I’m having a large group over for Thanksgiving dinner. We have a lot to be thankful for. I’ll be making turkey, ham and all the usual fixings. But instead of a traditional bread-type dressing, I’m making one with wild rice, pecans, mushrooms and pears.

That inspiration came from the wild rice-stuffed acorn squash I made for dinner last week. I didn’t have a recipe, just a squash that caught my eye in the produce section and a vague idea that came together pretty well.

Stuffed Acorn Squash
1 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
8 oz. Italian sausage links
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 box long grain & wild rice, prepared
Salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese

Lightly oil the acorn squash and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then roast cut-side up in a 425-degree oven for 25-30 minutes. (Great time to start the wild rice preparation. I like the Uncle Ben’s fast-cook kind.)

Meanwhile, brown Italian sausage in a skillet. Remove and let rest while sautéing onions, celery and garlic in olive oil.

Slice the sausage links and add to the skillet with the vegetables. Add the rice at the cover-and-set-aside stage. Just stir it in, cover and set aside as directed. The flavors from the sausage and vegetables will blend with the rice.

Remove the acorn squash from the oven. Fill the cavity with the finished rice mixture and top with grated cheese. Return to the oven for 15 minutes. The squash halves are large and I quartered them for each serving.

The leftover rice mixture and a lone squash quarter were the inspirations for making the Thanksgiving dressing. I plan on following a similar process, but I’ll roast and slice pears and mushrooms instead of squash. A handful of chopped pecans sounds good too. I’ll probably whisk an egg and chicken broth together and stir them into the mixture to help bind it. Then scoop it all into a casserole dish and bake covered in a 325-degree oven for about 20-30 minutes. (I’ll add more chicken stock if it’s looking too dry.)

If the wild rice dressing turns out well, I’ll take a photo and post the recipe.

Fun treat: I saved the seeds from the acorn squash and washed and dried them. Then I prepared them by covering with salted water in a pot and bringing to a boil. I reduced the heat and simmered them for 10 minutes.

Drain and dry the seeds. Place on a sheet pan with a light coating of olive oil and roast in a 325-degree oven for 10 minutes. Let cool and enjoy.

I love comfort food. With a chilly drizzle outside, a fire in the fireplace and good smells from the kitchen, it’s hard to imagine anything better.

Roasted Pork with Asparagus
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
3 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. rosemary, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 lbs. pork loin
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the first 7 ingredients together to make a marinade for the meat and the asparagus. Using about 2 Tbsp. of the marinade, coat the asparagus in either a shallow dish or sandwich bag.

Slather the rest over the pork loin and lay on a wire rack in a roasting pan.
Put the roast in the oven and reduce the heat to 325 degrees. I checked the roast an hour later and the internal temperature was 155 degrees. I was looking for 160-165, but it was the perfect time to add asparagus spears to the pan. They should roast for 15 minutes while the pork finishes cooking.

When done, remove the pork to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for at least 15 minutes. Cover the asparagus to keep warm. Slice the pork and serve with the asparagus over smashed garlic potatoes.

The next night we came in late after working in the barn all day. Quick, easy and yummy Cuban sandwiches with the leftover pork loin made a satisfying dinner.

Cuban Sandwiches
4 ciabatta buns or focaccia bread
8 slices provolone cheese
8 thick slices of ham lunch meat
leftover pork loin slices
dill pickle slices
1 onion, sliced, pickled or sautéed
mustard

Slice open the buns and spread mustard on both halves. Then layer cheese, ham, onion, pork, pickles, ham and cheese between the bread. Using a panini press or a frying pan with a weight, sear the sandwiches on both sides. Makes 4 sandwiches.

I usually form a paste of rosemary, garlic and olive oil when roasting pork loin, but I really liked the Dijon and lemon used in this week’s recipe. It is lighter and works great with vegetables too.

Search on pork loin and/or smashed potatoes to find those recipes.

Casseroles are great for family dinners or potlucks. They usually provide leftovers for weekday lunches too. I like them because they are so versatile. Usually the meat, vegetable and grain can be substituted with another ingredient in that same family, creating a new dish. Here’s the recipe I used, but modified to make it my own.

Fiesta Casserole
1 lb. lean ground meat
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
4 c. cooked rice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. flour
1-1/2 c. milk
12 oz. cheddar cheese, grated, divided
1/2 c. sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Season the ground meat with salt and pepper and brown in a skillet. When done, transfer meat to a large heat-safe mixing bowl. Saute onion, pepper, garlic, oregano and cumin with a pinch of salt and pepper in olive oil until translucent. Then transfer to mixing bowl. Add cooked rice and beans, tossing all together.

Then make a sauce by melting butter in a skillet and sprinkle in flour. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Add milk and continue stirring until sauce thickens. Add half the cheese and continue to stir until melted.

Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Pour sauce into the mixing bowl and stir until combined. Yes, there’s lots of stirring in this recipe.

