Eating Dinner With My Family

I did change the recipe a bit in that I used a scant teaspoon of rosemary.  (I had been to the garden once and I wasn't going back:)  It was good.  My husband wanted more rosemary, but I was happy with the lesser amount.  It does take sometime to get this done, but a good bit of it is inactive time, so it isn't a really busy recipe.  The overall dish was really great.  I loved the pancetta/squash combo.  It is similar to a butternut squash recipe I have for pasta, but it is with sage.  I would be hard pressed to pick one over the other.  I am totally behind on posts; I only have recipes and dates in posts, so these next few ones are going to be short.  :) Penne With Acorn Squash And Pancetta 1 acorn squash 1 small head of garlic 1/2 Lb penne 2 Tsp olive oil plus more for coating squash and garlic 1/2 Lb pancetta sliced 1/4-inch thick and diced 1/4 Cup chicken or vegetable stock 1 Tsp chopped fresh rosemary 1/4 Cup grated...

I was so very excited to have delicata squash in my Front Porch Pickings Basket.  I love squash but have never had delicata before.  (refer to my many previous posts advocating being in a csa or finding a purveyor of local/organic produce)  I knew going in however, that this dish was about as far out of the zone of types of food I like as you can get and I was worried a bit.  I say all the time I do not like sweet and savory together. (I do not like them Sam I am)  I am constantly being pointed out to, by my husband, that, that isn't true, I have found plenty of dishes I like that have both. (like the lamb and date tagine ) However, that doesn't stop me from having a prejudice and an inherent dislike of them mixed.  I did object to the flavor and texture to the apples, and I thought the over all dish was too sweet for me, personally.  (the delicata was very sweet and delicious all by it's self)  That being the said, I like the dish way more ...

I am going to have a hard time accurately judging this recipe.  The biggest impediment to impartiality is the fact that while the stew was cooking, one child was asleep and the other playing quietly, so I poured my self a glass of wine, read my book and reacquainted myself with the pleasure a piece of baguette and real butter can bring, so I wasn't exactly starving when the meal was finished. The other thing that may skew my perception, was that I tailored this to fit some ingredients I had on hand.  Those being acorn squash over the easier to peel butternut and the tiny, albeit delicious, but infinitely harder to chop yum yum peppers I had in my Front Porch Pickings basket.  My only valid complaint was that there wasn't much in the way of liquid and I thought the stew a bit too dry for me to think of it as a stew.  I also substituted flounder for the halibut as there wasn't any at my local publix.  Even with all that against it, I still tho...

I had some butternut squash from my Front Porch Pickings basket, and I was browsing Pinterest for ideas. I came across a pin for butternut squash stuffed shells with a lemon sage brown butter sauce. I planned on using the recipe as a guide, but I kind of just made it up as I went along. The main thing I used the recipe for: the brilliant suggestion of adding lemon zest to the filling. I also took the sauce and cooking time from the pinned recipe. They were pretty similar in the end. The main thing I did really different, was I mashed the squash.  I liked the texture better that way.  Next time I would change the sauce.  The butter sauce didn't do anything really, so I think I just might make my sage cream sauce and put a dollop on top of each shell next time.  The best thing about this dish is the squash;  I thin I will replace 1/2 the ricotta in my stuffed/layered pastas from now on with roasted squash.  It was tasty and it adds some vitamins and lightens ...

I need to clean up the food I have accumulated.  I buy frozen, scallops in this instance, on sale and forget about them.  I need to make a serious attack on the freezer!  So, I pulled this Bay Scallop Pan Roast out of the to try file.  I also had a Spaghetti Squash from Front Porch Pickings I should use as I am getting another one Friday!   My darling husband offered to cook, and I totally took him up on it as I was tired from a long hot day of ropes course and ziplines at Zoomair!   I had put the squash in earlier, so dinner came together pretty quickly too.  I like that about this squash recipe; it is nice that the roasting can be done way in advance if necessary since the strands get warmed up in the sauteed shallots.  The scallops were pretty awesome too!  I was thinking 4 mushrooms were going to be too few, but they gave it flavor without overpowering the scallops.  A solid 4 all way around. Bay Scallop Pan Roast ...

