Orange Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pecans

Orange Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash with Pecans

My wife found this and we made when Mark and Missy came up from DC, we had no cranberries so we tried it with tart dried cherries. This was great, I mean really good. I asked Marie if I could use her pictures and post she said no problem. You can find more of her recipes here citronlimette, it is a nice site with some great recipes and ideas. Thank you Marie for this great treat!

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Seasonal acorn squash stuffed with quinoa. pecans and cranberries is my idea of a healthy vegetarian meal. This recipe for orange quinoa stuffed acorn squash is easy to prepare and a real feast. I love the sweetness of the squash and the nuttiness of the quinoa.

Quinoa is addictively delicious.  Quinoa is usually treated like a grain or starch, cooking up like rice or pasta in a fraction of the time.

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Choose squash that are heavy for their size and have a hard, deep-colored rind free of blemishes or moldy spots.

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Once the seeds are removed, winter squash can be baked, steamed or simmered.

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Ingredients

  • 2 small acorn squashes, halved length-wise, seeds removed
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ cup dried cranberries – we were out of these so we substituted tart cherries
  • ¼ cup chopped pecans
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

How:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Rub squash flesh with 3 tablespoons oil and place face up on baking sheet. Roast 30-35 minutes or until flesh is easily pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and cool.
  • Meanwhile, in saucepan bring broth and orange juice to a boil; stir in quinoa, lower heat and simmer, covered until ready. When quinoa is done cooking, turn off heat.
  • In medium pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and sauté an additional 1 minute.
  • Add onion mixture, cranberries and pecans to cooked quinoa and toss until combined; add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Fill each squash half with quinoa mixture. Drizzle with a bit of maple syrup before serving, if desired.
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The Bakery at Goat Cottage Farm

The Bakery at Goat Cottage Farm

At the end of the long winding dirt drive way you arrive at “The Bakery at Goat Cottage Farm”. Great visit to the bakery at Goat Cottage farm yesterday. Delicious gluten free selection, great people and a very charming goat!
From Link In – In November 2013, Laura Raposa partnered up with Colleen Kearney, an enthusiastic gluten-free, dairy-free baker to open a bakery at Goat Cottage Farm, her family’s centuries-old farm in Westport, MA.  1154 Main Rd, Westport MA  (508) 636-2916

Their goal is to become the South Coast’s source for wheat-free and gluten-free sweets and savories.
I believe they are well on their way

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Christmas menu

stikcybuns   COOKIES AND FOCCACIA

foccacia   foccacia (2)  cookie

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The Bakery at Goat Cottage Farm

1498756_10151933169508143_1891604230_o The Bakery at Goat Cottage Farm

Food Processor Ground Beef

Food Processor Ground Beef

Did this last week with lamb so you can use lamb, beef, chicken, turkey whatever your heart or honey desires.
I had seen this on the food shows always said I would try but then we had a food grinder attachment for the blender, I just never got around to it.
Sorry I did not do sooner.

Benefits you get to control the fat content.

Ingredients

What ever poundage of meat needed -depending how much fat you trimming you may need slightly more that required for final ingredient.

Cube the meat trimming away and discarding the fat

Place on a flat cookie tray and into the freezer for 25-40 minutes until very firm

In batches put in food processor and pulse until desire texture is reached

 

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Related

American chop suey

American chop seuy and Mom’s old recipe

Leftover Eggnog Quick Bread

Leftover Eggnog Quick Bread

I’m not a baker but we had leftovers and Lyn found this on Pinterest and we had leftover eggnog, tomorrow coffee cake.

Too sweet for me she like it too much, so she’s making me bring it into work. Sorry Nicole not vegan.

 

Total 00:55, Prep 00:10, Cook 00:45

 

Ingredients

  •  2 medium eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup dairy eggnog
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tsp rum extract – had no extract used rum
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

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EGGNOG GLAZE

3/4 c      confectioners’ sugar (sift your sugar to assure no lumps)

add enough eggnog to make a glaze…pour a little at a time into sugar (I used about 3 tablespoons)

 

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How:

Beat eggs, in a large bowl, then add next 5 ingredients, blending well. Add remaining ingredients and stir until just moist. Pour into a greased 9″x 5″ loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Makes one loaf.

