Fall Harvest Farmer’s Market Cooking Class at Homeworks on Oct 29th

Entertain with the freshest ingredients this fall in these sweet and savory dishes!

Announcing a new cooking class with all the trimmings for autumn entertaining with Barb Scala.

October 29th at 6:30pm
HOMEWORKS
711 Boston Post Road
Old Saybrook CT

Great dishes for Thanksgiving sans the turkey based on garden, farm fresh and artisan ingredients while keeping dairy and refined sugars to a minimum. Delish!

Menu
Sweet and Savory Pumpkin Seed Crunch
Quinoa Sweet Potato Sliders
Roasted Butternut Squash over Wilted Arugula Salad with Walnuts and Feta
Grilled Farm Fennel Sausage with Grainy Mustard
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Mushrooms and Kale
Brussels Sprouts with Leeks, Pomegranate Seeds and Crumbled Country Bacon
Gluten-Free Apple Tart

$80.00 per person, Registration Required
(To register call Homeworks 860-388-3331)

Roasted Butternut Squash over Wilted Arugula

Sweet and savory with maple laced pecans and oven roasted butternut squash. Add crumbled feta or goat cheese for an extra layer of flavor.

Vibrant colors of orange and green make this dish a hit at any autumn harvest table. The added sweetness of a good quality balsamic vinegar (fig is nice) blends all the flavors together and tempers the peppery bite of the arugula.

Serve it as a salad or a side ….with what else? Turkey, of course.

2 – 3 cups cubed butternut squash
2 – 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, minced
1 bunch arugula
1/2 cup pecans
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Balsamic vinegar (aged with syrupy consistency)
Optional: crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Split butternut squash in half and scoop out seeds and stringy fiber. Peel each half with a vegetable peeler and cut into cubes of similar size.

Place squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Toss  to evenly coat, adding more oil if needed. Sprinkle with garlic powder (I like Simply Organic’s finely granulated garlic powder). Salt and pepper to taste. Roast in the oven for approximately 20 minutes, or until tender.  Some pieces should be caramelized from roasting in the pan.

Meanwhile, toss maple syrup and pecans in a heavy skillet on medium heat until syrup bubbles but does not burn. Remove and cool.

In large bowl, toss arugula with a very light coating of the Dijon Lemon Vinaigrette. Add red onion (scallions can be substituted as shown in the picture) and pecan. Place hot-out-of-the-oven squash on top of arugula and toss. Greens will unevenly wilt for nice texture. Add optional cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve.

Maple Almond Pumpkin Custard

Made with almond milk, this custard is like a crustless pumpkin pie!

Creamy custard was a staple in my house because dad loved creme carmel, the Italian version his mom made. My mom would bake her weekly custard in a bain marie bath and sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg on top. It was oh so good warm out of the oven on a chilly night.

I make my own non-dairy pumpkin version using the sweetness of maple syrup and the creaminess of almond milk for a seasonal treat. Almond milk brands vary, so find unsweetened milk without a long list of additives. Top with a dollop of coconut cream, maple coated pecans or my Sweet and Savory Pumpkin Seeds.

3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup maple syrup
grapeseed oil spray

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 4 – 5 ten ounce glass custard cups or ramekins with grapeseed oil spray, blotting any excess with a paper towel.  Boil water and fill an ovenproof glass baking dish 1/2 inch up for a bain marie bath. Place baking dish in the oven. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until thoroughly blended. Fill custard cups or ramekins 3/4’s full and place in the bain marie. Bake for 40 minutes or until custard is set in center but not puffy. Set on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or room temperature.