Maple Roasted Squash with Sausage and Caramelized Onions

I first off have to apologize for the photo of this dish. This four pm sunset is really taking a toll on my photo skills. Secondly, and most importantly, this is so delicious. 

This has an Octoberfest feel, but will keep everyone nice and comforted all winter long. It has a subtle sweetness with great savoriness from the sausage. Plus, it has these tangy, sweet onions that melt in your mouth. 

The perfect bite are all three elements together. Salty sausage, creamy butternut squash, and tangy onions on one fork. And for those of you trying to lay off the carbs once in awhile, this is so satisfying without any heavy starch. 

There is little work and just a few ingredients, so this makes for the perfect week night meal. 

Maple Roasted Squash with Sausage and Caramelized Onions

Imperfect Polish 2017

serves 4-6 people

2 lbs sausage (I like brats for this, but you can use anything you would like)

2 butternut squashes, peeled, seeds removed, and cubed (a lot of stores have this done for you in the produce section) 

olive oil

salt and pepper

crushed red pepper

4 tablespoons maple syrup, divided

2 large onions, sliced

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

optional: grainy mustard for serving 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Place the sausages on a roasting pan and roast in the oven for about 40 minutes or until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, place the squash on one or two roasting pans as needed to give them a little space. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat well and place in the oven as well. Roast for 30 minutes, then drizzle and toss with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and roast for 10 more minutes or until squash is tender. Then remove from oven, cover with foil to keep warm if necessary. 

While everything is roasting in the oven, place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add a glug or two of olive oil, and once hot add in the onions. Season with salt and toss to coat with the oil. Continue to cook the onions, stirring often until they have broken down and begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of male syrup to the pan and let reduce by about half. Then simmer onions on medium low until the onions are caramelized and soft, about 5-10 more minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. 

To serve, place a sausage on the plate, pile some squash next to it and top with the onions. Use grainy mustard as a dip if you're into it.

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

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Weeknight Dinner: Sausage & Sweet Potato Fries

This dinner is one we have A LOT. The reason being that everyone eats all the components and it takes very little time and brain power. So everyone wins. The oven fries feel like a cheat, even though they are not. And the crazy good variety of sausages available these days can bring some variety to this meal.  I serve a salad on the side most nights. Really throw together whatever salad ingredients you like (current fave: arugula, avocado, pepita) and either make your own dressing or grab a bottle. I cut up avocado for the kids, too. 

                     

Ingredients: 

Enough sausage for all the mouths in your house (love a spicy Italian and a sweet chicken sausage right now. Use whatever you like)

Sweet potatoes (about 1 per person)

olive oil

salt and pepper

cornstarch

brown sugar

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place some foil on three big baking sheets.

Step 2: 

Cut the sweet potatoes into fries. About 1/3 inch thick, but don't torture yourself about it. And place on 2 of the baking sheets. You want some space between each of them, hence the two pans. If you run out of space use an additional pan. Drizzle with some olive oil, again don't torture yourself on measuring. Just enough to coat all of the fries. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, a little brown sugar, and enough cornstarch that each fry gets some. Then toss with your hands so everything gets coated evenly. You cannot screw this up, just make sure to give the fries some space. Put in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, tossing a couple times in between. They are done when they are browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Then let cool a bit to crisp/firm up. 

Step 3: 

Place the sausage on one of the other baking sheets. For regular sized sausage, roast in the oven for about 30 minutes. Smaller sausages, less time. When they are firm, they are done. You can also grill if you want! Grill over medium high heat until firm, about 20 minutes. 