Eggnog glaze

3/4 cup confectionery sugar

Enough eggnog to make it a glaze – about 3 tablespoons

Stir together and drizzle on bread.

 

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Pictures taken with cell phone

Brown Sugar Basting Glaze – Turkey

I used the buttermilk turkey marinade method, then stuffed it with lemon, oranges garlic and onions and roasted and then brushed on this nice glaze to get not only flavor but that great caramelized color. Make a head gravy is always a must make that last minute prep so much easier.

Ingredients:

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  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

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How:

In a small saucepan, bring vinegar, brown sugar, and orange juice to a boil over high, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons butter and orange zest.

Use this to baste the turkey once it reaches 125 degree every 15 minutes until done. Tent with tinfoil if gets too browned.

We also make a brined turkey the day before so everyone who came could have plenty of leftovers. – just roasted regularly

Related

Buttermilk Turkey (stevesacooking.com)

Maple Syrup and Bacon Turkey (stevesacooking.com)

Make Ahead Gravy (stevesacooking.com)

Reign on Mashie-Topped Meatloaf Cupcakes – Week 12

Reign on Mashie-Topped Meatloaf Cupcakes – Week 12

Someone asked me if I am a huge football fan is that why I do these weekly game day recipes? Yes I am a fan but I also am a fan of my son and patriotslife.com   the blog he is involved in. I would do it for CelticsLife.com  but I just can’t come up with that many recipes, beside the schedule would kill me or I would be 900 Lbs.,  anyway……

Meat and potatoes a man’s meal, a football man’s meal, a meal that will satisfy any half time hunger.

cows                                                                   Potato

Now grab that pastry bag or a plastic bag, stuff it with mash potatoes and start decorating the top of your meatloaf cupcakes. What you’re unsure of your manliness, afraid of a little Dolphin treatment in the living room? We all know that when watching a football game we live by a different set of rules.

Ingredients

Meatloaf

Ground Beef

  • 1 1/4 lbs. extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
  • 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute or egg whites
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper


Mashies

Mashed Potaotes

  • 20 oz. (about 3 medium) white potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 1/2 tbsp. light sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. paprika
  • Optional seasoning: black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups, or spray it with nonstick spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients. Thoroughly mix.

3. Evenly distribute meatloaf mixture among the muffin cups, and smooth out the tops with the back of a spoon. Bake until firm and cooked through with lightly browned edges, 20 – 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes, and once returned to a boil, reduce heat to medium. Cook until very tender, 15 – 20 minutes.

5. Drain and transfer potatoes to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients for mashies except paprika. Thoroughly mash and mix.

6. Evenly top mini meatloaves with mashies, and sprinkle with paprika. Makes six servings; two cupcakes per serving. Eat up!

HG Tip! Use a piping bag to distribute the mashies. You can even create your own makeshift piping bag! Just transfer mashies to a plastic bag, and squeeze them down toward a bottom corner. Snip off that corner with scissors, creating a small hole for piping. Ta-da!

Serving Size: 2 meatloaf cupcakes – Steve says: Ya right, these are poppers .

Mashie-Topped-Meatloaf-Cupcakes
This recipe was from hungry-girl.com
For further inspiration, Hungry Girl just released her official “Top Ate” reasons to love potatoes:
  1. Potatoes are seriously satisfying! A study of nearly 40 common foods found that potatoes deliver the most satisfaction.
  2. A 5.3-ounce skin-on spud (the size of a computer mouse) has 45% the daily value of vitamin C and only 110 fat-free calories. Potatoes also have fiber.
  3. Dining out? Top a plain baked potato with salad-bar goodies like broccoli & salsa.
  4. White veggies are underrated and provide key nutrients we need. In fact, potatoes have even more potassium than bananas.
  5. Gluten-free alert: Potatoes are a great alternative to pasta and bread. You can even make lasagna with spud slices instead of noodles, Lillien adds.
  6. Russets, reds, purples, fingerlings, yellows, whites & petites… So many possibilities!
  7. HG Lisa’s favorite way to eat a potato? Twice-baked, stuffed with light cheese and veggies.
  8. Potatoes are ALWAYS in season. “Put ’em on your grocery list today,” she says.

