Breakfast in an Acorn Squash

The fall is full of wonderful fresh things from the garden, or CSA box or farmers market.  I found some cute little single serving acorn squashes and knew they were perfect single-serving sized.

Acorn Breakfast Squash 

Ingredients

1-2 small acorn squashes, halved and seeds taken out

2-4 eggs (this is of course based on how many squashes you're baking...)

2-4 slices of bacon, cut in half

1 handful of spinach

Directions:

1. Preheat Oven to 350.
2. Slice the squash and scoop out the seeds.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Place them cut down on a baking sheet and place in oven.  Place them in there even if the oven isn't fully heated, the extra heat won't hurt them.  
3. Bake for 30 minutes.  Pull them out and then flip over.  The flesh should be soft at this point.  Crack the eggs into the squashes and then cover each with 2 of the half strips of bacon.
4. Return to oven for about 20 minutes. Or until the egg is cooked to your preference.  I like mine a little runny.
5. Let cool and enjoy.

Caramel Cranberry Apple Pie Bars

Good Morning all.  These bars are so wonderful that the post had to be made immediately!  Yes they ARE THAT good.  I found this recipe yesterday on Vanessa's page: Clean Eating With a Dirty Mind (when I was puttering around, flipping through the facebook newsfeed.  Thank you facebook for driving me towards amazing recipes, even if they were a little daunting looking, especially for a early morning making session.  

I wanted to bring a treat in to the office, and what better way than to share wonderful treats, freshly baked!?  If you can think of a better way, then keep it to yourself... or just do it and surprise everyone.  As you know by now, I love to bake.  It's simply one of the best things ever.  And this morning I couldn't sleep, so up out of the bed I arose and into the kitchen for a therapy baking session.

One of the biggest things I learned this morning, do NOT be afraid of making the caramel.  It's super simple and makes the house smell A-Mazing!  Yes, every kitchen should smell like this ALL the time!!  What a way to wake up.  With that said, make the caramel topping first and get your bake-on.

Caramel Topping
Ingredients:

1/2 cup grass-fed butter (or ghee)
1 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup canned coconut milk, full fat (room temp.)
3 cage-fee egg yolks (Save one of the egg whites for later)
few pinches of sea salt

Directions:

1. Over low heat melt the grass-fed butter in a medium saucepan. Then add the coconut palm sugar and combine with the melted butter using a whisk. Now add the coconut milk and whisk until combined.
2. Stir in the egg yolks one at a time with the whisk. Then stir in a few pinches of salt. Let the mixture sit over low heat for about 5 minutes, use a whisk to stir the mixture intermittently.
3. Now turn up the heat to medium high until the caramel mixture starts to boil. Whisk then let boil for a few minutes. Remove from heat, stir and allow to cool. At this point it should be the consistency of a thick soup and taste incredible. Go ahead, lick the whisk, I won’t tell.
4. Set aside 1/2 a cup of caramel to drizzle on top of your Paleo Apple Pie bars.

Cranberry Apple Pie Bars
*Makes 16  nice square bars

Ingredients:
1 cup thinly sliced apples, peeled and cored (2 apples)

1 cup of rinsed cranberries (fresh if possible, but frozen work too)1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (sifted)
3/4 cups coconut flour
2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold grass-fed butter (or ghee)
3 cage-free eggs
1/4 cup canned coconut milk, full fat (room temp.)
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg white (reserved from the caramel sauce)
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Then grease an 8×8 glass pan. Peel, core and cut your apples into thin slices (I did this while the caramel was simmering).
2. After you have set aside 1/2 cup of caramel, take a medium sized bowl and mix the sliced apples and cranberries into the remaining caramel and set aside.
3. In a large bowl use a fork to mix together your dry ingredients, almond flour, coconut flour, coconut palm sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Now cut your cold butter into small squares and mix into the dry ingredients using a hand mixer until crumbles start to form. Then set aside.
4. In a small bowl combine the 3 eggs, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla. Make a crater in the center of the dry mix and pour the egg mixture into the center. Stir the dry mix into the wet until combined.  I used a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients were incorporated, you'll have a nice dough ball. Divide the dough in half and separate it into two sections. Take one half and press evenly into the bottom of your greased 8×8 glass pan.
5. Spread the caramel soaked apples and cranberries evenly over the pressed dough at the bottom of the pan. Take the other half of the dough and pat evenly over the sliced apples until completely covered. I did this in small batches, making sure that it covers all the apples.   
6. Using a small bowl or cup make an egg wash using the reserved egg white and tablespoon of water, use a basting brush to brush the egg wash on top of the dough. 
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and you hear the apples sizzling.
8. Let cool and then slice into squares. Drizzle the 1/2 cup of remaining caramel over the top, you may need to warm this up so it will drizzle nicely.
9. Enjoy.
   

Notes:
For the apples I used 2 average apples, but the original recipe calls for a variety of apples.  Since I had only 2 and they HAD to be used immediately, I subbed in a single cup of cranberries.  Feel free to try the original recipe with all apples, I bet it's wonderful.

