Stuffed Acorn Squash

Tender acorn squash is filled with apple and dried cranberry stuffing for a delectable side or main dish.

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, cut in half, seeds removed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups diced yellow onion
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cups diced apple, cored and seeds removed (about 2 large apples)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch each of salt and black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place acorn squash halves face down on a rimmed sheet pan or baking dish and add 1/2 inch of water to the pan. Bake squash for 40 minutes.
2. While the squash is baking, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes until soft. Add the apples, cranberries, maple syrup, water and cinnamon; stir well and cook another 5 to 10 minutes until the apples begin to soften. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
3. After the squash has baked for 40 minutes, remove from the oven, turn them cut side up, and fill each with the apple stuffing. Place back into the oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until the squash is tender. Serve warm.

Serving Suggestion

Slice the stuffed squash halves into wedges to serve as a side with ham, turkey or chicken, or serve each half as a vegetarian entrée.

Kabocha Squash Soup

Total Time: 45 minutes. Servings: 4-6

Earthy, Indian spices add delicious warmth and depth to this rich squash soup.

Ingredients

• 1 medium kabocha squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Carefully cut squash into halves or quarters; remove the seeds, drizzle cut sides with olive oil and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until very tender. Scrape the flesh into a bowl and discard the skin. Roughly chop the squash.
2. In a large soup pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for 6 to 8 minutes until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeño and cook another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the spices and stir for one minute. Add broth, coconut milk and squash and bring the soup just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lime wedges.

Serving Suggestion

This winter soup warms you up with its subtle Indian-influenced flavors. You can use any dense, slightly sweet winter squash, like butternut or Hubbard, if kabocha is not available. Serve over brown rice for a heartier dish.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Total Time: 1 hour; 15 minutes active. Servings: 8

This classic, easy pumpkin pie is one you'll want to make over and over again.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (or 1 15-oz can) pumpkin puree
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/3 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 9-inch homemade pie crust or prepared pie crust
• Whipped cream (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400⁰F.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except pie crust and optional whipped cream and beat until smooth.
3. Pour into pie shell and bake at 400⁰F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350⁰F and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Cool on a wire rack for 2-3 hours before slicing. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if using.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop

All about the dough

Pie is one of those treats that is incredibly versatile. The size, shape and design can be tailored to the baker’s liking and fillings can be easily changed to reflect the season.

But, the best part of the pie? The crust.

Follow our basic guide to create the best homemade crust this holiday season.

The 3:2:1 pie dough ratio

The most flaky, tender crust comes down to a simple 3:2:1 ratio of ingredients—flour, fat, water— no actual recipe needed. This is the basics foundation for not only pies, but also tarts, galettes, pot pies, hand pies and more.

The “3” in this ratio is flour. Pastry flour contains less gluten than all-purpose flour and therefore creates a more tender crust, but all-purpose flour will work just fine if that’s what you have on hand.

The “2” is fat. Butter is the most common type of fat used, but other solid fats will work as well. Lard produces a flaky crust; coconut oil can be used to create a vegan crust. Substitute chicken or bacon fat for a portion of the fat in savory applications. Whatever fat you choose, it must be cold and solid - no liquid oils as they don't create the necessary air pockets for a light, flaky crust.

The “1” is ice cold water. Dissolve about 1/4 teaspoon of salt per batch to make the water extra cold.

The amounts in the 3:2:1 ratio refer to the weight (e.g. 3 oz. flour, 2 oz. fat, 1 oz. water). With those exact measurements you could make a pie crust, but it would be quite small. To know exactly how much dough you need you must first know how big your pie pan is. A basic rule of thumb: one inch of pan equals one ounce of dough. Using the standard nine inch pie pan, follow this recipe:

4.5 ounces flour + 3 ounces fat + 1.5 ounces water + 1/4 teaspoon salt = 9 ounces

Don't have a kitchen scale? Never fear. One cup of flour weighs roughly 4.5 ounces. How convenient! And 1 ounce equals 2 tablespoons. With this in mind, here’s the same recipe as above for a single batch:

1 cup flour + 6 tablespoons fat + 3 tablespoons water + 1/4 teaspoon salt = 9 ounces

Making a pie that requires a top crust? Just double the recipe.

