Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese

Looks like Caitlin and I are the same page this week! She is about to post a delicious looking Glazed Ham with Mac 'n Cheese. I rarely make homemade mac 'n cheese because, to be honest, my favorite is Kraft elbows. However, being that I had a half butternut squash it was the perfect time to develop a homemade recipe.

Butternut Squash Mac 'n Cheese

• 1/2 Butternut Squash, halved
• Brown Sugar
• Butter
• 2 Slices Thick Cut Bacon
• Fresh Sage
• Nutmeg
• Curry
• Cream or Half 'n Half
• 3/4 block of Cheddar, shredded
• 3 oz Goat Cheese
• 1 pkg Bow Tie Pasta
• Bread, cubed
• Garlic

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Put 1-2 tablespoons of butter in the pocket of the squash and sprinkle with brown sugar, S&P. Layer on 10 or so sage leaves, followed by the thick cut bacon. Roast in the oven for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender.

Once the squash is cooked, set aside the bacon & sage and scrape out the insides with a spoon. Combine the squash, 3/4 of the cheddar, goat cheese, curry (to taste) and a dash of nutmeg. While blending slowly stream in about 1-2 tbs of olive oil to help it blend, then 1-2 tablespoons of half & half (or cream), until it has a thick and smooth consistency.

Cook the pasta a few minutes shy of the recommended time and toss with the squash mix. I decided to top the mac 'n cheese with "butter soaked nuggets of fresh bread" (thanks Caitlin!). I rubbed slices of bread with a garlic clove then cubed and toasted in the oven. Once the bread was slightly toasted I tossed with melted butter and the roasted sage leaves. I spread the mac 'n cheese inside a greased baking dish, topped with the remaining cheddar and the breadcrumbs. I cooked covered in a 250 degree oven for 10 minutes, or until bubbly, then uncovered and cooked an additional 10-15 minutes to crisp up the breadcrumbs. Iserved each plate with a piece f bacon and a slice of tomato to cut the richness.

This was...wowwww! The squash and curry complimented each other really well, creating a great sweet/savory balance. I was especially happy because R said "I didn't think I was going to like this but it is reaaaaallly good!" One of my favorite things about cooking is getting people to try...and like...new things! Mission accomplished.

Lunch: Home Sick

With all of the traveling and craziness of the marathon season I definitely hit a wall this week and ended up staying home to catch up on sleep and try to rid myself of what I now refer to as "airplane cough"... too much re-circulated hotel/expo/airport/airplane air!

I'm not one of those people who eats less when I'm sick, in fact I like making something that is super flavorful so I can actually taste it through whatever cold or cough I might have. There was some leftover spicy Thai soup in the fridge which I paired with a simple tuna melt on the yummy Cabernet sesame bread from Orwasher's. Yum yum yum!

Prosciutto, Swiss, Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

This is the week of using up ingredients in my fridge. I had a few chicken finger sized chicken cutlets, a couple mushrooms, a bag of spinach and a bit of leftover prosciutto from Monday's meal. I decided to pound out the chicken and fill with the odds and ends in my fridge and it turned out deeeeelish!

Prosciutto, Swiss, Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken

• 1 Packet Chicken Cutlets
• 2-3 Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
• Shallots, thinly sliced
• Baby Spinach
• Swiss Cheese, sliced
• Prosciutto
• Tooth Picks
• Garlic, thinly sliced
• Butter
• Vermouth or a Dry White Wine

First I pounded out the chicken finger cutlets and set aside. Next I lightly sauteed the cremini mushrooms and shallots until they were just browned. I laid two chicken fingers next to each other so they were slightly overlapping. I layered down small Swiss cheese slices, then the mushrooms, shallots and prosciutto, topping with the spinach. I folded each cutlet over and secured to the cutlet diagonally across from it with a tooth pick. You want it too look like an X once secured. This is a trial-and-error process but as long as you generally have the ends secured the cooking will help seal everything together.

