Jacques Pepin's Butternut Squash Gratin {The Perfect Fall Side Dish}

Butternut squash is a true fall favorite. Over the years we have come to absolutely love it! Back in 2011 I started things off simple with Tessa Kiros' Baked Butternut Squash. When that was a hit I moved on to Ina's Butternut Squash and Ricotta Bruschetta.The Bruschetta was addictive so I branched out further to Ina's Butternut Squash Hummus. 

The love affair was in full bloom so then we tried other favorites like Ruth Reichl's Butternut Squash, Sausage, and Walnut Lasagne and also Nigella Lawson's Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese. 

Now I'm furthering the love affair with butternut squash by trying my hand at Jacques Pepin's Butternut Squash Gratin. 

Pepin's gratin is so simple. It is right up my alley. Just a handful of ingredients.The hardest part is cutting the squash into 1/8-1/4" slices. Once that's done, you just boil the slices for about 2 minutes, then arrange them in a baking dish, top with salt and pepper, pour the cream on and cover with cheese. Bake for about 30-40 minutes and you have one delicious fall-inspired side dish or main dish.

You can arrange the squash slices artfully and really make the gratin beautifully arranged, but that's not really my style so I just threw the slices in the baking pan for a more 'rustic' look. I really love that word rustic, don't you?

My family walked in while this was cooking and they said "it smells like Thanksgiving in here." If that isn't the ultimate compliment then I don't know what is.

Butternut Squash Gratin

Adapted from Essential Pepin

Serves 6-8

1 large butternut squash (3-3/4 pounds)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Jarlsberg or other Swiss-type cheese or Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut off the stem of the butternut squash and split it in two at the bottom of the neck; this will make it easier to peel. Peel the neck lengthwise with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, removing enough skin so the orange flesh appears (there is a layer of green under the first layer of skin). For the body of the squash, remove the skin with a sknife by going around it in a spiral fashion (it is easier to peel a round object in this manner); then cut lengthwise in half and, using a sharp spoon, remove the seeds. With the slicing blade of a food processor or a knife, cut the squash into 1/8- to-1/4 -inch-thick slices. 

Put the squash in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Boil over high heat for 1-2 to 2 minutes, then drain in a colander; the pieces will break a little.

Transfer the squash to a gratin dish and add the salt, pepper, and cream, mixing with a fork to distribute the ingredients. Cover with the cheese. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until nicely browned. Serve. 

Vegetables Unleashed @ IHCC

José Andrés' Sausage with Cabbage #RecipesForThePeople

 

There are dishes that serve a family and then there are dishes that serve an army. Sausage and Cabbage is a recipe that serves an army. I was thrilled to see that Jose Andres has a very loose recipe for Sausage with Cabbage on his website. Cooks can literally make the recipe however they choose using his bare bones recipe.

You need only four ingredients to make this hearty and satisfying dish: Italian sausage, cabbage, onion  and garlic. Jose calls for sesame seeds and Pimenton, and they do add some pizazz, but are not totally necessary.

Cut the sausages or leave them whole. Chop the cabbage or cut it into thin slivers. Peel the garlic or don't. I like Jose's plan. He doesn't give you explicit instructions about chopping or amounts. It's your kitchen, he says. You're the cook. You make it your own!

 We love Italian sausage in this house and really enjoyed this recipe. We found it hearty and satisfying and absolutely perfect for this time of year. Total comfort food and more than enough to go around.

Sausage and Cabbage

Adapted from Jose Andres

Serves many

What You'll Need:

Sausages

Onion

Garlic

Cabbage

Sesame seeds

Paprika

Olive Oil

The Recipe: You'll need some sausages, any kind. Then also onion, garlic, cabbage, sesame seed and paprika. The amounts are up to you (I used 5 sausages, 1 head of cabbage, 1 onion, 5 cloves of garlic, etc.) Start the oil in a large pan (the cabbage will need lots of space). Start with oil in the pan and lots of garlic (peeled or unpeeled, chopped onion. Add the sausage and saute so it's browned on all sides, and add some spices...pimenton, salt, anything old in your pantry that you want to get rid of.

Add the cabbage and keep stirring, then add some sesame seeds, if you have them. Saute until the sausage is cooked, and then at the end add some wine or whatever you're drinking. Write your own recipe he says! Then serve it!

Foods To Feed An Island @ IHCC
 

The Recipe That Won Over Tiktok {The Best Way To Make Eggs by Chef Jose Andres}

 Dear People Of The World, 

Today I share with you Chef Jose Andres' Best Way To Make Eggs. Chef Andres is a big fan of making videos on Tiktok. In fact, his video sharing the best way to make eggs has been viewed over 2 million times! Try as a might, I cannot add the video here, but here is an article about Chef Andres' eggs.

Chef Andres begins with a pan that is ovenproof and he coats the bottom of the pan with a generous amount of butter.

