Flavors of Fall — Butternut Salad

  

     There’s just one thing wrong with this salad — I didn’t make nearly enough. I used a small butternut squash (from our garden) to test this recipe that I’ve been contemplating for awhile.

     The salad consists of a trio of ingredients I associate with fall—golden orange butternut squash, dark red craisins and oven-toasted walnuts. It is dressed with a basic vinaigrette that gets a flavor boost from both Dijon mustard and Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar. The Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar is a specialty vinegar from The Tasteful Olive; it’s light colored (actually slightly pink from the an infusion with cranberries) so it provides a tangy yet light crisp taste, and it doesn’t darken the dressing like regular balsamic vinegar.

      This recipe is definitely a keeper but next time I’ll start with a large butternut squash.

Flavors of Fall Butternut Salad

Salad

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Craisins – see step # 3 for guide to how many craisins I used

The Tasteful Olive’s Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar

Toasted walnuts (bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 5 to 8 minutes, watching closely) – see step # 4 for guide to how many walnuts I used

Vinaigrette  – basic vinaigrettes are made of a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio—3 or 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar; for example, use 6 tablespoons of oil to 2 tablespoons of vinegar. The mustard in this recipe helps to emulsify (hold together) the ingredients + adds another layer of flavor. I used about 1 teaspoon for 6 tablespoons of oil & 2 tablespoons of vinegar

1 part The Tasteful Olive’s  Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar

Dijon vinegar

3 parts The Tasteful Olive’s  Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

Kale leaves or other greens of your choice if desired

1. Place prepared and diced butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
2. Bake in a preheated 425° oven for about 15 minutes (more or less) until squash is fork tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
   
3. As squash is baking, add craisins to a bowl and drizzle lightly with the Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar. This will infuse the craisins with additional flavor + also cause them to “plump.” How many craisins? For 1 to 1 ½ cups of roasted squash (it does shrink as it bakes) I used about ½ to ¾ cup of craisins.
   
4. Coarsely chop toasted walnuts. How many walnuts? For 1 to 1 ½ cups of baked squash (it does shrink as it bakes), I used about ⅓ to ½ cups of chopped and toasted walnuts.
5. In a bowl toss together squash, plumped craisins and walnuts.
6. Vinaigrette: Add Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar and mustard to a bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you drizzle. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Note: Salad dressings are a perfect place to splurge on really good extra virgin olive oil where its first pressed flavor can be savored.
   
7. Add dressing and to the trio of salad ingredients and let stand 15 to 20 minutes if time allows.
8. To Serve: Spoon dressed salad onto greens of your choice. Serve at room temperature.

   

   The Tasteful Olive in Overland Park, KS provided the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar used in this recipe. 

Recipe without photos . . .

Flavors of Fall Butternut Salad

Salad 

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Craisins – see step # 3 for guide to how many craisins I used

The The Tasteful Olive’s Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar

Toasted walnuts (bake in a preheated 350° oven for about 5 to 8 minutes, watching closely) – see step # 4 for guide to how many walnuts I used

Vinaigrette  – basic vinaigrettes are made of a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio—3 or 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar; for example, use 6 tablespoons of oil to 2 tablespoons of vinegar. The mustard in this recipe helps to emulsify (hold together) the ingredients + adds another layer of flavor. I used about 1 teaspoon for 6 tablespoons of oil & 2 tablespoons of vinegar

1 part The Tasteful Olive’s Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar

Dijon vinegar 

3 parts The Tasteful Olive’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Kosher salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste

Kale leaves or other greens of your choice if desired

1. Place prepared and diced butternut squash on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt.
2. Bake in a preheated 425° oven for about 15 minutes (more or less) until squash is fork tender and lightly caramelized. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
3. As squash is baking, add craisins to a bowl and drizzle lightly with the Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar. This will infuse the craisins with additional flavor + also cause them to “plump.” How many craisins? For 1 to 1 ½ cups of roasted squash (it does shrink as it bakes) I used about ½ to ¾ cup of craisins.
4. Coarsely chop toasted walnuts. How many walnuts? For 1 to 1 ½ cups of baked squash (it does shrink as it bakes), I used about ⅓ to ½ cups of chopped and toasted walnuts.
5. In a bowl toss together squash, plumped craisins and walnuts.
6. Vinaigrette: Add Cranberry Pear Balsamic Vinegar and mustard to a bowl. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking as you drizzle. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Note: Salad dressings are a perfect place to splurge on really good extra virgin olive oil where its first pressed flavor can be savored.
7. Add dressing and to the trio of salad ingredients and let stand 15 to 20 minutes if time allows.
8. To Serve: Spoon dressed salad onto greens of your choice. Serve at room temperature.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower - tender, tasty florets

     Super easy to prepare, oven roasted cauliflower is tasty and nutritious as well.

     Since I was making this dish for just two, I opted for half of a cauliflower but for company I’ll just double the ingredients.

     However, I do add a caution. Many roasted cauliflower recipe call for temps of 450° or higher – we find this burns rather than caramelizes the florets, and also makes them tough as it removes most of the veggies moisture. In our small Breville® convection oven, 400° was high enough.

    We highly recommend procuring some specialty olive oil and vinegar mentioned below for this recipe – it really adds layers of flavor . . . but it’s good without it, too.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower    About 2 to 3 servings

½ medium head cauliflower (about 1 1/8 lb.), trimmed and cut into florets

2 medium cloves garlic, finely

2 to 3 tablespoons cup olive oil (or use lemon-flavored olive oil such as The Tasteful Olive’s Lemon EVOO)

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (could omit if using lemon-flavored olive oil)

¼ to ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Splash of lemon-flavored balsamic vinegar, such at that sold at The Tasteful Olive in Overland Park, Ks., optional

1.     Heat oven to 400° to 425°. Combine cauliflower and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

2.     Transfer, in a single layer, to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 25 minutes, only until tender; stir once. Watch closely near the end of the cooking time.

Ready to go in the oven.

Cooked to perfection.

3.     Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with lemon-flavored balsamic vinegar if desired.

Recipe without photos . . .

Oven Roasted Cauliflower    About 2 to 3 servings

½ medium head cauliflower (about 1 1/8 lb.), trimmed and cut into florets

2 medium cloves garlic, finely

2 to 3 tablespoons cup olive oil (or use lemon-flavored olive oil such as The Tasteful Olive’s Lemon EVOO)

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (could omit if using lemon-flavored olive oil)

¼ to ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Splash of lemon-flavored balsamic vinegar, such at that sold at The Tasteful Olive in Overland Park, Ks., optional

1.     Heat oven to 400° to 425°. Combine cauliflower and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

2.     Transfer, in a single layer, to a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast for about 25 minutes, only until tender; stir once. Watch closely near the end of the cooking time.

3.     Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with lemon-flavored balsamic vinegar if desired.

Cucumber & Onion Salad – Simple fare that is refreshing any time of the year!

     I grew up eating cucumber (“cukes” as my mother often called them) and onions. My mother diluted the vinegar with water . . . however, I omit it as the added salt in my recipe pulls the natural water out of the veggies so they marinate in their own liquid  + added vinegar. My mother didn’t add sugar but I think it helps balance the tartness of the vinegar. She always used white vinegar; I like to experiment with different kinds of vinegars and right now my favorite is The Tasteful Olive’s oregano white balsamic vinegar.

     Although this is a refreshing summer or spring salad, it’s also great year round, adding a fresh taste to heavier fall and winter fare.

     And, finally . . . truthfully, I really don’t measure! I just add and taste but I did pay attention as I made this salad and so I’ve added measurements for those who like to at least start with a guideline. But, please taste and adjust the seasonings as you go.

