I had to do it. Before the holidays I had a sampling/taste of Momofuku Milk Bar‘s Compost Cookies. I’ve been thinking of them non-stop but felt intimidated about making something that could be so good. I’ve been sitting on their cookbook for the past three months too. Looking at it calling my name daily. Then this week, when I realized I needed to get my act together and pick back up on writing my blog. So I made an announcement that this was INDEED  the weekend I will attempt the cookies. And guess what? Major Success!!!!

One thing I like about these cookies is that the recipe can totally be embellished. They are called “compost” since you can basically throw everything and anything you like into them as long as you have the basic mix ready. I chose to tweak mine a little bit by adding some candied ginger giving the cookies a little bite along with its sweetness.

This was also a recipe where Cooking 101 tip #1: ALWAYS READ THE DIRECTIONS FIRST came in quite handy. I found that in this case it was also very necessary to measure out all the ingredients ahead of time, since the mixing process did get a little time sensitive. For example part of this recipe calls for the “graham crust” mixture. There is a whole section on how to make the perfect graham cracker crust. And the recipes that go along with it. This is where it begins.

Graham Crust: (adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar’s Cookbook)
What you need…..

• 1.5 cups of crushed graham crackers (about one package)
• 1/4 cup of powdered milk
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 6 melted tablespoons of butter
• 1/4 cup of heavy cream

Directions…..
As I had mentioned earlier, measure & prep everything up front.

1. First crush the graham crackers and put them into a large mixing bowl. Add the powdered milk, sugar and salt. Toss until all the dry ingredients are mixed.
2. Second, take the melted butter and whisk in the heavy cream.
3. Now mix the wet into the dry. Toss with your fingers till it is mixed thoroughly and the graham crackers are clumpy.
4. According to the book, you can chose to eat this now or save it until you need it for your crusts. In our case, we are using it within the actual cookie. So roll up the mixture and set it aside. See photo below.

Compost Cookies:
What you need…..

• 2 sticks of butter. Softened or melted and cooled.
• 1 cup of regular sugar
• 3/4 cup of light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 1/3 cups of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 3/4 cups of butterscotch chips
• 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup of chopped candied ginger
• The entire graham crust you previously made
• 1/3 cup of rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons of coffee (I used a dark roast)
• 2 cups of potato chips (whole)
• 1 cup of mini pretzels (whole)

Directions…..

1. PREP FIRST!
2. Mix the bitter with the sugars in a Kitchen-aid. Honestly, if you do not have one or a stand mixer, you might want to give up on the recipie now and it will be brutal on your forearms. (That’s why you should read it all first!) On a fast setting, stir for about 3 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape the edges of the bowl. Now mix in the egg and vanilla. Cream this for 7-8 minutes. You will get a nice thick mixture.
3. Slow the mixer down to a low speed and add flower, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix for about 1 minute. Not more. Then scrape the edges again
4. Now add the chips, gram cracker mix, ginger, oats and coffee. Mix this for about 15 seconds till its combined evenly. Now you can add the potato chips and pretzels. and mix for another 15-20 seconds. Don’t let them get crushed entirely!
5. Now line a couple cookie sheets with parchment paper.
6. Using a 1/3 cup measuring spoon (or something equivilent, scoop the dough into nice even balls on the parchment paper, approximately 4 inches apart. Then using the back of the cup, press down slightly but not too flat.
7. Now wrap the cookie sheets in plastic and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
8. Now preheat the oven to 375F.
9. Cook the dough for a max of 18 minutes. The cookies should spread out and lightly crack. Coloring shouldnt be too golden to maintain the chewy effect. I will admit, I cooked it for 19 minutes and they lost the chew factor.
10. Cool cookies on the sheet entirely, remove and eat.

AND not a spec has been left for me to eat late at night before I go to bed. It was once again, a BIG SUCCESS.

I don’t think I’m going to be successful in any attempt to find my New Mexico New Years Posole (I would die for real New Mexican Posole today) or even black-eyed Peas this year, but there is one dish that is traditionally served as a first meal of the New Year in France.  Granted, it usually served after massive alcohol consumption during the wee hours of the morning.  One of my favorite old photos is in the style of  Doisneau, of a beautifully dressed women eating her french onion soup off a zinc counter in Paris during the 50′s. It is one French dish that has crossed the pond and is served in any french restaurant in the world, French onion soup or Soupe a l’oignon gratinee. I used to debate with my husband’s chef about how authentic his soup was even if his was really good. Onion soup is done badly more often than not, but it is a soup that should be respected not only for its economy but for its simple cultural legacy.

