stuffed acorn squash with barley

With the reappearance of cold weather comes the reappearance of warm and hearty foods yum!

Along with my many attempts to clean out my fabric I got a wild hair to clean out my cupboards too and therefore looked up recipes to use up specific ingredients that I had, including pearled barley. I first fell in love with this ingredient when I made Roasted Butternut Squash and Barley Risotto (seen here) and it remains one of my favorite fall/winter dishes.

Stuffed Acorn Squash with Barley 

from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Cookbook

Ingredients:
2 small acorn squash
2 tsp olive oil
salt/pepper
3/4 C pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1 onion-minced
1 fennel bulb-tops discarded, halved, cored, and chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground coriander
1 C grated parmesan cheese (reserve 1/4 for the end)
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Halve and seed the acorn squash. Brush cut sides with a tsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 

Place on a lined, rimmed baking sheet sprayed lightly with cooking spray cut side down. Roast on the lower-middle rack until tender 45-55 minutes.

While those are roasting, start to boil 3 quarts of water in large saucepan. Stir in the barley and 1/4 tsp salt. Return to a boil, then reduce to as simmer and cook until the barley is tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain and set aside. (sorry mine got a bit too steamy for good pictures!)

I also simultaneously toasted my pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until golden brown.

My next step of 3/4 C parmesan cheese, minced parsely, pine nuts, barley, and Tbsp butter set aside.

In the empty, dry saucepan cook onion and fennel in the remaining tsp of olive oil. Cover and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and other seasonings until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Off the heat, add in the barley mixture set aside. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

After I removed the squash from roasting I increased the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Scoop out most of the squash flesh to stir into the barley mixture, leaving the skin and about 1/8th of inch thickness left.

Restuff them, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake until cheese is melted 5-10 minutes. Drizzle with balsalmic vinegar and enjoy!

throwing a grown-up birthday party with a comfort food menu and some bowling

So this week my husband turned 34. He stoically took it all in as usual. He is such a kind and generous person that I selfishly feel, he is pretty universally loved. Sometimes, because he is so low maintenance it can feel like he is putting a lot more in than he is getting out (according to me not him). So, I wanted to make sure that he had a great birthday. The boy wanted workout clothes as his birthday present (kind of lame, but I am also secretly glad that I may be able to remove his current high waters from the rotation), so we outfitted him with some new duds.

On his actual birthday we went out for a family dinner (his side). Then the day after I organized a small birthday get together with our friends. Namely, dinner and some bowling. He loves throw back nostalgic activities.

Dinner Menu

grilled cheese with bacon, avocado, and sprouts

Since it was a party I  wanted to prep as much food as I could ahead of time, by frying the bacon in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes, slicing the white cheddar cheese that I bought, leaving the butter out to soften, mashing the avocado with a bit of acidity to prevent browning, etc. Did this actually happen, not so much ... where does the time go. 

When we got back from bowling, I assembled on most of the sandwiches a couple of Tbsp of avocado, 1/4 C. sprouts, a couple of pieces of bacon, and a couple slices of cheese. Butter the outside slices of bread and fry away on the griddle on a medium heat til golden brown and melty. Mmm 

creamy tomato soup

I cheated and bought pre-made since I knew that we were going bowling first

chocolate eclair cake

adapted from Cook's Country (America's Test Kitchen)

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon salt

5 cups whole milk (I used skim)

4 tablespoons butter, cut into 4 pieces

5 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons water

1 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin 

2 3/4 cups heavy cream, chilled, divided

14 ounces graham crackers (I used about 2 of the 3 packages in the box)

2 cups chocolate chips

5 tablespoons corn syrup 

ideally you would make this the day before!!

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk milk in until smooth and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom with a rubber spatula over medium high heat. Immediately reduce heat to medium low and cook, continuing to scrape bottom, until thick and large bubbles appear on the surface, 4-6 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Transfer pudding to a large (don't make my mistake and put it in one that is too small then have to transfer and dirty yet another bowl, since you are going to add the whipped cream to this) bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours or overnight.

Stir water and gelatin together in a bowl and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes. Microwave until mixture is bubbling around the edges and gelatin dissolves, 15-30 seconds. Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whip 2 cups cream on medium low speed until foamy, about a minute. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whip until stiff peaks form, about a minute more.

Whisk one-third whipped cream into chilled pudding, then gently fold in remaining whipped cream, one scoop at a time until combined. I used a trifle bowl here, thought it would give a more dramatic effect which is why I probably used additional graham crackers. Cover the bottom of a 13 X 9 inch baking dish with a layer of graham crackers, breaking the crackers as necessary to line the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the pudding mixture and another layer of graham crackers. Repeat with remaining pudding mixture and remaining graham crackers.