I heated up a saute pan over medium heat with a bit of canola oil and dropped the chicken packages in, seal side down. Let this cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned then flip and cover, cooking for another 3-4 minutes. Covering the chicken will help it cook evenly all over so you don't have to worry about the sides being undercooked.

Once the chicken had cooked through I removed to a plate and tented with foil so I could make a sauce. To the chicken pan I added 1 tbs of butter and the thinly sliced garlic. I cooked this until brown then swirled in a bit of vermouth (or white wine) scraping up all the browned bits. I served with a side of gnocchi, tossed with anchovy paste, olive oil and a bit of lemon zest. As a last minute accoutrement I added tomato slices which provided a nice contrast for the richness of the dish.

I was very happy with this meal! The flavors came together really well and the gnocchi was a perfect pairing. I would definitely make this for company because you can do every step in advance until cooking them beforehand.

Bread Salad with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash and Cremini Mushrooms

I am finally home from my work travels and doing my best to catch up on home cooked meals before I'm hit with the tornado that is NYC Marathon! Last night I purchased ragusana sausage (cinnamony, raisin pork sausage) and paired alongside a bread salad. The salad was rich with fall flavors and was a great way to kick off the week.

Bread Salad with Sage Roasted Butternut Squash and Cremini Mushrooms

• 1/2 Butternut squash, seeded (reserve seeds), peeled and cubed (1")
• Cremini Mushrooms, halved
• Fresh Thyme
• Fresh Sage
• Prosciutto
• Bread- I chose a cabernet sesame loaf
• Mache
• Pinenuts, toast with squash seeds
• Yellow Raisins, reconstituted in Pomegranate juice (optional)

Dressing: garlic paste, minced shallots, mustard, cider vinegar, olive oil plus dash of cayenne, chili powder, tumeric & cumin.

I tossed the squash and mushrooms in olive oil, S&P and spread on a sheet pan. I layered on a decent amount of sage leaves and thyme sprigrs, followed by the prosciutto. I roasted the veggies in a 425 degree oven for about 40 minutes. Half way through the cooking process I removed the thyme sprigs & prosciutto and tossed the veggies before returning to the oven. You want to remove the thyme and prosciutto before they begin to burn because you will add the proscuitto back into the salad.

When the veggies were done cooking I removed them from the oven to cool to room temperature. Next I pan cooked the sausages, then set aside and tented with foil. To the same pan I added a few tablespoons of butter, scraped up the sausagey goodness and drained into a dish. I sliced the bread, rubbed with a clove of garlic and brushed with the sausage butter. I toasted the slices in the pan and then cut into bite sized pieces.

Lastly, I combined the bread, mache, prosciutto, vegetables, nuts and raisins into a bowl and tossed lightly with the dressing.

This was a suprisingly delicious dinner! I say suprisingly because I am always hesitant to play with sweet and savory flavors but have realized that fall ingredients are the perfect playground to test out my skills. Butternut squash in particular can be cooked either way and is always yum yum yum!

On the Road: Sushi Ka, Walnut CA

As I mentioned earlier I'm in Walnut California, just east of LA, for the weekend. I decided to grab a quick lunch at one of the many sushi restaurants I had driven past- Sushi Ka. I was super impressed with the fresh fish and huge portions- a bento box with three selections (spicy tuna roll, tempura and sashimi) was only $10.95! I guess everywhere is less expensive then NYC!

Copycat

This meal was inspired by, well, Sarah!  Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs which I served family style on the dining room table.  I made a pot of marinara sauce from scratch and a big bowl of meatballs with a combination of ground pork, veal, beef, egg, parsley, and fresh breadcrumbs soaked in milk.  I warmed all of my serving dishes in the oven before filling them with my spaghetti, meatballs, and sauce.  I also served roasted eggplant stacks with mozzarella cheese and fresh basil.  Trevor opened a bottle of his favorite Les Bois du Menestrel Vacqueyras, and then we both proceeded to over eat.  

(Note: I didn't follow a recipe, and these were my best meatballs yet!)

Happy Friday!

Helloooo from Cali!

