Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This is a great go-to fall vinaigrette!  Its easy to put together and keeps nicely in the fridge.  Its great on salads, greens, sweet potatoes, or drizzled over my recent sausage and apple stuffing-stuffed winter squash!  The hardest thing about this is reducing the cider (which is really easy :) )!

Ingredients

1 C Apple Cider Concentrate (1 qt cider reduced to 1 C)
1/2 C Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 C Evoo
Salt and Pepper TT
1 Tbs. Grained Dijon Mustard

Procedure

While Apple Cider Concentrate is still warm from reduction combine with red wine vinegar and seasoning.  Whisk in mustard.  Slowly whisk in olive oil to emulsify.  Store in fridge.  Bring to room temp and shake to combing oil and vinegar before using.

Moroccan-Spiced Stuffed Winter Squash

Here is the second stuffed squash recipe I experimented with!  Delicious and a little more health conscious with the use of brown rice as opposed to bread.  I made mine with farro and it was delicious and even more healthy!  I also used venison my husband hunted and we processed which is pretty cool.  But the lean grassfed beef the recipe calls for is good choice as well!  Ground anything would work well in this recipe! 

Time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Serves: 4 to 5 people

Ingredients:

• 4 servings cooked brown rice *prepare beforehand
• 2 winter squash
• 1 pound grass-fed beef
• 1 large onion
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic
• 1 large bell pepper or equivalent
• Spices to taste: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon curry, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, dash of cayenne pepper, dash of cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup raisins or cranberries

Instructions:

1. Prepare rice.
2. Cut squash in half with checkered slices and de-seed. Then roast for 30 to 40 minutes.
3. While squash is cooking, brown ground beef. Add onions and garlic, to brown; peppers and any other vegetables; salt and spices; until fragrant; and raisins last.
4. Combine beef mixture and rice, then add more spices or salt if needed.
5. When squash is cooked and tender, add a heaping ladle-ful of beef and rice mixture to the hollow of the squash. It’s okay if some spills out—it adds to the charm!
6. Serve hot, and enjoy!
Variations:
• Chop up an apple, sauté with onions and peppers
• Add more vegetables: peas, carrots, spinach
• Add some nuts: toasted pine nuts or pistachios add a nice nutty flair
• Mix up the meat: Make with sausage, chicken or bits of bacon
• Chop up squash and mix together with other ingredients for a “one-pot” meal

Stuffed Winter Squash with Apple, Cranberry & Sausage Stuffing

This is the first of two delicious stuffed squash recipes I'm posting, both of which I found on Pinterest.  I was craving Thanksgiving flavors early this year and this was the perfect way to utilize Chris and Erica's beautiful winter squash and apples!  A delicious taste of all of those lovely fall flavors in a super cute squash bowl!

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat bread (preferably from the bakery, processed bread takes longer to dry)

1 cup white bread

1/2 cup onion, diced finely

1/2 cup celery, diced finely

1/2 lb ground pork sausage with sage (If you can't find ground and/or it comes in a casing, remove the casing first)

1/2 tsp dried sage, rosemary & thyme

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

1 apple, cored and diced into small chunks

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 Tablespoons melted butter

1/4- 1/2 cup chicken stock

Instructions

NOTE: Break the bread into little pieces and leave out to stale for a few days, breaking it down more and more each day. If you do not have the time to do this, break the bread up and put it in the oven on 350 for about 5-7 minutes. Let it cool and continue to break it up into fine pieces under a 1/2"
For the Stuffing:
1. In a large skillet, add a little bit of olive oil to the bottom of the pan and add the onions, celery and sausage. Continue breaking up the sausage into little crumbles. Cook until the sausage is cooked through
2. Add the spices and stir
3. Add the apple, cranberries, bread, parsley, and butter
4. Drizzle with the chicken stock until you get a nice consistency. This could take as little as 1/4 cup or as much as 1/2 a cup
Winter Squash:
5. Cut a winter squash in half, scoop out the seeds
6. Add a little olive oil in the middle and use a pastry brush to coat the edges
7. Place the squash halves open side down on a baking sheet and bake in an oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes
8. Flip the squash over and run a fork through the middle making little strings. Add a little butter and top with the stuffing. Pile it on!
9. Bake for another 20-30 minutes or until the squash is tender and the stuffing is done

Pickled Sweet Peppers

This is a perfect recipe to do now as these guys will make a great addition to the meat and cheese board at your holiday festivities!  I made mine about two weeks ago and have just now tasted them.  They are Fantastic!!!!  Perfect balance between sweet, spicy, tart, and salty! 

