What's For Dinner Wednesday 10/4/09?

[lvs2cook]

all,

Another chilly morning here. It was a very busy day for me yesterday. I was out from 9:00 am and didn't get home till almost 5:00 pm. Yikes! So many errands needed to be taken care of.

I still have to go out today to get a few thing for dinner tonight. I am experimenting a bit with some dishes I would like to try for Thanksgiving. Being we are going to Georgia again to be with the boys for T-Day I need to get a shopping list in order for DS#2. We are not getting into Georgia until the evening of the 24th. This leave me only the day before T-Day for prep. So with DS#2 doing the shopping, it will help greatly.

I am experimenting with sides and a scone recipe. I think I will simply grill off a few marinated chicken breasts to go with all the other stuff I am making for dinner. Here are the new recipes I got and want to try out.

May have to do this in more than one post.


Have a great day all,

Joan



Roasted Butternut Squash Apple Crisp
Serves 2

1 Butternut Squash
1 apple, chopped, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Butter, divided
Real maple syrup


Preheat oven to 350° F. Cut squash down the middle. Scoop out the membrane and seeds. In a bowl mix together apples and cinnamon and equally divide them between the 2 squash in the cavities you created when you scooped out the seeds. Place 1 Tablespoon of butter on top of the apples on each squash.

Crumb Topping:
3/4 stick butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Instant Oats
1/4 cup Toasted Pecans


With a pastry blender or 2 forks, mix together butter and flour until it resembles peas. Add all of the other ingredients and mix well. Mound crumb topping over apple mixture (you will have left over topping mixture). Drizzle maple syrup over the crumb topping and over the Butternut Squash. Bake for 45 minutes.

Joan’s Notes: I think this recipe could be used as a side or on the dessert table.




Cheeddar Dill Scones
Adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

This is a slight variation of Ina Garten's recipe- but with some whole wheat flour for a healthy kick. The cream is doubled to make a fluffier scone and for a biscuit-like crumb (if you prefer a drier, more dense texture this recipe is not for you).

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbs. baking powder
3 tsp. salt
3/4 lb. cold butter, diced
2 cups cold heavy cream
4 eggs
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 cup fresh dill, minced
Heavy cream, for brushing

Preheat oven to 400° F. Combine dry ingredients, less 1 Tbs. (reserve for coating cheese and dill), and add butter. Mix until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.

Beat eggs and heavy cream together, add to dry ingredients. Mix just to combine.

Toss 1 Tbs. flour with cheese and dill, then knead into batter. Form four large rounds from the batter, and cut each round into 6 wedges. Place on parchment-lined sheet pans, bake for 25 minutes.

Cool on racks and enjoy!

[lvs2cook]

Cauliflower, Bacon, & Potato Casserole

This recipe brings together perfectly bite-sized florets of orange cauliflower and thinly sliced purple potatoes in a garlicky, Gruyere-y cream sauce with fresh herbs, some bacon, and a bit of apples. It was topped with a crisp, buttery Panko breadcrumb and Parmesan crust. A great Thanksgiving side!

3 to 4 heads cauliflower (purple, cheddar, or regular)
2-1/2 cups garlic cloves, trimmed
1-1/2 cups olive oil
1 lb. bacon, cut into lardoons
4-6 potatoes, waxy varieties
6 Tbs. parsley, chopped
3 cups milk, whole
4 sprigs Thyme
1 apple, peeled, diced
1 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. nutmeg, fresh grated
2 Tbs. butter
1 to 2 cups shredded cheese, like gruyere
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup fried onions
2 cups Panko crumbs
2 cups Phyllo, shredded


Preheat oven to 350° F and butter your Pyrex dish.

Cut Cauliflower into small florets, trimmed of stems and place in large bowl.

Take 1/2 cup of garlic and slice lengthwise in half. Place a generous cup of olive oil in a pan with the sliced garlic and heat over a low to medium-low heat until the garlic starts to brown (15 – 20 min)

With slotted spoon, remove garlic from oil (reserve the oil for use in topping) and place in the bowl with Cauliflower along with a couple of Tablespoons of garlic oil, splashes of olive oil, kosher salt and pepper, toss, and let sit while do some other stuff.

Slice the potatoes on a mandolin, not to thin, toss with oil and salt and scallop layer the bottom of your dish. Place in the oven till the potatoes are slightly crisp and brown on top.

Place cauliflower in a single layer on a sheet tray, use two if necessary, and roast in the oven until there is some browning, and some moisture has evaporated.

Fry bacon until almost crisp and drain.

To make the garlic cream: Place two cups of garlic cloves in a pot and cover in cold water and bring up to a simmer. Strain the garlic, return it to the pot and cover again in cold water bring to simmer and strain. Strain the garlic, return it to the pot, add the milk, apple, thyme, nutmeg, salt & pepper and bring to a simmer. Let it cool, remove the thyme sprig, and place the rest into a blender along with honey and butter, make a puree…

In large bowl combine the cauliflower, bacon, and 3 Tbs. parsley

In a large saucepan, heat the garlic puree, add 1Tbs. butter, and whisk in 1-2 cups of shredded cheese until smooth and melted.

Add the puree to the bowl with the cauliflower and stuff, and mix well. Place the mixture into the Pyrex on top of the potatoes. Press the mix into the Pyrex using a spatula.

The topping: heat a pan: add 3 Tbs. garlic oil, two cups Panko crumbs, 1 Tbs. parsley, and salt. Toss and heat until toasted. Place in a bowl with the fried onions. Heat the pan again add 3Tbs. garlic oil, the phyllo, parsley, salt and toss until toasted. Place into the bowl. When the bowl cools, add 1/2 cup parmesan and toss. Press onto the casserole.

Bake at 350° F until crust browns and there is some bubbling.


Joan’s Notes: Nope, the recipe does not mention what size pan to use. I am assuming a 13” x 9” baking pan.



Roasted Brussels Sprout Salad

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, washed and dried
4 garlic cloves, sliced
4 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
Salt and pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425° F. Cut sprouts in half and toss on a sheet pan with garlic slices. Pour olive oil over the mixture, and season with salt and pepper (and half of the lemon zest). Toss to coat, and then top with small bits of the butter.

Pop in the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, then stir and lower heat to 400° F. Bake for another 15-20 minutes. The sprouts will be tender and caramelized. Remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl toss cooled sprouts with remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Chill or serve room temperature.

[Nora]

Spaghetti with meatballs, salad, garlic bread and caramel cake.

Y'all have a great day!

[luv2cook]

Good morning Joan, Nora, and all to follow! Another chilly day here but no complaints from me We'll eat a church tonight so loaded baked potatoes with all the trimmings for us. Hope you all have a very blessed day!!

[ozsmom1]

Joan, I have made the Cheddar Dill scones many, many times and we all love them., I usually add a bit of minced onion to them and use white flour, not the whole wheat. Many just have tho whip some up tomorrow. For tonight, we are going to a neighbors for pizza, it's their son's 18th birthday. Think I'll bake something for him. Have a wonderful day all.

[ilovethesouth]

We're going to have beef tips served over egg noodles. Not sure what vegetables yet.

[Christi Wharton]

We are grilling steaks while the weather is still gorgeous and serving with mushrooms and ceasar salad. We may be grilling in the dark, but the moon is still pretty full!

[happytobehere]

We had baked Tilapia, brown rice, Italian green beans & garlic cheddar biscuits.

[wehoney]

A bowl of cereal. Oh boy...

[MindaAnn]

We were on the road so we stopped at CB and had ham biscuits. I think we were both to tired to eat!

Honey, I like cereal for dinner!