Just arrived in cloudy Walnut, California for the Mt SAC Cross Country Invitational (woooo). After a joyous bachelorette party last weekend in Ogunquit, Maine I was home for 72 hours before departing today for California. As a result, little homemade items to post but here are a few pics of this weeks meals....

Saturday Bachelorette Dinner at MC Perkins Cove: Steamed Maine Lobster & Plank Roasted Salmon

Sunday Dinner: Leftover pot roast warmed in vegetable broth over egg noodles

Monday Dinner: Quick dumpling soup with garlic & soy sauce paste in vegetable broth

Wednesday Dinner: Quick Basil, Tomato, Mozzarella Pizza

Chicken Divan from Scratch

Does your family have a signature dish?  Something that your grandmother always made.  Something that your mother continues to make every time you go home? 

Our family's signature dish is without a doubt Chicken Divan.  Our traditional recipe is composed of canned cream of Mushroom or Chicken soup, mayonnaise, chicken, broccoli and cheese, baked until bubbly, and served with a buttery bowl of white rice.  This is my ultimate comfort food, and if you asked my sisters, aunt, uncle, mother and grandfather they would likely give the same answer.  

I was surprised to see a recipe for Chicken Divan on apartmenttherapy.com the other day, and I knew I had to give the recipe a try.  It calls for making your own mornay sauce instead of using canned soup and mayonnaise.  

I followed the recipe almost exactly except I added about a teaspoon of homemade curry powder to my roux and topped off my casserole with butter soaked nuggets of fresh bread.  Mmmm, it was delicious!  And the flavor was surprisingly spot-on.  This from-scratch version is also a little more time consuming, but, I think it is definitely worth a try.  Grandma Mama would approve!

Recipe Testing

This week was all about working with new products and techniques. Whenever I'm trying something new, I find it is best to follow a recipe for someone who knows it best! I did some internet searching and settled on a few recipes from the always reliable FoodandWine.com.

On Monday I worked with sardines for the first time following recipe for Roasted Sardines with Olives, Capers and Parsley. Tuesday, I modified both the preparation and serving method of spaghetti and meatballs. And last night I tested out a updated version of roasted chicken using Jacques Pepin's recipe for Quick Roasted Chicken with Mustard and Garlic. Apologies about the blackberry pictures this week. I had a camera malfunction and am in the process of buying a new one!

Monday, October 11th

My roasted sardines vs Food and Wine's Roasted Sardines

Roasted Sardines with Olives Capers and Parsley

Adapted from FoodandWine.com recipe

• Sardines, scaled and gutted (2-3/person)
• Nicoise Olives, rough chopped
• Capers
• Serrano Chile, minced
• Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
• Shallots, thinly sliced
• Parsley, chopped
• Lemon
• Baby Artichokes (optional)

Instead of purchasing my sardines scaled and gutted, I decided to do it myself. The process is kind of messy and if you don't have a disposal, I wouldn't recommend it because it's hard to catch all the junk that comes off the fish. First I gently rubbed the scales off using my fingers, running a bit of water on them also helps. Next, holding the fish steadily, I ripped off the top fin as it's pretty boney and wouldn't taste good. Next I ran a sharp knife from underneath the head of the fish along the belly to the tail. At this stage it becomes pretty obvious what you are supposed to pull out, the belly, entrails etc. Rinse the fish and set aside until you are ready to cook. You don't need to remove the bones because once cooked many become edible, and the others are easy to spot.

Once all of the fish have been prepped, preheat an oven to 400 degrees. While the oven heats up combine the olives, capers, garlic , chile, shallots, parsley, zest of 1/2 a lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice. Combine and set aside.

Instead of doing an arugula salad on the side, I decided to finely slice the artichokes using a mandoline and incorporate with the sardines. Once sliced, I stored in a bath of cold water and lemon juice so they stayed fresh.

Now to the cooking.

