Pumpkin Curry

This was delicious and easy. Even easier because I used some smoked chicken hubby prepared this weekend.

Paleo Pumpkin Curry

Yield: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons ghee, grass-fed butter, or EVCO (extra virgin coconut oil)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely shaved
• 2-3 pounds chicken thighs, cut into 1" cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon plus 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 30 ounces pumpkin puree (about 3 cups)
• 24 ounces tomato puree
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 13.5 ounces canned full-fat coconut milk
• 2 limes, juiced

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot or pan. Add the shaved fresh ginger to the hot butter and stir until fragrant - this will take about 2-3 minutes.
2. Dust the cubbed chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground pepper. Toss them in the hot, ginger butter and cook until slightly browned on all sides and they're all mostly cooked through.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, tomato puree, curry powder, and remaining teaspoon of sea salt. Stirl to thoroughly incorporate, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Just before serving, add the coconut milk and lime juice. Let the curry come back up to temperature then remove from heat.
5. Serve over cauliflower rice or jasmine rice.

http://fedandfit.com/2014/11/15/paleo-pumpkin-curry/

Winter Squash Carbonara

This was easy and a big hit with all. I used butternut squash and bacon.



 
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/winter-squash-carbonara-with-pancetta-and-sage

Winter Squash Carbonara with Pancetta and Sage

Kabocha squash is made for purées.

Ingredients

Servings: 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 oz. pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 2-lb. kabocha or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into ½” pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 12 oz. fettucine or linguine
• ¼ cup finely grated Pecorino, plus shaved for serving

Preparation

active: 1 hrs total: 1 hrs

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8–10 minutes. Add sage and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pancetta and sage to a small bowl; set aside.
• Add squash, onion, and garlic to skillet; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 8–10 minutes. Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until squash is soft and liquid is reduced by half, 15–20 minutes. Let cool slightly, then purée in a blender until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Reserve skillet.
• Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
• Combine pasta, squash purée, and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid in reserved skillet and cook over medium heat, tossing and adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta, about 2 minutes. Mix in ¼ cup Pecorino; season with salt and pepper.
• Serve pasta topped with reserved pancetta and sage, shaved Pecorino, and more pepper.
• Do Ahead: Squash purée can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

• Recipe by Alison Roman
• Photograph by Christina Holmes

Beef and Squash Chili

I couldn't cook this meal and not post about it.

It's the last day of November, I have csa butternut squash and a nice plump glass of white wine.  All is well.

Here is what I am cooking - with some enormous liberties taken regarding the recipe, for one thing I don't have chili's on hand, but I do have some sneaky and very  old packets of seasoning mixes hiding in the back of my cupboard, so I used one meant for Carne Adovada.  It's horrifically spicy and looks AH-MAYZING splattered all over my wall.

Here is the recipe from Bon Appetit:  http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/beef-and-squash-chili

INGREDIENTS

• 1 dried ancho chile
• 1 dried pasilla chile
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into ½” pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large white onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 12-oz. bottle lager
• ½ acorn squash, scrubbed, sliced into thin wedges, then into 1” pieces
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• Sour cream, chopped avocado, and sliced red onion (for serving)

Nutritional Information

Calories (kcal) 400 Fat (g) 21 Saturated Fat (g) 5 Cholesterol (mg) 65 Carbohydrates (g) 20 Dietary Fiber (g) 4 Total Sugars (g) 3 Protein (g) 31 Sodium (mg) 150

PREPARATION

View Step-by-Step Directions

• Toast chiles in a dry small skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally and pressing down to help them make contact with the pan, until darkened in color and beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 2 cups boiling water; let sit 30 minutes to soften. Drain; remove seeds and stems. Purée chiles and broth in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Once chiles have soaked 10 minutes, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high. Season beef with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. At this point, quite a bit of liquid will have accumulated; continue to cook until it has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate.
• Add 1 Tbsp. oil to pot, then white onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 6–8 minutes; onion juices will help loosen anything left on bottom of pot. Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Return beef to pot and add beer. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until almost completely reduced, about 4 minutes. Add chile purée, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened and meat is tender, 20–25 minutes. Add squash; cover and cook until tender, 10–15 minutes. Stir in lime juice.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Toss pumpkin seeds and remaining 1 tsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.
• Serve chili topped with sour cream, avocado, red onion, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
• DO AHEAD: Chili can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill, or freeze up to 1 month.

Parmesan and Herb Puffs

These were super easy and like mini cheese suffles.  Got the recipe in Sunset Magazine.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/parmesan-herb-cheese-puffs

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Karen Shinto

Yield:

Makes 50 (serving size: 3 puffs)

Recipe from

Recipe Time

Total: 1 Hour, 45 Minutes

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Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, cut into chunks

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups flour

6 large eggs

1/2 pound parmesan cheese, grated in a food processor*, divided

2 teaspoons minced fresh chives

2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a medium saucepan, bring butter, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir constantly until dough comes together and pulls away from pan, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes.
2. Add eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until eggs are incorporated and dough is glossy. Stir in 1 1/4 cups cheese. In a small bowl, combine herbs, then stir 1 1/2 tbsp. into dough.
3. Line 3 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon dough onto sheets by 4-tsp. portions (measure the first portion, then eyeball the rest) about 1 in. apart. Combine remaining cheese and herbs, then sprinkle onto dough.
4. Bake 1 or 2 sheets at a time (for 2, switch sheet positions halfway through baking) until puffs are deep golden, 35 minutes. With a small knife, poke each puff at the "waist" to release steam. Bake until crisp and richly browned, 5 to 8 minutes more. Serve warm.
*For an accurate measurement, whirl chunks with the metal blade or grate with the smallest holes on a hand grater; don't shred.
Make ahead: Through step 3, up to 1 day, chilled airtight, or 1 month, frozen. (Freeze until solid, transfer to bags, and bake frozen.)

Pot de Creme contributed by Susannah M

3/4 cup of milk heated just to boiling

Place in blender or processor:
1 c choc chips
1 egg
2 T sugar
1 t vanilla
pinch of salt

Pour in the hot milk

Blend at low speed for 1 minute

Pour into 4-6 3 oz cups

let chill in the fridge for an hour

Scallops with Edamame contributed by Dana M

Cook 16 oz bag edamame

Salad:
1/2 cup edamame
1/2 red bell pepper diced
1 T toasted black sesame seed
1 T lime juice
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper


Puree:
2 1/2 edamame
1/4 c lime juice
1/3 c water
2 T mint
1 T garlic
1/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Process in food processor

Scallops:
12 scallops
1 t salt
1/2 tpepper
1 T olive oil

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper.  Heat oil and cook the scallops 1-2 min/side, serve on puree and top with salad.

Hush Puppes contributed by Dana M

1 1/4 c cornmeal
1/4 c flour
2 t sugar
3/4 t baking powder
1/3 t baking osad
1 t salt
1 egg
1/4 c water
1/2c buttermilk

Blend dry ingredients; add onion, egg, water, milk to moistened.  Let sit 5 minutes.  Drop round tsp into 375 degree oil.  Fry 1 1/2 - 2 minutes (turn once) til golden brown.  Drain on paper towel.