Candied Acorn Squash

I made this delicious side last weekend for dinner. I modified the Crock Pot lady's recipe for my tastes and what I had in the house

Materials
1 acorn squash, de-seeded and chopped coarsely
1/4 cup water
2 apples, cored, peeled, and chopped
1.5 tbl butter
2 tbl cinnamon
1.5-2 tbl brown sugar
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1-2 tbl pecans

Methods
1. Place the chopped squash in the bottom of the crock pot with the water
2. In a mixing bowl combine apples, cranberries, pecans, melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Mix well.
3. Place the apple mixture on top of the squash and cook on low for a couple of hours.
4. Mix, serve, and enjoy

Verdict
Delicious. It smelled like fall in the house and it tasted even better! I could have eaten the whole thing on accident, it felt almost more like a dessert than anything else :). I did constrain myself and enjoyed the leftovers with leftover pork for lunch later in the week :).

Let the crock pot time of year begin!

Cider Braised Pork

Ingredients

2 lb pork loin roast

1 small butternut squash, chopped

2 apples, chopped coarsely

1/2 cabbage, sliced

apple cider

salt an pepper to taste

Methods

Simple stuff-- layer the squash, apples, cabbage, and pork in the crock pot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle a small amount of apple cider in and cook on low all day. 

Verdict

This was a crockpot-ification of a pork tenderloin recipe from the December issue of Rachel Ray.  I had been thinking about it since seeing the recipe and knew it was a good way to use up the leftover cabbage from the eggrolls.  This was a total win.  The pork was moist, the cabbage didn't overpower the remaining veggies and it was good!!!! It pretty much tasted the way it smelled and I hoped it would - which is always good.  I served everything with the cider sauce on top and loved every bite!  David didn't feel like the apple cider overpowered the pork and happily ate his portion too, noting it was still moist without pouring juices over it.

Squash Soup

Squash Soup adapted from the Barefoot Contessa, Barefoot in Paris

Ingredients
3 tbl olive oil
1 chopped yellow onions
3/4 -28 oz can pumpkin puree
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
32 oz chicken stock or broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup half and half

Methods
Heat the butter and oil in your stockpot or dutch oven. Add the onions/garlic and cook over medium low until translucent ~10 min or so.


Add the pumpkin puree, squash, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for about 20 minutes until the butternut squash is very tender.

Process the mixture using your immersion blender. Add the half and half and heat slowly. If the soup needs more flavor add another tsp of salt. For a thicker soup reduce the amount of chicken stock.. For a thinner soup, increase stock.

Verdict
Delicious! As always!  I always enjoy pumpkin and squash soups.  I definitely enjoy anytime I get to use my immersion blender too :)  So this was a win.  I love having a pot of soup to eat for lunch :)