As a kid, I hated most of the Thanksgiving dinner. Not sure exactly why, but maybe it was the gooey, wet stuffing, dried out turkey, the cottage cheese jello salad or that damn canned cranberries sauce. I stuck with the mashed potatoes and dinner rolls. Don’t get me wrong, I love the flavors of Thanksgiving, just differently.
In this recipe, I combine two of my favorites. Creamed Corn Casserole and Herbed Stuffing. My test kitchen peeps loved it! So let’s Get Cooking!
Ingredients:
20oz Frozen Corn
4 Cups Herbed Bread cubes. (You can use store bought Stuffing mix, but I make my own ahead of time.)
1 onion
5 stalks Celery
2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
3 Tbls oil divided
1 cup heavy cream or cashew cream
2 to 3 cups broth. Chicken or Veggie
4oz (1 stick) butter or vegan butter
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternative. Divided (I use Violife Plant Based Parmesan)
2 tsp Ground sage
1 tsp dried Thyme
1 tsp salt divided
pepper to taste
Prepping: If you are using store bought stuffing mix, skip this step. I like to make a loaf of Rosemary Garlic bread a few days before. The day I make the casserole, I cube 4 cups up into 1 1/2 inch cubes and toast. Defrost corn. Finley chop onions and clean and finely chop celery.
Directions: Preheat oven to °350. In a large skillet over med to med high heat and 2 tbls oil. Add corn and fry until parts are getting dark then set aside. In same skillet add additional tbls of oil and add the onion and celery. Sprinkle with half the salt. Saute until soft and translucent. about half way through, add the cube of butter and the garlic and continue to cook. About 5 minutes. Add the sage, thyme and pepper. Add corn and stir together.
In a large bowl combine toasted bread cubes, fried corn mixture stir to coat all bread. Taste, if more salt is needed, sprinkle a pinch on and stir. Add 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese and mix. Add cream and stir. Dump all mixture into a greased or buttered 8.5″ x 8.5″ square baking dish. Pour broth over top to just cover. Sprinkle remainder of Parmesan cheese on top and bake uncover at °350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is toasty brown. Serve warm.
Home made bread and rolls are one of the best comfort foods. The aroma, the first bite into that warm pillowy goodness…. oh dear, as I am writing this, I find my mouth is watering. Funny what our senses can invoke. You get the picture.
This recipe is one I have used for other dishes and rolls, but today have put a Thanksgiving day flare on it. You’re gonna love it, and so will your Guest, Trust me!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (2oz) luke warm water
3/4 cup (6oz) canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree
1 packet or 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 Tbls Maple Syrup
1 large egg, room tempreture
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups (17.5 oz) all purpose organic flour divided
3/4 Full fat plain Greek yogurt or Vegan alternative, (if using plant based, add 1 Tbls of oil)
For filling:
2-3 larger garlic cloves if small, 4
1/2 cup fresh sage sprigs. (usually the whole store bought hanging clam shell)
1/3 cup Olive oil
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese or Vegan alternative (I like Violife plant based Parmesan)
Directions; Bring Pumpkin, yogurt and egg to room temp. When these are at room temp, warm the water, just above body temp. (Just so it feels barley warm when you put your finger in) Place Pumpkin, yogurt, egg, maple syrup and yeast to stand mixer bowl. Mix on low until combined. In a small separate bowl whisk together 1 cup of flour and the salt. Add this to the yeast mixture slowly. Put dough hook on and continue to add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should stick to the hook and come off the sides. Knead in mixer for about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm location for an hour or until it is just over doubled in size.
While the dough in rising, make the filling. Using a food processor or blender combine the garlic, sage, olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Process until combined. * NOTE This may take a few scrapes with rubber spatula to complete. Once the dough has risen, it’s time to make the rolls. Preheat the oven to °350
With oiled fingers, take dough out of bowl and place on floured surface. Roll dough out into roughly a 12 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread sage and garlic pesto evenly across the top. Then cut into roughly 2″ x 6″ strips.