Heat up a pan to high and add canola oil. Salt, Pepper and flour (optional) your sardines and drop into the canola oil once it's smoking. Cook for 3 minutes, then flip and added the remaining ingredients (caper/olive mix & artichokes). Put the pan in the 400 degree oven and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the fish is browned and the artichokes are soft.

Serve alongside angel hair lightly dressed in tomato sauce or a simple arugula salad.

This was really good!! The sardines had a nice amount of meat on them and weren't "fishy" tasting at all. The combination of the capers and olives was the perfect compliment. The most surprising part was I thought this would stink up my apartment, but because the fish was really fresh there was barely any smell at all.

Tuesday, October 12th

Spaghetti & Meatballs served traditionally...

During my travels last week I caught a local cooking show that was demonstrating how to cook and serve traditional spaghetti and meatballs. It had never occured to me to do anything other then cook the meatballs, toss with sauce and serve over pasta. This show suggested tha the the traditional method was to cook the meatballs in the sauce, and then serve separately, using only a small amount of sauce to flavor the pasta. While it seems simple, it made a big difference in how I experienced the meal!

I made simple meatballs with a pork/beef/veal mix, parmesan, parsley and S&P, which I pan seared and then oven roasted in a simple sauce. I Cuisinart'd canned whole basil tomatoes with a few cloves of garlic, parsley and 1/4 yellow onion. I roasted everything together at 400 degrees for 30 minutes then separated the meat balls from the sauce, lightly dressed the spaghetti in about 1 tbs of sauce and served. This simple supper was exactly what we needed for a quiet and comforting dinner at home.

Thursday, October 14th

My chicken vs Jacques

Quick-Roasted Chicken with Mustard and Garlic

Adapted from Jacques Pepin recipe

• 1 4lb Chicken
• 1 tbs Thyme
• 2 tbs Dry White Wine
• 2 tbs Mustard
• 2 tbs Olive Oil
• 1 tbs Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp Hot Sauce
• S&P

I followed Jacques recipe almost exactly except I didn't have kitchen shears so I used a knife, which was considerably messier. You want to halve the chicken down the backbone, by cutting along both sides and tearing it out. Next you make small cuts in the joint between the leg and thigh, and wing and breast. Combine the remaining ingredients to make a marinade. Flip the bird skin side down and spread with 1/2 of the mustard mix. Then flip over into a saute pan, skin side up, and spread the remaining amount on the skin side. Turn the stove top up to high and cook for 5 minutes, then place in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until browned.

Arugula, Tomato Shallot Topping

Adapted from FoodandWine.com recipe

• Tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
• 1 Shallot, thinly sliced
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Arugula, chopped
• Mustard
• Dash of Cumin

I thought this topping would be great paired with a mustardy chicken. First drop the tomatoes, garlic and shallot into a pan over medium heat . Once they start to soften after 3-4 minutes, swirl balsamic around the pan, enough so that it almost covers the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are fully soft, then add the cumin, S&P and a bit of mustard to taste. Lastly, toss in the arugula and cook until wilted.

I am very happy to have overcome my fear of working with a whole bird. Minus the ick factor of having to hack it apart, it is a very easy way to put together dinner. This chicken was really moist and left a ton of leftovers for R to enjoy while I'm off at a friends bachelorette party this weekend.

Glazed Pork Chops & Spaghetti Squash

Sarah-- ughh-- I love the Mussels Vindaloo at the Gage. That buttery broth with the toast is about the best thing around.  I'm glad you finally got to go to Spiaggia too!  Looks like a productive trip :)

Trevor and I had a very productive weekend here in Central Texas.  He painted the dining room and I did some gardening and worked a (9 hour) wedding.  We painted the dining room the same color as the living room to keep the spaces contiguous, which I think works well in small homes like ours.  We also got a brown and cream herringbone-ish patterned cotton rug, which really softens the space (and keeps Cindy from sliding around on the wooden floors).  After we hang artwork I'll share photos! 

