Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Herbs and Parmesan

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 Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon mixed fresh herbs (I used sage, rosemary, and oregano), finely chopped

1/4 cup grated parmesan

kosher salt

black pepper

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Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the stem end off the squash and slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and brush with one tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes or until tender.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape the squash to remove the flesh in long strands. Place the squash in a large bowl. Add olive oil, herbs, and parmesan and toss to combine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Kale Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash, Bacon, and Fried Eggs

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 large bunch green kale, ribs removed and torn into bite-sized pieces

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and diced in 1/4-in dice

8 slices of high-quality thick-cut bacon

4 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Vinaigrette:

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 small shallot, finely minced

1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Place the butternut squash on a sheet tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until soft and starting to crisp around the edges, about 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Reduce the heat to 350 and place bacon on a large baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. Remove from the oven, and drain the bacon on paper towels. Break the bacon into 1-inch pieces. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings for the dressing.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Crack the eggs into the skillet. Once the whites start to set, sprinkle a few drops of water around the edges of the pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the white is completely set and the yolk reaches your desired level of doneness.

Divide the kale evenly between 4 large bowls. Arrange the roasted butternut squash and bacon on top. Drizzle with maple bacon vinaigrette and top with one egg. Serve immediately.

Viniagrette:

Place all ingredients in a mason jar, or any other jar with an air-tight, secure lid. Place the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until all the ingredients are emulsified. Dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Apple & Butternut Squash Crumble With Spiked Eggnog Custard

This delicious but simple dessert is quick to prepare but full of complex flavor and texture.  It is less sweet than the average southern dessert as to not cover the flavors of the apples and squash. But f you like a little more sweetness, try drizzling a berry compote or syrup on top before serving.

Filling:

1 1/4 lbs apples; peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/4 lbs butternut squash; peeled, seeded and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

juice from one lemon

1/4 cup sugar

1 Tbs Alchemy Spice Wake & Bake Sweet Spice

1 tsp kosher salt

Method:

Soak the chopped apples and squash in a bowl of water and the lemon juice for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours. Drain the apples and squash in a colander, then place in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the sugar, spice blend, and salt, then stir to combine.

Crumble Topping:

2/3 cup Sonrisa Farm stone ground whole wheat flour

2/3 cup rolled oats

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs Alchemy Spice Wake & Bake Sweet Spice

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz unsalted butter

Method: 

Stir together the dry ingredients, then rub in the butter until the mixture is like coarse breadcrumbs. Cover the apple and squash mixture with the crumble topping and bake at 350 degrees for about 60-90 minutes, or until the filling is soft and the topping is golden brown. Serve with warm spiked eggnog custard, fresh cream or ice cream.

Spiked Eggnog Custard:

2 cups milk, plus extra for thinning if necessary

freshly grated whole nutmeg

2 Tbs corn starch

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 oz rum or brandy

Method: 

Place 1 3/4 cup of milk and about 1/2 of a nutmeg (freshly grated)  in a saucepan and warm until just under a boil, stirring occasionally.

In a Medium sized jug, combine the corn starch with 1/4 cup of milk. Then add the egg yolks, sugar and salt to the corn starch mixture and whisk until smooth.

When the milk is hot (but not boiling, as boiling will cause the milk to scorch), pour the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk and whisk continuously. Pour in the rum or brandy and continue whisking until the custard thickens. Remove from heat and serve.  If you want a thinner custard, whisk in more milk while the custard is hot.

Sweet Potato Corn Dogs (plus doughnuts!) with Maple Siracha Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry cream of wheat (optional- can substitute more corn meal)

1/4 cup grits or stone ground corn meal

1 tsp kosher salt

1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup maple sugar (use cane sugar if you don't have granulated maple sugar)

1 1/2 lb sweet potato, baked until soft,  flesh scooped out and mashed (about 1 3/4 cups of mash)

1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 egg

4 tbs corn starch for dredging

About 16 regular sized hot dogs

Peanut oil (or your favorite high-heat oil) for deep frying

16 bamboo or wooden corn dog sticks (can use skewers cut to 6 or 7 inch lengths)

For the dipping sauce, combine:

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Several tablespoons of Siracha Hot Chili Sauce

Method:

Combine or sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside. In a stand mixer, whisk the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, and egg until smooth.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and combine, but do not over-mix. The batter should be thick but loose enough to be slightly pourable. Add more buttermilk a little at a time if it is too dry. Let the batter rest while you assemble the hot dogs.

Heat enough oil in a deep, wide saucepan for deep frying the corn dogs. The oil will need to reach 375 degrees before frying.

Insert sticks into the ends of the hot dogs, pushing them in about half of the length of the hot dog. Place a few tablespoons of corn starch on a plate, then roll the hot dogs in the corn starch, dusting off the excess.

Fill a glass nearly to the top with batter.  When the oil is up to temperature, dip the hot dogs into the cup of batter until they are coated. Place the corn dogs into the hot oil and fry until dark golden brown.  Because of the sugars in the sweet potato and the batter, the breading will fry darker than typical cornbread batter.

Roll corn dogs in the hot oil at least once to make sure all sides cook evenly. When the batter is fully cooked, carefully remove them from the oil with tongs and place on absorbent paper towel. Serve hot.

When all of the corn dogs are finished cooking, any remaining batter can be made into doughnuts by dropping a teaspoon at a time into the hot oil. Scoop the cooked doughnuts out of the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper towel. Sprinkle with sugar immediately.

Curried Radish Salad: Fresh or Fermented

Ingredients:

3-4 bunches of Easter Egg Radishes

1 bulb of fresh garlic (about 10 cloves)

1-2 fresh hot red chilies

Other root vegetables like carrots, turnips, etc.

3 Tbs canning or pickling salt

1 quart water

1 Tbs coriander seeds

1 Tbs fenugreek powder

1 Tbs turmeric powder

Method:

Combine the salt with one quart of water until the salt is completely dissolved.

Puree the chilies with the garlic and a little water until it forms a smooth paste.

Wash and trim the vegetables, removing the stem and root ends. With the grater or julienne attachment on a food processor, shred the radishes, carrots, and turnips.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl and cover with the salt brine.

Let the vegetables soak in the salt brine for about 30 minutes, then pour off about a cup or so of the brine and set aside. Then pour the vegetables into a colander and rinse well with cold water. Press out any excess moisture.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl and combine with the garlic and chili paste as well as the spices.  You may want to use disposable gloves while mixing, depending on the heat level of your chilies.

You can eat the salad fresh as it is, or as a fresh chutney or condiment with sandwiches, soups, or proteins.  It is highly flavored as a fresh salad, but if you choose to ferment the salad, then the spicy flavors will mellow as it becomes more sour through fermentation.

To ferment the salad, pack tightly into a quart jar, being careful to press out air bubbles with each inch or two that you scoop into the jar. Leave about two inches of head space in the jar, then pour a little of the leftover soaking brine over the top. Wipe the inside of the jar mouth with a clean cloth to remove any exposed vegetables or spice paste. Cover with the lid and ring, then leave the jar out at room temperature (not in direct sunlight) for several days, and up to several weeks. Check every day or so to make sure the vegetables are submerged in the brine and not exposed to air. Bubbles should form in the jar when the fermentation process is active.

When the salad is sour enough to your taste, pour off any extra brine, then refrigerate.