I’ve made a lot of french onion soup, and when I was pregnant with my son. I could eat it five times a week for lunch.  Here is a variation of the first recipe that I  learned on my first day cooking.  It can be altered to be vegetarian, based on taste..

It’s surprising how long it takes to properly brown onions, but don’t push your time, it makes all the difference.

In terms of bread for croutons, the requisite day old baguette cut and lightly toasted in the oven at 350 degrees, for about 10-15 minutes is perfect.

On the subject of cheese, gruyere, comte, or imported emmenthaler are the only options. American swiss cheese has holes, real gruyere does not, real emmentaler does. I used a mixture of Comte and Gruyere in this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon cooking oil of your preference
• 2 1/2 lbs of yellow onions either very thinly sliced or pulsed in a machine.
• 2 Tablespoons of flour
• 1/2 cup of red wine
• 4 cups of water, chicken stock, or beef stock
• 1tsp dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon of fresh thyme finely chopped
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• 10-15 baguette croutons as described above
• 1 to 1 and 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.  See above note on choices.
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Place a large stock pot over medium.  Add butter and let melt and evenly brown a little bit… then add the oil, the addition of oil prevents the butter from burning.  Add onions to the stock pot and cook them until brown.  To properly brown onions you have to keep an eye on them and continuously scrape the pan. Add the thyme; then salt and pepper to taste.  Once properly browned add flour and carefully cook for a few more minutes. Add wine and let reduce a bit, but keep stirring.Then add stock or water (veg or not veg).  Cook at least 30-45 minutes.  More stock or water may be needed to get your desired consistency, but the soup should be thick.  Ladel soup into an oven proof bowl. Finally add croutons then sprinkle the cheese to top.  Set the oven to broil and cook until cheese is at least melted (if not really brown).  Personally, I love it really brown, but not burnt. See Photo.

Enjoy and Bonne Annee!!!!!!!!

Oh Yes, the bacon is on top, and OH YES the bacon is in the brownies.

This post is actually quite special to me because recently I changed my career around, and having always loved the art of photography, joined up at Monaco Reps to become what started as a producer, but is quickly turning into an artist representative. One of my photographers, Tara Sgroi, is unbelievably talented in both her food as well as her people and lifestyle photographs AND videos. Tara had approached me on coming to our new home out in Ocean Grove to shoot me while I cook. So what you will see within this post is all photos by Tara…. now back to the bacon…

In July of this year we went to the opening of Neely’s BBQ Parlor. The food was good, but the most memorable dish was the candied bacon. I had never heard of candied bacon before but this was like crack! It was delicious. We also heard from our loose-lipped waitress that there was some internal thievery of the candied bacon the day before they opened to the public. Yes, it’s that good. So when I was trying to think about what I can make as a dessert with bacon, I suddenly had an inspiration to learn how to candy the bacon (SUPER EASY) as well as utilize it in fudgey brownies (SUPER EASY TOO!). The results? Well, you be the judge.

THE CANDIED BACON! (SPICY OPTIONAL!)
Seriously, I was a little intimidated by this idea because the restaurant made it feel so special. Oh and it was super special. And now I feel even more so, knowing the simple secret that is not safe to have hanging around my house.
For hardware you need to make sure you have a stainless steel cooling rack (this makes it oven safe) as well as a cookie sheet that is bigger than said rack.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 package of thick cut bacon
• 3/4 cup of brown sugar
• 1 table-spoon of Toluca Gourmet Habañero sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. I need to begin with the fact that the hot sauce is just minimal to give the bacon a little kick, honestly, you aren’t going to taste it too much on the brownies, but  you also aren’t going to be using all the candied bacon with the brownies, so there will be extra. And the little punch that the sauce added was amazing. But like I said, you don’t have to do it.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place the cooling rack on top of the sheet.
4. Drop each piece of raw bacon separately into a large bowl so that they are not stuck together.
5. Now toss the bacon in the brown sugar until it is all coated in the sugar.
6. Sprinkle the optional hot sauce in the mix and toss a little more (using your hands)
7. Lay each piece of bacon on the cooling rack. Then sprinkle the extra brown sugar in the bowl over the coated bacon.
8. Cook in the oven 15-20 minutes until the bacon is the type of crispy that you like. NOTE: The sugar does make the bacon a little tougher. It’s now “candied”
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool for five minutes.
10. Peel the bacon off the cooling rack before it totally solidifies and sticks to the cooling rack. Place the bacon on a plate and save for part 2.