This is also the salad I made for our recent
Bread Baking 101 class at the Culinary
Center of KC. The Tasteful Olive provided
wonderful olives oils and specialty vinegars
for bread tasting. And, I used their oregano
white balsamic vinegar when I made this
salad for that class to accompany our braided
sandwich breads.

Cucumber & Onion Salad

2 to 3 large cucumbers

1 medium onion – white, yellow or even red

2 to 3 tablespoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper

¼ cup granulated sugar

1/3 to ½ cup white vinegar or use part or all flavored vinegar such as The Tasteful Olive’s oregano white balsamic vinegar (experiment with red wine vinegars, rice wine vinegar or other specialty vinegars) 

Other possible additions: dill weed, dill seed, chopped chives, chopped herbs

1.  To create a quick decorative effect on the cucumbers (a scalloped edge), pull the tines on a fork down the length of each.

2.  Thinly slice each cucumber horizontally – I use the thinnest setting on a mandolin.

3.  Thinly slice an onion.

4.  Begin layering cucumbers and onions. Sprinkle with part of the salt. Continue layering and salting.

5.  Add pepper, sugar and vinegar. Use tongs to toss and mix ingredients. Other additions may be added at this time. Taste and adjust flavorings at this point, adding more salt, pepper, sugar or vinegar as needed.

6.  Cover and refrigerate as long as possible. Ideally overnight or for several hours but realistically this salad is good right after combining the ingredients, too.

Recipe without photos . . .

Cucumber & Onion Salad

2 to 3 large cucumbers

1 medium onion – white, yellow or even red

2 to 3 tablespoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon coarse ground pepper

¼ cup granulated sugar

1/3 to ½ cup white vinegar or use part or all flavored vinegar such as The Tasteful Olive’s oregano white balsamic vinegar (experiment with red wine vinegars, rice wine vinegar or other specialty vinegars)

Other possible additions: dill weed, dill seed, chopped chives, chopped herbs

1.  To create a quick decorative effect on the cucumbers (a scalloped edge), pull the tines on a fork down the length of each.

2.  Thinly slice each cucumber horizontally – I use the thinnest setting on a mandolin.

3.  Thinly slice an onion.

4.  Begin layering cucumbers and onions. Sprinkle with part of the salt. Continue layering and salting.

5.  Add pepper, sugar and vinegar. Use tongs to toss and mix ingredients. Other additions may be added at this time. Taste and adjust flavorings at this point, adding more salt, pepper, sugar or vinegar as needed.

6.  Cover and refrigerate as long as possible. Ideally overnight or for several hours but realistically this salad is good right after combining the ingredients, too.

Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus -- a quest for the "perfect" hummus

We are definitely hummus fans. However, we find that a lot of recipes call for way too much lemon juice and that the garlic is sometimes overpowering! So, I've been experimenting with the basic ingredients . . . my quest for the "perfect" hummus. Here's what I've come up with so far.

Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained & rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 to 3  large cloves of roasted garlic* (roasting adds a touch of sweetness)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika + extra for topping
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 to 1 cup roasted red pepper, chopped (reserve some for topping / I just used jarred peppers)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for serving (use the "good" stuff for added flavor, such as The Tasteful Olive's EVOO)
Chopped parsley for topping (I used the flat leaf variety)

1. Add half the garbanzo beans to the food processor; process about 1 minute.
2. Scrape sides of work bowl; add remaining garbanzo beans and process another 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is smooth.
   
3. Add remaining ingredients, except for the parsley) and process until smooth. 
   
   
   
   
4. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed. Add additional tahini and/or olive oil if needed for both flavor and to achieve a creamy consistency. At this point, the hummus was still a little to textural for my taste, so I experimented by adding the mixture to our NutriBullet and I thought this helped create a slightly creamier mixture.
5. Pour mixture into a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional EVOO, chopped roasted red pepper, chopped parsley + lightly sprinkle with paprika.

   

   We served the hummus with pita chips and black bean chips.

