Roasted Buttercup Squash

Buttercup Squash with Chopped Apples

• 1 small buttercup squash
• 1/2 cup chopped cooking apple
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 2

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). On a cutting board, use a sharp chef's knife to cut the squash in half from top to bottom.

• Remove the stem first if it is still intact.

Scoop out the seeds and pulp from the inside of each half. Place the squash halves skin side down on an ungreased baking sheet.

Combine the apples, butter, sugar, nutmeg, and lemon juice in a small bowl.Spoon the mixture into each half of the squash.

Cover and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. The squash should be tender when finished.

• Serve the squash warm as a sweet side dish or as dessert.

Acadian Seafood Stew

http://www.novascotia.com/eat-drink/recipes/acadian-seafood-stew

Ingredients

1/8 cup	flour	25 ml
1/8 cup	butter	25 ml
2 cups	fish stock	500 ml
1	stalk celery, chopped	1
1	carrot, chopped	1
1 tbsp	onion, chopped	15 ml
1/2	green onion, chopped	1/2
1/8 cup	tomato paste	25 ml
1 tsp	chopped garlic	25 ml
1 1/2 tsp	Cajun seasoning	7 ml

Directions

In a pot, melt butter. With heat on medium, add flour and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, making sure it doesn’t brown. Gradually add the fish stock, stirring constantly as it thickens. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer for a half hour or until vegetables are cooked, stirring occasionally.

Add seafood to the stew base. Cook until fish is tender and mussels are opened. Finish off with a dab of 35% cream and serve with garlic toast. Serves 2.

Big Biscuits

Prep Time: 30 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 6

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar 1/3 cup shortening 1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2.	In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
3.	Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.
4.	Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

Beer can chicken

Ingredients

1 (4-pound) whole chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
1 can beer
Directions

Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.

Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Panzanella (Tuscan Bread and Tomato Salad)

Ingredients

4 large vine ripened tomatoes, cut into large cubes or wedges
1/2 pound stale country-style Italian bread, crusts removed and cubed (about 8 cups)
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced red onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Italian extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch fresh basil, stems removed, washed and spun dry, turn into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Optional: cubed mozzarella cheese and cucumbers

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, bread, and onions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, vinegar and oil. Pour the dressing over the bread salad and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Add the basil and salt and pepper, to taste, and toss to combine. Serve.

 

 Recipe: Classic Summer Panzanella
Serves 6-8

For the croutons:
4 cups cubed bread (about ½ inch cubes)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:
5 cups halved cherry tomatoes (about 2 to 3 pints)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and finely diced (or ¼ cup fine diced red onion)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves (from 4 to 5 sprigs)

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Place the bread cubes on a large, parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle bread cubes with the 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lightly toss bread cubes to coat in the oil and seasoning.

Place coated bread cubes in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until croutons are golden brown and crunchy. Remove and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the cut tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil, diced shallots, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Allow this mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes. The longer it sits, the juicier the tomatoes will be.

Toss the croutons with the dressed tomatoes in the large bowl. Allow this mixture to sit for about 15 minutes, stirring it up here and there to distribute the dressing. Transfer the tomatoes and croutons to your serving bowl. Roughly chop or tear the basil leaves and scatter them on top of the panzanella and garnish with a whole sprig of basil if you like.

Greek Island Shish Kebabs

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup white vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 6 wooden skewers 2 large green or red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 large onion, quartered and separated into pieces 12 cherry tomatoes 12 fresh mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, and black pepper together in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
2.	Soak wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes before use.
3.	Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat; lightly oil the grate.
4.	Remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off excess liquid. Discard the remaining marinade. Alternately thread pieces of the marinated chicken with pieces of bell pepper, onion, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms onto the skewers.
5.	Cook the skewers on the preheated grill, turning frequently until nicely browned on all sides, and the chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes.

Margherita Pizza

From CBC

INGREDIENTS

Pizza dough
2 3/4 to 3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp. sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast

Assembly
Handful cornmeal
2/3 cup jarred tomato purée or tomato sauce
2 x (3.5 ounces) balls buffalo mozzarella, sliced
1 small bunch basil, leaves removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Hot pepper oil, to finish (optional)

PREPARATION

Pizza dough
In a large bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups flour and salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, add warm water, sugar and yeast. Stir to combine. Let sit until yeast starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.
Add yeast mixture to flour mixture. Stir or work with your hands until dough starts to form into a ball. Transfer to work surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 7 to 8 minutes, adding more flour if dough is sticky.
Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and cover. Store in a warm place until it doubles in volume, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Punch down dough. Cut in 1/2. Roll each piece into a 10-inch round.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If desired, use a pizza stone and heat according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Sprinkle cornmeal onto 2 pizza pans. Alternatively, if baking pizza on pizza stone, sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel so the pizza easily slides onto heated stone in the oven.
Top pizzas with tomato purée, cheese and basil. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
For best results, bake pizzas one at a time. Cook until crust is golden brown and crisp, and cheese is bubbly, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive or hot pepper oil.

Yield: Two 10-inch round pizzas.

OR

From the Food Network
Ingredients

Pizza dough, homemade or store-bought
All-purpose flour, for dusting
3 cup Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced into thin rounds
Cornmeal, for stone
Special equipment: Pizza stone
Basic Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion, small dice
4 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine
1 (28-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
1/2 cup water

Directions

Basic Tomato Sauce:

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add the basil leaves, red wine, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool the sauce before using it to make pizza.

Yield: about 3 cups

Place a pizza stone in the oven. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, allowing the stone to get hot.

Roll out the pizza dough on a floured surface into approximately an 8 to 10-inch round and 1/4-inch thick. Ladle the sauce onto the dough and spread it over top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Top with the tomatoes, oregano, some basil leaves and mozzarella rounds.

Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven, and dust with the cornmeal. Place the pizza on top of the stone and pop the whole thing in the oven. Bake until crust is golden and the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve immediately.