He then layers in a generous amount of shredded mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, 4 cracked eggs, and a layer of milk. He does not specify amounts. From what I could see, it was enough cheese and milk to coat the bottom of the pan each time. He tops that with some cheddar cheese and then coats pieces of bread in oil and throws it all in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes. I don't know what kind of oven Chef Andres has, but mine needed a little more time, closer to 15 minutes (toast is done in about 5 minutes). 

The result is a very quick ooey gooey cheesy egg dish that can be enjoyed on toast, dipping and enjoying straight out of the pan, if you so dare. 

Love, 

Kim

Welcome Chef Jose Andres to IHCC!
 

Eggs with Bread and Butter

 Dear Reader,

Sometimes the ugliest of foods are the most memorable. Think of this dish as a big hug. Something that mom would have made for you. In fact, in her cookbook Apples For Jam, Tessa states, "This is what my mom gave us so often - it is one of my earliest food memories. I have only to smell it and it takes me sailing back in time and fills me with wonderful memories. It is amazing how an egg and slice of bread can do that."

Tessa's words echoed back to me each and every time I picked up this cookbook. I had leftover Hawaiian rolls so I decided to make the dish and decide whether it was blog worthy.

Three simple ingredients, but let's be real. These are pretty much three of everyone's favorite all-time ingredients. How can one go wrong? 

Butter the bread, tear it into bits, place it into a cup or bowl. Then boil the egg for about 2-4 minutes (closer to 4 minutes for me) and mix the soft-boiled egg into the bread and butter mixture. Serve with a spoon.

THIS MAKES THE CUT FOLKS! It is so comforting. So easy. So delicious. Like a giant hug from mom. I made it once. Then I made it again. Then I made it every morning until I ran out of the ingredients. Sometimes I added salt and pepper. Sometimes I added Everything But The Bagel seasoning. Another time I added cheese. Last time, I added a little dash of poultry seasoning and it gave the whole mixture a stuffing vibe.

So, dear reader, you really can't go wrong. If you want a quick breakfast. If you're feeling under the weather. If you have small children or even grown children. If you're missing mom. If you're in need of a hug...make this dish. Use whatever bread you have (ideally it will be a soft bread). Use whatever seasonings you like. Add cheese or herbs. Make it your own, but definitely make it.

Do take note, it would be just as delicious served in a bowl, but it is really special served in a small glass with a spoon. There is just something so special, fun, and youthful about eating this out of a glass with a spoon. It really ups the fun factor!

Take comfort,
Kim

 

Eggs with Bread and Butter

Adapted from Apples For Jam

by Tessa Kiros

Serves 1

1 egg

1 to 2 teaspoons soft butter

1 slice fresh soft white or brown bread or roll

Put the egg in a pan of cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for 2-1/2 minutes from when the water comes to a boil (the white should have just set and the yolk will still be soft and runny). Lift out the egg with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile, butter the bread, break it into small bits, and put in a little bowl or cup. Hold the egg over the bowl, give it a sharp crack through the middle with a knife, and scoop out the egg with a teaspoon. Add a little salt and mash together well with a fork. Serve immediately.

Notes: After I made this the first time I made some changes. Namely, you can literally use any bread for this. I had leftover Hawaiian rolls and those were perfect for this recipe. The biggest change I made was in buttering the bread prior to breaking it into small bits. That is quite messy on one's fingers. Instead, I simply broke the bread into bits and set a teaspoon or so of butter on top of the bread. I would place the egg on top of the bread and butter and the heat of the egg would melt the butter into the mixture just fine.  

 

Tessa's Hassleback Potatoes

 

 Dear Tessa, 

On a lazy Sunday afternoon I like easy and quick recipes. When I first spotted your hassleback potatoes I thoutht they seemed quite simple. 

The ingredients were few. The directions were short. How hard could it really be to cut some slits in a few potatoes and throw them in the oven?

A quick trip to my pantry to grab some potatoes. I grab some russets and a sweet potato. These will be in the oven in no time I think to myself.

Then I realize you want me to peel the potatoes. I rewrite the recipe. No, I will not peel the russets, Tessa. I will, however, peel the sweet potato.

Then I read as you say, "Peel the potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Sit them, flat side, on a chopping board. Using a small, sharp knife, start at one end of the potato and cut down through the top, about a third of the way through. Make another tiny cut away from the first, slightly on the diagonal toward the first cut, and break away the little piece of potato to make a slit. Continue along the potato, making slits about 1/4 inch apart.

I'm puzzled right from the start because most people hassleback an entire potato and you want me to only hassle the back of half a potato? I do some quick research online and find that yes, I am not crazy, and yes, most recipe do hassle the entire back of an entire potato. 

Fine, Tessa. I will play your games and cut my potatoes in half lengthwise. I am only doing this because as I mentioned before; I am about easy and quick, and half a potato cooks faster than a whole potato.

However, I then realize that I will have to hassleback even more potato than if I had just hassled a whole potato? Do you understand where I'm going with this, Tessa?

So there I am rereading your directions about how to hassleback my potatoes when I realize that this recipe is quite a hassle! I wanted to blame it all on you, Tessa. However you did name them Hassleback Potatoes so I suppose it's my fault. 

