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.

Planning the Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner

When I started this blog, I wanted to bring a little of the holiday magic that seems to surround us at the table amidst clinking glasses and forkfuls of delicious food. I realize that can be difficult to achieve in the midst of everyday life. Between errands, work, shuttling kids, and general exhaustion, finding the time to set the table and enjoy a real meal can be a challenge. Guess what? Those challenges (and perhaps more) are around during the holidays as well. And yet somehow, it all comes together and that magic makes itself known. I may not be able to take care of all the challenges you're facing around this time of year, but I can offer some tips for planning the perfect Thanksgiving dinner.

Since I know we are all crunched for time, I'll get right to it! Let's start with putting together a prep schedule.

5 days before:

• Finalize your menu
  • Decide exactly what you'll be making and what others will bring.
  • Write your shopping list
  • Plan time for work and relaxation
    • A successful Thanksgiving begins and ends with a happy host. Take care of you!
    • Determine the wines/cocktails you'll serve
      • A favorite this time of year is Beaujolais Nouveau. I am a fan of a clean, un-oaked chardonnay and a nice pinot noir.
      • If you will have beer lovers around, go for something local, if you can, featuring autumn flavors.
      • An easy and festive bourbon apple cider is perfect for a crowd!

4 days before:

• Do your grocery shopping
  • Get as much of your grocery shopping done as possible. You'll save yourself from battling heavy crowds and avoid running into product shortages at the store.
  • Be sure to have kid-friendly beverages and snacks if you will have little ones at your Thanksgiving dinner
  • Purchase wine & beer
  • Start getting your dishes ready
    • make sure you have plenty of dishes, serving vessels, and flatware for your guests
    • polish wine glasses with a soft, lint-free cloth

3 days before:

• Clean out the fridge! You're gonna need plenty of space as you prepare for the big day!
• Begin preparing your mis en place
  • I always try to get the heavy-duty chopping and mincing done a couple of days in advance. Things like onions that will be used in dressing/stuffing, gravy, etc, are great for chopping in advance. I also chop up my celery and carrots. (Garlic I save for just before I need to use it.)
  • If you're chopping in advance, store the chopped veggies in gallon sized ziploc bags lined with a couple slightly damp paper towels. This will help keep your vegetables from turning brown or drying out.

2 days before:

• Tidy up the house
  • There are four main areas that I think have to be clean before guests come over, and giving them a good scrubbing a couple days in advance means that the day of consists of simply picking up any clutter and doing a quick wipe-down before guests arrive. The four main areas to pay attention to are:
    • bathrooms
    • living area/wherever guests will be lounging and spending the most time
    • kitchen (this is mostly for you but also for guests who come wandering in wanting to help out)
    • entryway (make sure there is enough space for shoes if you have guests remove them, and places to hang coats)
    • Plan a kids' table if necessary
      • An easy way to keep kids entertained is to line a table with big sheets of white paper. Set jars filled with crayons and sheets of stickers on the table and let kids get creative while the adults enjoy themselves!
        • I also like to make plate-sized circles on the paper with the kiddos' names written in the center so everyone knows where to sit. They can also decorate their "place mats".

1 day before:

• OK, now it is time to do the lion's share of the cooking. Here are the items I prepare the day before Thanksgiving:
  • pies (prepare up to the point of baking
  • bread for dressing/stuffing (cut it into cubes and store in a ziploc bag)
  • Sweet potato casserole (or twice baked sweet potatoes- yum!)
  • thaw/brine the turkey (VERY important to do in advance!)
  • Have take-out for dinner. We always have take-out Chinese food (this tradition goes way back to when I was a kid) so that we don't produce a bunch of extra dishes.

Thanksgiving Day:

• Eat a good breakfast
• Drink coffee + make a to-do list
• Take a shower
• Begin cooking the turkey
• Finish preparing your dishes before guests arrive (if they can be baked ahead, go for it and just warm them up before serving)
• Do as many dishes as possible before guests arrive
• Get yourself gussied up and have a glass of wine!
• Turn on some festive music like this playlist from Food52

And there you have it! This is my no-fail list to making sure you have everything done without feeling rushed. Overall, no matter when you do these tasks, don't overdo it on any particular day. You want to enjoy Thanksgiving, not resent it! Take lots of deep breaths and know that your guests are happy to be with those they love and in a welcoming home. Beyond that, don't sweat it. Everything will work out.

I've got 3 delicious Thanksgiving recipes coming your way this week that will help you plan your menu, so stay tuned!