Can't remember exactly what magazine I tore this one out of, but it's a pretty standard pickling recipe.  Simple and Delicious!  Enjoy!

Pickled Sweet Bell Peppers

10 oz. sweet bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced 
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 C white vinegar
1/4 C granulated sugar
2 Tbs. pickling spices

Procedure

Place all of the peppers in a large heatproof bowl; set aside.  In a medium stainless-steel (or non-reactive) saucepan combine 1 C of water, vinegar, sugar, 1 1/2 Tbs. salt, and pickling spices.  Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until sugar and salt dissolve.  Pout hot vinegar mixture over peppers; cool.  Transfer to quart canning jars.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  I waited two weeks to open mine and they are pickled to perfection!

Eggplant Stew with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Chickpeas

Another delicious recipe from "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone" by Deborah Madison!  My husband was craving chili but I had all of these delicious eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes to use so I opened up the trusty cookbook and found this delicious idea!  It was perfect!  Tasty, easy, and satisfied my man's chili craving!  Success!  I served it over wild rice, but it would also be delicious over bulgar or farro as well!

Ingredients

1 to 1 1/2 lbs eggplant
6 Tbs olive oil
1 large red onion, diced into 1/2 inch chunks
1 large orange or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 inch chunks
2 tsp paprika
2 plump garlic cloves, diced
2 Tbs tomato paste
5 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 C coarsely chopped parsley

Procedure

Cut the eggplant into 1/2 inch cubes.  Heat 1/4 C olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat until hazy.  Add the eggplant and stir to distribute the oil.  Cook, turning the pieces every few minutes, until golden, about 10 minutes.

Heat the remaining oil in a Dutch oven or large pot on medium high heat.  Add the onion, pepper, and paprika and saute until the onion is lightly browned around the edges, adding the garlic towards the end.  Stir in the tomato paste, fry it for a minute, then moisten with a few tablespoons water and scrape up the juices from the bottom of the pan.  Add the tomatoes, eggplant, chickpeas, 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Stir in the chopped parsley and serve.

Spicy Eggplant Spread with Thai Basil

The last in my trio of eggplant spread recipes, this one takes an Asian approach for a completely different combination of flavors!

Japanese eggplant.

Ingredients

1 lb eggplant, any variety
1 1/2 Tbs light brown sugar
2 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs dark soy sauce
2 to 3 Serrano chilies, finely minced
3 Tbs dark sesame or roasted peanut oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbs chopped basil, Thai or regular
Salt
Small basil leaves for garnish
2 Tbs sesame seeds, toasted in a small skillet

Procedure

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Slash the eggplant in multiple places to prevent it from exploding.  Place in pan and bake until it's soft to the point of collapsing, approximately 30-40 minutes, letting the skin harden and char in places to provide smoky flavor.  Alternatively, grill over low heat until soft.  Let cool approximately 15-20 minutes, peel, and coarsely chop the flesh.  Don't worry about stubborn flecks of skin.

Mix the sugar, vinegar, soy, and chilies together.  Heat wok or skillet over high heat and add the oil.  When it begins to have, add the garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.  Add the eggplant and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the sauce and fry for 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and stir in the chopped basil.  Taste for salt.

Mound the eggplant in a bowl and garnish with the bail leaves and sesame seeds.

Roasted Eggplant with Dill, Yogurt, and Walnuts (Another Eggplant Spread)

This is another easy eggplant spread with a delicious addition of dill, yogurt, and walnuts.  A nice variation on a traditional eggplant spread. 

A nice variety of eggplants.

Ingredients

1 large or 2 medium eggplants, about 1 1/4 lbs
3 garlic cloves
1/4 C walnuts
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1/2 C shopped dill
3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/3 to 1/2 C drained yogurt

Procedure

Make 4 or 5 short incisions in the eggplant.  Thinly slice one of the garlic cloves and insert a slice in each incision.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Slash the eggplant in multiple places to prevent it from exploding.  Place in pan and bake until it's soft to the point of collapsing, approximately 30-40 minutes, letting the skin harden and char in places to provide smoky flavor.  Alternatively, grill over low heat until soft.  Let cool approximately 15-20 minutes, peel, and coarsely chop the flesh.

Toast the nuts on a small sheet pan in the oven until fragrant, watching them closely to prevent burning.  Coarsely chop.  Put remaining garlic in a food processor with 1/2 tsp salt, dill, and olive oil and pulse.  Add in eggplant and pulse to make a coarse puree.  Remove from processor, add in yogurt, fold in the nuts, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.