To ROAST GARLIC:
Preheat oven to 400°. Slice off the very top of garlic head. Place in a square of  foil and drizzle lightly with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil; sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt. Seal foil, creating a packet; place packet on a baking pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until garlic is tender and fragrant. Once cool, simply squeeze the head of garlic and the cloves will pop out.

Recipes without photos . . .
Roasted Red Pepper & Garlic Hummus
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained & rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 to 3  large cloves of roasted garlic* (roasting adds a touch of sweetness)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 to 1/4  teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika + extra for topping
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
 3/4 to 1 cup roasted red pepper, chopped (reserve some for topping / I just used jarred peppers)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for serving (use the "good" stuff for added flavor, such as The Tasteful Olive's EVOO)
Chopped parsley for topping (I used the flat leaf variety)

1. Add half the garbanzo beans to the food processor; process about 1 minute.
2. Scrape sides of work bowl; add remaining garbanzo beans and process another 1 to 2 minutes until mixture is smooth.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except for the parsley) and process until smooth. 
4. Taste, adjust seasonings as needed. Add additional tahini and/or olive oil if needed for both flavor and to achieve a creamy consistency. At this point, the hummus was still a little to textural for my taste, so I experimented by adding the mixture to our NutriBullet and I thought this helped create a slightly creamier mixture.
5. Pour mixture into a serving bowl. Drizzle with additional EVOO, chopped roasted red pepper, chopped parsley + lightly sprinkle with paprika.

To ROAST GARLIC:
Preheat oven to 400°. Slice off the very top of garlic head. Place in a square of  foil and drizzle lightly with 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil; sprinkle lightly with Kosher salt. Seal foil, creating a packet; place packet on a baking pan and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until garlic is tender and fragrant. Once cool, simply squeeze the head of garlic and the cloves will pop out.

What do salad dressings & glaze formulas have in common? Barry’s Creamy Lemony Vinaigrette

     Barry was known as the “sauce man” at the Kirby House Restaurant. Although he was not formally trained in the culinary arts, he has the ability to create wonderful sauces  (and other foods, too) . . . without a recipe.

     He does have a BS degree in art education and taught art in the public schools for 28 years. It seems that his creativity is also apparent in the kitchen as he can often just taste a dish and then work out the ingredient combinations. I remember eating a wonderful pasta dish in Emeril’s restaurant in New Orleans. We were there with Vangie and Steve Henry and we all urged him to re-create it once we returned to Abilene. He did. It was on the menu at the Kirby House for quite a while

     Actually Barry likens making sauces to mixing up glaze formulas for pottery. And, now it seems his skill has transcended to salad dressings. Using some fancy olive oil and balsamic vinegar from The Tasteful Olive in Overland Park, Ks., he produced a creamy, lemony dressing that is great over chef or side salads. He did admit that initially he wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out but . . . we were both pleased with the results so I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and jotted down the ingredient list.

     TRUE CONFESSION: Barry and I both grew up in a very small town in an era when the only locally available brand of olive oil was WORSE than awful! Consequently we avoided the stuff like it was the plague for years. However, once we tried the really good stuff we were sold.  And, a trip to The Tasteful Olive is now a real treat. The last time we were there and sampling the wares, Barry said, “Twenty years ago I never imagined I would be anywhere standing around sampling olive oil and vinegar!”

     By the way, if you don’t have the lemon flavored oil and vinegar, just increase the lemon pepper . . . it won’t be the same but still should be good.

We put the salad dressing
in a squeeze bottle so it is
easy to apply. 

Barry’s Creamy Lemony Vinaigrette

Mayonnaise is added to the basic vinaigrette ingredients to create an easy-to-mix creamy dressing that doesn’t separate.

1/3 cup Lemon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

¼ cup Lemon Balsamic Vinegar (this is light in color & will not darken the dressing)

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Pinch of kosher and coarsely ground black pepper

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1.     Combine all ingredients and whisk until thoroughly mixed.

2.     Store in refrigerator.

Another Idea — I added a little
more mayo to thicken the dressing
and turned it into a veggie dip.