Here we are at week 15 - only 5 weeks to go and I'm already thinking ahead to next season! This week you'll notice I added a couple of purchases to my pic: (1) Wade's White Cornmeal and (2) Organic fresh yogurt. I was raised on cornbread made from white stone ground cornmeal, not the yellow mix that everyone seems to classify as "real" cornbread. I think the texture and flavor are much more subtle and gives you a lighter cornbread, so I hope you try it as an alternative bread side to your dinners.
Since we received lots of winter squash we decided to make it the focal point of one of our dinners this week. Acorn Squash is one of my personal favorites so we roasted it and even added a bit of leftover chicken, then cornbread complimented last nights dinner of White Chicken Chili. Hmmm, thinking the yogurt is going to appear in a dessert this weekend....stay tuned!
I hope you have an opportunity to support local growers and organic food merchants in your area. If not readily available to you, then locate the organic aisle in your grocery store to find some really special items that you can use in everyday cooking.
Roasted Acorn Squash
INGREDIENTS:
2 Acorn Squash
4 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
4 Tablespoons butter
olive oil
Kosher salt
HOW TO:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Slice off a small portion of the top and bottom of your squash and slice in half...the halves will now sit stable on your sheetpan. Remove all the seeds and membranes. Pour a bit of olive oil in your hands and then rub the squash halves all over. Place on sheetpan and put 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of dark brown sugar in each squash. Sprinkle the top rim with a bit of Kosher salt.
Bake for 1 hour then test with a sharp paring knife for doneness. You do not want the squash to collapse, but you do want all the meat to be tender. Serve immediately as a side or a main dish.
(we just fork the sides into the melted butter/brown sugar and mix inside the baked shell)
Options: add precooked shredded chicken when the squash is done to add your protein directly to the dish. This will work with other types of squash as well...however you may want to eliminate the brown sugar for a more savory dish. Try adding your favorite herbs as the squash is roasting.
White Cornmeal Cornbread
INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup white cornmeal
1 Cup flour
1/4 to 1/3 Cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like your cornbread)
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk (if you don't have any handy just add 1 Tablespoon vinegar to the milk)
1/3 Cup vegetable oil
1 Egg
HOW TO:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a cast iron 10" pan in the oven during preheating.
Measure and mix together all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another (make sure you whisk them well)
Blend with a spoon or spatula wet and dry together.
Remove the cast iron pan, add about 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan well. Add your cornbread mix and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and spread 1 Tablespoon butter over the top while the bread is hot. Allow cornbread to cool for 5-10 min in the pan and then remove to slice.
OPTIONS:
Add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (or any of your favorites) to the cornbread mix before baking.
Top the mix with 1/4 Cup shredded cheese before bakeing.
Add finely chopped jalapeno pepper to the mix before baking.
Add chopped cilantro to the mix before baking.
Top your warm sliced cornbread with honey or molasses.
As always....use your imagination!!
Enjoy,
Cheryl
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