BACON BROWNIES
Once again this is pretty self-explanatory.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 package of bacon (the remainder of what you used earlier)
• 1 cup of melted unsalted butter
• 3 cups unbleached organic sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla (real please)
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate bar broken into pieces or semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a skillet of some sort, cook the remaining bacon till desired crispness. Then remove from the grease and put on a paper towel lined plate. Once cooled, chop the bacon into small pieces and put aside.
2. Preheat the over to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
3. Melt your butter in the microwave.
4. Now in a large mixing bowl (my pretty kitchen-aid, see photo) mix together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time till the mixture is smooth.
5. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt. whisk together then slowly pour into the wet mixture, while the kitchen-aid is running.
6. Mix in the chocolate chips and the chopped bacon then pour the mixture into the baking dish.
7. Now take your candied bacon and cut it into 1″ pieces. Press the candied bacon into the top of the mixture. Use as much or as little as you like.
8. Cook for about 35-40 minutes until a toothpick (or in my case, not having any, a chopstick) comes out clean.
9. Cool for about 20 minutes then eat!

Just look at the final photo. Really? They actually turned out to look that good on film? AND taste even better?!?!

As any reader of Bakin’ With Brian knows, I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER. LOVE IT. I also have a sweet tooth as well as an obsession with the magazine Cook’s Country. So when I was planning my Thanksgiving menu for my family, I came across this recipe called the Buckeye. They are named after the state tree of Ohio, but me, not being from Ohio, I do not quite get the meaning of it, besides in a way it could look a little bit like an eyeball?!? no? Anyway, I’ll take the liberty to name mine after the eye of Horus because at least to me, I sort of get the irony: Good Health. I mean, this blog is about eating wisely right?!?! But I do apologize to anyone from Ohio as well as the author (who I am crediting for inventing these to begin with).

I will say in this process I did alter the recipe slightly and it turned out for the best. This is HANDS DOWN one of the easiest things I have ever put up here. It doesn’t even require any baking. But I did, like usual, only use organic products. Even for the powdered sugar, which, honestly, is pretty much processed, it still said “organic” on the packaging, so I believe it. hahaha.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (I used the Ghirardelli ones)
• 2 3/4 cups creamy peanut butter (Whole Foods Organic, though it has sugar in it, it is more binding than the all natural PB, which is better for you)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
• 3 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces semisweet cooking chocolate bar. All natural. 100% chocolate.
• Toothpicks

Directions

It seems that bread machines came and went and then came back in the US. They are very popular here in France, every mom has one and they sell special organic mixes so your bread is homemade, but with little or or very little effort.

Baking bread from scratch is a joy and a love. There is nothing like the stickiness in your fingers and the feeling of the gluten transforming as you work the dough with your hands, and it is impossible to understand bread without having made many a batch with you hands only, or even with a combination of the Kitchenaid dough hook (yes, that is what that thing is for), and the feel of the dough between your fingers. The outcome is so much better with such little additional effort required.

My first kitchen work was in a bakery and I learned the basics of how bread making.  We had all this fancy equipment from France, one to knead the dough like someone would with their hands, a rolling contraption which made the rolling of a baguette seem so simple, a proofer which let the dough rise so that it would be perfect just when it needed to go in the oven. We had this huge plastic bin full of dough which we took from and added to everyday, a starter.  It grew and transformed as the day went on. In our our family and close family acquaintances a starter has a name, Melvin.  It seems alive, it’s like another living breathing entity on the premises.

Bread seems like a living object when you make it.  It starts out so simply, flour, yeast, water, salt, maybe a little sugar to get the yeast going then, a couple hours later, my favorite food.  Years ago I was the lunch chef in an Italian restaurant.  The first thing I had to do every morning was make the bread, and it was even better than a jog or a walk to clear my mind.  I had a lot of angry feelings at this time, towards a specific individual, and I would think of myself squishing his head every time I kneaded the large amount of dough that would become the bread the restaurant used per day.  It was if I was kneading out all my negative energy and the dough would take it ,and make positive.  By the end of kneading process, I was ready to go on with day.

