Kisses for Kate Bake Sale
After exhausting hours in the test kitchen, I’ve finally settled on my submission:
Butternut Blondies, Brunettes and Redheads
These moist, yummy treats are made with whole wheat pastry flour, grated butternut squash, lots of autumn spices and a touch of brown sugar.
The winning bidder will get their choice of blondies (white chocolate chip) brunettes (bittersweet chocolate chip) or redheads (dried cranberries) or if you can’t decide, I’ll split the pan and do a combo of all three.
Bidding on these beauties and a multitude of other delicious treats opens Sunday, October 30 at Running Ricig’s website. Don’t miss it!
More Squash
I made this super-easy dish last weekend. So easy and so good! It disappeared long before I could take a photo. I have to admit the microwave snob in me was a tad skeptical but I kept an open mind and gave it a try. Could not have been easier or more delicious. Tastes like apple crisp without the guilt!
Acorn Squash with Apple
1 Acorn Squash
2 Apples, cored and sliced (I used golden delicious)
1T Butter
1T Brown Sugar
1T Finely Chopped Walnuts
1/2t Salt
1/2 t Ground Cinnamon
Remove peel*, seeds and stem and cut squash into 1″ chunks.
Place squash into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the sliced apples. Dot with butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon. Cover with a wet paper towel.
Microwave for 7-1/2 minutes on full power. Remove, uncover and stir. Cook for another 7-1/2 minutes, until tender. Serve hot.
Serves 6
* To easily remove the peel without hacking off an arm in the process, gently drop the squash in a pot of boiling water and boil for 15 minutes, then let it sit in cold water for 5 minutes. Peel will scrape off easily once it’s cool.
What’s you favorite squash recipe?
by: Marcia | Thursday, October 27th, 2011 | 
November is flying by and in my pre-Thanksgiving panic I haven’t yet shared any recipes. That will change right here, right now. I’ve been experimenting with Agave Sweetner as a sugar sub and I have 2 recipes I think you’ll like: Agave nectar has a lower glycemic load, meaning it doesn’t give your body as much of an insulin spike as sugar would. And it’s sweeter, so you use about 25% less than you would use of table sugar.
¾ cup of agave nectar = 1 cup sugar.
When substituting this sweetener in recipes, reduce your liquid slightly, sometimes as much as 1/3 less.
Also reduce your oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Cranberry/Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
This has been this season’s go-to cookie for me. I’ve sent them to school, brought them to parties and they’ll be among my Thanksgiving sweets as well. I left in the brown sugar because I didn’t want to compromise the cookies’ texture. Nobody was able to detect a difference with the Agave Sweetener.
1C White Whole Wheat Flour
1/2t Baking Soda
1/2t Cinnamon
1/8t Salt
10T Softened Butter
1/3C Agave Sweetener
1/3C Packed Brown sugar
1 Large Egg
1t Vanilla Extract
1C Old-Fashioned Oats
1C Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2C Dried Cranberries
Preheat oven to 325F.
Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in bowl. Beat butter, agave sweetener and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture and oats; stir until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and cranberries.
Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls 2″ apart onto cookie sheets lined with parchment or Silpat. Bake until edges are light brown, about 15 minutes. Cool completely and enjoy. Makes about 30 cookies.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Bacon
2 Acorn Squash, halved
Butter
2T Agave Sweetener
2 Slices Bacon, cut in half (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 F.
This recipe could not be easier. Simply dot squash with butter, cover with foil and roast them approx. 40 minutes in a pan with 1/4C water in the bottom. Drizzle approx. 1/2T agave sweetener in each one along with a 1/2 slice of bacon. Return to the oven and roast until golden and bacon is cooked, about 20 minutes longer. Serves 4.
This would be a great addition to the Thanksgiving table, although in my case with the guest list at 26 and counting the last thing I need are 20+ 1/2 squashes rolling around the cuisine KWIM?
by: Marcia | Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 |
me with: