Roasted Beet, Orange, and Goat Cheese Salad

As lame as it may sound, Roasted Beet and Potato Borscht got me really excited about beets. Thus armed with a new-found love for the roasted variety, I turned to one of my favorite canvases for recipe creation - salad. I eat salad for lunch at least four times a week, so I have plenty of opportunity for experimentation and get geekily excited when I come up with something new. Since I'm married to someone who would prefer to subsist on meat and potatoes, I bring this recipe to you. Many of the salads I create are wonderful in any season, but roasted beets give this one the very essence of winter. Though I was never one to order or make anything with beets in the past, I knew that beet and orange was a tried-and-true combination and used it as a place to begin crafting my recipe. From there, the rest was a snap - add some red onion to cut through the sweetness of the beets and orange, and nuts and cheese for richness and saltiness and to make it filling enough for a main course. If a winter diet of too many root vegetables is weighing you down, use this recipe to lighten up a bit without losing the best flavor the season has to offer.

Roasted Beet, Orange, and Goat Cheese Salad
serves 1 (as a main dish)

2 ounces lettuce, mixed greens, or spinach (about 2 cups)
4 ounces beets, peeled and cut into small dice (a few small beets or 1/2 medium to large beet)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (about 0.5 ounce)
Clementine, satsuma, or half of a small regular or blood orange, cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 ounces)
1/4 cup/1 ounce crumbled goat or feta cheese
2 tablespoons/0.5 ounce toasted chopped walnuts or pistachios

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Toss beets with olive oil, salt, and pepper and arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast until beets are tender and caramelized, about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces.

2. Arrange greens on a large plate, and top with onion, beets, oranges, cheese, and nuts. Drizzle with dressing of choice and enjoy!

Baked Winter Squash Pasta with Parmesan Croutons

Now that I've either eaten or preserved most of my winter CSA vegetables, save for some potatoes, carrots, and onions, I'm working on tackling the massive stores of frozen squash puree in my freezer. While I love squash flavor, especially pumpkins and butternut, squash puree can also seamlessly blend into sauces without becoming the dominant flavor. In this scrumptious pasta dish, its subtle sweetness and silky texture is the perfect canvas for pungent Parmesan cheese and fresh rosemary, creating a grown-up mac and cheese that you might even be able to convince the kiddos to eat. Although I always choose whole grain pasta over one made with white flour, I think the nuttiness of whole grain pasta is a particularly good complement to both the squash and Parmesan, an under-appreciated palate in its own right. My first choice of squash would be butternut, but acorn, festival, or nearly any other winter squash would work also nicely. Despite a relatively short list of ingredients, the flavor of this meal is surely more than the sum of its parts. Be it Meatless Monday or date night, this sophisticated blend of vegetables, whole grains and cheese is a hearty bowl of comfort any winter night.

Baked Winter Squash Pasta with Parmesan Croutons
adapted from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food
serves 4

Cooking spray, for baking dish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
8 ounces small whole wheat pasta (penne, rotini, shells, etc.)
1/2 package (6 ounces) frozen winter squash puree, thawed
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 baguette or whole grain bread, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until onions are soft and release liquid, 10 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onions are browned, 20 to 25 minutes total. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.

2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes less than package instructions suggest. Drain, reserving 1 cup  cooking water. Return pasta to pot.

3. Stir squash and reserved pasta water into onions; simmer 2 minutes. Toss squash mixture and 1/4 cup Parmesan with pasta. Transfer to prepared dish.

4. Combine bread cubes with remaining Parmesan, rosemary, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with bread cubes; bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Surfer's Granola

For a while, I'd gotten into the bad habit of buying granola. I know that it's cheap and easy to make, but I'd gotten caught up in other projects (namely homebrewing) and abandoned my habit of making all my own granola and granola bars. And although I maintain a dedication to the fermented arts, I also made a New Years' resolution to get back into the habit of stocking my pantry and freezer with the fruits of my own labor. I've had this recipe bouncing around in the back of my head since I originally saw it in Bon Appetit and thought there no better time to conquer long-neglected tasks than the first week of the New Year. I don't much buy in to the idea of having to make goals and or better yourself on any sort of set schedule, but I do adore ritual and tradition and the psychological boost of a clean slate. And so I started off my year with a number of culinary efforts, including this granola. I've made many fruit and nut granolas, but this one distinguishes itself with a pleasant added crunch from the millet and unique texture. By first soaking the oats with hot water and then baking low and slow, you form delightfully crunchy shards of granola in all shapes and sizes. It's true that baking the nuts and oats separately requires more time and effort that the typical granola where they're all baked together at a higher temperature, but it's well worth it for the new sensory experience. Whether sprinkled generously over yogurt for breakfast or ice cream for dessert, this granola will delight your taste buds with salty, sweet, crunchy, and soft in each delicious bite.

Surfer's Granola
adapted from Bon Appetit
makes about 1 quart

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup millet (optional; if not using, add an extra 1/4 cup oats)
1 tablespoon golden or other flaxseeds (optional)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup honey
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
3/4 raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries

1. Heat oven to 300°. Mix oats, millet and flaxseeds (if using), 1/4 tsp. salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup hot tap water. Mix thoroughly and let stand for 15 minutes to soften oats.

2. Bring honey, 2 Tbsp. oil, and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add honey mixture to oat mixture in bowl and toss to coat. Spread out in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake oat mixture, stirring 2–3 times, until dark golden brown, 50–70 minutes. Place sheet on a wire rack and let oat mixture cool completely.

4. Increase oven temperature to 350°. Mix remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, almonds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and sugar in a medium bowl. Spread in an even layer on another rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Place sheet on a wire rack and let nut mixture cool completely.

Combine oat mixture, nut mixture, and raisins in a large bowl.

Spinach and Artichoke Nachos with Chicken

At this point in the NFL season, any game could be your last, so you've got to really bring it with the snacks. I was recently struck with a craving for spinach and artichoke dip, but because I knew I'd eat far more than is good for me, I wanted to scale it back to a slightly more reasonable portion. Given my recent penchant for nachos, it seemed natural to use that template to size it down. And so I bring you, spinach and artichoke nachos! (If you still want to enjoy it as a dip, just bake the spinach and artichoke mixture and serve tortilla or pita chips on the side). This is everything you expect from spinach and artichoke dip - a plethora of veggies enveloped by rich and cheesy goodness - perfectly sized for one or two; add the chicken to really turn it into a meal. The healthy helping of vegetables are both delicious and nutritious, the cheese blend melty and nutty, with just the right spicy punch from the red pepper flakes. I like to use light mayo and light sour cream to bring it all together because it creates a creamy base without making an already rich dish too heavy. Any sturdy tortilla or pita chip will do here, but I love Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Tortilla chips, the extra subtle hint of sweetness making these an even more perfect canvas for my nacho experimentation. All there's really left to say is GO PACK GO! and happy footballing, no matter who you're cheering for this weekend (unless it's the 49ers).

Spinach and Artichoke Nachos with Chicken
serves 1 to 2

Cooking spray or canola or olive oil
4 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces (optional)

2 ounces tortilla chips
2.5 ounces (about 1 cup) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, excess moisture squeezed out
3 ounces (about 3/4 cup) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, and chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons light mayo
2 tablespoons light sour cream
1 ounce (1/4 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 ounce (3 tablespoons) shredded Parmesan cheese
2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. If including chicken, preheat a skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook until meat has reached 170 degrees F and is no longer pink.

2. Meanwhile combine spinach, artichokes, mayo, sour cream, cheeses, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Place tortilla chips on an oven-safe platter in an even layer and top with the spinach and artichoke mixture.

4. Place platter in the oven and bake until spinach and artichoke mixture is warm and  melty, about 8 to 12 minutes. Turn oven to broil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and browned in spots, another 3 to 5 minutes (or more, depending on the strength of your broiler). Serve immediately.

(Alternatively, the spinach and artichoke mixture can be baked alone and served with chips on the side).

Roasted Beet and Potato Borscht

I've never cared much for beets. Since my parents were children of the poorly-cooked vegetables of the 1950s, I was not subjected to many of the most-feared vegetables of childhood like Brussels sprouts and beets. I was never a horribly picky kid, scarfing down carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, green beans, and sugar snap peas with much aplomb, coming to adulthood with an ever-growing palate. Now that I'm an adult, I'm happy to revisit these much-maligned vegetables. I'll confess I've given away most of my CSA beets these past few years, overwhelmed with so many other root vegetables that I didn't have the time or inclination to experiment too much with something that I only had a passing interest in. But this year was the year I finally tackled the beet challenge! As I had suspected, the key to making me adore this vegetable was roasting it. Roasting takes beets from tasting like, quite frankly, dirt, to a sweet and earthy treat. That caramelization forms most of the flavor base, played up with a splash of vinegar and handful of fresh thyme. I'm glad this was one of the recipes I kicked off 2013 with - if it's any indication of my culinary destiny for the year, it'll be organic, local, healthy, and full of flavor.

