Apple Acorn Squash Pie with an Oat Crust

Sunday was the first, and probably the biggest Thanksgivings we are going to this week. It was my family, which consists of my mom, 8 siblings (plus a few spouses) and 9 little’s. A small little house bursting at the seems with a bunch of shit heads. There was a pumpkin pie food fight, secret Santa’s name picking that had to be redone 3 times (because we cant count) and much to much time devoted to sister selfies.  It was a blast.

 And my mom always requests everyone to bring something to diner so I of course wanted to contribute a pie. One pie, something that would appeal to as many of those crazies with dietary restrictions as possible, that was a not gross, but still not full of crap, and that people would want to eat. So I went with an apple and acorn squash pie that happen to be vegan, gluten free, and a little on the less sweet side. (Look at me trying to be all nice an accommodating)

 But guess what. My mom, well she bought 5 other freaking pies from the farm stand to supplement my pie. And yeah, when the time came for dessert my pie got a few nibbles, and I was told that it was fantastic, but they all went for the super sugary, full on butter and fat, custard pies… Dietary restrictions thrown aside. And I am ok with that because my pie got divided up between a few of the ladies and they ended up easting it for breakfast. So my pie turned out to be the day after thanksgiving breakfast pie. And that might even be better then being the night of pie cause everyone knows that left over pie eaten for breakfast is the best kind of pie!

So if you are looking for a good pie that is great the day of Thanksgiving and be good for breakfast the next day, this is the pie for you.

The stuff. Apples, an acorn squash (only going to need half), some old fashion oats, earth balance, brown sugar and a lemon. Also need a little bit of cinnamon, ginger, and salt. oh, and a bit of water.

Oats, earth balance, some sugar, a pinch of salt and a bit of cinnamon all go into a food processor to blend. While its blending, add in a tablespoon or two of water to help all the stuff come together.  Once it starts to pull away from the sides, turn off and call it ready. 

remove about 1/2 a cup of the crumb and set aside for topping and dump the rest into a pie plate. Press into the dish until it looks like a pie crust.

Stick into the oven to pre bake. 

The crust is in the oven and the apples and the squash are not going to cut themselves up so you are going to have to do it. And personal preference here, peel the stuff or don't (I wouldn't usually but I know the people eating  the pie and they are peeled people) So remove all seed and stems and slice both the apple and squash intto 1/2 inch slices. Cut the squash into pieces that are similar to the apple, 

Earth balance into the skillet first then topped with all the chopped stuff, the spices and some sugar and stick it on the stove to cook down. You want to get the pan hot with a medium high heat then turn it down to a low heat, stirring and them placing a lid on the stuff until the squash and apples are slightly tender (not falling apart) and the sugar has caramelized.

And note.. If you notice that the sugar is caralized before the squash and apples are tender, just add in a splash of water and mix around to prevent the sugar from burning.

Filling all ready to go, just add in the juice of the lemon here.

The left over crust crumble, some more earth balance, cinnamon, oats and sugar get mix together to make a little crumble to sprinkle on top. 

And now all there is left to do is to put it all togehert. Filling goes into pre-baked crust.

And gets topped with the crumble. 

Into the oven it goes (give it about 45-50 minutes to bake)

And pulled out when the top is all golden brown and smelling pretty.

Left to cool for a few minutes, then sliced into thinck pieces and shared all around!

Now thats a pie that's meant for breakfast!

-C

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Apple Acorn Squash Pie with an Oat Crust 

Makes 1 pie

The Crust 

• 3 cups  old fashion oats
• 2 tablesppon brown sugar
• 4 tabelsoons earth balance
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons water

Filling

• 1/2  acorn squash (about 3 cups chopped)
• 4-5  apples (any kind will do)
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 lemon
• 4 tablespoons earth balance
• 6 tablespoons brown sugar

Crumb topping

• 1/2 crumb that is set aside
• 1/2 cup old fashion oats
• 2 tablespoon earth balance
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3-5 tablespoon brown sugar (more if you like it sweeter)

Start by making the crust. This crust is going to be prebaked so preheat the oven to 375.

Stick the oats, some super soft or even melted earth balance, brown sugar, a pinch of salt and cinnamon, and a splash of water into a food processer and pulse until a fine crumbly crumb is made. Remove about 1/2  cup of the crumb and dump the rest into a pie plate. Press into the dish evenly and once you are happy with the looks of the crust, stick it into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust is just starting to brown.

