Makin' It Work

Hey ho! Spending a rainy Sunday lazing around the apartment and cooking up various autumnal concoctions and reminiscing on others that are making my inner chef quite happy. I've been trying out uses for all of the delicious produce I brought from the farm last weekend and churned out what I think is some pretty tasty stuff.

First up, that big ole log of brussels sprouts. It was fun displaying it on our counter for a couple of days but eventually I hacked off all the delicious little sprouts and roasted them in the oven with some olive oil, garlic, S&P and they were just divine. Paired with a little recipe I had snipped from a magazine several years ago and never got around to making, "Winter White Burgers." Moist turkey burgers flavored with lemon zest and thyme layered with aged white cheddar and poached pear slices (another farm purchase) all piled atop a toasted english muffin spread with pepper jelly. Phew! This baby was juicy, flavorful, and quite a mouthful...

High top burger and a pile o' green

Soon to be devoured

 Success! Another farm purchase that I've been wanting to experiment with is a pretty Delicata squash-- a thin, edible-skinned creature whose flesh is reminiscent of Butternut squash but slightly milder. A friend recommended this recipe from inspiring food blog Smitten Kitchen so I took the idea and ran with it in a slightly different but almost certainly equally delicious direction.

I wanted a grain-based salad to have for lunches this week and I adapted it with things we had in the pantry and flavors I think blend nicely together. I used wild rice instead of farro, delicata instead of butternut, dried cranberries instead of pepitas, and plan to top each serving with crumbled goat cheese instead of ricotta salata. I also added sauteed spinach. Sooo it's basically a totally different recipe but I'm pretty stoked about noshing on this colorful salad this week.

Mouth is watering already

Take a gander at those lovely fall colors

Will definitely be making this again

 Another win! I also have two hefty Acorn squash yet to be utilized, but I plan to summon my ever present love for chef and sweetheart Jamie Oliver and cook up his recipe for roasted acorn squash, hollowed out, rubbed with spices and filled with sundried tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese. Dad has made this recipe a few times and it is killer every time, so here we go again! Squash extravaganza!

Batten down the hatches, east coasters. We're thinking good thoughts for you all to weather Frankenstorm with naught a fallen tree or downed power line. Sending love your way! xo