Fall Favorite

One of my favorite dishes that has been pulled together through various trials. Meat and vegetarian options are equally delicious. This dishes serves large crowds easily.

Autumn Harvest Squash
(serves 4, 1/2 squash per person)

2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
oil olive
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 package wild rice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2-4 links chirizo or good quality sausage OR 1 can chick peas
1 package goat cheese
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, diced and divided in half.

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line cookie pan with foil.
1. Cook about 2 cups wild rice on stove or in rice cooker.
2. Either bake or microwave squash until cooked through.
.3 Meanwhile, heat up oil oil in large pan. Saute onions and peppers until tender. Add half of fresh rosemary. If using sausage, pull them out of casings and add to pan, browning them and using spoon to break into small pieces.
4. When sausage is browned and rice is cooked, combine rice and veggies in large pan. OR for vegetarian option, add chickpeas to stuffing. Add dried cranberries.
5. Fill inside of squash with stuffing (be liberal) and place squash on cookie tin. Dollop with crumbled goat cheese. Put in oven about 5-10 minutes until goat cheese is golden and warmed.
5. Garnish with the rest of the rosemary. If desired, place extra stuffing around plate/dish that squash is served on.

First entry--Asian Chicken Salad

Last night was salad night at the French-Glick household and I decided to change it up from the usual chop salad. The ingredients came to me during the walk home from the gym--and the combination turned out to be delicious.

Asian Chicken Salad French's Way

Dressing (use more or less of these ingredients as desired-I didn't really measure it out--just tasted as I went along)

Dash lite soy sauce
2 dashes rice wine vinegar
1 dash Trader Joe's Chili Mango vinegar (optional)
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
4 dashes olive oil
1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp hot water

-Put PB in bottom of dish, add hot water, whisk to thin.
-Add soy, rice wine/mango vinegar to taste
-Whisk in olive oil

Salad

1 chicken breast, broiled (and marinated if desired) and cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 red cabbage, thinly chopped
1 head green leaf lettuce (or other greens), chopped
1/2 tomato, chopped and seeds removed
1/2 cucumber, skins removed and chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 small can mandarin oranges
1 or 2 tbsps chopped nuts (I used almonds)
cilantro (optional)
Handful of Chinese noodles (you know, those really crunchy naughty ones)

Toss all ingredients including chicken in large bowl, add dressing.
Enjoy!