While crust is prebaking, peel (if you want), core and slice apples into ½ inch pieces. Now grab the squash while you are at it and cut it in half, remove seeds, peel (if you want) and slice into ½ inch pieces (make them about the same size as the apple pieces.) Get yourself a big skillet and add in the earth balance, all the chopped up apples and squash, the spices and the sugar and stick on the stove one medium high heat. When the skillet is nice and hot, the butter all melted and the sugar is starting to melt, turn heat down to medium low, stick a lid on the pan, and cook for a few more minutes (like 7 minutes) until the squash and apples are slightly fork tender , but not falling apart. If the sugar starts to caramelizes before the stuff is tender, add in a splash or two of water to stop the sugar from burning. Remove from heat, add in the juice of the lemon, and set aside.

 And for the crumble. Just add all the crumble ingredients together and mix around (I used my fingers).

So crust is pre-baked, filling is precooked, and crumble is ready. So now all you need to do is put it together.

Dump the filling into the crust and then top with the crumble. Stick the pie into the oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the filling is fork tender and the crumble on top is nice and golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes (15 minutes is even better), and serve it on up!

Split Pea Casserole

Just about every morning I wake up at the ass crack of dawn (actually its still dark out) make coffee, do a few things, usually read a bit while eating my breakfast and drinking my third cup of coffee, and start a pot of soup for lunch. All before 7am when I yell up to the mr. to get his butt out of bed.  I love it and I look forward to the mornings of me time.

So soup. I like to start the soup early and let it cook for a while. I start the soup, bring it to a boil, and then stick it on simmer with a ton of water. And then I am off for the day. The deal is that I leave, but the mr. leaves about an hour after I do and he will turn the burners off. And he has been so good about it. Sometime I might shoot him a text to make sure the burners are off, but most of the time I just trust.

Well about a week or so ago, I made soup, went about my morning. Upon my return home, before I even walked down the driveway, I could smell the burning soup.

 I rushed in just in time. The house was not on fire! But the pot of split pea soup… it was about to be. The pot consisted of about  three-inches of thick, burnt to a black brick, soup and about an inch of super thick burnt but still slightly green pea goop on top.

Now don’t judge me here, but that goop…. I ate it. And it was so good. I know, I sound kind of gross, but whatever I don’t care. That little bit of super thick burnt pea paste was some of the best burnt food that I have ever eaten.(I love burnt food)

So this casserole gets a bit of inspiration from that goop. No, it is not burnt to almost an inedible state, but it gets thick and a little crispy and is so so freaking good. This is one of those dishes that I will make and continue to eat even though I cannot possibly eat any more. It’s that good.

As for leaving the stove on while I am gone.. That's not really happening anymore.

The stuff.  Dried green split peas, some water, Italian spice blend as well as garlic and onion powder. Also salt and pepper, a bay leaf, carrots, an onion, a couple of potatoes, a chunk of cabbage, and a parsnip. All good, all of what I have in the fridge at the moment. 

Start by chopping up the onion and sticking it into a big heavy pot. Take all the spices and mix them together in a little bowl and dump half of them into the pot with the onion, the bay leaf and a splash of water. Place on medium heat and cook until the onions start to soften and the water has evaporated. 

After the onions have cooked a bit, add in the dried split peas and a bunch of water (split peas suck up water like crazy) Turn the heat up to high and bring the stuff to a boil then turn heat to a medium and place lid on pot. Let cook for a while, giving it a stir every now and then to make sure nothing is sticking and burning to the bottom of the pot

While the split peas are cooking, chop up all the veggies into mouth sized chunks and mix them together with the rest of the spices and toss them into a skillet or casserole dish. 

And the peas.. Once they are all falling apart, they are ready.  Now is also a good time to preheat oven. 

Dump the cooked split peas all over the veggie mixture and mix around a bit. Grab that last potato and slice really thin.

Top the veggies with the potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

And into the oven it goes!

Bake until the veggies are all tender and the top is all crispy (about 35-40 minutes) and eel free to even stick under a broiler for an even crisper top.

Pull it from the oven when its ready and let it sit for a few minutes to set up a bit...

And scoop yourself a big helping and eat! All it needs is a fork (But mustard tastes so good with it too!)

Have a great Monday!

-C

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Spit Pea Casserole 

serves 3-4

• 3/4 cup dried green split peas
• 3-1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Italian spice blend
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 yellow onion
• ¼ head of cabbage
• 3  white potatoes
• 2-3 carrots
• 1 big parsnip

Note… I used the veggie that I had on hand. So say you don’t like parsnips, don’t use them or want to add celery, go for it. Just make sure to have at about 4-5 cups of chopped up veggies.