Prepare a 9×13” baking dish with cooking spray. Pour contents of bowl, spreading evenly, into the dish. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. When done, sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Garnish with chopped green onions, cilantro or minced peppers.

I am making an effort to use more brown rice, quinoa or other whole grains, so I used 3 cups of brown rice and 1 cup of quinoa. Substituting cooked and cubed chicken for the ground meat is another option. I also used mild chili peppers and 1 small jalapeno instead of the green pepper.

Chowder (or up North it’s chowda) is a fish or vegetable stew. Traditionally it is made with a creamy, buttery base and thickened with crushed crackers; however I prefer to mash up some of the vegetables. And of course, I add cheese saving the saltines for crumbling on top.

Vegetable Chowder
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 chilies, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. thyme leaves
1-2 bay leaves
1/2 c. flour, divided
6 c. vegetable stock
2 ribs celery, diced
2-3 large potatoes, diced
10-oz. bag frozen corn or 6 ears fresh
2 c. fat-free Half&Half
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs, chopped for garnish

Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot. Add onions, chilies and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until onions are translucent.

Add garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Continue to cook until herbs and garlic are fragrant – about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/4 c. flour and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add vegetable stock, celery and potatoes. Bring up the heat until the liquid simmers, turn the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

Using a potato masher, mash about half the potatoes to help thicken the stew. Add corn and cook until the corn is hot.

Add the Half&Half. Toss the cheese with the remaining flour – this keeps the cheese from clumping – and add to the pot. Stir until the cheese melts. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Garnish with the leftover chopped celery leaves or chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives.

The chowder serves 8 and is great for vegetarians. Adding a couple cups of diced cooked ham or chicken is an option for those who are not.

While it’s a meal all by itself, adding sandwiches or a side salad will spread this meal to feed 10-12.

Tips: if the chowder is too thick, add milk. To thicken further, add cornstarch to the cheese instead of flour.

I love the crisp cool fall mornings. The dog, cats, chickens and baby calves seem to be more frisky and playful as the season changed. One afternoon last week after a cool rain, I really had a hankering for soup.

I already had butternut squash purchased a week or two before – I was ready for fall well before it began.

I added sweet potatoes to the soup to help thicken and to bring out more color. I was very pleased with the results and will certainly include those when making it again. Carrots would also be a nice addition.

Butternut Squash Soup
2 butternut squash
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 onion, diced
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. thyme
1 c. fat-free Half&Half
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the butternut squash into halves – not an easy task. Using clean hands, rub a little olive oil over the squash and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the cut side down on a pan and bake at 425º for about 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Using a large pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and butter. Slowly cook onion with a pinch of salt and pepper at medium-low heat until they caramelize – taking at least 30 minutes. Then add garlic, sweet potatoes, broth, bay leaves and thyme. Turn up the heat and stir to combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes.

With a large spoon, scoop out the meat of the butternut squash and add to the soup. Turn off the heat, remove the bay leaves and purée the soup using an immersion blender or in batches with a food processor. Bring the pot of soup back up to low heat and cook until the soup thickens – about 15 minutes more.

Remove from heat and stir in Half&Half just before serving. Garnish with grated cheese, roasted pumpkins seeds, crumbled bacon or croutons.

Before I semi-retired and moved to the country, I traveled extensively with my job. Being away from home and family wasn’t fun, but I did enjoy new sites and trying local cuisines. When I visited Chicago, I always liked to dine at a Polish family restaurant that served pierogi. Those are savory-filled little egg-dumpling pouches. My favorites were filled with potatoes and cheese, but they also had meat and sauerkraut fillings. The dumplings are first boiled, then either baked or fried with sautéed onions and garlic and served with a sour cream sauce.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a pierogi and was delighted when I ran across a casserole recipe that called for them. Apparently, they can be found in the frozen food aisle of most grocery stores – unfortunately not ours. I was very disappointed, but the recipe sounded too good to skip. I didn’t have time to try making the dumplings myself, perhaps another day, so I decided to substitute with sweet potatoes.

Pierogi/Sweet Potato Casserole
16-oz. pkg. frozen potato pierogi (or 2-1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled and cubed)
1 small onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. chicken sausage, cooked and sliced
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. thyme
2 c. packed spinach, chopped
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1⁄2 c. sour cream
1 c. chicken broth
1⁄2 tsp. salt
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook sausage links until brown on all sides and then remove. In the same pan, sauté onions, mushrooms, garlic and thyme in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Then add spinach, cream cheese and chicken broth. Slice sausage and add back to pan. Cook until the spinach has wilted and the cream cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.

Place pierogi (or sweet potatoes) in a casserole dish and spread the sauce to cover. Then top with mozzarella cheese. Bake uncovered in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes. The casserole is done when the pierogi/sweet potatoes are fork-tender.

