Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette

1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch) diced


Good olive oil

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry

1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.



While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.


Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts, and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

4 Servings

Courtesy of Food Network's Barefoot Contessa

Crispy Smoked Mozzarella with Honey and Figs

Ingredients


6 sheets phyllo dough

6 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into 6 equal pieces

Vegetable oil, for frying

8 ounces dried figs, stemmed and quartered

3/4 cup honey, plus more for drizzling

3 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Directions

In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat to 350 degrees F.



Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a dry work surface. Place one slice of cheese about 5 inches from the top of the narrow end of the sheet. Fold the top of the narrow end over the cheese, leaving 1 inch between the fold and the cheese. Next fold over 1 of the long sides then the other, again leaving 1-inch between the folds and the cheese. Then fold the cheese over, again leaving 1-inch between the fold and the cheese. Continue folding to make a package about 3 1/2 by 4-inches. Continue with the remaining pieces of cheese and phyllo.

Fry the phyllo and cheese packages, 2 or 3 at a time, in the oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Meanwhile, heat the figs and honey in a small saucepan over low heat until the honey is warm. Set aside until the cheese packages have finished frying.

To serve, place 1 cheese package on a plate. Spoon some figs and drizzle some honey over the top of each cheese package. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Courtesy of Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis

Brie and Onion Puff

Ingredients


2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large Vidalia or Spanish onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 (5-inch) rounds brie cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until just brown, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook stirring often, until dark golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Roll each sheet of pastry to a 12-inch square on a marble surface or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Divide the caramelized onions in the center of each pastry. Put a brie round on top of the onions and brush edges of both pastry squares with beaten egg. Fold pastry up and over cheese to completely enclose the cheese in the pastry. Press the seams together to completely seal. Arrange each pastry round, seam side down, on a silicone mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the top of each pastry round with beaten egg. Bake until golden brown. 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before indulging. Enjoy!



Courtesy of Food Network

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients


1/2 cup Italian-style dried bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

28 large (2 1/2-inch-diameter) white mushrooms, stemmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.





Stir the bread crumbs, Pecorino Romano, garlic, parsley, mint, salt and pepper, to taste, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium bowl to blend.

Drizzle a heavy large baking sheet with about 1 tablespoon olive oil, to coat. Spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities and arrange on the baking sheet, cavity side up. Drizzle remaining oil over the filling in each mushroom. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through and golden on top, about 25 minutes. Serve

From Food Network Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Pretzels

4 teaspoons yeast                                                                4 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar                                                                 1/2 cup baking soda
1 ¼ cups warm water                                                          kosher salt for sprinkling
3 ½-4 ½ cups bread flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt                                                               kosher salt for sprinkling
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1.         In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes.

2.         In your KitchenAid bowl, combine 3 ½ cups flour 1/2 cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix with dough hook. Add more flour if dough is too sticky. Knead 3-4 minutes.

3.         Cover dough with plastic wrap, and set in on a greased plate in proofing oven to rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 30 minutes.

4.         Gently punch down dough. Before shaping, start preheating the oven to 425 degrees, using convection bake setting.

5.         Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each one until it’s about 15-inches long and the thickness of your finger. Twist each into a pretzel.

6.         Mix water and baking soda. Bring to a boil.

7.         Dip each pretzel in boiling soda water for 5 seconds. Place on greased baking sheet, lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and bake for 8-10 minutes. Cut each pretzel in half before serving. Serve with mustard.

Stuffed Mushrooms

12 large fresh mushrooms

1 sliced green onion, including green top

2 Tbs. butter

2 Tbs. dry bread crumbs

1/4 tsp. dill weed

1/16 tsp. salt

1/16 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Wash mushrooms thoroughly. 

2.         Remove stems from the mushrooms; chop stems.

3.         Cook stems and onion in 1 Tbs. butter until tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat. 

4.         Stir the bread crumbs, dill weed, salt and Worcestershire into the above mixture.  

5.         Dip the mushroom crowns in the other 1 Tbs. melted butter and fill mushrooms crowns with the stuffing mixture. 

6.         Bake on lightly greased sheet at 425° for 6 to 8 minutes

Roasted Vegetables

INGREDIENTS
1 small butternut squash, cubed
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 red onion, quartered
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces, and add them to the mixture.
In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan.
Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.