Delicata Squash and Kale Salad

Part of the reason I never post is that I always want to eat the food before I take its picture - and the times I do photograph my plate, well, let's just say no one will be paying me to take family photos any time soon. So if you'll endure some recipes without previews, I'll try to post a little more often. Maybe someone else can make the recipe and add a picture later. (Actually, I found this picture online, so you can enjoy your preview.)

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Anyway, Kaitlyn asked for some good vegetable recipes, so here's an amazing salad. When I wanted to make a really nice meal for Ryan on Valentines Day, we started with this beauty. It's easy enough to put together, but tastes absolutely heavenly. (source - The Wall Street Journal)

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Ingredients

1 medium squash

olive oil for drizzling

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

zest of 1/2 an orange

1/2 shallot, minced

1/2 C raw kale, shredded in thin ribbons

1/4 C shaved parmesan (I like to use a vegetable peeler)

1 Tbsp shaved radish

1 Tbsp crushed pecans, toasted

1/2 Tbsp chives, chopped

3 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

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Directions

Preheat oven to 400. Peel the squash skin off with a knife, not a vegetable peeler, then cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Cut it into pieces about 2 inches long and 1 inch thick. Spread the squash on a baking sheet lined with foil, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for 25 minutes, until very tender.

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Remove the squash from the oven and toss with 1/2 the parsley, the orange zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Let cool.

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In a mixing bowl, toss the cooled squash with shallot, kale, parmesan, radish, pecans, parsley, chives, and lemon juice. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

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Serves 4

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Since there's plenty of moisture in this salad, you don't want to save it. If you want to make a bunch to have leftovers, prepare the squash and store it separately. Then mix together the veggies and herbs, but leave out the lemon juice and olive oil. Store this in its own container. Right before serving, toss in the squash, lemon juice, and finish off with a drizzle of oil and some salt and pepper. Kale is a pretty rugged green, so it keeps for quite a while.

Herbs de Provence

This post is not actually a recipe, but a highlight of one of my favorite ingredients - herbs de provence. This is a french mixture of herbs and spices including basil, thyme, savory, and lavender blossoms (among other things). I seriously don't know how I cooked before Ryan introduced me to this wondrous delight. My local closed-on-Sunday little grocer doesn't carry it, but most well-stocked spice aisles should have it. I usually buy it at Target, but I would imagine that Smith's or Kroger carry it as well, and we have found it at Harmon's too. It's priced about typical for spice blends - a regular size jar is several dollars, but a little bit goes a long way, so it's not like you'll be buying more every other week. I use this in pretty much anything, here's just a few examples:

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Meat: throw some in the cavity of a roast chicken, add it to your pot roast, use as a pre-grilling rub for steaks, or sprinkle it on fish before baking.

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Veggies: sprinkle on mixed veggies before roasting, toss in a salad, or mix with bread crumbs and stuff in tomatoes (see recipe for tomatoes Provençal).

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Bread: add to mayo with garlic and lemon to make a savory sandwich spread, mix in olive oil and vinegar for a yummy dip, mix in butter to toast on french bread.

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A little addition of these herbs really adds new life to your meal! Try it, I'm begging you ...

Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream Pie

I have been looking for an excuse to make this pie ever since I stumbled across it months ago. So when Sam's mom and brother were in town, I decided the time had come and took the plunge. And let me tell you, this pie is amazing!!! Words really don't do it justice. You'll simply have to try it for yourself.

Recipe adapted from Kevin & Amanda and Allrecipes.com

1 pkg. Double Stuf Oreos

6 Tbsp. melted butter

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c. peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 cup butter

2/3 cup cocoa powder

3 cups sugar

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Finely crush 2/3 of the package of Oreos, combine with the melted butter, and press into the bottom of a 10-inch or larger round pan. Freeze for at least 10 minutes.

While the crust freezes, make the hot fudge. Whisk together evaporated milk and cocoa. Strain into a large saucepan to remove cocoa lumps. Add 1 c. butter and 3 c. sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Combine sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla, and then gently fold in whipped cream. Spread half of cream mixture over frozen crust. Top with a layer of the hot fudge. Spread remaining cream mixture over hot fudge, drizzle some hot fudge on top (you will probably only use about half of it), and finally top with remaining Oreos, roughly crushed. Freeze for at least 6-8 hours before serving.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Feta Rounds

We just love these! My Mom introduced them to us as part of the South Beach Diet, but they are a wonderful appetizer or side dish for non-dieters as well. The feta and sweet potatoes complement each other beautifully, and the feta isn't too overpowering as it sometimes can be.

3 long, thin sweet potatoes

olive oil

salt

1 pkg. feta cheese (I believe I use a 4 oz. pkg, but it might be 6 oz)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut sweet potatoes into discs about 1/2 inch thick. Scoop out a small dish-shape in the middle of each disc, being careful not to cut through the bottom of the potato. Toss with a small amount of olive oil and salt to taste. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and roast for 15-25 minutes until tender. (But not too tender! You'll still be cooking them a bit more, so take that into account.) Combine feta cheese with a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to make a thick paste. Scoop a small amount into the center of each sweet potato round and bake at 350 degrees for another 5 minutes until cheese is heated through.

Spinach & Tomato Pesto Pasta

I got this recipe from a ward recipe exchange. The original recipe calls for a pound of chicken, grilled and cubed, but it tasted great without as well. I'm always on the lookout for good pasta recipes, and this one is surprisingly zesty and full of flavor!

12 to 16 oz. pasta
1 jar Classico Traditional Basil Pesto (or 1 cup of homemade pesto)
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 bag of fresh spinach, shredded
2 medium roma tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. red onion, diced (optional)

Prepare pasta as directed on package. Rinse in cold water. Mix Classico pesto sauce in to taste with lemon juice. Add chicken (if using), spinach, tomatoes, and onion and toss. Serve with powdered parmesan cheese.

Chicken Broccoli Stirfry

Sam doesn't particularly care for stir-fry, but this one is an exception. I love how tender the chicken gets because of the marinade.
Original recipe from $5 Dinners


3 chicken breasts, cubed
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
salt and pepper
1 head broccoli or equivalent frozen broccoli
1 onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 green bell pepper

Toss uncooked, cubed chicken with oil, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a skillet. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes or more (if more than 30 minutes, put in refrigerator). Chop broccoli, onion, and bell pepper into small pieces. Cook chicken in marinade, adding broccoli, onion, garlic, and bell pepper about halfway through the cooking process. Serve over rice.

Cheddar Bacon Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

This salad is a staple at White family gatherings. Even those who don't like raw broccoli and cauliflower (namely me) love this salad!

1 head broccoli
1/2 head cauliflower
1 pound bacon
1 pound cubed cheese

Sauce
1/2 c. Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
1/4 c. sour cream
1/8 c. milk
seasoning salt and sugar to taste

Cut up broccoli and cauliflower into small, bite-sized pieces (really tiny pieces are best so all the parts of the salad come together in one bite). Cut up bacon and fry. Mix with cheese, broccoli, and cauliflower. Mix 1st 3 ingredients of sauce until smooth, then add seasoning salt and sugar and mix with salad.