Roasted Beet and Potato Borscht

from Martha Stewart

serves 4

2 pounds red beets, scrubbed, peeled, and diced medium
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced medium
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
3 to 5 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth or water
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
Sour cream, (optional)
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Thinly sliced scallion greens (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet, toss together beets, potatoes, shallots, thyme, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and roast until beets and potatoes are cooked through, about 45 minutes.

2. Discard thyme. Add vegetables to a medium pot, along with broth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. With a potato masher or back of a wooden spoon, mash some vegetables until soup is thick and chunky. Stir in vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, top with sour cream, parsley, and scallion greens, if desired.

Root Beer Carrots

I need to say right off the bat that I never look to Rachael Ray for culinary inspiration. That being said, when this dish was served to me, it was too good for me not to repeat it at my Christmas dinner. In additional to being a craft beer connoisseur, I am also a craft root beer connoisseur, and I love recipes that use either type of delightful beverage. Good root beer contains so many flavors I adore - nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves - and it's a wonderful shortcut to add a lot of flavor with minimal effort. The better the root beer, the better this recipe will turn out, but the additional spices boost even mediocre root beer if that's all you've got. All of these warm spices and sweetness might be a bit too much if it were not for the generous amount of fresh thyme sprinkled over the top, it's freshness and just a hint of bitterness cutting through. If you've been blessed with a generous store of carrots as I have, look no further than this recipe. In less than 30 (mostly unattended minutes) you'll have a heaping bowl of delicious veggies to serve the hungry masses, be it a holiday or just an average Tuesday.

Root Beer Carrots
adapted from Rachael Ray
serves 8

1 12 ounce bottle root beer (I recommend Virgil's or Blue Sky or another craft root beer)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 pounds ready-peeled baby carrots (or larger carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1. In a large skillet, bring 1/2 cup water, the root beer, sugar, cinnamon, cumin, cloves and salt to a boil. Add the carrots, return to a boil, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and boil until tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the thyme. Using a slotted spoon, place the carrots in a bowl.

Delicata Squash Sformato

We may have just finished up the season of celebrating, but I still have to share my favorite new dish I cooked during the holiday season. Until I made this recipe, I'd been mostly trudging through my ample squash supply, roasting, pureeing, and freezing like some sort of gourd-processing robot. This recipe, however, got me excited about squash puree again. I was a little hesitant to serve this recipe at Christmas without first vetting it myself, but it turned to out to a be a real highlight of the meal. The squash itself was smooth and silky, with the cheese, sour cream, and egg enriching it enough to make it more than just plain ol' squash puree. The use of sweet (nutmeg) and savory (thyme, salt, and pepper) seasonings exploit squash's ability the play well in both sweet and savory applications. Maple syrup blends beautifully with the squash's inherent sweetness, but it is cut through perfectly with the acidic accent from the balsamic vinegar. I was honestly surprised at how much I loved this recipe and was unable to disguise my delight as I enjoyed my first few tastes. It's only fitting to start off a new year with one of my favorite bites of the past one to send you off on new culinary adventures in 2013. In the words of Jacques Pepin, happy cooking!

Delicata Squash Sformato

adapted from The Sprouted Kitchen by Sara Forte

serves 4

1 large delicata squash (about 3 pounds)
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Jack cheese
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, and pierce a few holes in the skin. Place the squash cut side down in a glass baking dish and roast in the oven until soft, 40 to 45 minutes. The timing may vary, so keep an eye on it. You want a few brown blisters and to be able to pierce it easily with a fork. Set aside and let cool.

3. Put the crème fraîche, Jack cheese, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine.

4. Once the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh away from the skin and put it in a bowl. Add the maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and mash the squash until smooth. Add the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Add the egg and nutmeg, giving the mixture a final stir.

5. Grease an 8 by 8-inch baking dish on all sides and pour in the squash mixture. Turn the oven down to 375°F and bake until brown spots start to show on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.