Ginger Orange Butternut Squash (adapted from taste of home)

• 1 Butternut Squash
• 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 tbs butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peel the butternut squash.

Dice the butternut squash into 1/2 inch cubes.

Grease a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and add the diced squash.   Add the orange juice concentrate, ginger, pepper and butter to the pan.

Stir the mixture until all of the cubes of squash are coated and the pepper is distributed throughout the dish.

Bake the squash at 375 degrees for an hour.

Make sure to stir the squash 2-3 times during the hour.

Remove from the oven and serve.

This dish was excellent.  It was a nice and refreshing way to make butternut squash.  Plus the dish is salt free.  This will be a great addition to the Holiday table.

Homemade Stove Top Stuffing – (Adapted from Cooks.com)

• 8 slices of bread
• 3 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbs dried parsley or 2 tbs fresh parsley
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1/4 tsp marjoram
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Place the bread evenly on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Then flip the bread slices and toast until the other side is golden brown, roughly 6 minutes more.

Remove the toasted bread from the pan and dice into 1/4 -1/2 inch cubes and set aside.

Dice the celery and onion and portion out the remaining ingredients so that you have them on hand. I portioned them out into individual cups for aesthetic reasons, but you can portion them into a single bowl to save on cleaning.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and kosher salt over medium heat.

Add the celery, onion and garlic and cook until the veggies are softened and the onion starts to become translucent. Roughly 5 minutes.

Add the herbs, spices and chicken stock to the mix and stir.  Bring to a boil.

Once the mixture hits a rolling boil, add the bread cubes.  Quickly mix in the cubes to the liquid and then cover.

Remove from the heat and let the pan sit for 5 minutes.  Using a fork fluff the mixture and serve.

Although this took about 15 minutes longer to make than the box stuff it was delicious and had a more homemade feel. Heck, it was homemade.

The next time you have people over and you need a quick and delicious stuffing, try this recipe out.  You will not be disappointed.

Homemade Mustard – (makes about 1 1/2 cups)

• 1/2 cup mustard seeds (yellow or brown)
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp salt
• 1-2 tbs water, depending on the consistency you desire

You can use either yellow or brown/black mustard seeds.  The yellow seeds are milder and the black/brown seeds are more pungent.  In theory I would have used a 1/4 cup of each type, but I could only find yellow on short notice.

Combine the 1/2 cup mustard seeds, 3/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup of water in a large container.  Cover and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 days.  You want to soften the seeds and let them absorb that delicious vinegar.

You will notice that the seeds will absorb almost all of the liquid.

Pour the seeds, honey, turmeric and salt into a blender and process to your desired consistency.  At this point you can add a few tablespoons of water if you like it thinner.  You can also add a tad more honey if you like yours sweeter.

Serve or transfer to a covered container and let it age in the refrigerator.  It will get stronger and spicier with time.  It will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.  It also tastes better after a week of aging.

Homemade mustard is awesome!

This was my favorite condiment to make.  Check out my Homemade Ketchup Recipe.

Tomato Ketchup – Adapted from Paul Kirk Championship BBQ

• 28 oz can whole tomatoes
• 1 small onion, finely diced or grated
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seed
• 1/2 tsp allspice berries
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 whole cloves
• pinch celery seeds
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 4 tsp brown sugar
• 2 tsp granulated sugar

Empty the contents of the can of tomatoes in a large nonreactive pan.  Bring them to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low.  Let simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.

Add the onions, vinegar, garlic, salt and both sugars into the pot.

Place the spices in a cheesecloth and make a small spice bag by forming a pouch and tying it off.

Add the spice bag to the tomato mixture and simmer over medium/medium-high heat for 45-60 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Remove the spice bag from the mixture and then puree using an immersion blender or by pouring the mixture into a blender.  Remember that the sauce is extremely hot, so be careful when blending.

Pour the sauce into a large sieve or strainer.  Press the mixture through the sieve to get all of the flavor from the juices. Discard the pulp, seeds and spice bag.

If you wish the mixture to be thicker you can pour it back into the pan and simmer till it reduced to your desired thickness.  I have found that as soon as the ketchup clings to the back of a wooden spoon it will be the perfect consistency when cooled.

The ketchup tastes great as is, but will taste better after aging for a few weeks. Keep this stuff refrigerated and it will stick around for about 6 months.  However, I can not guarantee that you will not go through it in a couple of days.

This ketchup is simple and easy to make.  It makes about 2 cups of finished ketchup.  It contains no fillers or chemical thickeners.  It is pure tomatoes and a tad bit of sugar.  It was perfect.  Dana thought it was ok, but she is a slave to our friends over at Heinz.  I can’t blame her, that stuff is good.  However, this was also delicious.  Let me know what you think.

Garlic Knots

• 1 pizza dough– (recipe for Basic Pizza Dough)
• Kosher Salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Pizza Sauce or Marinara for Dipping

The first step is to make the pizza dough and let it rise till it doubles.  Here is a simple and easy pizza dough. If you are running short on time, almost all grocery stores have pre-made pizza dough in the deli section.  Or, you can always stop by a local pizzaria and purchase the pre-made dough.

Divide the dough into 8-16 equal pieces, depending on the size of the knots that you like.

Next Roll each piece out like a snake.  Then make a knot in the center.

Fold the leg of the knot that comes over the top, under and through the knot.

Then fold the leg of the knot that is under the knot, over and connect it to the other leg that you just pushed through the knot.