Serve with salad and enjoy the very limited amount of dishes, hence the foil! 

xo

Erin 

Calabrian Grilled Pork Ribs

I am a magazine junkie. I tend to reach for them more than books (which I am trying to change) and often times it is my resource for inspiration. Bon Appétit has always been on the roster, but over the last couple of years it has gotten good. Really good. The content is easy to read and recipes are usually brought down to mortal level from top chefs around the country. Plus the editing and styling is so fantastic and modern. My favorite section (an oldie but goodie) is in the front where people write in for recipes from their favorite restaurants. I love when it is a place I have been and even better if it is a dish I have tried. In March's issue, they shared a ribs recipe from a delicious Minneapolis restaurant, Bar La Grassa, that I loved so much (check out this recipe I already tried at home) and I knew that I had to try it. I never make ribs. But I will be making these again and are such a fresh departure from your usual goofed up BBQ sauced ones. The sauce is so rich in flavor with a surprising lightness and requires very little ingredients. You are to finish these under the broiler, but you could finish on the grill which makes this recipe a summer stunner. 

Calabrian Grilled Pork Ribs

Bon Appétit March 2015

Serves 4

1 rack St. Louis stlye Pork Ribs (2-3 lbs)

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

5 fresno chilis, seeded if desired (Anaheim work too)

10 garlic cloves 

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (sub any white vinegar if you want)

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for serving (left this out)

Lemon wedges (for serving)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place a double layer of foil large enough to wrap ribs on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips). Set ribs on top and generously season with salt and pepper. 

Pulse chilis, garlic, oil, vinegar, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender until mixture is almost smooth. Rub ribs all over with the marinade and pour excess over top. Wrap tightly with foil. 

Roast ribs until meat is tender but not quite falling off the bone. 2 1/2 - 3 hours. To check doneness, run a paring knife through 2 or 3 ribs; it should slide easily into flesh. 

Heat broiler. Once ribs are cool enough to handle. Remove foil and reserve juices. Place ribs on a clean rimmed baking sheet and broil until charred in spots and marinade has formed a golden brown crust, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. 

Slice meat into individual ribs. Drizzle with reserved juices and top with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges (squeeze them over the ribs, it is heavenly) 

Note: instead of broiling, you could grill over a very high heat for a few minutes as well. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Roasted Chicken with Prosciutto, Provolone, & Spinach

I wish I could say that I am going to be back to developing new recipes on a regular basis soon, but in reality I do not have the time. we eat pretty simply and I have been going back to my archives on Forks & Amusement to change things up. So for some of you, these might be repeats but I wanted to share again recipes that I love that make for great family meals for your week. 

First up is this easy way to make your chicken breast more interesting. You can really use any cheese and meat that you want. Whatever you have on hand, throw it in, you cannot wreck it. Promise. 

Roasted Chicken with Prosciutto, Provolone, & Spinach

Forks & Amusement 2011

serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/4 inch thick

8 slices provolone cheese

4 slices prosciutto, thin

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

8 hot cherry peppers, deseeded and sliced (optional, try roasted red peppers if you do not like heat)

1 cup panko bread crumbs (in Asian food section, or you can use Italian style)

2 eggs, lightly beaten

cooking spray, like Pam

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place a cooling rack inside a large baking sheet.

Lay out chicken breasts and layer the toppings in this order on each breast: 2 slices provolone, 1 slice prosciutto, 1/4 of the spinach leaves, 1/4 of the peppers (if using).

Place the bread crumbs and the egg in separate flat dishes. Roll each breast up tightly, keeping ingredients inside. Roll in the egg to coat, then roll in the bread crumbs to coat. Place seam side down on the cooling rack in the baking sheet. Repeat with each breast.

Spray each with cooking spray all over and bake for 30-45 minutes (depending on size of breast) until cooked through. Place under the broiler for last 5 minutes to brown. Serve warm.

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Simple Crispy Cauliflower with Bacon

This recipe is not a huge culinary feat and one that is easy to work into your week day menu. If you are a fan of cauliflower, and I know not all are, this is the best way to serve it in my opinion. Simple, delicious, and full of flavor. Which we know cauliflower on its own does not have. 

Simple Crispy Cauliflower with Bacon

makes four sides

One large head of Cauliflower

Two slices of bacon (more if thinly sliced), finely chopped

One small onion or half a large, cut in large dice

olive oil

seasoning salt and pepper (like Lawry's)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Cut the stem out of the cauliflower heard and cut in slices as shown. 