Microwave chocolate chips, remaining 3/4 cup cream and corn syrup in a bowl, stirring occasionally until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Cool glaze to room temp, about 10 minutes.Cover graham crackers with glaze and refrigerate cake for 6 - 24 hours. 

homemade nut butter bites

These are an ingenious snack that seems to be all over the internet. You can adapt them however you want with the main foundation normally being some kind of nut butter, oats, and honey. I have made them simply with peanut butter, honey, flax seed, vanilla, and oats or more decadently with nutella.

This time around I used my valentine's treat from my husband, Wild Friends Honey Pretzel Natural Peanut Butter from the Turnip Truck here in Nashville. Yum! Unconventional valentine's treat, maybe, but oh so perfect for me!

Don't feel as if these ingredients and amounts are set in stone, rather use them as loose ideas and have as much fun as I am making them.




 Ingredients:
1/2 C. Wild Friends Honey Pretzel Peanut Butter
1 C. old fashioned oats
1/3 C. honey (local- a definite help with my allergies)
1/3 C. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla







Stir the above together til mixed, then I spooned them into muffin cups (as I didn't feel like rolling them into balls), then refrigerate for at least 20 minutes til hardened. If made into 12 servings they are approx. 100 calories per 'bite.' Enjoy!


So many things to try in this basic but delicious recipe - maybe dried fruit or chopped nuts next?

superbowl food recipes take 3

Well the super bowl itself wasn't that entertaining and sadly, I felt like my foods were a little lack luster too. They were just missing a little something. I tried really hard to recreate Christopher's Pizza pepperollis, a food chain that went of business here in Nashville several years ago. I feel like I got close, but didn't quite hit the mark. Same with the cupcakes they were a little one note for me. Overly sweet, and I love sweet, without a dimensional element to the flavor. Good but just not great. Don't want to oversell or anything!

pepperollis with marinara

pizza dough  (I used publix fresh made dough)
marinara
pepperoni
mozzarella
parmesan
garlic powder
italian seasoning
olive oil

Grease a container and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll dough out onto floured surface into a rectangle. Spread marinara on dough, then layer pepperoni and cheese. I used too little, but I am sure that it is easy to go the other way with it too. Then roll it into a tight log, pinching the ends closed. Cut them into rolls every 2 inches. I attempted to pinch the dough edges closed on each end. Then placed in the container brushed olive oil across the top and sprinkled with garlic powder and italian seasoning. Serve with marinara for additional dipping.

cream filled chocolate cupcakes with chocolate ganache frosting

taken from Skip to my Lou

make a box mix of chocolate cupcakes per package instructions and cool

make creme filling

With electric mixer beat the following ingredients together until fluffy.

1 – 7 oz container marshmallow cream

1/2 cup softened butter

1/3 cup powder sugar

1 tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon salt

pipe creme filling into cupcakes using either a pastry bag and tip or tip inserted into a ziploc

make chocolate ganache

Ganache Frosting

12 oz semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup heavy cream 

Place chocolate chips into a bowl and pour cream over the top. Heat in microwave until chips are soft.  Allow mixture to sit a minute to continue melting the chips. Stir well. Let mixture come to room temperature.  With electric mixer beat until fluffy. Fill pastry bag with large star tip and pipe onto cupcakes.

Enough frosting and filling for 12-15 cupcakes depending on your frosting and filling style.

whole wheat almond paste cinnamon rolls recipe

adapted from America's Test Kitchen Comfort Food Makeovers

 This cookbook is my new obsession. My husband got it for me for Christmas this year and is already appreciating it. However, he is also attempting to convince me that the recipes are 'good' for us since they have reduced calories. Haha boys! Have I mentioned that my husband is thin and has always been, despite being fed a steady diet of McDonald's growing up. That being said, the recipes are significantly better (=less bad) without losing the flavor that makes them enjoyable. So far we have made a Mexican Casserole and Corned Beef Hash with Poached Eggs and both were amazing. In order to preserve my self-esteem, normally we talk about recipes in whether or not we would want to consume them again. Needless to say all of these have made the cut.

Dough:1 C. whole wheat flour, 2 ½ C. all-purpose flour, 2 ¼ tsp. yeast, 1 tsp. salt, 1 ⅓ C. skim milk, 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, 3 Tbsp. maple syrup (I omitted this though on second thought the extra moisture could've been a plus.)

Step 1: Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Attach dough beaters to your mixer.

Step 2: Combine warm milk (110°F), butter, and maple syrup.

Step 3:  Mix wet ingredients into dry on low speed until dough forms, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is shiny and smooth, 4-6 minutes. Add flour as needed if too sticky.

