Homemade Croutons

Homemade croutons are such a luxury.  They're deceptively easy, and so versatile--use them in soups, salads, or as a snack, and your ingredients will depend on you.  At their simplest, the base is olive oil, salt, and pepper but I have added parmesan, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, and rather than a baguette I've used pumpernickle, which is really good for caesar salad--

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1 crusty baguette, cut or torn into bite-size pieces

your favorite olive oil

salt/pepper

optional:  garlic powder, chopped fresh parsley (I use both)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place bread cubes in a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings, and toss to coat.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are crispy and golden brown.

When done, remove from oven and sprinkle chopped parsley over while still hot.

Roasted Acorn Squash

Fall means one thing in my house: acorn squash.  We wait all year for the first day of Fall and no matter what day it lands on, I always make the same thing...a garlicky pork loin roast with an herb crust, white and wild rice, crusty rolls, and roasted acorn squash.

Too many people don't make any of the squashes (acorn, delicata, butternut, spaghetti squash. etc) because they simply don't know how.  But don't let a vegetable scare you--I'm here to help. You'll be surprised at how easy they are, and they look impressive, too. Try something new--you AND your family will be glad you did :)

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

1 acorn squash serves 2 people (so buy as many as you have guests)

butter

light brown sugar

salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut squash in half.  Each half serves one person.

Scoop out the seeds and scrape clean, like you would a pumpkin (you can also roast them like you would pumpkin seeds)

scape out seeds on the right to resemble cleaned half on the left

Place each half in a large roasting pan

In each half, place 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.  Fill pan with approx.  1 inch of water so the squash will steam while cooking and won't dry out

Roast 1 hour on 350 degrees

ready for the oven

When finished, spoon a little of the brown sugar liquid on the edges of the squash and sprinkle lightly with salt

melted butter and brown sugar, right out of the oven

Place squash in a bowl for individual servings alongside each plate.  This way, the squash will remain upright when eating 

 

(originally posted 9/14)