Roasted Winter Squash with Brown Butter and Sage

Of all the dishes I made this past Thanksgiving (2011) this was my favorite!

Ingredients:

4 medium winter squash (I used a combo of butternut and acorn), peeled and cut into 1" cubes

1 stick butter

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh sage, chopped

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Directions:

Toss the cubed squash with a little olive oil to coat, along with salt and pepper. Place into a baking dish and roast in a 400 degree oven for about a half hour, stirring once, until soft but not mushy.

Just before the rousing is done, melt the butter in a pan over medium heat until foam subsides and the butter starts to brown (not burn!). Add the sage and sautee a minute or two. Salt and pepper to taste.

Take butter and pour over squash and mix.

Sweet Potato Casserole

I made this one up for Thanksgiving in 2011 - it was a hit! Add more chili peppers if you like a bit of a kick.

Ingredients:

About 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" slice (use a mandolin if you have one)

12 ounces heavy cream

1 head of garlic, roasted

1 small chili, seeded

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Instructions:

Take the cream, garlic, chili, a healthy pinch of salt and cracked black pepper and blend until smooth (about a minute).

Lightly oil a 9x12 baking dish and put down a first layer of the sweet potatoes. Lightly salt and pepper, drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the cream mixture, then a generous sprinkling of the Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat until you are done with the sweet potatoes (3-4 layers) and finish by topping with remaining cream and a healthy dose of cheese.

Bake, covered with aluminum foil, for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more or until the top is browned nicely and a knife slides into the potatoes without resistance.

Moroccan Lentils

This uses a variety of Moroccan spices to create a creamy and delicious side dish or main course. I prepared it with a terrific Merguez sausage.

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots, chopped fine

1/2 medium parsnip, chopped fine

2 stalks celery, chopped fine

1 small hot pepper, chopped fine

1/2 medium onion, chopped fine

4 cloves garlic, chopped fine

2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp corriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 pound lentils, inspected and washed

2 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Instructions:

Sweat carrots, parsnip, celery, hot pepper, onion and garlic in olive oil in medium heat until soft and a little brown. Add spices and stir, cooking only a minute or two being careful not to burn. Add lentils and coat, cooking for a couple of minutes. Add chicken stock and water and bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook for about an hour. After 45 minutes check doneness, and add additional water if necessary.

Broccoli Salad

A recipe from Mrs. P. I think there is a bit too much dressing, so you may want to try a little at a time to get it to your taste.

Combine and refrigerate overnight:

1 cup mayonnaise ( I use light mayo)

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons white vinegar

Cut 2 bunches broccoli into tiny florets (you can cut the previous evening and bag in Ziploc bag with a paper towel)

1 small chopped red onion

1/2 pound crisply fried and crumbled bacon

Toss the above with the mayonnaise dressing prior to serving.

NOTE: Try it with golden raisins, dried cranberries, cashews or other nuts or dried fruits.

Texas Caviar

This was a dip a friend of ours brought over for a party. It was very, very good.

Texas Caviar

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 15 oz can black beans

1 14 oz can of white corn

1 can black eyed peas

1 jar chopped pimentos or 1 red pepper chopped

1 can chopped green chilies

3-4 stalks of celery, chopped

1 can chopped green chilies

1 small red onion chopped

Combine sugar, olive oil, apple cider vinegar in small saucepan and heat over med-low heat until dissolved.

Rinse and drain black beans, corn, black eyed peas, pimentos/red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marinate overnight. Strain liquid next day and serve dip with tortilla chips.

John's Babaghanoush

This is not authentic, but close. Due to the lack of tahini (a traditional ingredient) I used what I had...

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, cut lengthwise

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Sprinkle eggplant halves with a little olive oil and salt and pepper and place on a medium-hot grill for about 30-40 minutes until very soft (don't worry if they get a bit dark - that is flavor!).

Once the eggplant has cooled scrape the flesh from the skin and add all other ingredients. Mash with a fork or potato masher until just a bit chunky.

Serve with good bread or homemade pita bread!

Roasted Garlic Potato Salad

Ingredients:

3 pounds new potatoes (I like getting some of the red, white and blue for color)

1 Tablespoon finely chopped dill or tarragon

1 head garlic

1/2 cup mayonaise

1 Tablespoons sour cream or yogurt

Dash tobasco sauce

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Cut the garlic head in half and sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes until soft and golden brown. Remove and let cool. Squeeze into a bowl and mash to a paste with the olive oil.

Wash and cut the potatoes into halves or quarters. Boil for 20-30 minutes in well salted water until just fork tender. Drain and set aside in a bowl to cool for 30 minutes.

Mix the mayo, sour cream, herbs, roasted garlic, tobasco and salt and pepper and taste to adjust seasoning. Mix gently into the potatoes so as not to break them up too much. Let cool to room temperature and serve.