I had bought a butternut squash for a recipe I keep wanting to try, but just can't bring myself to.  (too long to explain just enjoy the mystery;)  I decided when I was buying the won ton wrappers for my Year of the Snake Dumplings, I would get a second set and make ravioli with them.  This is something I have never done, but was excited to try.  I just kinda made it up as I went.  I have made a sage cream sauce before (don't remember the exact recipe but this is probably close), but I think I used fresh sage last time.  There was no fresh sage on hand, so dried it was!  I thought the end result was really yummy.  In fact I thought it tasty enough for our rarefied list of  "menu items" if we ever win the lotto and can open our own place, but for one thing: looks.  They weren't the prettiest ravioli by a long shot.  So, I turn to you all and ask, what did I do wrong and how can I make them look better in the future.  (I am looki...

I picked this recipe for some gorgeous sweet potatoes I got from my Front Porch Pickings basket.  I also picked this recipe because I adore rutabaga.  It first started when, as a college student, I did some backpacking through Europe.  It was the end of a long trip, and we had arrived in London.  Upon our arrival, we found that for lodging we could choose between a dorm at the college or for just a bit more per person, we could stay in a nice hotel.  We opted for the latter.  In the restaurant at the hotel I had some roasted veggies as my side.  I loved this one, but had no idea what it was.  The waiter told me it was suede.  And until just a few years ago, I had no idea that suede was also called rutabaga. Obviously I loved this recipe.  The boy ate it all but didn't rave, but my husband liked it a lot.  If you have a mandolin, this recipe is a snap.  It requires an hour and a half of cooking time, but it is inactive c...

Tonight I revisit a recipe I haven't made in a long time.  This one was once a frequent item in our kitchen but for some reason it fell by the way side for a while.  Perhaps it is because it is a simple recipe and I was looking to tackle more difficult items.  Perhaps it is just like most things in life and just part of a cyclical pattern.  My determination to have a year of different meals hurt and helped this little dish.  It got pushed away in the beginning (we are now about day 260 of that year) but ultimately I guess I was longing for an  oldie but goodie and I happened to get a lovely butternut squash in my Front Porch Pickings basket.  I left out the optional meat, but I do really like it with the prosciutto.  I usually just put a couple of slices in the toaster and toast until crispy. (it depends on your toaster oven but mine works best on the medium/ light setting) I am going to need to keep this post short, as I am helping a frien...

Having recently been reacquainted with an old love (spaghetti squash), I decided to make it again. That is one of the wonderful things about getting a local/ seasonal produce basket.  Not only are you eating better quality foods, at a better price, and supporting local farmers, but it expands your palette.  You discover or are reintroduced to fruits and veggies that have eluded you. This dish served as the starch and veg of our meal.  With it I broiled some coho salmons with a thin layer of homemade Honey Mustard .  I went a little lighter on the pine nuts than the original recipe called for because a) I;m not the biggest fan and b) they are pricey.  I liked this recipe a lot.  The nuttiness of the pine nuts and brown butter were perfect with the sweet/earthy flavor of the squash.  The only issue I had with the dish was that when I salted and peppered, I left it a little under salted because of the parm that was to go on top.  Since...

As you may or may not know, I get a by monthly delivery of local, organic produce from Front Porch Pickings.   I was also honored to be picked to write recipes for their news letter on those same weeks.  I gave them the spaghetti squash frittata recipe I love, but also looked around for some more unusual applications for the spaghetti squash.  I happen to really like Indian spices and I think they go  well with the sweetness of the squash, but this recipe I hadn't tried yet. I liked it but I was sad that the squashes natural delicious flavor was smothered by the heavy spices.  I think it would make a lovely vegetarian meal and for a pretty healthy meal it was really tasty.  I think that the mixture would be nice over rice. We had this with salad, rice and I made 2 steaks as my husband, father and son prefer having some meat, but as there were only two we all had nice small portions and filled up on the toasts and the salad (with some very tasty peppers an...