Grease a square 8.5x 8.5 baking dish. Roll each strip and place inside baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes at which point check to see if they are becoming to brown. If so, loosely lay a piece of foil over top and continue to bake another 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and serve.
I know you are going to LOVE this recipe. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
This is a beautiful, delicious, colorful side dish to add to your sides on Thanksgiving or really any time of year it goes with so many other dishes, or is a great stand alone dish. If you are a plant based and are headed over to someones house that isn’t, this is the perfect dish to bring and share. Full of flavor, packed with protein and so darn pretty. This dish can be served hot or cold.
1 1/2 lbs of small red potatoes (organic if possible)
1 lb Brussel Sprouts (A few more if organic)
1/2 a red onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup cranberries (I use unsulphured, apple juice sweetened)
1/2 cup toasted whole pecans
1 cup carrot bacon roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup organic apple cider vinegar
3 tbls maple syrup
1 heaping tbls Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbls oil or 2 tbls of oil and 2 tbls butter divided
Prepping: If you haven’t made your carrot bacon yet, start here. You can make it a day ahead if you wish. Preheat over to °425 for roasting potatoes NOT carrot bacon. Wash the potatoes and brussel sprouts. Cut the potatoes in 1 1/2 inch pieces. most the time it is in half, then in half the other way. Place in large bowl and drizzle about 1 tbls oil over them and toss to coat. Next, cut bottoms off brussel sprouts and peal off out side leaves. Then cut them in half. set aside. Slice onions with the grain, not across, set aside. Mince garlic. Measure and set aside cranberries, pecans and carrot bacon.
I I will be roasting my potatoes and sauteing my brussel sprouts. Why? Flavor my friend, flavor. Roasting potatoes gives them a rustic decadence whereas, sauteing the brussel sprouts gives them a sugary creaminess. Start by placing the oil covered potatoes on the lined baking sheet and bake at °425 for 15 minutes. After roasting for 15 minutes, turn and roast an additional 12-15 minutes. While the potatoes are roasting bring a large skillet to med heat. Add the pecans and toast. Toss often and do not look away, they burn quickly. Toast for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Place skillet back on stove and raise the heat to med to med, high. Melt either butter or add oil to skillet. When heated add brussel sprouts. flipping them a few times to get them browned. *NOTE DO NOT overcook them, just brown them, about 5 minutes.Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a small bowl place apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and salt & pepper. Whisk well. After browned take them out of skillet and set aside. Place a little more oil in skillet and reduce heat a bit. Add onions and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just to soften them, not to cook them. Add garlic and saute 1 minute, add cranberries and pecans and mix. Add potatoes, brussel sprouts and carrot bacon. Mix well. Whisk sauce again and drizzle over mixture. stir to coat evenly. Serve warm or cold.
I hope you enjoy this non traditional side dish as mush as we do here. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below,
I make a larger batch than the recipe calls for or I eat it all and have to start over. This way I can eat it and still have some for the recipe. Yes, it really is that good. You’ll see.
Preheat oven to °350, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash 2 large, thick carrots. Peel them and cut off the ends. If they are pretty long, cut them in half. Now using a vegetable peeler (Make sure it’s sharp) hold the carrot tight in one hand and peeling with the other. Try to get as many as you can and as wide as you can. *Note This takes a wee bit of practice, but don’t worry, will still be delicious! Place carrot strips in medium bowl. Next, in a small bowl mix together 2 tbls oil, 2 tbls maple syrup, 1 tsp liquid smoke, freshly ground pepper and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. Whisk it good and dump it over the carrot strips. Toss till all carrot strips are evenly coated. *NOTE(Don’t put salt in the mix, it pull the liquid out of the carrots and dilutes the brine.) Place carrot strips so they are not touching on baking sheet and sprinkle very lightly with smoked sea salt. Bake at °350 for roughly 10 minutes, Less or more depending. You will have to cook your bacon in batches, but I’m fairly certain you won’t have any left from the first batch when the second one is done :p yum!