Thanksgiving Stuffing with Miso Vegetables

It is snowing and freezing cold and TOTALLY AWESOME in Denver right now. I'm so happy I want to skip and hop around the house like a very small child but my gigantic pregnant belly simply won't allow it. Instead, I'm taking as much time as possible to soak it all in since there's no telling when we will get snowy weather like this again. Christmas will probably be 60 degrees and sunny and I'll be crying in my hot chocolate wishing my tears would turn into snowflakes. I know. I'm crazy. I'm OK with this and clearly I don't mind spreading the news. I will say that it is much easier to test and photograph holiday recipes with this kind of weather going on outside my window. Making this Thanksgiving Stuffing with Miso Vegetables filled the house with warmth and delicious smells. I could have sworn there would be a beautifully golden turkey in the oven when I opened the door...

We may not always think of Japanese food in the realm of comfort foods like stuffing, but there are cooking techniques that work beautifully to enhance the already addicting flavors found in many of the dishes we serve on Thanksgiving. Here, I've taken the vegetables and sauteed them until they just begin to soften. Then, I added some miso paste, a splash of cooking sake and a bit of soy sauce, allowing everything to simmer until the vegetables are nicely glazed with a beautiful sauce. I was worried that the sourdough bread I'd chosen would be too overpowering for the vegetables but they were a perfect match. A few finely diced green apples and some crunchy, earthy walnuts and this dish was a done deal. Perfect for a little something different (but not too different) for your Thanksgiving spread.

The only thing missing was a drizzle of turkey gravy and, well, turkey.

I love bringing little bits of our life in Tokyo into the traditions that make life in the U.S. so wonderful. I think that's one of the most wonderful things about food. It helps us bring all of our 'homes' with us no matter where we are. For that, I am thankful.

Thanksgiving Stuffing with Miso Vegetables

Makes 12 servings

• 24 oz sourdough bread loaf, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 granny smith apples, peel on, diced
• 1 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup shiro or awase miso paste
• 1/3 cup cooking sake
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• Rosemary for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spread the bread cubes on two large, rimmed baking sheets and bake until just dry but not golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and set aside to cool.

In a large sautée pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery and onion and cook until just beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the miso paste, sake and soy sauce to the pan and stir until the miso paste has completely broken down and the liquid in the pan is smooth. Reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and simmer gently until the vegetables are soft and glazed. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

In a large bowl (or two) combine the bread with the vegetables. Add the apples and walnuts and toss to combine. Add the chicken broth and toss to make sure all of the bread has come into contact with the broth.

Transfer the stuffing to 2 9x13 inch baking dishes that have been sprayed well with cooking spray.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until there is a nice golden topping on the stuffing.

Remove from the oven, garnish with rosemary, and serve.

Olive Oil Pumpkin Muffins

Today was one of those perfect days. Beautiful weather, a happy, super sweet almost-3-year-old, and a morning full of moments that made me want to freeze time. From the aggressive movements of the baby inside of me to the sweet smiles and kisses of my not-such-a-baby boy, I melted over and over again. We passed by a huge Christmas tree while we were out running errands and the icing on the cake moment of the day was watching Riley's face light up as a huge smile spread across his face and he covered his mouth with a very small, chubby, toddler hand. It made me not at all sorry that Christmas is all around us already. Even though the holidays seem to have exploded earlier than ever, I'm still holding on to pumpkin season. These super healthy olive oil pumpkin muffins are the perfect way to indulge without any guilt. These tasty treats are full of vitamin-packed pumpkin, heart-healthy olive oil and are sweetened with maple syrup and honey, which are significantly healthier options than white or brown sugar.

Bonus: they are kid-friendly!

This recipe is largely based on the olive oil zucchini muffins Lindsay from Pinch of Yum posted over the summer. (Riley asks for them every time we go to the park. He assumes park time equals zucchini muffin time.) Needless to say, we fell in love with those muffins and I was sure we could create a fall version with pumpkin in place of zucchini. I added a lot of pumpkin spice seasoning plus a little extra cinnamon (I blame being pregnant for that one- I cannot get enough cinnamon), which make these muffins the ideal autumn treat. I can say from personal experience that they are equally delicious with a cup of coffee in the morning as they are with a cup of chamomile tea at night.

If you have been over-indulging in pumpkin spice lattes and baked pumpkin-y things at the local coffee shop and need a sugar break, these olive oil pumpkin muffins are the answer. Heck, you might as well enjoy them with my lighter pumpkin pie latte! Double pumpkin whammy. You're welcome.

Olive Oil Pumpkin Muffins

Makes 12-15 muffins

Recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum's Honey & Olive Oil Zucchini Muffins

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (canned or homemade)
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice seasoning

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a regular muffin tin with liners and set aside.

Combine the pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, olive oil, maple syrup and honey in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth.

In another bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice seasoning.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and fold until just combined.

Fill each muffin liner 2/3 of the way full of batter. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the muffins have puffed up nicely and developed a light golden crust.