I love having breakfast for dinner because eggs are such a quick and easy dinner fix.  Not only are frittatas fast, but they are adaptable to so many ingredients.  I particularly like this one with the spaghetti squash.  I love the earthy sweet flavor.  A frittata is also an easy way to get some veggies in kids that they may otherwise turn their nose up at.  I know a big bowl of the squash with some seasoned butter would make my day, the boy not so much, but this dish he doesn't complain at all. I adapted this recipe from Cooking Light.  Of course in the adaptation I made it a little less light, but not horribly so.  and because I hate waste (and only for that reason lol) I am going to make a coconut cream pie  with the 4 egg yolks I had left over after I made the frittata;). Spaghetti Squash, Onion, and Potato Frittata 1/3 cup 1% low-fat milk 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs (2 tsps dried )* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 te...

I first tried this recipe when a friend brought them over to my house for a party.  I loved them.  She said she got them out of a book of Tibetan recipes.  They are not the most photogenic of foods but they are delicious.  My thoughtful friend gave me some of the Kopan Masala, but I did find the recipe  online.  In a pinch I think you could use Garam Masala  which is available at the supermarket. I didn't have the  Indian Tomato Red Powder and I didn't go looking for it since it said optional.  I am giving the recipe as she gave it to me, but I changed it a bit.  I didn't have red onion on hand so I used the yellow ones I did.  I also cut the semicircles in half.  In fact I believe I cut all the veggies I used in to smaller pieces than the recipe seemed to call for.  Nothing was larger than a quarter. Love that this recipe can use any and all veggies that are on hand.  I used broccoli (this made up about hal...

Much like the souffle, gnocchi has a reputation for being easy to mess up.  This was my first gnocchi and I was a little nervous.  The dish does take a while, mostly because there is an hour of baking before you even begin to make the dough.  Also annoying,  I discovered as I was making it, it was a big sticky mess, and I was kind of hoping it would be the colossal failure I was worried it could be because it was so laborious and messy.  No such luck.  It was unbelievable!!!  The light fluffy pillows of pasta in a nutty, herby sauce.  They didn't look like much but they were yummy!  Another thing I liked about this recipe is that the recipe made enough to freeze half of the gnocchi for a future use.  After I ate some, I realized I could have made the entire recipe and we would probably would have eaten it all.  We may have felt ill after but it just might have been worth it.  If you make the entire recipe and eat...

Thanksgiving Well because my husband has to work every Thanksgiving, I rarely cook.  All of our family is out of town and can't always make it also, so I often go to a friends house or we have something small.  Well my family was able to come this year! I was so happy to be able to do some of the dishes I grew up with as well as some new ones.  My mom hates turkey; we always have chickens instead.  I made two chickens but unlike her I don't stuff them.  I love, love, love stuffing but cook it outside the bird.  It is true that the inside the bird stuffing does get all those lovely drippings, but I think with a little chicken stock or bullion granules (skipping some or all of the salt if you use the granules) you get some chicken flavor and gravy adds the drippings anyways.  This is the first time making this roasted chicken recipe, but I enjoyed it.  I used sage in place of the parsley since I didn't have much parsley in the herb garden and I ...

Well there are too many leftovers in the house, so I am making French bread pizzas.  I made a garlic, Parmesan cream sauce out of the oil, fat and garlic that was left in the pan after dinner was done last night.  I heated it in a small pan and added a tbsp or so of flour.  After I cooked the roux a bit, I added some whole milk until the sauce was the right consistency.  I wanted it a bit on the thick side.  I added about 3/4 cup of Parmesan and then when it melted, added salt and hot sauce (instead of pepper). Then I shredded sup some of the leftover chicken.  Built the pizzas with the sauce, chicken and mozzarella, and baked them in the oven at 350 degrees for about ten minutes, and then I put the broil on for just a minute or two to brown a bit on the top.  I also made one with some of the leftover butternut squash I had roasted.  I pureed that with some milk to thin it and topped it with the mozzarella and some of the left over beans.  I ...

