Featured Recipe: Maple Acorn Squash

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This recipe is from Artist's Inn & Gallery in Terre Hill, PA.

Prep time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
• 1 acorn squash

Steps:

1. Cut each squash in half; remove seeds and place cut side down in baking pan. Add about 1" of water. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes at 350 F, or until skins are just a little soft.
2. Remove water from pan and place squash cut side up in pan or in small ramekins. Place one tablespoon each of syrup and cream in each squash half, bake additional 15 minutes
3. Using a grapefruit spoon, mix syrup, cream and squash flesh together.
4. Squash can be baked beforehand, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. Heat with the syrup and cream just before serving. It may take a little longer since they will be chilled.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Fig and Walnut Tapenade with Goat Cheese

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This recipe for Fig and Walnut Tapenade with Goat Cheese is from Casa Laguna Inn & Spa in Laguna Beach, CA.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves: 10

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried Calimyma figs, chopped and stemmed
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped, pitted Kalamata olives or other brine-cured black olives
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon drained capers, chopped
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
5.5 oz soft, fresh goat cheese
1/4 can chopped, toasted walnuts
1/8 can toasted walnut halves
fresh thyme sprigs
salt and pepper to taste
assorted breads and/or crackers

Steps:

1. Combine chopped figs and 3 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until liquid evaporates and figs are soft, about 7 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl.

2. Mix in olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, capers and chopped thyme. Season tapenade to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate. Can be prepared up to three days ahead.

3. Bring to room temperature before serving.  Stir chopped walnuts into the tapenade; arrange tapenade around goat cheese log in the center of a small serving dish.  Garnish with walnut halves and thyme sprigs if desired.

Serve with breads and/or crackers.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Fruit Salad Vinaigrette

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This recipe for Fruit Salad Vinaigrette is from Maison LaVigne in Harpeville, GA.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Driscoll strawberries
• 1/2 lb green grapes
• 1/2 lb red grapes
• 1 lb arugula
• 2 cups fresh orange segments, or drained canned mandarins
• 5 fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Mediterranean sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorn medley, ground
• 1/8 teaspoon Sugar in the Raw
• 1 fresh garlic clove
• 1/4 cup Alessi Raspberry Blush White Balsamic Vinegar
• 3/4 cup Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

1. Make the vinaigrette by smashing the garlic and the basil leaves together with the mustard, salt, pepper and sugar, as if making a pesto. When very well mashed, add the vinegar and blend well. Drizzle in the olive oil, blending to make a vinaigrette.

2. Slice strawberries and mix together with washed and dried grapes, and orange segments.  Add 1/2 of the vinaigrette. Delicately stir the vinaigrette throughout the fruit.

3. In a separate bowl, mix remaining vinaigrette with the arugula and toss gently to coat. Place on a platter with the fruits and serve with quiche. Great also in little fruit cups.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Springtime Fritatta

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This recipe for Springtime Fritatta comes from Main Street Manor in Flemington, NJ.

"We serve this with healthy, all natural chicken sausage and home-baked Italian whole wheat bread. And always a dish of fresh fruit to start. Enjoy!" -- Donna and Ken Arold, innkeepers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb fresh asparagus
• 1 yellow pepper
• 1 zucchini
• 2 shallots
• 4 whole eggs
• 8 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated romano or parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps:

1. Slice asparagus, pepper and zucchini into 1" pieces. Lightly coat a roasting pan with a little olive oil and add vegetables. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste and roast at 400 degrees for about 15-20 minutes until just brown. Can hold overnight in the refrigerator once they cool to save time in the morning.

2. In a 12" oven-safe coated pan, saute minced shallots in a little olive oil just until translucent. Chop the parsley finely and keep to add later. Add the roasted veggies to the pan and toss together. In another bowl, combine whole and egg whites and blend well. Add ricotta cheese, then grated romano or parmesan. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

3. When veggies are warm through and combined, add the egg/cheese/parsley mixture to the pan and move the veggies around so the egg mixture coats the bottom and sides of pan as well as the vegetagles. Keep the heat on low-medium so the bottom does not burn but so that the fritatta will set (about 10 minutes).

4. When just the center of the fritatta is still a little loose, put the pan into a 350 degree oven and allow it to continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the top is set and has risen. Cool for 5 minutes, slice and serve!

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Featured Recipe: Winter Squash Soup

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This recipe for winter squash soup comes from L'Auberge Provencale in White Post, VA.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 lb potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 clove garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:
1. In a 6-quart pot, saute leeks, onion, and garlic in butter over medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add squash, potato, nutmeg, and chicken stock. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
3. In a blender, puree the soup. Strain, and return to pot.
4. Add cream and gently heat.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

By Emily Starbuck Crone