Have you ever had a gravy or a main dish that was bland and quite tasteless? There are ways to turn that unremarkable dish into something extraordinary. Chefs all over the world know that one of the secret to amazing dishes is flavor. Coaxing flavor from the ingredients used. Whether it’s animal products or plants, there are techniques to encourage an abundance of flavor from either.
The most popular techniques include, roasting, sauteing, simmer/reduction and toasting just to name a few. In this article I will go over the most popular techniques and show you how you can turn that just okay dish into something extraordinary your friends and family will beg you to make. 🙂
Let’s talk about the ingredients we use. Most of us, by no fault of our own have a disconnect with our food. We don’t know where it comes from, we just go into the grocery store and buy it. Several years ago, once s week I would prepare a dinner for a large group of people. On one occasion, a family had come in and had a few guests with them, one of which was a young lady of about 19-20. I had prepared baked chicken and mashed potatoes. I overheard this young woman say, “I love chicken, I wonder where it comes from.” The family responded with, it comes from chicken. To which the young lady says, “I know, but where does chicken come from?” She did not know chicken was an animal or how it got to her plate. This is not to shame her, this disconnect is a huge problem throughout our society today. If we are to foster a love for food, this needs to change. I would love to go over much more about it now, but this blog is about coaxing flavors so we will save that topic for another time. On to our ingredients! 🙂
The ingredients you choose are just as important as the preparation.
Produce: Did you know produce in the grocery store has traveled on average 1500 miles to get there and by the time it reaches the store has lost on average half of it’s nutritional value? Some products such as apples and potatoes have been sitting in cold storage for up to a year. (I have links at the bottom of the page if you would like to learn more about this subject.) Buying the freshest produce possible with produce a better tasting dish, and be more nutritious. If you can, buy from a farmers market or grow your own. If this isn’t possible at least try and buy organic in the stores. Conventional grown produce has been grown using herbicides, insecticides and pesticides all of which wreak havoc on our bodies and health.
Animal Products: Most meat in grocery stores comes from factory farms and slaughter houses. The result is that the animals are kept and treated inhumanely. They are kept in horribly cramped, unsanitary conditions, given copious amounts of antibiotics and hormones, and fed God knows what. They used to say you are what you eat. But the truth is, you are what you eat, EATS! If at all possible buy from a local farm. If this is not an option, try and find a source within the grocery stores in your area that offers organic/free range meat and poultry.
Roasting: The definition from Webster’s Dictionary. To cook by exposing to dry heat uncovered (as in an oven or before a fire) or by surrounding with hot embers, sand, or stones. Roasting not only cooks your food, but intensifies flavors. Roasting is usually done in an oven at higher temperatures. °425-°450 Roasting is much like baking, but in roasting we’re trying to get the outside of the food item dark and caramelized. Here’s where brazing and basting also come in especially if your cooking meat.
I use the roasting method often for soups and ingredients I am adding to a meal. (Prepping) For Example, in this roasted carrot and potato soup recipe. The veggies are roasted before being cooked down for soup. The sugars in the vegetables get caramelized and the honey sweetness is intensified. Go ahead and try this the next time you make soup, you’ll be amazed! But I also use this for items that will be added to main dishes, or for the main dish it as pictured above in the Roasted Potato & Squash with Cranberries.
Sauteing, Simmer and Reduction
Sauteing, is much like frying in that you typically use some fat and is done in a frying pan. However that is where the similarities end. Frying is the process where you are cooking the food while making the outside of it crispy and brown and is done over higher heat. Sauteing is done over lower heat and the intent is to cook slower to release flavors and in some cases caramelize the ingredients. Sauteing is usually done with smaller quantities of ingredients as well. You use sauteing when adding the item to a soup or stew, and even other dishes such as this Mushroom & Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach sauce. It is very helpful in creating flavor.
