There are a few things that make this recipe exceptional, and first are the spiced pecans. We eat these sweet, crunchy, spicy pecans by the handful and love sprinkling them over salads and sides, especially during the holiday! Next is that sweet, sticky honey-baked acorn. The sweetness of the acorn is so spot on with the ricotta and nuts its perfection in every bite. Because the rest of the ingredients are simple it's important to use good quality ingredients. Enjoy!
Ingredients: 1 large acorn squash 3 Tbsp good quality olive oil, divided 2 Tbsp honey, divided 3/4 cup fresh ricotta 4-6 mint leaves, roughly chopped Flaky sea salt ½ cup Spiced Pecans, see recipe below Crusty bread for serving Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Carefully slice the squash into half-moons and place in a large bowl, leaving the skin on. Toss the squash with 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1 Tbsp honey. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the squash pieces on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the squash is golden and tender. Meanwhile on a serving platter, spread ricotta evenly across. Drizzle with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 Tbsp honey, and spiced pecans. Season well with salt. When squash are finished arrange on top of the ricotta and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with crusty bread and additional honey if desired. Spiced Pecans 1 Tbsp water 1 egg white 3 cups pecan halves 1/2 cup white sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp ground cardamom ¼ tsp cloves 1/2 tsp kosher salt pinch of cayenne Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together water and egg whites in large bowl. Add pecans and toss to moisten. In a separate bowl combine sugar with the rest of the ingredients. Pour sugar-spice mixture over the nuts and toss to coat completely. Line baking tray with silicone baking mats (or foil if you do not have silicone mats). Spread nuts across tray in a single layer. Bake 15 minutes, flip nuts halfway through, and bake another 10-15 (be careful not to burn!). Super buttery, super creamy, and loaded with flavor! These are our FAVORITE mashed potatoes, loved by all. The added Boursin cheese gives the potatoes the perfect amount of punch without overpowering. So divine!
Ingredients: 2 pounds potatoes (half yukon gold/half russet potatoes) 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided 4Tbsp + 2Tbsp 1/4 cup whole milk 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 5.2 oz package Boursin cheese kosher salt fresh cracked pepper fresh chives for garnish Instructions: Peel potatoes, and cut them into evenly-sized, 1-inch chunks. Transfer to a large pot with cold water. Be sure there is enough water to cover the potatoes completely by inch of water. Place pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 15 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle goes in easily with no resistance. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tbsp butter, milk, and cream together over the stove or in the microwave (this seems like a fussy step, but it really helps the potatoes absorb the fat for a perfectly creamy texture). Drain potatoes well and immediately return the potatoes to the hot pot. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes to desired consistency. Pour hot butter/milk mixture over and add Boursin cheese. Season well with salt (I prefer using kosher salt for mashed potatoes) and cracked pepper, and using a wooden spoon mix in the butter mixture. Be careful not to overbeat as they may become gluey. Taste the potatoes to see if they need more salt, season as desired. Top with chives and 2 Tbsp butter, and serve warm or store in fridge until ready to reheat! Chimichurri, just as fun to eat as it is to say! There are very few condiments as deliciously versatile as chimichurri. It adds such a freshness to your plate, and goes well with just about every type of protein (hello juicy ribeye!). We also love adding it to our grain salads and roasted vegetables. Have some fun it! We know you're going to love it as much as we do!
Ingredients: 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed 2 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves or 1 tsp dried 1 small shallot roughly chopped, (about 1 Tbsp) 3 large garlic cloves 3 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice 1/4 tsp cumin seed pinch red pepper flakes 1/2 cup olive oil, or more as needed salt and pepper Instructions: Combine parsley, cilantro, oregano, shallot, garlic, vinegar, lemon or lime juice, cumin seed, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 cup olive oil in a food processor or blender. Season with a generous pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Pulse 2 to 3 times, scrapping down the sides as needed. Repeat pulsing until a thick sauce forms. Be careful not to puree the sauce as you want to leave a slight texture to the herbs. Add extra oil 1 Tbsp at a time, if needed. Taste, and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve over steak, poultry, seafood, grains, tacos, or roasted vegetables! We are both so obsessed with this recipe! Some of our favorite things in one big bowl - perfectly sweet roasted carrots, hearty lentils, creamy goat cheese, and the orange vinaigrette just puts it over the top. Always a hit on the table and in the stomach!