Thanks hungry girl even more reason to eat a manly potato.

Reign on Crispy Smashed RedSkins – Week 10

Reign on Crispy Smashed RedSkins – Week 10

Since the Patriots are on a Bi and well deserved I might add, I will honor the Washington RedSkins this recipe it may be the last time I can call them that if I want to remain PC.

Don’t let the salt in this recipe scare you but do use table salt not kosher. These would be good for any event I strongly suggest.

Found this on Brian Child’s Marinate Me Baby

Ingredients
◾2lb Red Potatoes (2×1 Inch in Size)
◾1 1/4 cup Table Salt
◾8 cups Water
◾4 tablespoons Malt Vinegar
◾Cracked Black Pepper (To Taste)
◾6 tablespoons Olive Oil

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How

Step 1
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees.
Step 2
Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet.
Brush second rimmed baking sheet evenly with oil.
Step 3
Bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in potatoes and salt, and cook until just tender and paring knife slips easily in and out of potatoes, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to wire rack; let dry for 10 minutes.

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Step 4
Transfer potatoes to oiled baking sheet. Flatten each potato with underside of measuring cup until ½ inch thick. Brush potatoes with half of vinegar and season with pepper.

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Step 5
Roast until potatoes are well browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Brush with remaining vinegar. Transfer potatoes to platter, smashed side up. Serve.

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Reign on Brisket on Rye Halftime Sandwich – Week 8

Reign on Brisket on Rye Halftime Sandwich – Week 8

There was a chill in the air and a game on Sunday so I felt a Reign on Brisket sandwich was a good choice.  It was more thinking out loud since I did not have a brisket and the one at the store did not look that good. I conceded to next week but when Lyn came home from her errands with a flat cut brisket I had my game plan down.

I usually use a Dutch oven for brisket either on stove top or in the oven but I wanted to go out and not have it on my mind that I had to get back so I grabbed our crock pot figuring I can put on low and disappear all day coming home to a house filled with the smell of yummmm. This is a torture because I like to let it sit overnight before reheating and eating. Never mind the fact that I started around 2 PM which meant low on crock pot was at least 6-8 hours of cook time.

Ingredients

  • One  4 Lbs. flat cut brisket
  • Large onion – cut in chunks
  • About 6-8 carrots – cut in chucks
  • About 10 celery stocks – cut in chucks
  • 1 clove garlic –  slightly crushed
  • 1 cup red wine I had some Merlot
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 loaf of Rye bread
  • Red onion relish

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How

Add a small amount – olive oil over medium high heat – we bought one of those crockpots that you can brown on the stove top in the pot – love it. If you don’t have one then you can brown in a pot just remember to scrap up the brown bits when you deglaze in the vegetables

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Salt and pepper the fattier side of brisket to taste and put that side down in pan listen to that sizzle.

Salt and pepper the top and after 2-3 minutes when bottom is browned nicely flip over and sear for another 2-4 minutes

Remove brisket to platter add all the vegetables and sauté for about 2-4 minutes add Merlot and cook down for about another 2-4 minutes

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Place brisket on top of vegetable and place in crockpot.

Pour the 2 cups of beef broth in cover and cook to low 7-8 hours.

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If you were using another pot to do searing and vegetables transfer veggies then the brisket

I cooked about 7-8 hours transferred to container, let cool and then cover and place in frig overnight.

The next day I sliced in about ¼” while reheating the gravy, added the meat and let sit.

 

There are two schools of thought on this some like to slice the night before and store in the gravy I go either way, this time I waited.

