One thing I love about Fall, is comfort food and my roasted squash and beet salad is an all time fav. Even Scott, who doesn’t like goat cheese, gobbled this salad up. We served it with stuffed Portabella Mushrooms (I guess I’ll need to do that recipe next). Other than the time roasting the squash and beets, this salad can be whipped up in a matter of minutes.
Be sure to use Vermont Creamery Clover Blossom Honey goat cheese – it will make a big difference. Scott and I don’t like our goat cheese to be too “goaty” or tangy rather. This cheese is very smooth, a tad sweet and really pairs well with the other salad ingredients.
Enjoy!
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Roasted Squash & Beet Fall Salad
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This salad is full of flavor, slightly nutty and sweet. Compliment it with stuffed portabella mushrooms for a complete meal. Be sure to only use Vermont Creamery Honey goat cheese.
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut beets in half. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes on a foil lined cookie sheet.
Dice & peel butternut squash into 1" pieces. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and add squash to the cookie sheet with beets. If you substitute butternut for another squash - check the cooking time.
Roast walnuts in a skillet for about 5 minutes until toasted.
Once beets and squash are tender, remove from oven to cool. Slice beets when cool.
Mix greens, onion, squash, beets and goat cheese with dressing. Top with walnuts.
Balsamic dressing
Blend all ingredients until thoroughly blended.
Years ago, I went on a vegetarian diet for health reasons and found one of my favorite chili recipes. I’ve altered it with my own unique flavors and surprisingly, Scott loves it too.
This recipe is super easy to make, especially on a boat – during a wind storm! LOL. Be sure to follow the key points below, so your chili doesn’t get soggy.
There are all kinds of meat substitutes, especially today. I haven’t tried any of the new ones, like “Impossible burger”, but I do plan on it. We’ll let you know what we think. For this recipe, we use our favorite crumbles, which are from Morning Star. Be sure to not over cook the crumbles, or they will get mushy.
Recently, Scott and I made this recipe on the boat during a wind storm. It was perfect for our cozy winter night and we also baked corn bread to accompany it. Enjoy!
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Vegetarian Chili
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Even the meat lovers in your family will love this chili! It is a must try for everyone! Add as much spice as you want as you season it.
Instructions
Heat garlic oil in a small stock pot and add onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender.
Add tomatoes and spices and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, vinegar and maple syrup and cook on medium high heat for about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Add Morning Star crumbles and kidney beans and cook on medium high heat for about 10 - 15 minutes.
Once heated thoroughly, serve immediately with toppings: scallions, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
Recipe Notes
Do not over cook the meat substitute or kidney beans, as they will become mushy.
BLT Dip – The Ultimate Crowd Pleaser
If you love a BLT, then this is your dip! When Scott and I head up to my family’s place at Tyee Beach on Camano Island, I always make some kind of snack that everyone can enjoy during the day. Over the years I’ve made a 7-layer, Greek layer, Loaded Baked Potato and other fun hearty dips.
This summer, I wanted to make something a bit simple, yet filling enough for a crowd. Keep in mind, we don’t eat lunch, so this “snack” is the main meal between breakfast and dinner. That’s when I decided to make a BLT Dip! Who doesn’t love a BLT? Well, except for the fact that the bread rips the roof of your mouth up.
This BLT dip is the perfect solution! I fry my crostini (check out my recipe here). This makes the bread softer than if you just baked it in the oven.
Where did the dip go?
Normally when I make one of my hearty dips, they last for a few hours. This dip was gone in less than an hour! This dip with the crostini tastes exactly like a BLT. We had people from next door coming over to try it. So the next time you are looking for a crowd pleaser, this is a winner! Enjoy!
This dip can be made ahead time, about an hour (remember, it has lettuce and tomatoes and you don't want them to get soggy). I made a huge batch and it was gone in less than a hour - so Enjoy!
Instructions
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Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread mixture evenly into a 15" x 10.5" Pyrex dish.
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Begin layering the dip, starting with chopped lettuce, bacon, tomatoes and shredded cheese.
Serve immediately with crostini. Can be refrigerated for up to one hour.
Cucumber & Tomato with Bruschetta – the perfect summer time appetizer!
Everyone loves tomato and basil bruschetta and recently I decided to mix things up a bit. The typical recipe includes red onion, which can be too overwhelming during a party. So for my last batch, I replaced it with an English Cucumber and it was the hit of the party!
I also used red wine vinegar, instead of balsamic to keep the flavors zippy and light. When entertaining, I serve the tomato mixture in bowl, next to the bruschetta. This allows guests to pile on as much as they want, or very little.
Most recipes for bruschetta have you baking the bread in the oven. I love to fry mine in a mixture of olive oil and butter. My father-in-law goes crazy for my bruschetta and it’s because it’s crunchy, yet soft. It does take a bit more time, but it’s worth it. When serving this on our boat, I make it ahead of time at home, as we don’t have the space to fry the bread.
Enjoy!
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Cucumber & Tomato with Grilled Bruschetta
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This is a twist to the traditional Italian recipe for bruschetta. Adding cucumber gives it freshness, perfect for a hot summer day. I made this and the grilled bruschetta for my family last weekend and it was a huge hit!
Instructions
Grilled Bruschetta
In a small bowl, melt the butter and mix with the olive oil. Add red pepper flakes, garlic salt and ground pepper. Heat skillet to medium high heat – watch your heat as you go, as to not scorch your bread.
Using a basting brush, slather both sides of the bread with the olive oil mixture and fry until golden on both sides. Remove with tongs onto a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. If not serving immediately, allow to cool and then cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve.
Cucumber & Tomato
In a medium bowl, mix olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Add cucumber, tomato and chopped fresh basil. Toss gently to mix. Serve within an hour.
This smoked salmon pasta is probably the top favorite recipe I have been making over the past five years. It all started when I owned our wine shop, The Wine Alley and we started carrying a local smoked salmon. Steve’s Hot Smoked Salmon, is made locally in Buckley. It’s unlike any other smoked salmon you will try. It’s extremely moist and super flavorful! You can get this at The Wine Alley or at some local grocery stores.
Don’t try and serve this simply as an appetizer by itself, unless you have more than one filet. It will disappear in literally five minutes as I learned the hard way.
How the Smoked Salmon Pasta came to life
Back to the smoked salmon pasta dish! Scott and I were working late one night and I didn’t have time to go to the grocery store, but I knew I had some salmon in the fridge at the wine shop. I decided to whip up a simple pasta dish and when I say simple, that’s exactly what this is! It only has a handful of ingredients and it is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. It also would be super easy to make on a boat! Enjoy!
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Smoked Salmon Pasta
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This is an all time favorite dish that I make for friends and family who rave over it. It is rich and hearty and super easy to make.
Instructions
Make pasta according to the directions.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and saute' onions until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with garlic salt, ground pepper and parsley. Add whipping cream, stirring frequently. To thicken, mix corn starch with water and gradually pour into cream mixture. If it gets too thick, then add some pasta water until you get the consistency you like. Add smoked salmon, breaking it up into bite size pieces. Stir in capers and cooked pasta. Stir in parmesan cheese and serve immediately.
