Butternut Harvest Stew

This perfectly Fall stew comes from my Simply in Season cookbook.  Everyone in my family loved it!  

2 Tbsp butter

1 1/2 pounds boneless pork, cut in 1/2-inch chunks

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups chicken broth

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 tsp rubbed or ground sage

1 bay leaf

1 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped in bite-size chunks

2 medium apples, peeled and roughly chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan.  Add pork, onion, and garlic and sauté until meat is no longer pink; drain off fat.

Add broth and spices (including bay leaf).  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add squash and apples and simmer, uncovered, until squash is tender.  About 20 minutes.  

Discard bay leaf and serve.

Sweet Potato Spice Cake with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Ok.  Heads up.  This cake is so delicious, super moist and perfect for Fall.  It was so good, in fact, I was compelled to share with our neighbors (because I like to share, but also because I would have eaten more than my fair share if it'd been left in the house!)  The frosting is really what makes the dessert so scrumptious.  Don't be fooled by the sweet potato ingredient.  It is most definitely a cake.  But why not add a side of veggies with your dessert when you can?!



for the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (*see note below)
2 large eggs

for the frosting:4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups confectioners' sugar

Grease and flour 13" x 9" cake pan. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger). Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mashed sweet potato and buttermilk.
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, mix the oil, sugar and vanilla. Beat to combine.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sweet potato buttermilk mixture.
Beat all until well combined.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool completely in the pan.

to make the frosting:In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add vanilla, maple syrup and cinnamon and beat well.
Gradually, add sugar and beat well until thick and smooth.
Spread over cooled cake.

*This recipe calls for only 1/2 of a cup of mashed sweet potato. A fast and easy way to make it is to take one medium sweet potato, scrub it clean, prick it with a fork and microwave it for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once half-way through. Then just let it cool until safe to the touch, slice in half and scoop out the flesh. Mash it in a small bowl and let cool completely before mixing with buttermilk.

Honey and Olive Oil Zucchini Muffins

Thank you, Ranee, for posting about these deliciously sweet muffins.  They are probably the most moist muffins I've ever had (except for the kind that claim to be muffins but are actually cupcakes!).


3 cups grated zucchini
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup olive oil
2/3 cup real maple syrup
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, eggs, vanilla, olive oil, maple syrup, and honey. Stir gently until mixed; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine and make a well in the middle. Pour the wet mixture from step one into the well and stir just a few times until barely combined. Overmixing makes the muffins tough and hard, so I try to limit myself to 15 big around-the-bowl stirs.

Pour the batter in a muffin tin greased with nonstick cooking spray or lined with paper cups. You should be able to get 6-8 jumbo muffins or 15-16 regular sized muffins. Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and the tops spring back when you press on them.

Butternut Sage Orzo

Using orzo in this dish creates a taste similar to risotto, but without having to constantly watch and stir the pot.  The leftovers were even better.  


1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 butternut squash; peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup white wine or additional broth
1 cup orzo
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 Tbsp fresh sage, or 1 1/2 tsp dried (if using dried, add it to the simmering butternut)


In a large frying pan or dutch oven, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium high heat.  Add onion and cook until tender, about 6 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add squash pieces and stir to coat, then add 1/2 cup broth and white wine.  Simmer until squash is almost tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

While squash cooks, bring 4 cups broth (or water) to a boil in a large saucepan and then add orzo.  Boil until tender but still firm to bite, about 8 minutes.  Drain.  Transfer to a large bowl.  Stir in squash mixture.

recipe taken from Simply in Season

Keilbasa, Onion, Pepper, and Potato Hash

This comes together so quickly.  I would have thrown it all in one pan had I not read the notes saying that keeping the potatoes separate until the very end is what keeps them crispy, which was my son's favorite part of the dish!  Add some fried eggs and you have an easy and hearty dinner.

1 (14 ounce) package turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

In a heavy bottomed skillet (I like to use my cast iron), heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, around 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even browning.  

In a separate skillet, brown the sliced kielbasa for around 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.  Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside.  Add the peppers and onions to the skillet and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.  

Add the cooked potatoes and kielbasa to the skillet with the onions and peppers and mix everything together.  Serve nice and hot!

Some notes:  

-I use two skillets to make this recipe.  I used to make it in one, but something always came out wrong.  I've learned that when I cook my potatoes in a separate skillet they cook more evenly and stay nice any crispy when they're added to the other ingredients right before serving.

-Sometimes I'll add some minced garlic to the peppers and onions, but it tastes just as good without it.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup

This was simply delicious.  The pureed vegetables add a nice texture to the mix.  I love the natural sweetness that comes from the potatoes and squash.  I used some chicken from a bird I roasted earlier in the week, which added a nice flavor to the pot.  I love soup, especially when we get to eat it in the Fall!

1. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 2 cups cooked chicken, lightly shredded or chopped into bite-size pieces
3. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
4. 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 -inch dice
5. 1/2 butternut squash, or other pumpkin variety, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
6. 3-4 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
7. 1 tsp dried sage
8. 1 tsp dried parsley
9. 1 bay leaf
10. 1/4 tsp salt, more to taste
11. pepper to taste
12. 1 1/13 cups whole milk 
13. 
    
14. Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes and squash and cook for 3 minutes.  Add the stock, sage, parsley, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.  Simmer, uncovered, over moderately low heat, until the  the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
15. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1 1/2 cups of the vegetables to a food processor or blender; puree until smooth.  Add a little broth to smooth out if the mixture is too thick.  Return the puree to the saucepan. Add the chicken.  Stir in the milk and season with salt and pepper if needed.  Simmer the soup for 3 minutes, then discard the bay leaf.  Serve hot.

adapted from original recipe found here