Holiday Recipes From Clarke Kitchens To Yours

Baby Stuffed Winter Squash

From Oak Hart Farm

Ingredients

6 small Winter Squash (Acorn, Buttercup, or Butternut) (Oak Hart Farm)

3 Tablespoons Apple Cider

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons Wildwood Hickory Syrup (Falling Bark Farm)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small onion, chopped

1 medium apple peeled and diced

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, chopped (Oak Hart Farm)

1/4 cup pecans coarsely chopped

 

Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Arrange the halves in a large baking dish, fleshside up. Add ½” of water to bottom of the pan to maintain squash moisture.

Mix together apple cider, olive oil, and hickory syrup in a small bowl.  Brush the flesh side of the squash halves with some of the syrup mixture, and sprinkle each half with salt and pepper.  Roast at 400 degrees until the squash is forktender, approximately 45 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Using the fork poke the inside of the squash several times, and brush generously with more of the syrup mixture.

Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over mediumhigh heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the diced apple and cook for about 3 more minutes.  Add the quinoa, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and stir in the cranberries, remaining syrup mixture, half of the parsley and half of the pecans.

Stuff the squash halves with the quinoa and sprinkle with the remaining parsley and pecans. Serve warm and enjoy!

 

Warm Cheddar & Apple Dip

From Love at First Bite

Ingredients:

2 Lb Cream Cheese (softened)

1 Lb Bacon

5 Large Apples (small dice)

2 Medium Sweet Onions

2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup Shredded Carrots

2 TB Garlic

1 t Salt

1 t Black Pepper

1/3 Cup Sherry

Crackers or Baguette Slices

In a Medium Soup Pot: Cut Bacon into a small dice and cook until crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Leave a small amount of Bacon fat in pan and add Onions, Garlic and Carrots. Saute vegetables.

Add softened Cream Cheese, Bacon (save ½ cup for topping) and Sherry to pan and mix together. Add Salt & Pepper. Heat until warm and creamy.

Put in Baking Dish and top with remaining Bacon. Can be served immediately or kept warm in the oven. Recipe freezes well.

Serves 16.