Sauteing often goes along with Simmering and Reduction. I use this method a lot. I first saute veggies such as onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic (Or really what ever the recipe calls for.) to get the flavors released and intensified. Then I add liquids and other ingredients and simmer. Simmering takes place at lower heat. It’s not a boil, it a soft bubble and takes the ingredients a step further at releasing flavor. The liquid becomes infused with the ingredients that were sauteed. (But a word of caution, if you need a par-cooked ingredient, don’t simmer. This will cook it further.) Most recipes simmer for about 10 to 30 minutes depending on the recipe. This method is used for sauces and gravies mostly, but is also used in other dishes as well. If more flavor is required then we move onto reduction.
Reduction is used when an intense flavor is needed, such as a sauce to drizzle over a dish OR to make a soup thicker without using a thickener such as flour or corn starch. Reduction is basically simmering for a longer period of time. Simmering reduces the amount of liquid in a recipe by steam/evaporation. When reducing, there needs to be a liquid to start with. During the beginning of the Simmering stage you may add a cup of water, milk, broth, wine or other liquids and add the end of the reduction only have a tbls or so left. (It doesn’t evaporate the flavor, only water) I use Simmer/Reduction quite a bit. Like in this Mushroom Ragout recipe.
Toasting
Toasting is an art, to much and it’s burnt, too little and it’s bland. Think about toast vs plain bread. Have you ever ate a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwhich? ****Dreaming now**** So darn good, way better than plain bread! Toasting is also quite useful when adding flavor from spices. (Not Herbs) like pepper, coriander, paprika, cumin etc. Before I add any spice to a recipe I grind if necessary, then toast in a pan over low/med heat. Take care, it doesn’t take long and burns quickly, so watch it and move it around. It only take a couple of minutes, but the pay off is so worth it. I also like to toast bread for bread coatings or stuffings. Try toasting your bread the next time you make stuffing. Wow! Delish!
I hope you you try these, even if you have never done so before. Practice will get you good! Go ahead and Let’s Get Cooking!
I love soup for chilly fall and winter meals. As a newer plant based eater, I am always coming up with combinations I think will make a good soup. This is one of my favorites! This recipe can be made Vegan or Vegetarian and serves 4
Let’s Get Cooking!
Ingredients:
1 lb organic, Russet or yellow potatoes
1 lb organic carrots
1 large yellow onion
2 tbls fresh Rosemary (you can use 2 tsp dried, but it won’t quite taste the same)
1 1/2 cups cashew cream (make ahead) or heavy cream. Reserve 2 tbls for top.
4 cups broth
4 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Cheyenne pepper (optional)
Equipmentneeded: Instapot, Emerson blender or stand blender.
Preparation: If you are making Cashew Cream, you can make it ahead using your favorite recipe or use this recipe minus the lemon juice. Preheat oven to °425. Wash and peel the potatoes and carrots. Next dice them into large 1′ chunks. Cut onion into large 2′ pieces (keep pieces intact) and set aside. In a large bowl add potatoes and carrots only. Drizzle olive oil onto them and mix to thoroughly coat each piece. On a lined baking sheet spread out the potatoes and carrots. After they are spread out, evenly space onions within (the goal is to not break up the onions too much) Bake at °425 for 15 minutes. Turn and bake another 15 minutes. When done they should be caramelized and sweet.
Place roasted veggies in an Instapot. Add the salt, Pepper and Rosemary. Cover with stock and using the pressure cooking setting on high, cook for 15 minutes. Once the steam has naturally dispersed open the lid. I use an Emerson blender here and blend it until smooth. But if you don’t have one use a stand blender. Carefully place the mixture into the blender, it will be hot. Blend until smooth. Next add the cashew cream or heavy cream and blend until smooth and creamy. If it still seems a little thick, add some hot water or more cream. Serve it in a large bowl topped with a drizzle of cream and some warm crusty Rosemary bread. Recipe here.
A beautiful presentation is half of the joy of eating, the other half, It sure better taste great! And this soup does not disappoint. Enjoy this soup and thanks for stopping by. Let’s Get Cooking!
Who doesn’t like lasagna? This recipe can be made Vegan or Vegetarian.
Preparation: You can use a 9×13″ Baking dish or a square 8×8 one. I use an 8×8 because I want a BIG chunky piece to serve my guests. *NOTE If using 8×8 use slightly less filling.
