Easy Acorn Squash

In looking for a new acorn squash recipe, I came across this one at allrecipes.com. We had several acorn squash that needed using, guests were coming over, and this sounded nice and easy, as well as yummy. It was! Simple to whip up, delicious to eat, and filling to boot. 

Easy Acorn Squash

Acorn squash(es), halved and seeded
1 Tb. butter (for each squash half)
1-2 Tb. sucanat or raw sugar (for each squash half)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Turn acorn squash upside down onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until begins to soften, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Remove squash from oven and turn onto plate so flesh is facing upwards. 

Place butter and sucanat into squash. (I just sprinkled an amount that looked good; it probably amounted to about 1 Tb. per squash half.) Place squash in baking dish (so squash won't slide around too much) while baking.

Check squash after 30-45 minutes and add more time if not softened. When softened, turn on broil and brown lightly, if desired (watch closely, as this happens quickly).

Enjoy.

Steel Water Bottles

Last year I vowed to myself it would be our family's last summer to drink out of plastic bottles that had sat in the hot car. I know the whole BPA thing is controversial and not everyone thinks it's a big deal, or that there is enough BPA leached into a beverage from a heated bottle to harm anyone. But I always like to be on the safe side. And who knows how much BPA is already lodged in our bodies, after years of exposure to it in so many things around us. Plus, around here where summers easily reach 115 degrees on the hottest days, that makes for a very hot car--and water bottle.

I researched my options and learned that my oldest daughter's metal water bottle was actually aluminum lined with plastic--both potentially toxic. (And really, if you're trying to avoid plastic, what's the point of having a metal bottle that is lined with the stuff?) So I learned quickly that not all metal water bottles are created equal.

In my search for 100% steel water bottles, I found AffirmWater and Klean Kanteen, both available on Amazon. Their prices are similar, so I opted for AffirmWater because I liked the simple, positive messages they carry and I believe in the power of positive thinking. I ended up purchasing five bottles (one for each member of our family), mine being the largest, since I drink the most water. I love that they all had free shipping and came with both types of caps so I didn't have to buy those separately. We know whose is whose by the different words on the outside: Inspired, Gratitude, Love, Peace, and Tread Lightly.

These bottles are heavier than plastic for sure, and much more expensive, but they're very durable, dishwasher safe, and non-toxic. As long as they're not lost, we'll have them for a good long time. And I have peace of mind now: no more BPA--at least, not in our water bottles!

P.S. I also purchased an extra large Klean Kanteen bottle as our extra beverage container for the car, since I didn't see the point of pouring from a plastic container into steel bottles whenever we run out of water on the go...

Endive au Gratin

A while back, we received some endive in our Bountiful Basket. I had heard of endive but really didn't know what it was and had no idea how to prepare it. So my little sister looked up recipes and chose this one from allrecipes.com. Not all the kids loved it, but the adults thought it was delicious! The flavor of the endive in this recipe reminded me a bit of the flavor of fennel--except I liked it a lot more.

Endive au Gratin

8 heads Belgian endive, trimmed
2 Tb. butter
2 Tb. flour (we always use whole wheat)
1 c. milk
1 c. grated Gruyere cheese, divided (we didn't have any and used grated cheddar instead)
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg, or amount to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
8 slices deli-style ham
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley

Lightly grease baking dish.
Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boil over medium-high heat.

Place endives into water. Cover, cook until tender, 5 to 10 minutes.
Place butter into saucepan, melt over medium heat. Whisk in flour, stir until mixture becomes paste-like and golden brown. 

Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture, whisking constantly until thick and smooth. 

Stir in 3/4 c. Gruyere (or cheddar) cheese, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, salt, and pepper until well blended. Cook gently over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Preheat oven broiler to low.
Drain endives. Wrap each endive with slice of ham and place into prepared baking dish. 

Pour cheese sauce over endives. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 c. Gruyere (or cheddar) cheese and parsley.
Cook endives under preheated broiler until cheese is golden brown and sauce bubbles, about 10 minutes.