Step 4: Transfer dough to floured counter and knead briefly with floured hands into smooth ball (don’t clean up just yet). Place dough in large greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled 2- 2 ½ hours. Since my house is not precisely room temperature, I have started proofing my dough in the oven which cuts down on the waiting time (approx. half) significantly.  Meanwhile,

Filling: 3-4 oz. almond paste, ¼ C. granulated sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, ⅛ tsp. salt

since johnny requested these, here he is filling as my sous chef

Step 4: Using a pastry blender combine filling ingredients til fine, crumbly texture

Step 5: Grease 13x9x2” baking pan. Transfer back to floured surface and roll out into an 18x12” rectangle, long side facing you. Mist dough with water then sprinkle with filling mixture, leaving a ½” border at top edge; press sugar to adhere. Roll dough into tight 18” log. Pinch closed at seam and roll seam side down; even ends and reshape as needed.

 Step 6: Using a serrated knife, slice dough crosswise into 12 rolls; lay cut side up in prepared dish. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and let rolls rise at room temperature until nearly doubled, 1-1 ½ hours. Once again I proofed for half the time.

Step 7: At this point I deviated again to refrigerate overnight. Next morning heat oven to 350° F. Bake rolls until deep golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes on wire rack (I skipped this sorry to say was starving). Meanwhile,

Icing: 2 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, 1 C. powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. skim milk, ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Step 8: Whisk (I used whisk beaters on my mixer) all ingredients together til smooth; spread over tops of rolls. Serve. 

Nutrition info, not completely accurate due to my deviations, but close.

Before--->After                 410--->280               15--->4              8--->2.5

                                              calories                    g. fat                 g. sat. fat

Christmas Dinner Menu with Friends

So when life gives you lemons, make lemonade right. Well this is the party version of that. When you invite your in-laws over and they decline, long story, why not replace them with amazing friends! Two years ago when it was our last turn to be in Tennessee for Christmas, I decided that I was tired of turkey all the time. At some point after our marriage and the division of holidays, Christmas became Thanksgiving do over, last year complete with pumpkin pie which was a cardinal sin in my book. I love pumpkin pie I just don't want it at Christmas, move over pumpkin and give me gingerbread, almond flavored goodies, hot chocolate, peppermint, I could go on.
Now if this is your holiday tradition, please don't be offended, I am an equal opportunist and believe that everyone's holiday traditions (if beloved) should be carried on and honored. That being said, when in my own home, with my side of the family I want the things that we have done. It is kind of a long list, but it makes December festive. I won't bore you with the tediously long list, though I am always interested in other family cultures and their traditions. We shook up those traditions a little by planning this menu and with any luck it will become our own little family unit tradition.

The Menu

Buttermilk (Angel) Rolls
from my family's recipe index or the Greenbrier United Methodist cookbook from the 80's lol
2 cups buttermilk (I use reduced fat), 5 cups self-rising flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1 cup shortening, 1/4 cup warm water, 2 pkgs yeast

The day before set the buttermilk out for 2 hours to bring to room temperature. Mix dry ingredients together then cut in shortening. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water (making sure that it is not too hot, generally warm tap water is sufficient to not kill the yeast). Then mix yeast and buttermilk into dry ingredients until incorporated. Refrigerate over night.
The next day roll out with a rolling pin on a generously floured board, with floured hands, and rolling pin to approximately 1/2" thick. Cut out with a circular biscuit cutter and placed on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Allow to rise for 2 hours. You could also use your oven to proof them and reduce the rising time if necessary.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Spinach, Pearl Onions, and Mashed Potatoes
via Smitten Kitchen from Sunday Suppers at Lucques
No horseradish cream for us, nor chives, I swapped chard for spinach more due to cost than taste, I replaced the alcohol with stock and grape juice+lemon juice

Garlic Butter Mushrooms 
from Gourmet not pictured sorry!
I omitted the capers, but was able to find baby bella 'cremini' mushrooms this year

Gingerbread Bundt Cake
via Smitten Kitchen from Gramercy Tavern
not a thing changed mmm beautiful and delicious, plus the addition of feeling like you are eating the epitome of Christmas for days after


**I am going to let you guys follow the links for the entire instructions from the pros and just let you know the slight changes I made. 

Not sure if this will be helpful, but before having any kind of dinner party I always sit down and start analyzing the trajectory of my time so that things finish around the same time and are still warm. Plus I am a complete nazi about having as much of my kitchen cleaned as possible for ease of transferring dirty dishes to the dishwasher after eating so that additional courses can be enjoyed.

Day before

Set out buttermilk to rise for 2 hours

Season short ribs, cover and refrigerate

Make gingerbread cake

Mix buttermilk rolls together and refrigerate

Day of (our dinner party was eating at 6pm)

1:00	Remove short ribs from fridge
1:00	Roast onions
2:00	Brown and braise short ribs
	Chop and prep other vegetables Make homemade whipped cream for gingerbread and refrigerate Prep any beverages Clean as much as possible (that would be my husband's job lol)
3:30	Roll out buttermilk rolls and allow to rise for 2 hours
5:00	Next steps for short ribs and then start on spinach
5:15	Boil potatoes
5:30	Roast mushrooms
5:45	Bake rolls