Recent Kitchen creations....

So I know it's been a long while.  To say that life has been crazy would be a bit of an understatement.  yet, I am still photographing the food we're eating.. So to tempt you a little with some recent creations, enjoy the following photos.

Pumpkin Bread French Toast Casserole

Breakfast acorn squash with egg and bacon

Honey mustard pork chop with Kale

Teriyake beef with "fried (cauliflower) rice"

Chicken pot-pies in single serve cups

 Almond crusted cod with stir-fry bok choi

Almond crusted cod...  it was wonderful.

Pulled pork "cuban" sliders on mini-bacon waffles

Pumpkin French Toast Casserole

I was recently challenged to make something other than pumpkin pie with canned pumpkin.  As someone who eats pumpkin ALL year round, this is not that hard for me.  So I got to thinking about all of the pumpkin things I love: pumpkin muffins, pumpkin smoothies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin fudge, pumpkin cookies, Chocolate cupcakes with pumpkin frosting, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin souffle, pumpkin dipping sauce for apples, baked pumpkin (seriously just baked in the oven with a couple of eggs whipped in). You probably get the picture.  pumpkin in my opinion is wonderful ALL the time.

So I thought I would take two of my favorite things, pumpkin, cranberries and casserole (ok that was 3), and turn them into breakfast.

Now, for all of my non-paleo friends who would like to make this recipe too (or are simply allergic to nuts) I've included a recipe for "flour-eaters" over in the post about Pumpkin bread.

Ingredients
1 loaf Paleo Pumpkin Bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (or flour pumpkin bread) - if they can be a little stale that is great.  Either leave out cut up over night OR put on a baking sheet at 250 for about 20 minutes, this all depends on how moist the bread is)
1 cup frozen (or fresh) cranberries
5 large eggs
1 cup coconut milk
¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
(optional: 1/4 cup golden raisins; 1/2 walnuts - added in at step 2)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease 8x8 inch baking dish.
2. Place bread cubes and cranberries in an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
3. In a medium bowl mix eggs, coconut milk, honey, cinnamon, and vanilla.
4. Pour egg mixture over bread and canberries.
5. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes in a water bath and covered with foil (make a few holes in the top of the foil)
6. Remove foil and return to oven for 40 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow 15 minutes to set
8. Serve and enjoy.

You could pour a little maple syrup over top since it is french toast and all... but I really don't think it needs it.

Pumpkin Bread

A nice all treat and tasty substitute to repetitive banana bread.  I mean we all have brown bananas but some times there is just tooo much banana bread around the house.  And I can only eat so many variations of banana bread, muffins, etc.  

(Photos coming...)

Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
heaping ½ teaspoon of cloves and cinnamon
heaping ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup pumpkin
½ cup honey
⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
3 eggs
3 tablespoons of water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease baking pan with coconut oil.
2. In a small bowl add all the dry ingredients and toss around until all dry ingredients are incorporated into each other.
3. Then in a large bowl add 3 eggs and beat until frothy then add 1 cup pumpkin and mix until there are no more lumps then add coconut oil while mixing and continue to mix until thoroughly incorporated, then add honey and mix in as well.
4. While mixing slowly add a third of the dry ingredients into the wet followed by a third of the water and continue mixing, once slightly incorporated do the same thing and put in the next third of the dry ingredients followed by the next third of water in the bowl and continue mixing the entire time. Continue this until all the ingredients are in the large bowl and mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated.
5. Pour mixture into loaf pan and spread around so it is spread out evenly in the loaf pan and place in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. (I let mine sit in the oven overnight with the oven off.  It helped to stale the bread a little and I was sure the bread had set completely).


Flour-Bread Pumpkin Bread
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and pumpkin.
4. Stir in flour mixture alternately with water. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Berry Picking at The Market at the Grelen

Friday afternoon after a meeting I drove out to Somerset, VA, located in Orange County, and went berry picking.  I had originally intended to pick peaches, but due to the rainy weather earlier this summer, the Peach crop was cut short... I learned this after attempting to pick at two different farms before making it to the Market at the Grelen. 

But alas, I am not deterred.  With smarter than me phone in hand, I searched the VA section of www.pickyouown.org and found a nearby farm.  having also learned my lesson, I called ahead to see if there were actually berries available, BEFORE I drove over to the farm.

 I picked up my very beautiful 4-pint picking basket and headed into the lovely rows of raspberries and blackberries.  The raspberries were making a come back for their second bloom and the blackberries were in full bloom.  It was a lovely day; perfect weather up on the mountain with a nice warm breeze.

(Roy tells me I don't know how to relax....)

I don't agree!  This was amazing.  I watched the butterflies, the bees, the morning glories and just had a generally lovely mid-day.


 I picked 4 pints of berries while I wandered through the garden/fields.  I ate a few as I picked as well.  I mean come on who can resist such yummy delights!  Fresh and warm from the sun.  If you get a chance, you should pick berries, It is a true delight and adds a whole new perspective on relaxing.






