Recipe Source: Farmhouse Delivery

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2″ cubes

Several handfuls of arugula or baby salad greens, washed and spun dry

1/4 c. Hazelnuts

2 oz. Manchego Cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

2 Tbs. Champagne or White Wine Vinegar

1 Tbs. Whole Grain Mustard

1 Large Shallot, sliced thin

Pinch of Sugar

1/3 c. Olive Oil

Toss squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast at 375 for about 15-20 minutes, until caramelized and tender, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, place hazelnuts in a small pan and place in oven with squash for about 5-10 minutes.  When nuts smell fragrant and begin to color, remove from oven and place on kitchen towel.  Gather them in the towel and rub until the papery skins come off.  Set aside to cool.  Place vinegar, mustard, shallots, and pinch of sugar in a small bowl and whisk until sugar dissolves.  Add olive oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until emulsified.  Chop hazelnuts coarsely and set aside.  When squash is done, remove from the oven and toss with vinaigrette.  Toss arugula or baby greens separately and pile onto serving platter.  Scatter roasted squash and manchego on top and serve.

For those of you who live in Austin, I highly encourage you to check out Farmhouse Delivery.  Especially if you’re a big fan of local produce from local farmers, but don’t necessarily have the time to hit the farmers market on a regular basis. I signed up for their bushel delivery service mid-summer and have loved it ever since. I happen to get a bushel bi-weekly but they do offer weekly service as well should you have the need for it. There are several reasons I love this service but most of all, it’s an adventure delivered to my door every other week. They send you a picture of what you’ll be receiving in your bushel a day or so prior to delivery and at that point I start to explore new seasonal recipes that I can try to utilize all the yumminess I’m about to have in my possession. The service is moderately priced. It might be a tich more than if you were to in fact go to a farmers market, but you’re also getting the luxury of it being delivered to your door. You don’t have to be home either for the delivery as the bushel comes in a cooled bin. If you don’t live in Austin, I’m sure there are similar services available in your area. I say give it a try. If you’re like me and enjoy to cook, but prefer fresh FRESH seasonal items…this really will warm your heart. I’ve yet to try any of their meat, dairy, or other items they offer, but do in fact look with temptation when the email hits my inbox. I am sure I will at some point, but it’s always a question of where I will be on the day of delivery and I don’t like the idea of meat sitting out, even if in a cooled bin. Their list of offerings however are extensive and sound delicious. In addition they offer baked goods from local bakers, local honeys, etc. The last thing I will  note is that if you receive an item in your bushel that you are not particularly a fan of, you can request to not receive said item (for me it’s Okra) and they will substitute it for whatever else may be freshly available that week.

Farmhouse Delivery “brings the farm to your door, offering local produce, meat, dairy, eggs, and local artisanal products to customers in Austin. We sell produce grown exclusively on local farms and even grow some of it ourselves! Meat and dairy products are sourced from farms within a 200 mile food shed, and artisanal products are sustainably produced here in Austin. Weekly or bi-weekly delivery is available with no delivery fee. Great for anyone interested in joining a CSA in Austin (“community supported agriculture” program), but with the added benefits of flexibility and home delivery. Use your shopping dollars to support many local farm families in Austin when you shop with Farmhouse Delivery!”

You can check out their site for more information: www.farmhousedelivery.com

Their blog also offers really yummy seasonal recipes: http://farmhousetable.wordpress.com/

Recipe Source: Fine Cooking Magazine

Kosher Salt
5 Tbs. Olive oil
8 Thin Slices Prosciutto (about 4 oz.), cut into strips
1 Medium Yellow Onion, thinly sliced (1 cup)
2 Small Zucchini (about 3/4 lb.), trimmed, quartered lengthwise, and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
2 Ears Corn, shucked and kernels sliced off (about 1 cup), or 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Pecorino-Romano
3 Tbs. Chopped Fresh Mint
1 lb. Penne
2 tsp. Sherry Vinegar or Cider Vinegar
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, put 2 Tbs. oil and the prosciutto in a large (12-inch) skillet, place over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the prosciutto browns in places and becomes crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the prosciutto to a large plate lined with paper towels.

Many of you have asked me for this recipe, so I figured I’d just post it up for you all to make for yourselves. It looks harder than it really is. Give it a whirl…I promise, it’s not too hard!

The Crust:
32 Oreo Cookies, finely processed into crumbs
5 1/3 Tbl. Unsalted Butter, melted and cooled
Pinch of salt

If you’ve never explored the wonderful world of Pampered Chef products, I encourage you to do so! For the seasoned chef to the culinarily challenged The Pampered Chef offers essential kitchen tools at affordable prices. Take a looksie at the products: http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/shopOnline.tpc. If there’s something you’re interested in, or if you simply would like some more information, I’m happy to assist.

 

These soft, flourless cookies house a bittersweet filling, for a taste combination that appeals to the kid in all of us. Yields about 30 sandwich cookies

 

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES:
2-1/2 cups smooth peanut butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

 

CHOCOLATE FILLING:
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)
4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

 

TIP: Substitute semisweet chocolate for the bittersweet in the filling for a sweeter kick.

 

DIRECTIONS:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line four cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners.

COOKIES: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat the peanut butter, brown sugar, and baking soda on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix on low speed until just blended, about 25 seconds.