Ingredients:
9 Lasagna Noodles
1 lb Crimini or Baby Belle Mushrooms Or what ever mushroom you like. Thinly sliced
1-15oz Ricotta Cheese or Vegan Alternative. You can make your own using this recipe by Simple Veganista, minus the lemon juice.
3 cups shredded motzarella or vegan alternative. Divided
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternative. Divided
2 Tbls tomato paste
1 15oz can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Divided
1 bunch fresh spinach or 1 box frozen
2 Tbls olive oil divided
1 onion diced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 tsp dried Basil
1 tsp dried Oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flake
3/4 tsp kosher salt divided
pepper to taste Chopped fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
Start with the freshest, organic ingredients possible. You can use lasagna noodles from the store, just follow the directions on packaging to cook. OR, heavy on the OR, make your own with this pasta recipe. You will want 9- 3″ wide by 13″ noodles for 9×13″ or 9- 2.5×8″ noodles for 8×8 baking dish. The payoff is truly worth the effort.
Next wash your mushrooms and spinach (If using frozen spinach, squeeze excess water out.) I only use one bunch/box of spinach because although I love spinach, I don’t want the whole Lasagna to taste like it. You can use more if you like. Thinly slice your mushrooms. Chop the onion and mince the garlic, grade the cheese and set aside. Preheat oven to °350. Next boil the noodle and set aside. (make sure to oil them a bit so they don’t stick together.)
Heat a large skillet over med to med high heat. Add 1 tbls Olive Oil. When shimmering add mushrooms and simmer 2 minutes. Add another tbls of olive oil and onions. Simmer stirring occasionally for about 4-5 minutes or until onions have become translucent. Add garlic and simmer another minute. Add tomato sauce (reserving 2 tbls for bottom) and paste. Stir to combine. Simmer another 2 minutes.
In the baking dish spread 2 tbls of tomato sauce. Lay down 3 noodles. Cover with 1/2 Ricotta cheese, 1/3 mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, 1/2 sauce mix and evenly space 1/2 the spinach. Repeat with next layer. With last layer, top with remainder of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses ans sprinkle with a little dried parsley or basil.
Bake at °350 for 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool a bit, cut and serve. It pairs well with red wine, a green salad with vinaigrette or a Cesar salad and crusty artisan bread, recipe found here.
Let me know how you like it in the comments below. Enjoy the journey and Let’s Get Cooking!
No Knead bread recipes abound on the internet. This recipe I am sharing with you is tried and true and has never failed. I have taught many people to make this easy delicious bread.
You can make it as is, or add herbs, cheese, garlic or olives. I have even added sun dried tomatoes and basil, soooo good. The sky is the limit, experiment with what you like, that’s what cooking is all about.
Main Ingredients:
3 cups organic flour (Bread or All Purpose)
1 1/2 cups luke-warm water
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp active yeast
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar (optional) gives the yeast extra food.
And a dutch oven 😉
You will start the night before. in a bowl, whisk together flour, salt and any herbs you are using. Set aside. In a large bowl place luke warm water, (Not HOT) yeast and sugar. Wait till the yeast starts to bubble and get frothy. Once yeast is ready, add oil and stir. Add flour mixture to yeast liquid and mix until well combined. (no need to Kneed ;)) *NOTE If you are adding wet ingredients, dust them with flour first and add them on top of flour before mixing. After mixed scrape down the sides into a lump like pictured above. Cover with plastic wrap and leave out on counter overnight. It can stay in bowl covered up to 18 hours.
In the morning it should be raised substantially. You can bake it now or wait. When you are ready to bake your bread, preheat oven to °450. Remove plastic wrap and using your fingers, scrape the dough down from edges and make into a lump. It should be sticky.
Using floured fingers helps.
You can use a a ceramic or cast Iron dutch oven to bake your bread in. (It must have a lid though.) Place bottom of pan in oven and allow it to preheat for 30 minutes. While pan is preheating, dump dough onto well floured surface and shape into a ball. Cover and let rest until the 30 minutes is up.
