the ingredients together. Chill overnight. Serve in a hollowed out sour dough bread loaf.

sumac roasted cauliflower

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We had leftover kebabs for dinner the other night and I needed a vegetable side to go along with it. I had this idea of combining sumac with the cauliflower and thought it would be a great accompaniment to our dinner.

Sumac is a middle eastern spice which I really should use more often. It has a bit of a tart lemony flavour, perfect for livening up vegetables or even meat. I combined the sumac with some complementary flavours of coriander and garlic and tossed it with the cauliflower florets. These were then roasted until the cauliflower was carmelized – yum!

My only regret when I made this was I only did half the cauliflower. I didn’t realize how big of a hit this was going to be. Hubby loved it, but even more surprising, Q loved it. He couldn’t get enough and requested I make the other half right away!

Sumac Roasted Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 TB olive oil
2 TB sumac
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB coriander powder
salt
pepper

Combine the oil and the spices and toss with the cauliflower florets. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until cauliflower is soft.

extreme bean yam springroll…and a giveaway!

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When it comes to entertaining, it’s always great to have a drink that caters to both the drinkers and non-drinkers. Caesars fit the bill, and Matt & Steve’s Extreme Beans have you covered for your next party. Their Caesar Rimmer is super flavourful and their varieties of pickled beans provide the perfect accompaniment to a Caesar. Hot & Spicy, Garlic & Dill and Sweet & Savoury, there is something for everyone!

I love appetizers so I was excited to come up with one using Matt & Steve’s Extreme Beans. Spring rolls are always a hit but I thought I’d change it up by using some sweet yams. Nestled inside the boiled and mashed sweet yam was a Sweet and Savoury bean, all enveloped in a thin spring roll wrapper. The crisp bean was the perfect contrast to the creamy yam. This was great served with ponzu sauce for dipping and alongside a Caesar, featuring an Extreme Bean!

Want  to win a gift
basket of Matt & Steve’s entertaining essentials with a total value
of $50 mailed directly to you? The basket includes the following:

Plastic bucket
Official Matt & Steve’s Extreme Bean Caesar Glasses
Matt & Steve’s beer Koozies
1 jar of Hot & Spicy Extreme Bean
1 jar of Extreme Bean Garlic & Dill
1 jar of B’n Olive
1 tin of Caesar Rimmer 150gm

Entering is easy, see below. Contest closes Tuesday, December 15th at 11:59pm MST. Good luck!
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an evening with lynn crawford and catelli ancient grains pasta – giveaway

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A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend an evening with some fellow bloggers learning about Catelli’s Healthy Harvest Ancient Grains Pasta from none other than Chef Lynn Crawford!

Catelli’s new pasta is made with five ancient grains – quinoa, amaranth, teff, sorghum and millet. Currently available in Western Canada, the pasta is available in three cuts –  Spaghetti, Spaghettini and Rotini.

We were so lucky to have Chef Lynn make us a couple of tasty treats. The first was Rotini in a Marinara sauce topped with cheese and fresh mozzarella. The second was the Spaghettini, tossed with pesto and cheese. So delicious!

She shared some great tips with us – use the stems of cilantro, think salty sea when salting the pasta water, never rinse the pasta after cooking for sauces to better adhere to the pasta.

Chef Lynn then proceeded to show us how to make her Chilled Noodle Salad with Ginger Wasabi Dressing. We then headed to the kitchen to make it for ourselves.

It was such a fun and memorable evening! Want a chance to win a one year supply of Catelli Healthy Harvest Ancient Grains pasta? Enter below!

Chilled Noodle Salad with Ginger Wasabi Dressing

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 8 min
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 pkg (340 g)              Catelli® Healthy Harvest® Ancient Grains Spaghettini
2 cups (500 ml)           snow peas, thinly sliced diagonally
1 cup (250 ml)            shelled edamame
1                                  small English cucumber
2 cups (500 ml)           napa cabbage, finely shredded
1 cup (250 ml)             red pepper, cut into matchsticks
3                                  green onions, thinly sliced
1                                  ripe avocado, sliced
1/4 cup (60 ml)           cilantro leaves
2 tbsp (30 ml)             black sesame seeds

Ginger-Wasabi Dressing:

1/4 cup (60 ml)         seasoned rice vinegar
3 tbsp (45 ml)           canola oil
2 tbsp (30 ml)           soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml)           lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml)               lemon zest
2 tsp (10 ml)             brown sugar
2 tsp (10 ml)             sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml)               grated fresh ginger
                                  wasabi to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Rinse under cold water until well chilled; transfer to large bowl and set aside.

In a pot of boiling water, cook snow peas and edamame until tender-crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water until well chilled; set aside.

Meanwhile, halve the cucumber lengthwise and use the end of a spoon to scoop and discard seeds; cut cucumber into julienne strips.

Ginger-Wasabi Dressing: Whisk together rice vinegar, canola oil, soy sauce, lemon juice and zest, brown sugar, sesame oil and ginger. Season with wasabi to taste.

Add cucumber, snow peas, edamame, napa cabbage, red pepper, green onions and avocado to noodles; toss with enough dressing to coat.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and black sesame seeds.

Tip: If you have time, you can chill the noodle dish by refrigerating for 1 to 4 hours.

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accordion potatoes

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In my special delivery from The Little Potato Company, I received a package of cute little fingerling potatoes. I thought these would go great with our Turducken dinner and was the perfect time to try accordion or hasselback potatoes.

I sliced each potato, stopping before I reached the bottom. I then drizzled the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkled some salt and pepper. They cooked for about half an hour on 350 degrees. When they were done, I pulled them out of the oven and drizzled on some more oil and sprinkled them with Parmesan cheese. A handful of green onions provided a nice crunch and contrast and cilantro made the finishing touch.
These were so tasty! They had a nice crisp outside but the centers remained soft and creamy. I’ll definitely be making these again!

meatless monday: lemon and garlic pasta

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Lemon and garlic, they are a pair that go so well together! Last week, when I needed something quick for dinner but didn’t want to skimp on the flavour, this pasta did the trick.

The sauce came together while the pasta cooked and dinner was on the table in no time. It was perfect with a crusty baguette and was a light dish. Just add some shrimp or chicken to please the non-vegetarian people in your life!

Lemon and Garlic Pasta

3 cloves of garlic
2 TB white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound of spaghetti, or any other pasta
salt
pepper
olive oil

Cook the pasta according to the box.

While the pasta is cooking, heat some oil and saute the garlic. Add the wine and lemon along with the cherry tomatoes until they start to pop. Once the pasta has been cooked, add to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Super quick and super tasty!


meatless monday: butternut squash curry

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After a weekend of chocolate bunnies and candy eggs, we definitely need to implement Meatless Monday. This is one of our new favourite things – butternut squash curry. Made with roasted squash, and tossed with some Indian flavours, it definitely hits the spot.

Once the squash is roasted, the curry comes together in minutes, making it the perfect dish to use up leftover squash.

Butternut Squash Curry

1 medium squash, cubed and roasted
oil
3 TB crushed tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste
3 TB fried onions
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
coriander for garnish

Heat a pan and add a little bit of oil. Add the
tomatoes, onions and spices and cook for a few minutes.  Add the squash and water and
let simmer for 10 minutes.