My daughter was in preschool at the time and I would bring her with me to the restaurant early in the morning.  I had just enough time to make the dough and start its first rise before I would leave and drop her off to school and come back.  She loved sitting on the huge flour bins and watching the Hobart (a large industrial Kitchenaid) work.  I would give her a cup with some dough to take to school for a science project.  The way bread works is dependant on the environment, so are we, I like that.  If it’s rainy that day, maybe the tears come a little more easy, at least they do for me being from New Mexico.

I don’t bake as much bread as I used to, I am in France.  I go to my local boulangerie and have a wonderful choice everyday, but I love that too.  I take my son in the enormous American jogging stroller, the rambunctious Beagle, the Pekingese in the basket underneath and we go get our bread.  Every once in a while I make a beautiful brioche or holiday bread, but my little oven can’t take it. I may not eat bread at every meal, but here in France, it is a sacrilege not to have bread with your meal. By the way, bread has to always be right side up otherwise it’s a bad omen, and I’ve been to very few tables where the old Catholic practice of marking your bread with a cross is forgotten. My husband would be truly angry if bread wasn’t present at the table, it is his history, culture and that of my children.

Why would anyone use a bread machine I ask?  It makes no sense, I tried to be a good French housewife and make it in the bread machine my mother-in-law gave me.  It never came out right and even smelled different from the stuff you make with your hands.  The joy was completely lost.  I didn’t have to search for the warmest place in the house so it would rise properly, I didn’t get to beat it down at least once.  Bread lost all magic with the bread machine.  I will never use that contraption again.

One does not think of pepperoni bread when they think of Thanksgiving. However, in my family, this is a holiday tradition and Brian really wanted to see what all the rave was about. So I decided to share my secrets with the Fughleys (Hughey-Flinks) on Thanksgiving. However I do not advise cooking this on the rack underneath the turkey. (note: the temperature was off and its the grease from the meat in the pepperoni that is the MOST important)

A few notes first:

• The amount of pepperoni needed depends on how thin you slice it. The thinner the better! I’m going to suggest about 3/4 lbs per bread but please specify to the deli to slice it super thin.
• On that note… NEVER ever use pre-packaged pepperoni! Go to the deli counter!
• How does this fit the blog? It does not sound healthy at all! Well you could make your own dough (as Brian would) and guarantee it’s unbleached and natural but pepperoni is pig, and part of the bacon family, so it is Brian Approved. (but buy organic!!!)
• You can make your own pizza dough. I don’t for convenience and also I know exactly how much pepperoni and cheese I need per dough this way.
• Never make just one. And never, ever, reheat in the microwave. Another sin! If you must thaw leftovers in the microwave because somehow the bread made it to the freezer (sacrilege!), then thaw partially and finish heating in the oven!

Ingredients (per bread):

• ¾ lb deli cut pepperoni
• 1-16oz block of mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1 pre-made pizza dough (I prefer whole foods whole grain dough)
• Olive oil
• Flour

Directions

1. To prepare the dough, let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Sprinkle some flour on it so it doesn’t stick and cover while it rises. (if frozen you will have to let it sit out for several hours or overnight in the fridge).
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Cover your rolling area in flour and roll out the dough using a rolling-pin (for you city folk with a small kitchen and lack of cooking aids, I use to use a wine bottle until I got a “big girl kitchen”)
4. You should roll out the dough as thin and as big as possible making an oblong shape (see below). Sprinkling additional flour on the dough as you roll helps it stay flat.
5. After the dough is rolled out, cover it completely with a single layer of pepperoni.
6. Cover the pepperoni with the shredded cheese, trying to distribute evenly.
7. Begin at the bottom and roll the dough horizontally (you should be rolling the longer side). Leave room at the end and fold over the remaining dough, then fold over the dough on the ends to close them up.
8. Using wet fingertips, “wet down” all areas where the dough is folded over
9. Carefully place the dough on a cookie sheet. Mine always roll out pretty big so I always need to make a “U” shape on the baking sheet.
10. Using a pastry brush, brush some olive oil over the entire dough.
11. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the entire “bread” is a nice golden hue.
12. Serve warm.