When pan is preheated, be very careful and sprinkle flour, corn meal or oats in the bottom of pan so the bread doesn’t stick. Now being extra careful not to burn yourself, place the dough ball inside hot pan and cover with lid. Bake at °450 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove lid and bake an additional 15 minutes or until top is golden brown. Walla, you have a beautiful loaf of rustic bread to showcase with any meal.
I know you are going to enjoy this bread. Leave your comments below and as always, Let’s Get Cooking!
You’re here because more than likely, you read the title of this recipe and either adore mushrooms or terrified at the thought of eating mushrooms as a main dish. If it’s the latter, take a deep breathe and read on my skeptical friend, read on. 🙂
I previously had an organic farm and orchard until the fall of 2019. We not only had produce, but chickens and goats as well. We bought grass fed beef from another farm just across the road. But at the same time we sold the farm, my husband and I became mostly whole foods, plant based eaters. The biggest challenge for me transitioning from eating meat to plant whole foods, was a way to get the depth of flavor from plants that you get from meat. Luckily, I cook really well and…..I LOVE to eat great FOOD!
We are going to coax and condense flavors from the ingredients we will be using. The end result is savory, hearty, flavorful dish that is sure to please even the biggest skeptic.
Ragout Ingredients:
2 lbs of mushrooms (I use a combination of Criminis and Baby Belles) chopped or torn small
1 onion diced
1 red bell pepper roasted and chopped
1 box frozen spinach thawed and drained or 1 bunch fresh
1 carrot finely chopped
3 to 4 cloves of garlic minced
2 to 3 tbls olive oil or (butter if not vegan) Divided
2-15 oz cans diced tomatoes in juice
2 tbls tomato paste
1/4-1/3 cup red wine of choice
1/2-1 cup water or broth
4 Tbls grated Parmesan cheese.
1 tsp salt divided
freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried) I like to use fresh here.
2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Balsamic vinegar (Added at end)
Polenta Ingredients:
6 cups water or broth, or a combination of the two
3/4 cup plus 2 tbls organic corn meal
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 grated Parmesan cheese or vegan alternative
Prep work: First you need to clean your mushrooms. This task is made easier with a mushroom brush. If you don’t have one a paper towel will do. Once your mushrooms are cleaned, cut the end of the stem off and chop or tear them into small pieces. I like to tear them because the little jagged edges hold onto the sauce, and it seems to go quicker. *NOTE If you are going to tear them, remove the steams first and chop the stems after.
Roast the red pepper. You can do this in your oven. Bake at °425 for 15 minutes or until the top is dark and blistered. (I use my air fryer) Next the spinach. If using frozen spinach squeeze as much water from it as possible. If using fresh, rinse really well to remove dirt and debris. Then remove stems and place on clean kitchen towel to dry. Chop the onion, red pepper and carrot, minced the garlic and measure out all other ingredients. In a very large skillet add 2 tbls of the olive oil and heat over med heat. Once oil is hot, add mushrooms and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Cook mushrooms for about 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Most of the mushrooms moisture should have released and they have turned a dark brown. Add the remainder olive oil, onions, red pepper, carrot, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 4-5 more minutes stirring occasionally. Add the wine stirring to remove any bits that have stuck to the bottom of pan. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste and garlic. Stir until well combined. Next add the herbs and spices and stir to combine. Add the water and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. While the Ragout is simmering, make the polenta. (recipe below) If the ragout becomes too thick at the end, add a couple tbls of water and stir. Add the spinach and Balsamic vinegar just before serving. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes. Serve over polenta
Ragout progression. Torn or chopped mushrooms, cooked down mushrooms and veggies, cooked down mushrooms and veggies with tomatoes, cooked Ragout with spinach added at end. Final Ragout.