When ready I prepared the sandwich

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Layered the brisket, drizzled with some of the gravy making sure some got into the bread, top with red onion relish served with home mad dill pickles and garden tomatoes.

Brisket Sandwich

Sat down for the second half and watched the Pats fall apart just like the slices of brisket except that melted in my mouth.

Similar dishes from Stevesacooking

Smoked Wilfork Tender Brisket

My Favorite Brisket recipe

Beef Brisket with Caramelized Onions and Merlot Sauce

Meyer Lemon Brisket with Pomegranate Gremolata

Flat, Single or First cut Brisket Jewish style

Reign On Brown Rice Cruncy Oven Fried Fish – Week 7

Reign On Brown Rice Cruncy Oven Fried Fish – Week 7

Here is a variation of something I made a while back with a twist when it comes to the breadcrumbs. I think it is a healthier offering.

I’ve done with corn flakes, potato chips, panko and regular bread crumbs from package or home made and probably a few others.

Variation of Crunchy oven fired chicken Published September 1, 2008. From Cook’s Illustrated

This is very similar to how I do my chicken cutlets either pan-fried or baked minus a few ingredients.

Serves 4

To prevent overcooking, buy fish fillets at least 1 inch thick. The bread crumbs can be made up to 3 days in advance, cooled, and stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Serve with Sweet and Tangy Tartar Sauce (see related recipe) or lemon wedges. Steve tweak: If you have a skinny end of the fish you can always fold under to make it about the same thickness as the other so it cooks evenly.

Ingredients

  • About 2 cups of brown rice cereal – similar to Rice Krispies. Crunched up
  • 1/4 cup plus 5 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour Steve tweak: Whole wheat bread
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (optional) Steve tweak: optional? Not in my opinion
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 1/4 pounds skinless cod fillet , or haddock fillet, or other thick white fish fillet (1 to 1 1/2 inches thick), cut into 3-4 pieces
  • Lemon wedges

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Instructions

  1. Place the brown rice Krispies in a plastic bag, let air out, take a rolling pin and roll over until most are crunched and palace in a pie plate.
  2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  3. Place 1/4 cup flour in second pie plate.
  4. In third pie plate, whisk eggs, horseradish (if using), mayonnaise, paprika, cayenne pepper (if using), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper until combined; whisk in remaining 5 tablespoons flour until smooth.
  5. Spray wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place in rimmed baking sheet. Dry fish thoroughly with paper towels and season with salt and pepper (optional but recommended to personal taste.) Dredge 1 fillet in flour; shake off excess. Using hands, coat with egg mixture. Coat all sides of fillet with bread crumb mixture, pressing gently so that thick layer of crumbs adheres to fish. Transfer breaded fish to wire rack. Repeat with remaining 3 fillets.
  6. Bake fish until instant-read thermometer inserted into centers of fillets registers 140 degrees, 18 to 25 minutes. Using thin spatula, transfer fillets to individual plates and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

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Note: I have tried this type of rack and a very fine mesh rack, I feel the very fine mesh works much better.

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Reign On Game Day Recipe Week 5: Spicy Southwest Meatloaf Minis

Reign On Game Day Recipe Week 5: Spicy Southwest Meatloaf Minis

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey (7% fat or less)
  • 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup seeded and finely chopped jalapeño peppers
  • 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)- I used one real egg
  • 1/4 cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed
  • 1/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese
  • Optional toppings: salsa, fat-free or light sour cream, hot sauce

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How:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups, or spray them with nonstick spray.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook and stir bell pepper and onion until softened and lightly browned, 5 – 7 minutes.

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Transfer cooked veggies to a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup and cheese. Mix thoroughly.

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Evenly distribute mixture among the 10 lined or sprayed cups of the muffin pan. Evenly top with ketchup, about 1 tsp. each. Bake until firm and cooked through with lightly browned edges, about 35 minutes.

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Sprinkle meatloaves with cheese. Bake until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.

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Eat up!

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From http://www.hungry-girl.com/