Our Favorite Meatball Recipe

I don't make meatballs often, but when I do, they sure are a treat! I have tried several recipes over the years, but this one from Food.com is what I like the most, hands down. Everyone in my family loves them; the savory blend of flavors really hits the spot! 

Note: The meatballs can be made a little ahead and simmered in the sauce to cook, or baked in the oven (my preferred method). I have even baked them a few days ahead, frozen them between layers of wax paper, and then when I was ready to thaw them, dropped them into sauce simmering on the stove.

Our Favorite Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef

1-2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. breadcrumbs--or use enough to hold the meat together (If you don't have dry breadcrumbs just soak 3 slices of bread in the 1/2 c. milk.)
1 1/3-2 2/3 Tb. fresh minced garlic (or use 1 tsp. garlic powder or to taste)
1 1/3- 2 2/3 tsp. salt (or to taste, I use 2 tsp. seasoned salt)
1 1/3 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 c. milk (can use up to 1/2 c. milk)
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley (or 2 Tb. dried parsley)

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl.

Shape into small meatballs by hand or using a small cookie scoop.

Stove top method: Drop meatballs into simmering pasta sauce, do not stir for at least 20 minutes or you will risk breaking the meatballs. Continue cooking in the simmering sauce for another 20 minutes. (Depending on how fast your sauce is simmering, 40 minutes total should fully cook the meatballs.) After the 40 minutes cooking time continue cooking your sauce with the meatballs in for as long as desired.

Baked method: Bake meatballs at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Chicks 2014

This past spring we started another installment of chicks. We've been living with my parents and three young siblings since last summer, and their remaining five chickens are two years old now and not laying as regularly anymore. So we knew it was time for the next installment.

So, about the middle of March I went to a couple local feed stores and bought 13 one-day-old chicks. That way, when we move to our own place we can take six and leave my parents six. (I was supposed to buy 12 and somehow miscounted, but as it turned out, that was a good thing, as I will relate later.)

It was really fun to pick out so many of the cute, fuzzy little things, and especially to choose kinds we'd never had before, in addition to the Buff Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds we're used to.

The cutest of the bunch is a tiny Bantam, which my little brother named Chipanee. We don't know what kind of Bantam she is, but she's about a third the size of the other chicks.

The others have grown up way too fast, as is normal, but Chipanee seems to just stay young and cute.

My mom has had the Barred Plymouth Rock breed for a couple years, but this is my first time with them. (The closest we came last time (in appearance) was our pretty Laced Wyandotte.)

A couple years ago when we got our start with chicks, my oldest daughter really wanted a breed that laid "Easter eggs." Unfortunately, our local feed stores at that time didn't have any (they sold too fast), so we didn't get one. But this time we got three Americaunas: two for our family and one for my parents. I didn't know the hens came in different colors; the white one is supposed to be the same breed as the dark one.

The last "new" breed I got was a Sex-Link. Not very attractive at this stage, to say the least! But she is growing into herself now (these pictures are about a month old) and looking better, and she's proving herself a sweetheart.

Zucchini Egg Bake

A few months ago, my mom found this recipe on Taste of Home and we have eaten it with relish several times since then. It's very easy to whip up and is quickly making its way into our list of Family Favorites.

Modifications: We've never had marjoram and so left that out. We also found that the extra cheese at the end of the original recipe isn't needed because the dish is already so flavorful. We also modified it to be a stove top recipe so as not to heat up the oven on a hot summer day. See above link for oven-baked version.

Zucchini Egg Bake

3 c. chopped, peeled zucchini
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. butter
4 eggs
1/4-1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh basil or 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt

In large skillet, saute the zucchini, onion and garlic in butter until tender; set aside.

In large bowl, whisk eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, and salt. 

Stir egg mixture into zucchini mixture.

Simmer until eggs are completely cooked. 

Note: In the stove top version, the juice from the zucchini doesn't cook off all the way (as seen in the photo), but we haven't minded the extra moisture.