Take all the spices and mix them together. Dice onion into little pieces and stick into a big heavy bottom pot with half of the spice blend, the bay leaf, a few pinches of salt and pepper, and a splash of water. Stick on stove and cook for a few minutes until water evaporates and the onions are fragrant and starting to soften. Now dump in the dried peas and 3-1/2 cups water.  Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and place a lid on the pot. Cook the peas, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes of until falling apart.

In the mean time, dice up the veggies (leave one potato to top with)into mouth sized chunks and stick them in either a casserole dish or a 12-inch oven safe skillet. Mix in the other half of the spice blend

Preheat oven to 375

Once the split peas are done, take the pot and dump into the chopped veggies and mix around. Take remaining potato and slice thinly. Top the casserole with thin slices of potato and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stick that bad boy  into the oven.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and the peas have thickened. 

Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes, and serve it on up!

Cashew Creamed Kale with Pomegranate

  I use to suck the juice out of the seeds (they are actually called arils) of the pomegranate and spit out the actual seeds... I thought that the seeds were poisonous. (I blame my sister for this .She is the one that told me that).  And it turns out that it is an actual thing. That other people think that the seeds are not edible, so I guess don’t feel so duped. But I leaned. The seeds, they are very much edible, and very much tasty. I love biting into a pomegranate seed, letting the juice flood my mouth, followed by a nice little crunch from the seed inside, just like little crunchy red jewels. And the method of removing the seeds just makes them that much better. When you have to whack a fruit for it's edible parts, it got to be good. And to make this clear…. to all the people out there that thick the seeds are poison… the seeds are NOT POISION. In fact, they are quite good for you.

Now that that has been established, we can get to eating these little pearls the right way.  And being all holiday and jolly lala, I was thinking of some classic side dishes that are typical around this time.  Creamed spinach came to mind, but that just seemed a little boring. That’s where the pomegranate comes in.  You add pomegranate to anything and it’s not boring anymore. Also I switched out the creamed part and replaced it with cashew cream, and spinach with kale… cause that’s what I do. And the results are fantastic! Sweet, creamy, crunchy, earthy... All the best flavors. And even though I ate most of it hot, it’s definitely a side that moves from hot to cold and still taste super great. Would even make a nice sandwich or maybe add a little bed of grains and you got yourself a nice little lunch.

But the again, you probably wont have any left overs

The stuff. A bunch of kale, some cashews that have been soaking for a little while,  and a pomegrante  (I only used half of one). We also need us some more fresh water, a lemon, a few cloves of garlic and salt and pepper.

Remove the arils (thats what the juicy seeds ae called) by placing half the pomegranate into a bowl and whacking  it with a big wooden spoon. (martha stewart taught me this)

Strain the soaking cashews and dump them into a blender with the juice of the lemon, the garlic, some fresh water and some salt and pepper.

Turn blender on and blend until a nice smooth consistency

Chop up the kale and place into a really big skillet with a few splashes of water.

Once the kale has wilted, pour the cashew cream all over it. 

Add in the pomegranate  seeds

And get yourself a fork (bowl is optional( and eat. 

Creamed food never tasted this good!

-C

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Cashew Creamed Kale with Pomegranate

makes 3-4 servings 

• 1 bunch (abut a pound) Kale
• 1/2 cup cashews that have been soaking in water for a little while
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 lemon
• 2-3 loves garlic
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (about 1/2 a pomegranate)
• salt and pepper to taste 

Take your pomegranate , slice in half, and place half seed sside down into a bowl. Take a big wooden spoon or something like it, and whack the outside of the fruit. The seeds will all fall out.. but check for any stuck seeds

Strain cashews from soaking waterand dump into a blender with the juice of the lemon, the garlic, ¾ cups of water, and a pinch or two of salt. Blend until a smooth a creamy cream. If you think the cream is to thick, add in another splash of water

After washing kale, chop it up into smallish pieces. (remove stems if you want.. I don't, I like the stems) Stick the kale into a large skillet with a few splashes of water and a sprinkle of salt and place on the oven on medium high heat. Stir around until kale is wilted and the water has evapotated. Pour on the cashew cream, mix around and top with the pomegranate seeds.

and eat..hot or cold. Its all good.

Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts

You know how some people are brussels sprouts people and some are not. I am a for sure a spouts person. 