Repeat this for all of the dough pieces.  Place the knots on a greased cookie sheet or parchment lined sheet. Lightly salt the knots with kosher salt.  Cover the knots loosely with a piece of plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Let the knots rise till doubled.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the risen knots into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are nice and brown.

While the knots are cooking, mix the olive oil, garlic and Parmesan in a bowl.  Set aside.

Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.  Then brush the garlic mixture over the knots.

Serve hot immediately with a side of marinara.

These can be served at room temperature too.  It is up to you.  I like them hot.  They are super easy to reheat too. Place them in a 350 degree oven for 5-6 minutes.

Green Bean Casserole – From SCRATCH

Topping: – (From Alton Brown)

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons panko bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Nonstick cooking spray

Casserole – (adapted from Brown Eyed Baker)

• 2 tbs + 1tsp salt
• 2 lbs green beans, ends trimmed, and halved
• 3 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 lb white button mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Preparing the Topping

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F.

Combine the onions, flour, panko and salt in a large zip top bag and toss to combine.

Coat a sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and evenly spread the onions on the pan. Place the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes. Toss the onions 2 to 3 times during cooking.

Once done, remove from the oven and set aside until ready to use.

Preparing the Beans

While the onions are cooking, prepare the beans. Bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil in an 8-quart saucepan. Add the beans and blanch for 5 minutes.

Drain in a colander and immediately plunge the beans into a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Drain and set aside.

Making the Cream of Mushroom Soup

Melt the butter in a large pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their moisture, approximately 5-6 minutes.  I sliced my mushrooms a little big.  Make sure to chop them a little smaller.

Add the garlic and nutmeg and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and simmer for about 2 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and add the half-and-half.

Cook until the mixture thickens and reduces to roughly 3 1/2 cups, approximately 12 minutes. Make sure to take your time here and let the sauce thicken before removing it.  Also taste the sauce, it may need salt and pepper.

Assembly of the Casserole

Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 of the onions and all of the green beans.  Arrange in an even layer in 3-quart (or 9×13-inch) baking dish.

Sprinkle with remaining topping and bake until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately.

This was excellent.  I sliced my mushrooms a tad bit too large.  Next time I make this, the mushrooms are going to be chopped smaller.

Besides the size of the mushroom, this was an excellent side dish.  More tasty than the original.

Creamed Corn – (From the Neely’s)

• 1 lb corn kernels, roughly 6-8 fresh cobs
• 2 tbs sugar
• 1 tbs all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cold water
• 2 tbs bacon grease or shortening
• 1 tbs butter
• salt and pepper

If using fresh corn, cut the kernels from the cob using a pairing knife.  If using frozen corn, skip this step.

In a large bowl combine the sugar, flour, salt, pepper, heavy cream and water.  Mix well.  Then add the corn kernels.

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the shortening or bacon grease until it melts.

Add the corn mixture.  Stir and then turn the heat down to medium/low.

Simmer over the medium/low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.  Roughly 30 minutes.

You can check the thickness by running a wooden spoon down the pan and seeing how quickly the liquid fills in the track.  As you can see from the photo, my creamed corn was ready to eat.

Right before serving, add the tablespoon of butter.  Pour into a serving bowl and enjoy!

This was awesome!  Make sure to taste your corn before making.  Then adjust the sweetness based on the sweetness of the corn.  Not all corn is the same.

Roasted Cauliflower – (From Good Housekeeping)

• 1 head cauliflower, trimmed and broken into florets
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Trim the cauliflower and break it up into 1/2 inch to 1 inch florets.  Roughly chop the onion.  Crush or grate the garlic. The smaller the better for the garlic.

In a large bowl toss the cauliflower, garlic, onion, soy sauce and olive oil together.

Spread the mixture out onto a large sheet pan.

Roast the cauliflower for 35 minutes or until tender and the edges are browned.  Make sure to stir a couple of times during the roasting process.

Remove from the oven.  Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with your favorite meal.

This recipe is so simple, but so delicious.  Simple is better when it comes to vegetables.

Haricots Verts

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 3 tbs butter
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 large shallots, diced
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Clean and trim the green beans.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Then gently lower the green beans and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove the green beans from the water and place immediately into ice water.  This will stop the cooking and also keep them nice and green.  Brown green beans are sad green beans .

In a large saute pan, heat the butter over medium heat and quickly cook the garlic for a minute.  Then add the shallots and thyme.  Cook until the shallots are translucent.

Add the green beans and continue cooking for a couple of minutes.  Make sure the shallots, green beans and thyme are thoroughly mixed.  De glaze the pan with the red wine vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

These beans are quick and easy.  Plus they are full of flavor.

A perfect side for that special meal.  These beans were delicious.  They barely made it to the table.

Creamed Spinach for Two – (Adapted from Emeril)

• 12 ounces fresh spinach, washed
• 1 tb unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots, one large shallot chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Wash the spinach and then remove any large stems.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the spinach and cook for 2 minutes.  Remember you will need a large pot as uncooked spinach takes up a lot of room.

Here is an after picture.  You want to blanch the spinach.

Empty the spinach into a fine strainer and squeeze out as much water as you can.  I find that a back of a wooden spoon can do wonders in this step.  Then chop the spinach into smaller pieces.

Melt the butter in medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Then add the spinach.  Cook until you see some liquid starting to be released from the spinach.  You will notice that the mixture will become a little easier to stir.  Then add the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until the cream is reduced by half, about 4 minutes.

Remove and serve with your main dish.

This creamed spinach was awesome.  As good or better than any I have ever eaten.  Cook this for your special someone and it will be a good night.