In honor of my lovely berries I made brownies with raspberries folded in.  I topped it off with a little fresh vanilla bean ice cream and some chocolate raspberry sauce and fresh berries.  I mean really who doesn't love the looks of that!?  and if you don't.. then well maybe YOU need to relax a little.    and you don't have to have the ice cream or other toppings, but simply enjoy a nice chocolaty treat.












The recipe originates from Juli Bauer's book: OMG That's Paleo.  Which if you haven't read or tried, you're totally missing out.  It has wonderful recipes.

Sweet Potato Brownies with fresh Raspberries.

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
3 eggs, whisked
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
⅓ cup raw honey
½ cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons coconut flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Time to bake that sweet potato. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees, pop the potato in the oven for 25-30 minutes, be sure to turn it once, to make sure it doesn't burn on side (I know from experience...).
2. Once the sweet potato is soft and cooked through, peel off the skin and mash it up in a bowl. And turn your oven down to 350 degrees.
3. Now add your wet ingredients: coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and whisked eggs to the bowl and mix together.
4. Then add the dry ingredients: coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and chocolate chips.
5. Mix well to incorporate all that goodness.
6. Fold in the 1/2 cup of raspberries, gently.
7. Grease well, and pour the batter into an 8×8 glass baking dish
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
9. Let rest to cool a bit.

Meeting Danielle Walker - from Against All Grain

Thursday evening Roy and I trekked up to Falls Church/Alexandria in NOVA (Northern Virginia) to have a mini-date night and go to Danielle Walker's book signing of her recently published Against All Grain.

Roy and I drove up Falls Church, mostly traffic free, and with only minor snags from the GPS navigation we arrived with plenty of time to grab some dinner.  We stopped into the Red Robin and had burgers. We both added bacon to them and I got some extra pickles (yay!), and 96'ed the bun.  A side of sweet potato fries and a Angry Orchard cider and we called it a date!  A Pre-anniversary date!  Yup, on Friday we've been married 4 years.  Sort of hard to believe how fast time flies.  

After dinner, we hopped over to the Barnes and Noble, I jumped in the cue and Roy took to perusing the books, magazines and movies.  The line was comically long in wait and short in people.  Danielle is such a sweetie, she takes the time to chat with all of the people there for the signing.  I thought it was wonderful.  (the 2 behind me did not really think it all that brilliant and murmured about it most of the time in the line.  I must admit that while I was waiting, I thought to myself that I should think of something witty to say or a question to ask, and I completely drew a blank.  Yup, not a single thing to say, other than to smile.  DOPE!  Anyways, I met Danielle, told her how much I loved the book already, and asked her to disregard the flour that was already in between the pages... To which she laughed and said that is what the book was designed for!  (thank goodness).  Mine is DEFINITELY NOT a coffee table book.  We don't even have a coffee table!!

To follow up, i thought I would make a recipe out of the newly signed cookbook.  So I made the Peach Coffee Cake.  I did however, not follow the directions 100%, because who does that??  Ok most people do.  I am just not one of them.  Call it lack of attention to detail, need to be creative, not being fully prepared to bake the recipe as prescribed, allergic to am ingredient, whatever you will.  I just don't do it.  So... since I had been berry picking on Friday, I added fresh raspberries in lue of a third peach, and instead of pecans (which would have been amazing!) I used walnuts in the topping.    

This tasty treat made a debut at St. Asaph's coffee hour on Sunday.  I mean, come on, no two people should eat a WHOLE cake by themselves!  plus how am I ever going to win friends and influence them to the ways of paleo living if i don't share how wonderful paleo tastes??  Ok, so it was great, and everyone loved it.  Roy even enjoyed it - which is saying a LOT because he doesn't like raspberries (too many seeds).

August 1

Is anyone else struggling with the cruel hard fact that today is August 1st!?  I mean 7 whole months of the year have come and gone.  So what has happened to those lost days?

Well on July 4 & 5 we had 5 chicks hatch out from under our broody hen "Hatchie".

  My mom visited and we all rode the train to Philly to take in a Phillies double-header with my Sister and Brother-in-law.

And of course we had lots of wonderful food.  Delicious paleo treats, meats and experiments.

Blueberry Lemon Donuts

Breakfast

Bacon Tart Pie

Cherry Cream Crepes

 Breakfast bowls






Dinners

Mango lime fillet

Stuffed Pork tenderloin 

Lemon Basil pesto over chicken

Honey Mustard Porkchop

 From the grill --- think to yourself the tune from Grease "Summer Lovin' " but insert Summer Grillin' and that is our theme song here!

The days are now getting shorter...  this makes me sad, I love the summer days.  And while there might be some HOT days left, we're rapidly descending into the second half of the year.  I look forward to sharing more delicious recipes and photos of all that we're cooking up in the cafe.  2 new cookbooks arrived this week: Beyond Bacon and Against All Grain, so there will be photos from those meals.


Maybe we will think about having some fall chicks, since another hen has decided she too wants to be a mommy....

For now, We're going to enjoy the rest of the summer!