I can even remember my first introduction to the cabbage like veggie.  It was about 15 years ago and honestly, up to that point in my life, I had never even seen, let alone eaten brussels sprouts  (Growing up, my family pretty much ate only peas, beans, and corn). So one night at my friends and the mr's house (this was before we were dating) I stayed for dinner and there was as big bowl of steamed brussels sprouts on the table. First thing I noticed was that they kinds smelled like fart, but I wan't exactly sure if the sprouts were the culprit (they were) Second thing I noticed was that everyone at dinner seemed to be really excited, or at least not offended by the sprouts. It was kind of weird because I had a preconceived notion that brussels sprouts were nasty and nobody actually enjoys wearing them. But up close and personal with the things, they didn't seem so bad.  So not wanting to seem rude, plus I was pretty curious,(and hungry) I grab a few. And then I ate them (minus the mayo that everyone was dipping them in)  And then I knew. I was hooked.  Brussels sprouts for life!

Now here is the thing. Those first sprouts that I had, they came from a bag in the frozen food section a the grocery store. (I know cause my friend had made them) And not that I don’t like me some frozen veggies (I eat frozen veggies on the reg) but there is nothing like a fresh stock of brussles sprouts. Slightly sweet, leafy, tender and crisp… They don't even need to be cooked, which, if you are not a fan of the slight aroma that comes from cooked sprouts (kinda like fart) is great cause they don't really smell! Fresh sprouts are were it's at.

So if you are one of the cool ones (a brussels sprouts person) this salad is for you. And if you think you don't like them, well my suggestion is.. Try them again cause you probably will. And watch. They will probably turn into the new green superfood, so you are going to have to like them eventually anyway so you might as well get used to them now!

The stuff. Brussel Sprouts, toasted walnuts and an onion. Also have some brown mustard, maple syrup, red wine vinegar, and some salt and pepper.

Take those lovely sprouts and slice them all as thin as you can.. and do the same to the onion. Then stick it all into a bowl, sprinkle with salt and give it a toss. Set aside.

Grab a big skillet and dump in the maple, mustard and vinegar. Stick it on the stove on medium high heat, constantly mixing.

Keep mixing, and after a few minutes, the stuff has started to thicken and brown a bit… and smells so good!

Now grab the bowl of chopped sprouts and dump the contents into the skillet. Add in a splash of water just to loosen up the sauce. Give it all a good mix, making sure that everything is evenly coated. Now let skillet sit on the heat for just another minutes or two.

After a few minutes hanging in the hot skillet, remove from heat and dump the sprouts into a big bowl.

Top with the toasted walnuts, and garb yourself a fork. OR stick it in the fridge and save it for later (taste Fantasitc freshly made.. even better after a few hours.. so eat whenever. Your call)

To all the brussels spouts people out there.. WE ARE AWESOME!

TGIF!!

-C

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Maple Mustard Brussel Sprouts with Walnuts 

Makes enough for 2 people as a side, or a nice lovely salad for 1

•  1 1/2 -2 lbs  fresh brussels sprouts(removed from the stalk)
• 1 small onion (red or white works)
• handful of toasted walnuts (if not toasted.. sticking a dry skillet, high heat for a few minutes to toast)
• 1/4 cup brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2-3 tablespoon red white vinegar
• salt and pepper
• splash of water

Rinse sprouts and remove any of the gross leaves then slice them as thinly as you can. Grab the onion and slice that as thinly as you can too. Toss into a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt, and toss everything together. 

In a large skillet, mix together the maple, mustard, and vinegar. Place on medium high heat and stir constantly until the mixture starts to thicken and brown a bit. Grab bowl of sprouts and toss them into the skillet, mixing everything together until the sprouts are all coated. Give the skillet a little splash of water. and let cook for another minutes or two, just so the sprouts are not completely raw (you can cook them longer if you like) Remove from heat and dump back into bowl. Toss on the walnuts and give it all a good stir. Serve immediately , or let it sit and serve later (tastes even better after a few hours!)

Butternut Squash Noodles with Caramelized Onions and Sage

You know how I have been saying that I have so so many winter squashes that they are taking over my house? (the other night the mr and I counted while eating dinner.. there were 29 at the time) Well, not that I think I cannot eat them all myself, but I want to share and I think I found a way to share them that people (especially the mr) will really like… Squash noodles of course!

Honestly, I am always more then happy to just eat a squash pretty much as untouched as possible. All I do is stick one (any variety) in the oven on a rack and bake it till its soft then eat it. And it's like crack.. I can't get enough. If I was not a stronger person, I would probably eat an entire squash in once sitting, then still want more. (It's happened) But that's me. Most of the peps that I make food for are not as squash happy as I am and are not into just squash mush. 