How to mix pie dough

The most important step is cutting the cold fat into the flour. If you don’t do this, you’ll lose the flakiness. The easiest way to do this is with a food processor. Add your flour and then your cold fat (cut up into smaller tablespoon-size chunks). Now pulse the machine until the mixture creates pea-size pieces of fat evenly distributed throughout the flour.

With the machine running, stream in your water until the mixture forms a dough. You may need to add slightly more water if your mixture is too crumbly, but don’t add too much more or your crust will turn out tough. A little crumble is what you’re looking for.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can cut your butter using a pastry blender: two butter knives. Put your flour in a bowl, add your cold butter or other fat and start cutting away until you get those pea-size pieces. Make a well in the middle of your mixture, add your water and combine by hand until a dough forms.

Chill pie dough before using

Chilling the dough prior to baking is key. If you’re making a single batch, form the dough into a disk, wrap it up and place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour. If you’re making a double batch, divide the dough in two and do the same thing.

Authored by Megan Dom. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Kid Friendly Veggie Skeleton

Ingredients

• 1 jicama, peeled
• 1 head of cauliflower florets
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 orange pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 24 green beans
• 2 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 5 broccoli florets
• 1 mushroom, sliced
• 2 black olives, 1 sliced, 1 diced
• 1/4 cup arugula
• 1 cup hummus (for dipping)
• 1 medium pumpkin (optional)

Preparation

Skull

Pick a platter for the background. Cut peeled jicama in half. Using the peeler, peel the sides of the jicama until it is pear shaped. The wider end will be the top of the skull. It should be full and rounded. Start narrowing the sides about half way down and round off the bottom. This will be the jaw. The narrow end is the jaw of the skull. Carve a flat spot near the bottom for the mouth. Carve two flat spots near the top for eyes. Place the skull at the top of the platter.

Spine

For the spine, arrange cauliflower florets in a row under the skull. Pile red, orange, and yellow pepper slices on either side of the cauliflower for ribs.

Arms and hands

Stack 3 beans on each side for upper arms. Stack 3 more on each side for lower arms. Put a cherry tomato half on each side between the upper and lower stacks for elbows. Add zucchini slices for palms. Make fingers out of carrot slices.

The rest of the body

Arrange 5 broccoli florets at the bottom of the spine for hips. Make upper legs by stacking 3 green beans on each side of the broccoli. Make lower legs by stacking 3 green beans on each side below the upper legs. For knees place half a cherry tomato between the stacks on each side. For feet cut a mushroom slice in half.

Face and hair

Put round slices of olive on jicama for eyes. Add diced olive for the nose and teeth. Arrange arugula under the jicama for spooky hair.

Serving Suggestions

Hollow out a pumpkin and put a bowl full of hummus inside as a tasty dip. Arrange leftover veggies in a dish on the side.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Savory Stuffed Pumpkin

Celebrate fall with a savory mix of sautéed apples, garlic and sausage stuffed in pie pumpkin.

Total Time: 45 minutes; 25 minutes active Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 small pie pumpkins
• Pinch each of salt and black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 8 ounces vegetarian or regular sausage, crumbled
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped Granny Smith apples
• 1 6-ounce package stuffing mix
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (optional)
• 1 cup vegetable broth

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Use a sharp knife to remove the tops from each pumpkin (like a jacko’-lantern). Scrape out the seeds and filaments and discard. Season the inside of the pumpkins with salt and pepper.

3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until limp. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned, then add the garlic and apples and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the onion and sausage mixture with the stuffing mix, cheese and broth and mix together until combined and slightly moistened. Divide and lightly pack the stuffing into the pumpkins until completely full. Replace the tops on the pumpkins, place them on a lined or lightly-oiled baking sheet or dish and into the oven. Depending on the size of the pumpkin and amount of flesh, the pumpkins should take about an hour to bake. Check after 30 minutes and, when nearly cooked, remove the tops and bake until the filling is browned. The pumpkins are done when easily pierced with a knife. Use two metal spatulas to move them from the baking dish onto the serving platter, to help keep the pumpkins intact. To serve, slice pumpkins into wedges or halves.