Ingredients: 2 Lbs carrots, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces 2 tsp honey 1 Tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper 1 (14oz) can lentils ¼ cup Pecans, roughly chopped 2 Tbsp dried Cranberries 1 Tbsp chopped fresh Parsley 2 oz crumbled Goat cheese Orange Vinaigrette: 1 Tbsp minced shallot 1 clove garlic, minced Zest of 1 orange 2 Tbsp orange juice 1 Tbsp Sherry vinegar 1 tsp honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix honey and olive oil in a medium bowl. Add carrots and toss well to coat completely. Set bowl aside to use again. Season carrots well with salt and pepper and transfer to a foil-lined baking tray. Spread carrots out evenly on tray and roast in oven for 15-20 minutes (or until tender and golden), stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking on all sides. Meanwhile prepare the vinaigrette. In the same medium bowl add shallot, garlic, zest of orange, orange juice, sherry vinegar, honey, and Dijon. Whisk together then slowing add oil to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Add drained lentils, pecans, cranberries, and parsley to the vinaigrette, and toss well to combine. Once carrots are finished cooking allow to cool slightly then add to the lentils. Finish with crumbled goat cheese, and additional salt and pepper, if needed. Not your mama's frittata! Loaded with flavor and packed with feel-good vegetables - we LOVE this sweet potato version of a simple classic. The curry compliments the sweet potato and kale so well, and it couldn't be any easier to throw together. We could eat this everyday for breakfast (or lunch, or dinner!).
Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 medium sweet potato 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper ½ cup diced onion ½ cup diced red pepper 1 cup chopped kale 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp grated ginger, or 2 tsp pre-grated from tube ¼ tsp cumin seed 1 tsp curry powder 6 Large eggs ¼ cup half and half 2 tsp cilantro ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese Instructions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and slice sweet potato into ½ inch cubes. Spread out on a lined baking tray and drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently with the spoon. Roast in oven for 15 minutes or until sweet potato is golden brown and tender. While the sweet potato is cooking heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 9-inch cast iron or oven-proof skillet over medium. Add onions and red peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add chopped kale and cook an additional 2 minutes to wilt. Add garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, and curry. Cook 1 minute longer or until garlic becomes fragrant. Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together eggs and half and half. Season with salt and pepper. Gently pour egg mixture into the skillet over the cooked onion mixture, and do not disturb or stir. Top with roasted sweet potato, cilantro, and feta cheese. Place in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until eggs are just set in the center. Carefully remove skillet from the oven (it will be hot!), and allow to cool a few minutes before slicing. This is the cheesecakes of all cheesecake - Pumpkin!! Not only is this our favorite cheesecake recipe ever, but it's complete with the most flavorful, perfectly spiced crust and dollop of cinnamon whipped cream. We wait all year to make this, and then make it for three months straight (insert naughty face emoji). Hello fall/holiday/everything pumpkin season!
Ingredients: Crust 8 oz gingersnap cookies 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans 3 Tbsp butter, melted 1 Tbsp granulated sugar Pinch of salt Filling 3 (8oz) packages of cream cheese, softened 1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree, about (1 ½ cups) ¼ cup heavy cream 3 large eggs 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground ginger Cinnamon Whipped Cream 1 cup heavy cream ¼ cup granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp cinnamon Instructions: For the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the cookies and pecans until ground fine. Add butter, sugar and salt, and mix until combined. Transfer into a 9-inch spring form pan pressing down firmly. Chill crust for 30 minutes, and begin to prepare the filling. For the filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one rack in the middle of the oven, and one rack on the bottom. Fill a 13x9 metal roasting pan with water going 1 1/2 inch up the side. Place the pan on the bottom rack to create steam while baking. Beat cream cheese for 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add pumpkin puree and heavy cream; mix well until combined. Add eggs one at a time, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and add in sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. Mix well until smooth and all ingredients are incorporated. Pour filling into the pan over the prepared crust. Place cheesecake in the middle rack of oven and bake for approximately 60 minutes - 70 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set, but still a slight jiggle in the center. Be careful not to over-bake! The center should spring back to the touch but will still be jello-jiggly. Turn the oven off, open the door very slightly, and let the cheesecake sit for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before refrigerating. Chill for at least 3-4 hours. For the whipped cream: Place heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in the bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk until stiff peaks form. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. We wait all year for that first bite of fall, and this recipe was well worth the wait!
