Fall Harvest Dinner
Since it's fall here, it is time to make some fall harvest dinners. We have apples and leafy greens and winter squashes all at the farmer's market right now and here is a meal which uses them all. I consider the sausage to be optional in the bread pudding - if you don't use it this is a very satisfying vegetarian meal.
Butternut Squash Bread Pudding
I made this recipe because I wanted to do something different with winter squash besides making soups or simply roasting it. Both are nice ways to eat it but I'm always looking for something new. This turned out to be a tasty way to eat squash and would work as a side dish at Thanksgiving since it is a bit of a mixture of bread stuffing and baked squash.
1 large acorn squash or medium butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
kosher salt, to taste
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c lowfat milk
1/4 c heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
10 oz white dinner bread (such as a baguette), cut into 1-inch cubes
4 oz sweet Italian sausage, patties or links with casing removed
1 large bunch rainbow chard, coarsely chopped
8 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
Preheat oven to 400F. If using acorn squash, cut into wedges; or, if using butternut squash, peel and cut into cubes. Either way toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; bake until squash is tender, turning with spatula occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes. When done let cool - and for acorn squash, scoop flesh out of rinds in large spoonfuls.
Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add milk, cream, mustard, and kosher salt; whisk to blend. Add bread pieces; fold gently into egg mixture. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil; add chard; simmer for 3-4 minutes. Drain chard and plunge into cold water to stop cooking. When cool, wring out as much water from chard as possible. (I like to put the chard in a tea towel and wring it out.)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute until cooked through stirring frequently and breaking up pieces with the back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add kale; cover and cook 2 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Transfer bread and egg mixture to prepared baking dish, arranging to cover most of dish. Spoon chard and sausage over bread. Spoon squash over everything and sprinkle with cheese.
Cover bread pudding with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to touch, about 15 minutes longer.
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Apple Celery Salad
I wanted a salad to go with the bread pudding but didn't want to use lettuce so, since I had apples and celery on hand, this is what I came up with. This is definitely something I would make again and soon.
1/2 c pecans
1/2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 medium apples, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 c dried cranberries
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Place pecans on cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes, until toasted. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium high heat, add toasted pecans and toss to coat. Add maple syrup. Saute until syrup turns into a glaze, about 2-3 minutes. Return pecans to cookie sheet and set aside to cool.
Add apples, celery, blue cheese, cranberries and cooled pecans to a large salad bowl. Mix together olive oil, vinegar and salt until well blended. Pour dressing over salad and toss to mix well.
This entry was originally posted here and has
comments. Comment here or there.
Butternut Squash Bread Pudding
I made this recipe because I wanted to do something different with winter squash besides making soups or simply roasting it. Both are nice ways to eat it but I'm always looking for something new. This turned out to be a tasty way to eat squash and would work as a side dish at Thanksgiving since it is a bit of a mixture of bread stuffing and baked squash.
1 large acorn squash or medium butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
kosher salt, to taste
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c lowfat milk
1/4 c heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
10 oz white dinner bread (such as a baguette), cut into 1-inch cubes
4 oz sweet Italian sausage, patties or links with casing removed
1 large bunch rainbow chard, coarsely chopped
8 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
Preheat oven to 400F. If using acorn squash, cut into wedges; or, if using butternut squash, peel and cut into cubes. Either way toss squash with 1 tablespoon oil on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt; bake until squash is tender, turning with spatula occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes. When done let cool - and for acorn squash, scoop flesh out of rinds in large spoonfuls.
Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add milk, cream, mustard, and kosher salt; whisk to blend. Add bread pieces; fold gently into egg mixture. Let soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil; add chard; simmer for 3-4 minutes. Drain chard and plunge into cold water to stop cooking. When cool, wring out as much water from chard as possible. (I like to put the chard in a tea towel and wring it out.)
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute until cooked through stirring frequently and breaking up pieces with the back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Add kale; cover and cook 2 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Transfer bread and egg mixture to prepared baking dish, arranging to cover most of dish. Spoon chard and sausage over bread. Spoon squash over everything and sprinkle with cheese.
Cover bread pudding with foil. Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set and bread feels springy to touch, about 15 minutes longer.
=================================
Apple Celery Salad
I wanted a salad to go with the bread pudding but didn't want to use lettuce so, since I had apples and celery on hand, this is what I came up with. This is definitely something I would make again and soon.
1/2 c pecans
1/2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 medium apples, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 c dried cranberries
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
Preheat oven to 350F. Place pecans on cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes, until toasted. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium high heat, add toasted pecans and toss to coat. Add maple syrup. Saute until syrup turns into a glaze, about 2-3 minutes. Return pecans to cookie sheet and set aside to cool.
Add apples, celery, blue cheese, cranberries and cooled pecans to a large salad bowl. Mix together olive oil, vinegar and salt until well blended. Pour dressing over salad and toss to mix well.
This entry was originally posted here and has
comments. Comment here or there.