Directions for Polenta: Place 6 cups broth or water and salt in large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and slowly pour and briskly whisk in the corm meal. *Note Pour slow and whisk quick or you will have lumps that are hard to get out later. Simmer for about 30 minutes stirring often, making sure to scrape sides clean. When Polenta is done it should be creamy and thick. Not overly thick and not thin. (Kind of like thinner mashed potatoes) It needs to hold up under the Ragout. If t’s to thick whisk in a little hot water. If to thin, just keep simmering. When Polenta is thick enough, stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
serve in a large plate bowl or pasta plate, scoop in about a cup of Polenta, top with the same amount of Ragout. Sprinkle a little grated Parmesan on top and serve. Serves 6
Best served with crusty artisan bread, recipe here. And a green salad with vinaigrette or a Cesar salad. Your guests will not only be impressed by the presentation, but marvel at the flavor of this dish.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. And if so leave your comments below.
Nothing says fall like pumpkins and winter squash. But honestly as good as they are, you can really only prepare and eat them a few ways, why?…….well, because their not potatoes 🙂 LOL
*NOTE (Can be made vegan my plant based friends, read on)
I can only eat so much Butternut squash Ravioli and soup or stuffed Acorn. This recipe is different. It gives an abundance of warm aromatic fall flavors and colors to incite all the senses. Serve this at a family dinner or at an evening with friends and they will be singing your praises!
You can start with a Sugar Pie pumpkin, Butternut or Acorn squash. But I will be using a Kombucha Squash, (Japanese Pumpkin or Sweet Mama) This IS my all time favorite and go to for just about every application where pumpkin or a sweeter squash is called for. What, you have never tried it? You don’t know what it is? Well, if that’s the case here is an article by Cooking Light that gives you the skinny on the Kombucha squash. (The green one pictured here)
Ingredients:
1 lb Italian Sausage (or 1 vegan equivalent OR this seitan Italian sausage recipe) larger crumbles, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
1 Sweetie Pie pumpkin or winter squash (If using Acorn use 2)
3 to 3 1/2 pounds potatoes (you can use any potato or a combination)
1/2 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes roughly chopped (Optional, but highly recommended)
* 1 tsp fennel & 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes(If you are using my recipe for seitan Italian sausage you will not need this)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tbls Olive Oil
1 tsp ground sage or 2 tsp rubbed sage.
2 tsp dried Thyme
1 heaping tbls fresh rosemary roughly chopped
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Cheyenne pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (1/2 if you like it a little spicier)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Prep: *NOTE If you are making this plant based, make this seitan sausage recipe ahead of time.
Wash the pumpkin or squash. Now you need to peal and de-seed it. *Note Peeling and slicing are a little challenging on these guys, please take care. You can use a knife or peeler to peel them, but you will definitely need a big chefs knife to cut and slice them. Scoop out the seeds. (You can save them to roast if you like) Once you have your squash or pumpkin cleaned, chop it into roughly 1 inch cubes. Set aside.
Prepare your sausage. *If using pork Italian sausage, mix 1 tsp fennel seed and 1/4 tsp red pepper flake into it before frying. While cooking break sausage. It should be 1/2 to 3/4 inch in size when you are done cooking. Place on paper towel to absorb all excess fat *If plant based, follow directions on package or directions on recipe given. Either way, your ending product should be 1/2 to 3/4 inch when finished.
Peel and chop potatoes into roughly 1 inch cubes. (if you are using baby potatoes, you can leave the peeling on.) Do this last in your prep, because potatoes start to turn grey if left out to long.
Roughly chop the rosemary. Mix all the spices together in a small dish.
Directions: Preheat oven to 425° Combine squash and potatoes only in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over squash and potatoes. Toss with spoon, taking care to coat each piece evenly with the oil. Sprinkle 1/2 the seasoning over them. Toss again to coat. Repeat with the rest of the seasoning. Once the squash and potatoes are coated evenly, dump onto lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 425° for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes take out of the oven and sprinkle with the cranberries, sun dried tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and sausage. Toss and turn the mixture and roast again for an additional 15 minutes. If they are not caramely, toss and turn them and put them back in for another 10 minutes.
Serve with your favorite salad and crusty bread. Pictured here with warm honey mustard spinach salad and french bread croutons.
I hope you enjoy this fall fav, and as always….Let’s get cooking!
Cooking with Kristy 