So last night I noodled some butternut for the mr. And win.. he really liked them,  even with a shit ton of caramelized onions. (I loved the onions, he has never been a huge onion fan but still really like them)  Ever since zucchini season has been over, I have been trying to find that new meal that I can whip up in a short amount of time, that the mr really likes, and can be made with the abundance of the season. I don't know why I didn't do this sooner. And sure, this particular dish takes a little time to make cause of the onions, which are so worth it, but on a regular old night, I can just toss some garlic, olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs into a pot and it will take like 15 minutes. to make.I am a genius (I am sure that noodling is not an original idea, but whatever, original to me)

Anyway.. squash noodles are now a thing for us, and I am sure will be a thing everywhere soon so you should jump in the band wagon now and get to making some too! .

The stuff. A butternut squash, a few onions, and a handful of fresh sage. . Also need some garlic, wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and some water (water not in picture)

Slice up all the onions as thin as you can, mince up the garlic, and stick it all into a big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a small splash of water. Stick the pot on the stove on medium heat until the onions start to cook and smell all yummy oniony and maybe a few are sticking to the bottom of the pot. Grab the vinegar and give the onions a good splash, stirring  around, making sure no onions are stuck on the bottom. Now turn heat to low and cover the pot. Let the onions cook for a while (about a 1/2 hour) giving them a stir ever now and then.

And once the onions are all super soft and starting to caramelize, add in the sage (but mince it first). Keep the pot on low heat without the lid.

While the sage and onions are melding together, turn the squash into some noodles. Do it by the means that you use. I have a mandolin that does the trick, but use your spiralizer, noodler maker, or even a knife and a little bit of patience. Just make sure all you noodles, however made, are all the same thickness to it all cooks at the same time.  So yeah, cut the bottom part of the squash off and use the neck… and save the rest for soup tomorrow.

Note… I did not peel the squash cause I like to eat the skin. If you want, peel it, but really, even if you don't like the skin, you will not notice it in the noodles. 

After the sage has had a few  minutes with the onions, and now that the noodles are made, it's time to add in a few splashes of vinegar and about a cup of water to the pot. So do that and give it all a good stir.

Now dump in the noodles, stir once more, and turn  the pot to medium heat and stick the lid back on it. Let cook down on medium heat for about 15 minutes, or unlit the noodles are tender and cooked, but not mushy. 

Like so. 

Now all you have to do is eat it.

Place a big pile into a pretty bowl, a fresh tiny little sage leave as garnish, and serve with a clean cloth napkin and a clean fork to eat with.. Or better yet, just eat it out of the pot with the wooden spoon  that may or may not have fallen on the floor. (my preferred method of eating)

Have a fantastic Day!

-C

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Butternut Squash Noodles with Caramelized Onions and Sage 

Make 2 Servings 

• 1 butternut squash (or the solid, neck part of a squab)
• 4 medium sized sweet onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• handful of fresh sage leaves
• 1- 1 1/2 cups water
• 2-3 splashes of red or white wine vinegar
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste 

Take onions and slice them as thinly as you can and mince up the garlic. Place into o big pot with a drizzle of olive oil, a splash of water and a sprinkle of salt. Stick on stove on medium high heat and stir onions until they start to give off a sweet onion smell and are starting to stick to the pot. Add in a splash of vinegar to deglaze pot, give it all a stir, and turn heat to low. Cover with a lid and continue to cook, string now and again, until onions reduce in volume by about half, are all tender, almost falling apart and are starting to brown a bit. (takes about 30- 40 minutes ) When onions are at this point, tiny chop the fresh sage and mix into the onion. 

Now grab you squash and turn in into noodles.( I cut the bottom part off (for soup tomorrow) and use the neck of the squash). You can do this by using a mandolin, a noodler, or even a knife. Any way works, just make sure the noodles are all the same thickness (mine were about 1/4 inch thick) so they cook at the same time.  Noodle about 5- 6 handfuls or cups of noodles. 

Now right before you add the noodles to the pot, add in a few more splashes of vinegar. another pitch or two of salt and pepper, and a cup of water, Mix that all  around then add in the noodles. Give those a mix then turn heat to medium and place the lid back on the pot, checking and string every few minutes until the noodles are tender(but not falling apart) and the water has pretty much evaporated. (about 15 minutes)  If you notice the water is gone and the noodles still need more cooking, add in another 1/2 cup of water.

And when you are happy with the tenderness of the noodles. remove pot from heat, taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed,  and get to eating!!!!!