Apple Butter

I love so many things about this time of year. So. Many. I don't even know where to start. Sometimes, I sit down to write a blog post and my mind just starts spinning with all the crisp-air-apple-pie-pumpkin-spice-boots autumny things. It's hard to narrow it down, as you may be able to tell. I'm not sure how long this will last, but this time of year also brings me back to fall Tokyo. It felt like an eternity before the leaves would start changing and the weather became perfectly chilly for things like hot chocolate, yakiimo, and roasted chestnuts. There were streets lined with Gingko trees that became shockingly yellow, creating an amazing golden light that you don't expect to see in a massive city. My favorite trees, no matter the season, were Japanese maples. Their small, star-like leaves were memorizing. I used stand beneath the branches and stare up at the bright red stars, their little points overlapping and creating perfect patterns and an endless blanket of autumn beauty against a brilliantly blue sky.  That, among other things, is where my mind wanders when I start making my fall favorites like pumpkin muffins (coming soon!) and this apple butter.

Apple butter is one of those things I make when I have an overabundance my favorite fruit. When fall arrives, I stock up on all my favorite apples and I'm blessed to have friends who bring bags of apples from their backyard trees. I'm convinced I could never have enough apples around, but having the space to store them is another issue entirely. So, when I start to feel a bit cramped, this apple butter is a perfect way to make the house smell incredible. It also helps me hold on to my favorite seasonal flavors for as long as humanly possible.

What makes this apple butter better than all the rest? Yep. I heard you.

Most recipes call for quite a lot of brown sugar, which is delicious but not so much good for a person who might need to have apple butter every day. *raises hand guiltily* Instead of packing this apple butter with sugar, I added several dates to provide a sweetness quite similar to brown sugar without all the...well...sugar.

Here's what you should do as soon as possible: get the ingredients you need for the apple butter, get them going over low heat on your stove-top or in your slow cooker, and sip on some hot cider while mulling over all the reasons why this is greatest time of year. Because, let's be honest, it just is.

Apple Butter

Makes about one 12 oz jar

• 6 large apples, cored, cut into wedges, peel left on
• 6 pitted dates
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 cup water

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes until the apples and dates are softened. Remove from the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Place the lid slightly ajar on the pan, return to low heat and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apple butter has thickened, about 30-45 minutes. Add more liquid as needed so the apple butter doesn't burn or become too paste-like.

Remove the apple butter from the heat and cool completely before putting in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. The apple butter will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks and tastes fantastic spread on toast, muffins, or with savory items like pork tenderloin or chicken.

*To make this in a slow cooker, add all ingredients and set on low for 8 hours. Purée the ingredients, set the lid slightly ajar, and continue cooking for another hour on low heat.

Irish Apple Cake

After a couple of pretty hectic and overwhelming weeks, I was able to spend a few quiet moments in my kitchen today calmly baking and sipping tea while listening to music that did not involve Disney or Raffi. I had forgotten how therapeutic it can be to cook for no other reason than "just because". I kept things simple and seasonal with this beautiful and delicious Irish Apple Cake. Every step, from peeling and slicing the apples, creaming the butter and sugar, and crumbling the topping made me feel a little more like myself. The house smelled like warm cinnamon and apples, which was perfect on one of the first truly fall-like days we have had so far. Crisp, cool October air wafted through my kitchen window and I think I breathed a little deeper than usual in an effort to savor every wonderful smell.

Aside from needing the simple therapy baking provides, I also felt it was appropriate to bake a cake during my first week of the third trimester. Baby is moving and grooving, kicking my ribcage whenever possible, and making it difficult to get a full night's sleep. This little boy is so active already that I'm beginning to think the whole second-child-is-easy-going rumor is a total lie. I guess we'll see what happens when he arrives! Until then, I'm going to keep drinking lots of chamomile tea, following every meal with a couple of Tums and taking advantage of random energy boosts to do very important things. Like baking cake.

As I was researching recipes for Irish Apple Cake, I realized that they are all slightly different. Some have crumble topping while others do not. Some call for brown sugar while other use white. It seems that apple cake is different from home to home. I based my recipe on this one from The View from Great Island. 

I may or may not have had this for breakfast this morning. I blame the baby.

Irish Apple Cake

For the streussel topping:

• 2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp salt
• confectioner's sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Butter and flour a 9 inch spring-form pan.
3. Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the bowl with the butter and sugar. Add the buttermilk and stir until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into prepared spring-form pan and spread into an even layer.
7. Make the streussel topping by combining the flour, rolled oats, butter and sugar in a small bowl. Use your finger tips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until you have a crumbly mixture.
8. Layer the apples over the cake batter and sprinkle with the streussel topping.
9. Bake 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.