This beauty won first place by Stefanie Lourenco in our pumpkin recipe contest. Its all the things we long for in a dessert - sticky, gooey, sweet, perfectly spiced. It's also incredibly simple to throw together with an easy way to make caramel. We just love everything about it, and hope you do too. Happy Fall, Y'all! Ingredients: 2 cups half and half 1 15oz can pure pumpkin 1 cup (packed), plus 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 10 cups 1/2 inch cubes egg bread or raisin egg bread (about 15 oz) whipped cream, for serving Caramel Sauce 1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter 1/2 cup heavy cream Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl whisk together half and half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, spices, and vanilla extract. Fold in bread cubes. Transfer mixture to a 11 x7 baking dish and let stand for 15 minutes. Bake until tester in center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the caramel by whisking brown sugar and butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes. Serve warm with caramel sauce and whipped cream. The perfect ending to summer! We typically don't get fussy over our mixed drinks, but this is one we really love. It's simple and great for a lighter cocktail (we use diet ginger beer, shhhhhhh). All of the ingredients get married together in one large pitcher making it easy to share with a group. Sip, repeat, and enjoy!
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup small assorted melon balls (cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew) , plus more for garnish 8 mint leaves, plus more for garnish 24 oz ginger beer, chilled 2 bottles dry sparkling wine, chilled limes for serving Instructions: In a large heavy duty glass jar, muddle the melons and mint together to release all the juices. Transfer to a large pitcher. Pour in chilled ginger beer and sparkling wine. Divide into glasses and serve with melon ball skewers, lime slice, and fresh mint. Keep chilled. Enjoy! Our love for chocolate knows no bounds, and when miso is added it gives a depth of flavor that is simply indescribable! We use black miso here, which is a more concentrated flavor. You can use any type of miso, but you may have to adjust the measurements up slightly. Don't be afraid to give it a try - you will not be disappointed!
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp black miso paste 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk 2 cups chopped dark chocolate, 70% Instructions: Line a 2-quart pan with parchment paper that covers 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Place miso in a large bowl and using the back of a fork break miso up to soften the paste. Add sweetened condensed milk to the bowl and continue mix incorporating the miso into the condensed milk (a few tiny clumps are ok, but be sure to incorporate most of the miso). Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pot with boiling water. Alternatively, you can microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the melted chocolate immediately, whisking until combined. Transfer mixture to lined pan and chill in fridge until set, about 45 minutes. Cut into squares. This is exactly what friends are for - banana pudding. There's no dessert that gets Annie as excited as Nat's banana pudding. If you don't have a friend making it for you, the good news is it's easy to make yourself! We also love how it gives you all the feelings of comfort with classic vanilla wafer cookies. We like to keep it on the rustic side and throw all of the ingredients in a glass dish in no particular order (we eat it way too fast to spend too much time making it pretty!). Grab a spoon, grab a friend, and dig in!
Ingredients: Makes 6 individual servings 30 vanilla wafer cookies *2 large bananas, sliced For the pudding: 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 heavy cream 1/4 cup cornstarch pinch of salt 5 egg yolks 2 cups whole milk 2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) 2 Tbsp unsalted butter For the whipped cream: 1 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract) Instructions: For the pudding: Whisk together sugar, cream, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. In a separate bowl, combine egg yolks and milk, and whisk together. Over medium heat, gradually whisk the milk and egg mixture into the cornstarch mixture. Continue to cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickens (about 7-10 minutes). Mixture will become very thick quickly. You want the texture to be similar to pudding. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to get rid of any lumps, if desired. Allow to cool. For the whipped cream: Add heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer. Turn mixer on to medium for one minute, then increase speed to high. Whip cream until stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. For assembly: In 6 glass individual serving dishes, alternate layers of pudding, banana slices, whipped cream, and 4 vanilla wafer cookies. Crumble up the remaining vanilla wafter cookies and sprinkle on top with a dollop of whipped cream. Place in the refrigerator prior to serving. *If you aren't serving these right away squeeze lemon juice over bananas to prevent browning. |
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