Serving Suggestion

Slice the pumpkins into wedges or halves to serve and enjoy a scoop of pumpkin with each bite of stuffing. This dish makes an impressive vegetarian entrée or a hearty side dish when served in smaller portions. Change the stuffing to suit your tastes; try adding kale, spinach or sautéed mushrooms, or use shallots instead of onion, or cream instead of broth.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

BUDGET FRIENDLY RECIPES Farmhouse Bean Soup

Serves 6. Prep time: 15 minutes active; 30 minutes total.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Field Day olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 3 parsnips, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 15-ounce can Woodstock diced tomatoes
• 4 cups Field Day vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 15-ounce can Field Day Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-ounce can Field Day pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 15-ounce can Field Day kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 5 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, parsnips and garlic and sauté 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth and herbs and bring to a boil. Add the beans, reduce heat to simmer and cook 20 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in the spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

BUDGET FRIENDLY RECIPES: Chana Masala

Serves 4. Prep time: 35 minutes active; 55 minutes total.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups long-grain brown rice
• 3 tablespoons Field Day canola oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 1 15-ounce can Field Day garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 large russet potato, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover tightly and reduce to a simmer for about 40 minutes or until water is absorbed.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan or shallow soup pot. Add onion and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, then add garlic, ginger, spices and tomato paste. Pour into a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Return the spiced tomato paste to the same pan; there will still be a thin coat of oil in it. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns medium brown and oil separates around the edges of pan. Gradually whisk in water until it makes a thick gravy, about 2 cups. Bring to a boil.

Add potato and salt, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 8 minutes, then add garbanzo beans. Return to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in lemon juice and red pepper flakes, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice.

Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

The rich, sweet, tomato flavor concentrates in these little jewels. Store them away for winter if you can wait that long!

Note: because this recipe involves leaving an oven door ajar, this is not for homes with small children.

Ingredients

• Olive oil or parchment paper
• Fresh tomatoes (Roma or paste tomatoes are best)
• Sea salt

Preparation

1. Set your oven dial to its lowest setting (140–150°F is ideal).
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly brush with olive oil. Prepare tomatoes by slicing in half lengthwise and scooping out most or all of the seeds. Place cut-side up on the baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with sea salt. Place sheet in oven and leave oven door slightly ajar to encourage air flow.
3. Dehydrate in the oven for 6–10 hours or until leathery, but not brittle. Cool completely, then store in a transparent air-tight container.
4. Shake container daily for 7 to 10 days to evenly distribute any residual moisture. If condensation develops on the container, open and return tomatoes to the oven for more drying.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy the tomatoes dried, or rehydrate in hot water for plump, juicy tomatoes in your winter sauces and soups.

Total Time: 20 minutes preparation, 6-10 hours drying

Servings: About 6 2 ounce portions

Authored by Liz McMann. Reprinted by permission from StrongerTogether.coop. Find articles about your food and where it comes from, recipes and a whole lot more at www.strongertogether.coop.

Budget friendly recipes: Garlic tofu & greens

Serves 4. Prep time: 20 minutes active; 35 minutes total.

Ingredients

• ¾ pound firm tofu, sliced in 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
• 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 1 bunch kale, tough ribs removed, chopped
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Toss tofu cubes with 2 tablespoons of canola oil, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and half of the minced garlic, making sure the cubes are well coated. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

While tofu is baking, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add penne pasta and boil for 10 minutes or until pasta is tender.

Heat the remaining oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the rest of the garlic and red pepper flakes and let them sizzle for just a moment. Add the kale a handful at a time, turning frequently with tongs. Once kale turns bright green and begins to wilt, about 2 to 3 minutes, turn off the heat. Mix the kale with the baked tofu, tossing well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over pasta.