Acorn Squash Polenta + Coconut & Spiced Brown Butter

I have a husband who doesn't like potatoes. To be more accurate, he will eat them but probably won't enjoy them very much. After growing up in a household where meat and potatoes happened weekly, mostly because my dad loved anything if it ended with "and potatoes", this has been quite an adjustment for me. On the plus side, it's given me a good reason to think of new, creative side dishes to serve in place of the humble potato. This acorn squash polenta is a new favorite at our house that works perfectly for the holiday season.  The coconut milk adds a little something new to a dish filled with traditional flavors and the spiced butter drizzled over the top makes it super special and festive.

Butter has a way of doing that to things.

We are having a small Thanksgiving dinner this year. We are making one last pre-baby visit to Crested Butte, where we will roast a turkey breast (recipe for that coming tomorrow!), drink hot apple cider, and hopefully watch snow fall while sitting in front of a cozy fireplace. It's going to be wonderful to have some quiet time in the mountains after what has been a month or two of insanity. It's funny how life just tends to throw all the things at you in a very concentrated amount of time, isn't it?

Not only will it be nice to unwind and refocus, it will also be wonderful to take one last trip together before our lives change dramatically. The closer we get to welcoming baby #2 into the world, the more acutely aware I am that our days as a family of 3 are quickly drawing to a close. I'm both excited and scared about that. There are so many things that I feel like we just figured out about being parents. I suppose the good news is that we have all survived and most likely will the second time around. Right? That plus we get to increase the amount of people to love in our lives. That's going to be the best thing ever. Plus the baby snuggles. I'm banking on this one being a snuggler since our oldest never has been.

Other things that will be happening in Crested Butte: lots of Christmas music, sledding with daddy (don't worry, I'll be sitting out this year lest I be confused for a ginormous snow ball rolling down the hill), and lots of good food. I'm especially excited about the Crack Fries at Secret Stash. Yes.

No matter what you are doing for Thanksgiving, I know this acorn squash polenta will be a hit! It's easy and fast to make and can feed small or large groups easily.

Bonus: it's great leftover! Pile some in a bowl and top with your Thanksgiving leftovers in the days after the feast!

Acorn Squash Polenta with Coconut & Spiced Brown Butter

Makes 6-8 servings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Notes: You can substitute pumpkin puree (homemade or canned) in this recipe. Just add 1 cup of the puree into the polenta.

• 1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 12 oz can coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups stone ground polenta (not instant)
• salt to taste
• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• sage leaves for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the squash, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet that has been drizzled with the olive oil. Move the squash halves around a bit to coat the cut sides with the oil. Roast 30-40 minutes or until easily pierced on the skin side with a knife.

Scoop out the flesh of the squash and puree with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Add the coconut milk and return to a simmer. Gradually whisk in the polenta to avoid clumping, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring often, until it begins to thicken. Cook about 15 minutes or until the polenta is tender. Stir the squash puree into the polenta and season to taste with salt.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter until it begins to turn golden brown and has a delicious, nutty aroma. Stir in the spices, remove from the heat, and let cool about 5 minutes.

Ladle the polenta into a large serving bowl and drizzle with the spiced brown butter. Garnish with sage leaves and serve immediately.

Chipotle Shrimp over Creamy Polenta

There is chocolate all over the inter-webs. All. Over. Chocolate, heart-shaped stuffs are here there and everywhere and I've decided to detour. I love chocolate just as much as the next gal but I wanted to contribute something a little different and off the beaten path. Chipotle shrimp with creamy polenta is simple to make (gentlemen, I'm talking to you!) and it has spice (a known aphrodisiac) and luxurious polenta that has been combined with tangy sour cream.

As I made this dish the other day, I was reminded of the first Valentine's Day Brad and I spent together. I wanted to impress him with something delicious, exotic, and like nothing he'd ever eaten before. I settled on red curry coconut soup with shrimp. It was beautiful. I somehow found huge, lovely shrimp in the middle of the Iowa corn fields (I don't care to think about how that was made possible) and the little kitchen in his on-campus house smelled divine. We sat down with a couple glasses of wine, dim lights, and bowls full of what I was sure would be a triumphant success of a meal.

Bless his heart, Brad took two bites before he said what we both were thinking. It was blazing hot and our mouths were almost certainly on fire. We ditched the wine and opted instead for splitting a gallon of milk to rid our tongues of the miserable sting of too much red curry.

On the one hand, I was heart-broken that I had ruined our first Valentine's Day meal. On the other hand, I was comforted that Brad cared enough so early in our relationship to endure a few bites of something completely inedible just to spare my feelings.

That humiliating experience has not gone far from my thoughts each and every time this holiday rolls around. This year, I think I've done it right. This dish is a perfect combination of slight heat balanced by the creamy sour cream spiked polenta.

And go ahead...follow it up with one of the many chocolate desserts. I know I will!

Chipotle Shrimp over Creamy Polenta

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the polenta:

For the shrimp:

• 1 cup stone ground (not instant) polenta
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh baby spinach or other greens for garnish
• 8-10 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 2 teaspoons chipotle powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Instructions

1. Move an oven rack to the top position.
2. Preheat the broiler.
3. Bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
4. Whisk the polenta into the water. Continue whisking until the polenta has thickened slightly and there are no lumps.
5. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes or until the polenta is tender.
6. Turn off the heat. Stir in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm while you make the shrimp.
7. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with the olive oil, chipotle powder, salt and pepper and transfer it to a large, rimmed sheet pan. Make sure the shrimp are in a single layer with a little space between them.
8. Place the shrimp under the broil and cook until they are pink and just firm, about 3 minutes.
9. Ladle some of the polenta into 2 serving bowls. Top with handful of baby spinach and divide the shrimp evenly and arrange on top the spinach.
10. Serve immediately.