What came out of this experience was my idea of how I want to spend the next couple weeks here at BWB. Yes it will be a slow recap of the crazy recipies that were whipped up by us. (Dina will be guest blogging again, twice hopefully). But it will also be an opportunity to share some delicious treats/appetizers/meals that I will most likely pull from when Christmas comes around…. in 3 weeks!

As a teaser I thought posting a photo of my gorgeous shopping list we were working off, would be funny. NOTE: The turkey did not end up on here. Those of you who follow BWB know that I do not like to handle meat. Let alone meat that is on a bone. Or meat that has skin on it that you have to rub lemon juice under. Or meat that you have to reach into to pull a bag of innards out with. This I do not do. I am mostly a bacontarian, should you not forget my diet. I prefer my meats processed. But Dina ruled. She made our turkey with a bottle of champagne and a dozen apples. It was DELICIOUS (though to be honest, I ate only a sliver…. I don’t love meat… unless it’s a meat muffin.)

First up…. Pepperoni Bread.

Ann’s Applesauce Cookies

Even in the midst of full on kitchen renovations I want to bake.  Maybe it’s my fancy new Bosch oven that my husband and I have spent the last week just staring endlessly at.  Maybe it’s the crisp weather finally settling in… and once that hits all I can think about are applesauce cookies!  Applesauce cookies you ask? Yes, most have not heard of these wonderful, soft fall treats.  My mother (Ann from the title) can’t even recall where she got the recipe.  It was most likely some issue of  Good Housekeeping, circa 1982.  The recipe has barely survived the little piece of shortening soaked paper its been on for years, but the memory of biting into one of these cookies withstands time!

These are easy to make and always a pleaser!  I was tempted to use a really delicious chunk applesauce (which I never do) but the change scared me.  I do use all natural apple sauce as well as organic brown sugar and unbleached organic flour. This does differ from the original early 80′s recipe.

Raisins and/or nuts are optional but I usually stick to raisins.  My sister stands by the “sans raisins or nuts” belief, to keep them authentic.  And until now the recipe has been an Itani family secret. Enjoy! Thanks Mom. Linda. Nicole.

Yields 2 Dozen.

Ingredients:

• 3/ 4 cup shortening (softened)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 cup walnuts (optional)

Makin’ the Cookies:

1. Grease cookie sheet and preheat oven to 375.  
2. In large bowl (kitchen-aid mixer) mix the shortening, brown sugar, and egg
3. Stir in the applesauce
4. In another bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
5. Mix dry ingredients into wet bowl and blend (on a low setting using the kitchen aid)
6. Fold in raisins/nuts
7. Drop tablespoons of dough onto a greased cookie sheet, about 2″ apart.
8. Bake @ 375 degrees for 10 minutes
9. Remove cookies and let them cool on a cooling rack for about 10-15 minutes… and enjoy!!!

This might be the first time I write a post and need to start it off with what I would have done differently. Having taken one bite out of the first muffin, I suddenly had a George Costanza Moment, where I though, “Why the heck didn’t I put Jelly AND Peanut Butter in these? That would have been delicious!” So with that off my chest, feel free to read over these treats but add some PB yourself. I will make a note of where in the process to add it, but unfortunately, you wont get any visual representation.

So what is Shelly Jelly? Shelly is my father, and the Jelly is the Jam that has been homemade and in my life since as long as I can remember. I actually cannot remember buying anything else. I might have once, in an alternate state of mind, back in college in the mid 90s, but besides that moment, there has always been my fathers Jams. He even made Kiwi jam once, based on my request. Maybe one day I can get him to write an entry himself, on his technique and why he has always done this. That being said, I know most of you do not have access to my dad’s signature spreads, so you will have to get local. Just please look at what you are buying. So many jams and jellies are over processed with chemicals and most importantly, High Fructose Corn Syrup.

This recipe should yield about 10 muffins. And remember, I always try to used organic and unbleached materials. The less processed, the better!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of pastry flour, if you only have all-purpose, it will work too, but might be slightly different
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (learn about the different types of cinnamon here)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of 2% milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1 stick of melted butter
• 10 teaspoons of Shelly Jelly or Jelly of choice
• 10 teaspoons of all natural peanut butter (always look at ingredients. if it is just peanuts and salt, this is the wisest route to go, and remember, I didnt make it with the peanut butter, but I bet its amazing!)
• For topping: 1 egg, beaten and 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar

1. In your kitchen-aid bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients
2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and grease up your muffin tin for preparation
3. In a second, smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (egg, milk, butter and vanilla).
4. Turning your kitchen-aid on slow, slowly mix the liquids into the dry mixture. Mix until smooth.
5. Divide the batter in half and pour an even amount into each of the 10 prepared cupcake cups.
6. In the center of each muffin, put a dollop of Shelly Jelly AND or Peanut butter (see photo).
7. Cover the dollops with the remaining batter.
8. Cook in the oven for approx 15 minutes.
9. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush onto the muffins, the one beaten egg.
10. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on to all the muffins.
11. Put the muffins back into the heated oven for about 5 more minutes.
12. Remove and let cool for about 10 minutes on a rolling rack before eating.

OK, so these are sort of amazing. What is better than baked goods with a filling? mmmmmmmmm. Make and share! Perfect for breakfasts.

I’ve been thinking about what to cook for a while now and really wanted to find an easy to cook fall/winter recipe that would be a great addition on my Thanksgiving table this year. There is no doubt that squash is the most delicious vegetable during this season! It comes in many shapes, sizes, tastes and colors! I chose Acorn squash and butternut squash for this recipe. Butternut squash (especially when you pick just the perfect one!) truly is soooo “buttery”. It is a dessert in vegetable form! The deeper orange your squash is the sweeter and richer it tastes! Butternut squash is a great source of Vitamin C, A, and E. Acorn Squash is perfect for stuffing because of its shape. It looks like an oversize acorn. The taste of acorn squash is not as sweet as butternut but the two certainly complement each other and work well together in a recipe. Acorn squash is a great source of fiber and potassium.

On a side note I realized that when I come home from work I’m always so hungry. It’s usually around 7 or 8 and I’ve already been to the gym; without food or a snack since at least mid-day… cooking a fast healthy meal means I don’t sit and nosh while waiting for my meal to be ready for consumption! If you are at all like me, then my quick and easy recipes are for you! This one takes about 30 minutes, with plenty of leftovers requiring 5 minutes prep the next night! Just be careful not to eat half the bag of pecans or cranberries while cooking

This concoction has been a staple at my Thanksgiving table for the last few years and is incredibly delicious and flavorful!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup brown rice
• ½ cup dried cranberries (sweetened with fruit juice, not excess sugar)
• 1 teaspoon dried orange peel
• 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons of shallots, finely chopped (or onions)
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• ½ cup pecans, chopped

Directions

Prepare the rice according to package instructions. I prefer to use 2 cups of vegetable broth instead of water. I find it adds a lot of extra favor to the rice. In a medium bowl mix (microwave safe) mix the cranberries, orange peel, ½ cup of vegetable broth.

In a large saucepan, with a little oil, stir in celery, shallots and poultry seasoning. Sauté for a few minutes. Stir in cranberries, orange peel and vegetable broth and rice and cook for another few minutes.

This rice dish will serve 8 people, so depending on how much squash you are making you may have leftover rice.

Now for the squash! You can time all of this to cook at the same time. The rice and the squash usually take about 30 minutes to cook. So once you have the rice cooking prepare the squash and throw it in the oven.

You will need to cut through the top of the acorn squash, deep enough that when the top comes off you have a hollow opening with seeds. Pull out all the seeds and pulp just like when you were a kid carving a pumpkin. You can even save the seeds and toast them like pumpkin seeds. What a yummy snack!

Sprinkle about a tablespoon of olive oil throughout the inside of the squash and place on a large baking pan.

Your next step will be peeling and cubing the butternut squash. Ill admit, I cheated on this next step. Without Justin here tonight to work his magic with a knife that was the last thing I wanted to do (remember I’m all about quick and easy). So I bought the already cut squash…I know, I know, but it’s still fresh!

Place the cubed squash surrounding the acorn on the pan. Pour about a cup of vegetable broth throughout the pan so the squash will sit in it. Finally, drop a few pieces of cut butter throughout  and sprinkle some brown sugar on the squash.
Cook in the oven for about 30 minutes @ 425 degrees.

When the squash is soft (test with a fork) it’s ready to eat!

I realized once I started eating that it would have been much better to mix the squash with the rice…using a spoon, scrape out the sides of the acorn squash ( leaving a strong wall to put the stuffing in) and mix the scrapings with the rice. Then place the rice in the shell of the squash.(see below) Leave the butternut squash as a side dish and you are ready to enjoy your dinner!