Not the prettiest looking dish, but is is a healthy way to get a good amount of veggies into the kids, and it's vegetarian.  I got the dish from a friend, but I have no idea how much of it is my additions.  Other than the peeling and chopping, it is labor free, and often in my house, my husband will do it because the has better knife skills.  Roasted Veggie Enchiladas  1/2    a butternut squash peeled and cubed (large chunks) 1    large onion 1    -3 bell peppers (variety of color is nice) 1    bulb (yes bulb not clove) of garlic peeled Beans of some sort (I heat and season a can of black beans        Over low heat while the veggies are cooking Make sure they aren't full of liquid or the        enchiladas will be watery) Cream cheese and shredded cheese of choice (jack and cheddar are good) Tortillas 2 cn of Green (if you can find it) e...

Tonight's dish is another family favorite.  I find this dish amazing for so many reasons.  First of all, I don't care for sasuage; the boys don't care for squash, yet somehow we all like this dish.  It is a perfect example that you should never say never when it comes to ingredients.  Sometimes it will be the quality that has put you off in the past.  (not true here for us becasue it's the same products we have been buying)   Sometimes it will be improper preperation.  (I do credit the recipe here a little but it is still me cooking it so that does keep it fairly consistent)  But most often it is just the recipe.  This one makes all the peices work.  I think I got this dish from the Fine Cooking emails, but I think I also saw it on the food and wine website so...  It is from Scott Conant.  I thought I was going to hate this guy when I saw him o...

Well I am still very miserable today.  I thought soup would be good for me, but I really don't care for chicken soup.  This soup is one I do like very much.  The boy, surprisingly, LOVES it.  I do make one change, I make the chipotle cream with the lion's share of the peppers and the soup more mild, so every taste can heat it up as they like.  (I'm thinking specifically of the baby who, while can take a little heat, doesn't want too much.  If you want to make it vegetarian, switch out the stock.  I used chicken because I'm sick.  I love the idea of it being a cool little shooter in a glass as an appetizer!   Butternut Squash Soup With Chipotle Cream 6 Servings 3 T  olive oil,divided 1    medium butternut squash halved lengthwise, seeds discarded, wash Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1    medium onion,chopped 2    stalks celery,chopped ...

Ok well tonight we had our friends over.  You know those great friends that are more family than friends, these were those people.  It is the last night of summer.  Tomorrow starts school (ominous music plays) so, we planned on an early night  Everyone was responsible and left by seven (much to my sadness but thankful for the the good night's sleep I hope I will still get;).  We wanted to do appetizers mostly with some drinks, but the angel (or demon) of overkill swept in and led us down the path of madness that began with too many things we wanted to serve, peaked with the grocery full of people shopping for tomorrow's first day of school lunches, and waned with us cooking while chatting with our friends when we should have been done.  The menu: Israeli Hummus With Paprika And Whole Chickpeas Recipe, Bahn Mi (My way, so called because I combined a couple of recipes I found when looking for one and because I use the Publix Spanish roasted po...

Tonight's dinner is another first time we made it.  I did a lot of eyeballing the amounts of toppings rather than measure what I did.  I also doubled everything because the fresh dough I got from the grocery came in a 16 ounce portion. (Yes I know that 16 is not 6 doubled but there are three kinds of people in the world, those who are good a math and those who aren't, and in the immortal words of Gerald Ford as portrayed by Chevy Chase, "It was my understanding that there would be no math.")  As it wasn't the dough I was messing with, I figured all would be well, and all was delicious.   My only complaint was that I didn't roll the dough out thin enough.  I think a really thin crust pizza would be preferable. I can't remember where the recipe came from.  I have all my recipes on the computer with a program called accuchef.  It is great.  I have a cookbook i use for all the recipes I want to try as I see them.  There they wait until ...