Break up the pieces into florets on a large sheet pan. Add the bacon and onion. Drizzle with olive oil, enough to thinly coat, and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Toss with clean hands until everything is coated with a bit of oil and seasoning. 

 Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, flipping once half way, until the cauliflower and bacon is crisp. 

Serve warm. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad

So my birth(day) seemed to turn into a week and then a nice long weekend getaway with my man, so the blog did not see a lot of love. I am back though with a delicious recipe that I highly recommend you incorporate into your dinner menu this week. It is super easy and has such great flavors going on. One of the ingredients is tahini, which your market should have. If you are looking for other recipes to use the jar with try these Sesame Noodles (to-die), homemade hummus, or an Asian Chicken Salad. 

Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Salad

serves 4-6 

1 head of cauliflower cut into florets, then slice florets 1/2 inch thick

1 red onion, large dice

14 oz chickpeas, drained and dried well

olive oil

salt and pepper

Several large handfuls of arugula 

1/4 cup tahini

juice of one lemon

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread the cauliflower, onions and chickpeas in two large baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat and spread in a single layer. Bake for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are browned and chickpeas are just crunchy. 

Meanwhile, mix the tahini, lemon juice, cumin, and water in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more water to get the consistency of a dressing if needed. 

Place the arugula in a large bowl, add the roasted vegetables, and toss with enough dressing to coat and season well. 

Serve up and enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

Brussel sprouts are still technically in season, just for a bit. Not that it means much to me since all the fresh produce we eat is generally trucked in except for those short summer months. But for all you lucky enough to have an actual year round growing season, they will probably still be at the farmer's market. 

The combo of bacon and brussel sprouts was absolutely thought up by a savvy mom trying to get these bitter greens in her kids. And she is a genius. I took the usual preparation up a notch by tossing in a balsamic vinaigrette. 

This only takes a few minutes to prep and can be kept warm in the oven. Grill up something yummy, make a salad, and you have a delicious dinner. With crispy bacon. bonus. 

My favorite part are the leaves that fall off and get super charred. They are like little salty crispy chips. 

Roasted Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

makes 4 side servings

3 lbs brussel sprouts, stem trimmed off and halved

2 slices of thick cut bacon, diced 

olive oil 

salt and pepper

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Place the brussel sprouts and bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 40-45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until browned and crispy. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of olive oil until well combined. 

When brussel sprouts are done roasting, toss with vinaigrette over the vegetables in the hot pan and toss to coat. Serve warm. 

Enjoy! 

xo

Erin 

Dinner for You & Baby

After a few months of putting off making my own baby food, I have finally dived in and loving it. This kid is trying a lot of foods that I am not even sure he is quite ready for yet, but it is fun to have him taste everything. Since making dinner for yourself is hard enough, I wanted to put together an easy dinner for you that you could also whoorl up for your baby. Simple, delicious and healthy. 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

In a roasting pan, add one chopped onion, three cubed sweet potatoes, one teaspoon of fresh thyme, and one clove of minced garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. 

Place four bone in, skin on chicken breasts on top of vegetables. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper generously. 

Roast in oven for 30 to 45 minutes until chicken is done. Tossing vegetables a couple of times. 

Optional if you want to make a quick sauce: Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter and cover with foil. Place roasting pan over high heat on the stove. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour all over and whisk into pan drippings. Cook and stir for one minute. Add half cup of white wine, continue to whisk and reduce by half. Add a cup of stock, whisk and let reduce until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. 

Serve warm, drizzled with sauce if you make it, and enjoy. 

Any leftovers you have can be placed in a food processor, baby food maker, or blender (remove skin and bones from chicken). The ratio should be about one third chicken to two thirds vegetables. Process until the consistency your baby prefers. Add water or stock to help smooth it out. 

Baby food freezes really well. Beaba also makes these great silicone portioned storage containers. It can be placed in the freezer, then you pop the portion out when needed. You can also store the cubes and then reuse the container. My freezer is full of multi-colored cubes of baby food. It is hilarious. 

xo

Erin