Tag: Fall

Thanksgiving Roundup 2016

It’s that time again! Whether you are having a traditional family gathering with lots of old favorites, or a funky gourmet “Friendsgiving” – I hope that you find some inspiration here. Happy Thanksgiving, my lovelies!

Well Dined | Thanksgiving Roundup

Salads:
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Goat Cheese
Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, Apple, and Red Onion
Quinoa with Butternut Squash and Broccolini

Well Dined | Thanksgiving Roundup

Sides:
Sage Stuffing with Sausage and Apple
Mashed Potatoes and Hard Cider Gravy
Gourmet Green Bean Casserole
Bacon Popovers

Well Dined | Thanksgiving Roundup

Corn Pudding
Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash
Bourbon Bacon Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage
Balsamic Honey Mustard Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon (more…)

SRC – Pumpkin Maple Custards from Things I Make (For Dinner)

Well Dined | Pumpkin Maple Custards

It’s time for a seasonal post from the Secret Recipe Club!  Our theme was Fall Dishes and I was assigned Things I Make (For Dinner).  This blog is written by Sarah who, in addition to my name, shares my love of cooking, travel, and sleeping.

Fall means pumpkin for a lot of people, myself included, and I found a Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting that looked yummy.  For me, it also means apple; like this Apple Crisp or Apple Fritter Cake.  But what about something a little different, like Nutella Ice Cream? Or something savory like Tex-Mex Stuffed Butternut Squash?

In the end, there was one dish that caught my eye the most: Pumpkin Maple Custards.

Well Dined | Pumpkin Maple Custards

These custards are made with pumpkin, cream, milk, maple syrup, egg yolks, and spices.  Simple and delicious.  After the base is made, it is poured into ramekins and baked in a water bath, much like creme brulee. (more…)

Halloween Recipe Round-up

If you are in need of festive dishes, look no further!  I have collected my most relevant recipes onto one page for you.

Halloween Candy

Well Dined | Halloween Round-up

Halloween Candy Bark
Candy Corn Jello Shots

Apple Desserts

Well Dined | Halloween Round-up

Apple Oat Muffins
Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies
Cheddar Apple Hand Pies

Black and Orange
More like green and orange, but you get the idea.

Well Dined | Halloween Round-up

Butternut Squash and Kale Mac and Cheese
Sweet Potato and Chard Gratin
Butternut Squash and Kale Pizza with Smoked Mozzarella and Bacon
Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna with Homemade Spinach Whole Wheat Noodles (more…)

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Well Dined | Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

A little bit sweet, a little bit savory, a little bit herby and cheesy – this yummy dish looks gorgeous and tastes amazing, plus it is low carb!  Both the husband and I loved it, which is sometimes difficult to achieve.  So I call this one a winner!

Well Dined | Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Start by roasting some squash halves (keep in mind that the full recipe uses 2 whole squashes, even though I only show 1).

Well Dined | Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Meanwhile, make the filling by sauteing onion, celery, garlic, and herbs; browning crumbled sausage; and then adding apple. (more…)

Sweet Potato and Chard Gratin

Well Dined | Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

Are you looking for a new side for your Thanksgiving dinner?  Maybe something a little more grownup and sophisticated?  This gratin with sweet potato, chard, Gruyere, fresh herbs, and lots of garlic may be perfect for you.  You could certainly make it for a non-holiday dinner as well, though it does take quite a bit of time with pre-cooking, layering, and baking.  Luckily, I was with my dear friend Melissa (Smells Like Brownies), who helped with the prep-work.

Well Dined | Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

Start with a big sweet potato (or two smaller ones) and a whole lot of chard (seriously – a lot)

Well Dined | Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

Peel the sweet potato and slice thinly, then set aside.

Well Dined | Sweet Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin

Remove the stems from the chard, chop, and place in a big pot with some onion that has been sauteing in butter.  Look at those colors!  Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and cook until soft.   (more…)

Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

I love homemade pizza, you know this.  And I really love burrata on homemade pizza – it is so creamy and gooey and just heavenly.  It’s great with tomatoes in the summer, but when paired with caramelized onions it becomes this luscious and sophisticated fall combination.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

The onions are caramelized slowly with butter (this takes time and patience), and finished with balsamic vinegar.  They are piled on pizza dough and topped with torn burrata, no sauce needed.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

Then it is baked and topped with fresh basil.  Oh. My. Gosh.  It is just so good – rich and creamy and perfect.

Well Dined | Caramelized Onion and Burrata Pizza

My thanks to Melissa from Smells Like Brownies, for suggesting that we make this and for teaching me to stop rolling my pizza dough out so dang thin! (more…)

Apple Butter Glazed Pork Loin

Well Dined | Apple Butter Glazed Pork Loin

Looking for yet another side to go with your Bacon Bourbon Sweet Potatoes?  Check out this pork loin glazed with Dijon mustard, apple butter, and cider and roasted over veggies and sage.  It’s moist, tender, savory, sweet, and easy to make – plus it’s pretty healthy!

I came up with this dish because I needed a protein to go with leftover sweet potatoes, and because I wanted to try out the recipe for the apple butter glaze.  We are members of the Frog’s Leap wine club, and they sent us a little jar of apple butter along with our last shipment of wine.  They also included a recipe for a savory glaze using the apple butter, Dijon mustard, apple cider, shallot, and garlic – it sounded great!

Well Dined | Apple Butter Glazed Pork Loin

Start by placing a few carrots and an onion in a roasting pan, top with a few sprigs of sage, then pour in a little bit of apple cider (to keep the meat from drying out).  Season the pork loin with salt and pepper, and set it on the vegetables and roast it on high heat for 15 minutes.

