Quiet Evening for Supper

Our quiet evening included a BBQ Center Cut Pork Chop, 

puréed butternut squash, steamed snow pea pods

with sliced peaches, mandarin orange slice and pineapple.   

Bon Appétit and Enjoy 

YOUR Wonderful World!

A Very Good Find!!

Sunday provided us with a Turkey Dinner 

that could rival Thanksgiving Day.  

We stopped by our local wine merchant to search for a nice "turkey wine".  In the past, I have enjoyed a few different versions of Moscato by Yellow Tail, Cupcake and Sutter Home.  As I rounded the corner of the shelves, this jumped out begging me to try a bottle.   Glad I did...since this will be on our list of "must buy" wines.  Smooth, balanced and the price was very reasonable..about Nine a bottle. The label says Sweet White Wine...but I wouldn't call it sweet at all....crisp would be a better word to describe.   

A great celebration wine to have in stock

   

Bon Appétit and Enjoy 

YOUR Wonderful World!

Simple..Winter Satisfying Breakfast

A cold morning here in East Tennessee 

Oatmeal with maple syrup and

topped with two poached eggs.....

with   chilled   fruit

Bon Appétit and Enjoy 

YOUR Wonderful World!

Pork..A Special Treat

While cleaning and rearranging the freezer this morning, found a nice 3 pound pork loin roast from Christmas. Try  always buy whole pork loins and cut my roasts at home to make the perfect size for any gathering.   The price is always better buying whole.  I had forgot about it..but glad that I did for this cold and blustery day.  

Now mind you...this is NOT a large pork roast but will give us three to four moderate servings.   I cross-hatched the fat cap to a depth of 1/4 inch.  Dusted with salt, pepper and a little garlic powder..no garlic salt in this kitchen.  

One of my favorite condiments is Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce available at WalMart and many Chinese grocery shops.   This is a sweet yet spicy hot sauce that is so good with just about anything from pork and chicken to deep fried shrimp. We really like it in place of the traditional cocktail sauce served everywhere.  Also great mixed with a little mayo for a spicy and creamy salad dressing.  

 

I spread a couple of tablespoons Mae Ploy Sauce over the top and then finished with orange slices and fresh orange zest.   Into the oven at 350F, convection for 90 minutes or until golden brown with an internal temp on an instant thermometer of 180F.   Cover loosely with foil and let rest 20 minutes before slicing.   Sweet potato purée and a salad will complete this winter supper meal!  

      Bon Appétit and Enjoy 

YOUR Wonderful World!

Butternut Squash Lasagne

Vegetarian entrées are not my forte but I had to get busy with something special for my beautiful daughter in law.  She really is a great gourmet vegetarian cook...and that has always been my short suit!   It was such a pleasure to have her, my son and grandson visit from Holland, Michigan for the Christmas Holidays.  

My first source will always be Fine Cooking.  They never let me down and this years Holiday Edition (Dec11/Jan12 No.114)  was no exception. 

I boil my lasagne noodles in my buffet steamer pan...the only pan I have that is long enough. 

The Creamy Goat Cheese Béchamel Sauce

 

This is such an easy to prepare

ahead of time dish.  I made the day before

and baked the next day.

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Butternut Squash Lasagne

Holiday Recipes, Main Dish, Vegetarian

1 lg butternut squash; halved & seeded
2  garlic cloves; unpeeled
2 ts thyme; to taste
2 ts olive oil
  salt & pepper; to taste
5 tb butter
2  sage sprigs
1/4 c flour
3 c milk
4 oz goat cheese; crumbled
2 oz Romano; grated
1/4 ts nutmeg; grated
1/4 c panko crumbs
1 box lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and cooled

Preheat oven to 450F.  Place squash cut side up on a large baking sheet.  Put 1 clove and 1 sprig of thyme in each cavity.  Drizzle each half with olive oil,  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Roast for 50 minutes or until tender.  Remove from oven and cool completely.   Refrigerate until needed.


Place cooled squash and peeled garlic cloves in bowl.  Mash with fork until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in saucepan.  Add the sage and cook 2-3 minutes.  Reserve the sage.  Add flour and whisk until golden, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the milk and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Stir in goat cheese, Romano cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Set 1 1/2 c sauce aside and mix the rest in the mashed squash.

Melt remaining butter in a small skillet over medium heat.  Mix panko with cooked sage and thyme sprigs if used.

Spread 1/2 cup of reserved cheese over bottom of 9 x 13 pan.  Layer cooked noodles.  Add 1 cup squash mixture evenly.  Add another layer of noodles topped with more squash.  Repeat until you have 4 squash layers and 5 pastry layers.  Spread the remaining 1 cup cheese sauce over top.  Sprinikle with panko mixture.

Cover the baking dish with foil.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake until the top is browned about 15 more minutes.  Cool 10 minutes before serving.


** Exported from Now You're Cooking! v5.88 **

An Ice Cream Scoop aids in distributing the squash filling. 

Panko sprinkled over top of final Béchamel Sauce

Bon Appétit

and 

Enjoy YOUR Wonderful World!

Jackson just loves his daddy's new iPad!