The pierogi-inspired dinner came out well. I’m happy to discover another sweet potato recipe since I still have some from the garden, but I will continue to hunt for a local pierogi source. It may just have to be me.

Creating authentic-tasting traditional foods is an art. It will take the patience of multiple trials using advice from experts (like a Polish grandmother). I’ll probably have to find that online, but I love a challenge.

There’s nothing like the smell of something cooking low and slow when you come in after working hard outside. I cooked a pork shoulder roast in the crock pot. The roast was one of those with the store’s fluorescent tag reading, “Cook or freeze by…” and the current day’s date. Although I found that a little disconcerting, I just can’t pass up a good deal. I also figured that cooking it all day would take care of anything questionable the sticker might suggest.

The roast was almost 4 lbs. and could provide a few meals, so I seasoned it knowing the leftovers would be used in spicy burritos or pulled-pork sandwiches. I started with a layer of chopped onions and about 6 garlic cloves in the bottom of the pot. Then I coated the roast with a seasoning rub. I use the same rub for any beef or pork roast.

Roast Seasoning Rub
1 Tbsp. sea salt
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. each of thyme, oregano, chili powder and celery seeds

Mix the seasonings together, rub over the entire roast and set it on top of the vegetables. I usually add a small amount of liquid, so I diluted about a Tbsp. of barbecue sauce in 1/3 cup water and drizzled on top of the roast. Worcestershire sauce or broth would also work. Then cover and set on low for 8 hours.

The cook time tends to vary with different crock pots. I own two and find their cook time variance is up to 2 hours. However, I know the roast is done when it falls easily from the bone or is easily separated with a fork. Then, let the roast rest for 15-20 minutes.

I served it with oven-roasted sweet potatoes, peas and carrots garnished with shredded swiss cheese for that night’s dinner. Afterward, my husband made a pulled-pork sandwich to take for lunch the next day. We’ll also have sandwiches for one dinner this week and use the rest of the roast for either burritos or as baked potato toppings another night. That’s pretty amazing for a $7 roast.

Every year when I purchase seeds for starting plants in the spring, I include something that I haven’t tried before. It keeps life interesting. This year it was basella alba – also known as malabar spinach. Starting those seeds requires scoring with a knife, soaking overnight and then planting in pots. I kept them in the greenhouse until frost dangers passed and then transplanted them in the herb garden.

Once in the ground, they grew slowly. I soon realized that unlike standard spinach greens, that plant needs heat for its growth spurt. Once the daily temperatures stayed above 90 degrees, the plants took off, creating large waxy leaves on a thick yet tender vine. Grasshoppers don’t seem to care for chomping on the leaves, so the plants are huge and have outgrown the trellis. It was time to figure out what to do with the strange tropical-like green vegetable.

I had read that the leaves could be used similar to spinach in a salad, so I picked a few. The larger leaves released a little slime when they were broken from the vine. It smelled like freshly mown green grass and it tasted – how I imagined – green grass would taste. For dinner that night, I used a large leaf to make a wrap for chicken salad. The boys chose to just make a sandwich with bread instead. My wrap was okay, but the thick leaf released a small amount of slime with each bite – not a happy story. I’ve decided that when eating raw malabar spinach, one should stick to the smallest leaves (less slimy) and mix with other greens in a salad.

I didn’t give up, though. I found that the cooked greens have potential. Another evening I fried bacon and sauteed onions and garlic. Then I dumped about a dozen large leaves – washed and quartered – into the pan. I tossed them around, lowered the heat and covered with a lid. It took longer to wilt than spinach. But once wilted, it looked and tasted just like spinach. I decided to make creamed (malabar) spinach to go with grilled steaks and roasted potatoes. Now that’s a happy ending!

Creamed Spinach
2 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or a very large bunch of fresh spinach)
1/3 c. fat free Half & Half
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
1 pinch nutmeg, freshly grated is best

Fry the bacon until crisp. Add onion, garlic and a little salt and pepper. Cook until the onion softens and the garlic is aromatic. Add spinach. Toss to coat with bacon grease. Reduce heat. If using thawed spinach, cook until warm. If spinach is fresh, cover with a lid and steam until wilted.
Remove lid and add Half & Half, Parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Stir and continue cooking until thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

My cream sauce was still too wet – perhaps because malabar spinach has more juice than regular spinach – so I added 2 teaspoons of flour and stirred. The cream sauce thickened to a nice consistency after about 5 more minutes of cooking.

I like having another fresh green option at this time of year. Malabar spinach, with a little more trial and some error, will probably turn out to be a good (maybe not great) alternative to store-bought spinach. It’s difficult to imagine picking, blanching and freezing it for use this winter, though. We’ll see.

I have a purple-hull pea update for those who remember me having more peas to shell than I could process. One of the Leader readers advertised a pea sheller in the classifieds. I contacted him, purchased and brought it home. I couldn’t be more pleased and shelled over 3 bushels of dried peas in less than an hour. Success!