Well Dined | Apple Butter Glazed Pork Loin

Then take it out, spread the glaze over the top, and return it to the oven at a lower temp for 45 minutes.  And that’s it!  Rest and slice and you’re ready to serve.  This is a great dish for fall with flavors that pair with lots of seasonal side dishes.  Enjoy! (more…)

Bourbon Bacon Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage

Well Dined | Bourbon Bacon Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage

I know this photo is not great – it gets too dark for photos at 5 now, and I’m not profesh enough to make dinner in the middle of the day or make multiples of a dish for photo purposes, sorry!  But did you read that title description?  DID YOU?  Bourbon. Bacon. Sweet Potatoes. Brown Butter. Sage.  Need I say more to convince you to try this?

I haven’t actually cooked with Bourbon a whole lot before, and now I am loving it.  It lends such rich, smoky, and sweet flavors to a dish – which go perfectly with bacon, by the way.  I mean, duh!  And the nutty brown butter and crispy, buttery fried sage?  Just awesome.  And super healthy sweet potatoes make up for all that fat and booze, right? Maybe? Just a little?  Plus – since sweet potatoes are more fibrous than starchy, you can whip them into fluffy perfection without worrying about them becoming gummy like regular potatoes.

Well Dined | Bourbon Bacon Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage

This would make a perfect Thanksgiving side, and if I were a better blogger I would have told you about them BEFORE the holiday.  But they also go really well with pork or chicken, and I have a recipe coming up for each that would be perfect, so I promise to make it up to you.

Bourbon Bacon Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Brown Butter and Sage
adapted from How Sweet Eats
serves 8

4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
15-20 sage leaves
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp bourbon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Add the potato chunks to a large pot and cover with cold water.  Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until they are fork tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the chopped bacon.  Cook the bacon until it is crispy and all of the fat has been cooked out.

Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain.  To the same skillet, add the butter to the bacon fat and heat it over medium heat.  When it has melted and starts to foam, add the sage leaves.  Cook until crispy – 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove them with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.  By this time, the butter should have browned (it will smell nutty) – remove from heat and reserve.

Drain the potatoes thoroughly and add them back to the pot.  Mash them with a fork or potato masher, then use a whisk or electric hand mixer to whip them.  Once whipped, add in the milk, the bourbon, and the brown butter bacon fat mixture.  Whip the potatoes again until everything is combined.  Taste the potatoes and add the salt and pepper, seasoning more or less if desired.

Spread the potatoes into a dish and top them with the crispy bacon.  Crumble the sage on top.

Alternatively (if you are not serving immediately), you can bake them for 25 to 30 minutes at 325 deg F, then remove them from the oven and crumble the sage over top.  If you are doing this method, it is best to only cook the bacon 3/4 of the way and let it finish crisping in the oven.

One Year Ago – Smoked Salmon Pizzette
Two Years Ago – Quinoa Mac and Cheese
Three Years Ago – Snickerdoodle Surprise Cookies

Roasted Autumn Vegetable Pot Pies

Well Dined | Roasted Autumn Vegetable Pot Pies

Melissa and I are back at it!  This time it is with a super delicious, and seasonally appropriate, roasted vegetable pot pie that is super comforting and filling.  I think even meat eaters will love it – seriously!  If you think about it, there isn’t that much chicken in a regular pot pie, and it is in tiny cubes that sort of blend in with everything else.  So who’s gonna miss it?  Not me!  Especially not when you top it with a killer rosemary and black pepper crust.  I’m not kidding, you guys, this crust is awesome.  I want to use it for all kinds of savory tart type things.  This recipe is labor intensive, so give yourself time.  Or make it with a buddy!

Well Dined | Roasted Autumn Vegetable Pot Pies

So, first step – make the dough for the crust.  This involves flour, butter, buttermilk, egg yolks, and (most importantly) rosemary and black pepper.  Crack that black pepper yourself, you want the flavor and the unevenly sized bits.  The crust is what makes this dish special, so don’t skip it!

Well Dined | Roasted Autumn Vegetable Pot Pie

Next, cut up those veggies!  So, so many veggies.  We made a lot of editorial choices with this recipe – eliminate pumpkin (who needs it when there is also butternut squash?), boost the brussels, etc…  Afterwards we realized (per Melissa’s husband) that replacing the carrots with parsnips would have added a nice pepperiness to balance the sweetness of the squash.  Good idea, Dave! (more…)

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Alfredo

Well Dined | Pumpkin Goat Cheese Alfredo

Here’s a quick little semi-homemade cold weather meal, perfect for weeknights.  I took some store-bought fresh spinach fettuccine and thick sliced roasted turkey from the deli counter, and tossed them with a homemade pumpkin goat cheese alfredo.  It’s interesting enough to not be boring, but it’s easy enough to not cause a headache.

Well Dined | Pumpkin Goat Cheese Alfredo

The homemade part is the decadent sauce, which involves butter, garlic, cream, pumpkin, goat cheese, sage, and pumpkin pie spice.  I wanted to do something a little different, which is why I went with turkey, but chicken would work just as well.  And I like how the spinach pasta brought a little color to the table.

Pumpkin Goat Cheese Alfredo
adapted from Closet Kitchen
serves 2

8 oz pasta of choice (I used fresh spinach fettuccine from the refrigerated section), cooked
8 oz cooked turkey or chicken, diced or shredded
1 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
4 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
1 tbsp sage, sliced thinly (or dried)
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.  Add the cream, pumpkin puree, goat cheese, Parmesan, sage, and pumpkin pie spice and simmer until the cheese has melted.

Add in the poultry and allow to warm through. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Toss with pasta and serve immediately.

One Year Ago – Light Pumpkin Cream Cheese Loaf
Two Years Ago – Pinterest Recipes
Three Years Ago – 5 Couscous Dinners