Monday afternoon I went to the grocery store and picked up some pork chops and a spaghetti squash, among other weekly groceries.  I decided to pan-fry the chops and then create a glaze with mustard, shallots, cider vinegar, and a bit of brown sugar.  I heated my skillet until nearly smoking, then added some grapeseed oil.  I patted the chops dry with a paper towel and seasoned them on both sides with S&P, and seared them in the skillet until lovely and browned on both sides.  I then removed the pork chops and placed them on a plate, lowered the heat on my skillet and threw a small diced shallot.  I let the shallot cook for about 30 seconds and then whisked in about 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, a heaping teaspoon of whole grain mustard, and 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar.  I made sure to scrape the sticky brown bits off the bottom of the skillet to incorporate into my sauce.  At this point I also whisked in the juices from the plate on which the chops were resting.  I let this sauce boil down until it was thickened into a 'glaze'.

I had roasted the spaghetti squash cut side down in about 1/4 in of water until soft.  I scraped it out with a fork and seasoned with plenty of butter, salt, pepper, and a little bit of fresh nutmeg.  I plated my pork chops next to a pile of the squash, and poured the sweet, sticky glaze over the top.  This was a simple and easy to prepare meal that tasted wholesome and autumnal, and really hit the spot.  

Out & About: Chicago, Illinois

Every year I am lucky enough to spend time in one of my favorite cities- Chicago, Illinois. I was born in Evanston and for a short time lived in Northbrook a suburb about 40 minutes north of the city. Beyond bringing me back to my Midwestern roots, I also love Chicago because you can have a high level dining experience without the stuffiness that you find at a lot of NYC restaurants. Chicago chefs are also very good at sourcing locally and therefore have seasonal menus that continue to surprise you!

I had SO many good meals while I was here, but here are some of the highlights.

Sunday Dinner at Spiaggia

It happened that my Pop Pop, his wife Martha and my Aunt Amy were in Chicago for the first part of the week so I was lucky enough to enjoy a dinner with them at Spiaggia, which is consistently recognized as one of the best Italian restaurants in the country. I enjoyed an appetizer of sardines over roasted squash and ricotta, followed by a wood roasted lamb chop and crispy lamb belly with an eggplant caponata, green cerignola olives and grilled Meyer lemon. The dishes were beautiful to look at and had clean and complimentary flavors and textures that elevated beyond "the us" (usual). This restaurant was nice enough that I couldn't take pictures, but below is a shot of the beautiful restaurant as well as the black truffle gnocchi which my Pop Pop and his wife Martha enjoyed.

Restaurant photo courtesy of GrubStreet.com

Gnocchi photo courtesy of ChicagoBites.com

Lunches at The Gage

My hotel also "happened" to be in close proximity to one of my FAVORITE Chicago restaurants, The Gage. This gastropub is great because they have dishes you recognize but with their signature and seasonal twist. I had lunch here twice, the first time enjoying their Mussels Vindaloo....

and next their Scotch Egg (hard boiled egg wrapped in sausage and deep fried) and their Roasted Woodland Mushroom Sandwich.

Lunch and Dinner at Henri

The owners of The Gage recently opened a new French restaurant next door, Henri. This restaurant is a bit more formal but with equally delicious food. I had a mmmmmmmmmm delicious Croque Madame for lunch on Monday and later in the week returned with my Grandma Helen for dinner. She had the Dover Sole Mueniere and I had the Napoleon of Raw and Cooked Summer Vegetables. My favorite thing from the meal was the green salad which had a deliciously light buttermilk dressing.

Croque Madame

Dover Sole Meuniere

Napoleon of Raw and Cooked Summer Vegetables

It was a great trip but I am relieved to be home!! I'm hoping that the dining I experienced in Chicago and Minneapolis inspire me to get more creative and seasonal in the kitchen.

Out & About: St. Paul, Minnesota

For the last week and a half I've been on a Midwest adventure, traveling from St. Paul, Minnesota to Chicago for various marathon events. While I've spent a fair amount of time in Chicago, this was my first visit to St. Paul. I really enjoyed the home of Charles M. Shulz, which had an interesting mix of hometown joints and upscale restaurants.

Marcie and Peppermint Patty

St Paul is one of the two Twin Cities of Minnesota, the other being Minneapolis. St Paul is a small city with a relative lack of restaurants as most of the residents don't live downtown. However, I had one of the best meals of my trip at my hotel restaurant - The St. Paul Grill. My coworker and I enjoyed a starter of escargot stuffed with boursin and fried inside a wonton wrapper in a lemon butter sauce (luscious!!) followed by a perfectly cooked filet and a shared portion of Chocolate Lust cake. The service was fabulous and not for a moment did I feel like I was eating at a hotel restaurant.

Photos courtesy of StPaulHotel.com

My other favorite spot was Cossetta's Italian Market and Pizzeria. It was recommended to us by some of the local union guys at the St. Paul Centre for it's cafeteria style Italian food. It wasn't really the food that made this place great (although it was very tasty!) but the friendly people working there. We must have sampled 5 cold pasta dishes each before we picked what we wanted for lunch. They also have a very authentic Italian market carrying unique Italian products such as Galeffi Effervescent, small styrofoamy looking pellets that can be dropped in water to cure a stomach ache.

Photos courtesy of TwinCitiesRestaurantBlog.com

I also stopped by local burger joint, the American Burger Bar, which is known for it's assortment of specialty meats and toppings. I was in a healthy mood so I ordered the lean bison burger with a toppping of grilled pineapple and jalapenos. The burger was kind of dry (they cook to medium) but I really enjoyed the special sauce served on the side which was basically a horseradish mayo. They also get points for their tasty "skinny" fries.

The two places on my to do list that I didn't check off were Meritage a French Brasserie and Candy Land, an old fashioned candy and popcorn shop. They are definitely on the agenda for next year!

Fall Weekend

Friday Night's Dinner...

Grilled New York Strip Steak, 

Cauliflower Gratin with Gouda, Gruyere, and Herbes de Provence, 

And a Warm Golden Beet Salad with Beet Greens, Shallot, Dried Cranberries and Walnuts. 

A clean house, 

and a well swept patio.

A very content albeit sleepy Cindy.

Sunday night's supper: Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Nutmeg & Chives.

What a gorgeous weekend. The weather could not be more awesome... low 80's during the day and mid 50's at night.  The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and I am so thankful that I was able to spend so much time outdoors this weekend! 

Friday night Trevor and I had a lovely steak dinner at home, and first thing Saturday morning he was on a plane down to Florida to see a Patriots game. I was sad to see him go, but secretly happy to have the house to myself!  I cleaned the kitchen top to bottom, washed the furniture slipcovers, did ALL  the laundry, weeded my garden, raked the yard, set up my seasonal pumpkin displays, cleaned the floors, dusted the trim, etc.  And did some online shopping.  

To finish up the weekend on a healthy, wholesome note, I made a roasted butternut squash soup.  I have plenty of leftovers for dinner later in the week, and I'm thinking this soup will make a lovely supper along with a grilled ham and cheese sandwich.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Soup 

2 small-medium butternut squash

1 large, crisp, red skinned apple

3 cloves garlic

1 small onion, diced

6 cups chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Sour Cream and Chives to garnish

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 450.  Peel the squash and scoop out seeds.  Cut into roughly 1 1/2 in. cubes.  Cube the apple.  In a large bowl, toss the squash, apple, and garlic (leave cloves whole & skins on) in a bit of olive oil.  Spread on parchment paper on a baking sheet and roast in oven until fragrant and caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and set aside.  

Heat a large soup pot and add butter.  Add diced onion and saute until translucent.  Add nutmeg and stir.  Add squash and apples to pot, along with chicken stock.  Squeeze garlic out of the skins into the soup pot.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes.  Puree with a stick blender of in a food processor, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Serve with sour cream and chives.  

Note: I was DYING for some crispy bacon to crumble on top of this soup, but unfortunately we were out :(
Keith, Jennifer et. al. -- I know I owe you guys some recipes. I promise they are coming!