How did I miss this? 

Let me tell you, Tessa. I didn't have very kind words to say as I was cutting quarter inch slits in all my potatoes, Tessa. When you call for large potatoes did you realize how many slits one would have to cut? It was rather tedious when it came to the russet potatoes and then it was damn near impossible when it came to the sweet potato, but cut away I did.

I put those hassles on the sheet pan and covered them in your mixture of butter, oil, salt, pepper, and sage and stuck them in the oven. I wanted to be done with them, but then I had to baste them with the butter/oil mixture about every 15 minutes.

These potatoes really are hassle, Tessa. A hassle right in the ol' back.

During the baking, I stopped to read reviews on hassleback and I found a lot of complaints, Tessa. People said they were overcooked and dry and too hard, etc. I started to get kinda angry, Tessa. After all that work....my potatoes better be delicious.

The time had come and I took my potatoes out and placed them on a plate. I noticed the potato bottoms (which you had me cut in half) were crusted over with a glorious golden brown crust. I noticed the tops of the potatoes were perfectly seasoned, with just the right amount of crispness. I also noticed the potato itself was still fluffy.

My son took a bite and was like, "This is way better than a normal baked potato. It has way more flavor and texture and I just love it. Do you have more?" Of course, I had more. I had hassled my way through 3 potatoes after all. I had 6 hassleback halves.

All that hassle, Tessa, and my potatoes were gone in a flash. Everyone ate them up quicker than I hassled them! Imagine that!

Anyway, they are now a family favorite, so thanks a lot. Looks like I will be hassling with potatoes a lot more in the future.

Thanks,

Kim

Hassleback Potatoes

Adapted from Falling Cloudberries

by Tessa Kiros

Serves 6

6 fairly large potatoes

3-1/2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

a small handful of fresh sage

 Preheat your oven to 425F. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Sit them, flat side side, on a chopping board. Using a small, sharp knife, start at one end of the potato and cut down through the top, about a third of the way through. Make another tiny cut away from the first, slightly on the diagonal toward the first cut, and break away the little piece of potato to make a slit. Continue along the potato, making slits about 1/4 inch apart.

Handling the potatoes carefully so that they don't break, arrange them in a baking pan. Add the butter and oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the sage leaves around and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are golden and crispy. Spoon a little of the butter pan juices over the top from time to time and gently toss them so they don't stick (but don't touch them for the first 15 minutes or so, or they will simply break). Serve immediately.

The Great Potato @ IHCC

Ina's Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

As fall arrives, I always think of baked goods. I am in love with baked goods in all the typical fall flavors: pumpkin, apple, pear, cinnamon, salted caramel, you name it! I have lists upon lists of fall baking projects; yet, year after year, I never seem to get around to any of them. That needs to change.

A quick look through my fall baking list and I settle on Ina's Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts. They seem easy enough, problem is I don't have any doughnut pans. A few quick clicks on Amazon and a day or so later I have doughnut pans delivered right to my door.

These doughnuts come together in no time at all and bake up quickly. They get a quick dunk in melted butter, followed by a quick bath in the cinnamon sugar mixture we've all come to love. They remind me of the doughnuts you buy at your local apple orchard in the fall...EXCEPT they're even better since they're homemade and served warm right from the oven. The texture is nice and light and we found them to be completely delightful! I would definitely make them again!  

 

Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Makes 12

For The Doughnuts:

baking spray

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 extra large egg, lightly beaten

1-1/4 cups whole milk

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Topping:

8 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

 Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray 2 doughnut pans well.

Into a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture.

Spoon the batter into the baking pans, filling each one a little more than three-quarters full. Bake for 17 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then tap the doughnuts out onto a sheet pan.

For the topping, melt the 8 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch saute pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each doughnut first in the butter and then in the cinnamon sugar, either on one side or both sides.

Bake Sale @ IHCC!

Tessa's Vanilla Cake

 On September 11, 2001 my daughter, Olivia, was 6 months old. I had waited and waited for the day to arrive because that afternoon Olivia had her 6 month check up. If everything looked good, the doctor was going to give me the okay to start feeding her baby food.

As a new mom I was so excited. I had a special outfit all planned out. There was even a bonnet involved. This was a big deal to me because I was a foodie even back then.

I read all the articles and books about feeding babies for the first time. I had planned to start with green beans because it was recommended to start with veggies at the time. All the information said DO NOT start with sweet fruit or your baby will develop a sweet tooth.

On the morning of 9/11, I was so excited because I had taken a half day from work and was leaving at noon to take Olivia to the doctor. I laid out the green beans, her outfit, and her bonnet.

I had no idea a tragedy would occur that day. When the attacks began my husband came to find me at my cubicle (we worked together back then). We were in utter shock as attack after attack unfolded. I remember my mom calling me terrified as the plane flew into the Pentagon and then the field in Pennsylvania. At the time, it seemed the attacks would go on and and on and were getting closer and closer. No one really knew if or when the attacks would stop.

At the time I lived in a small town right outside Cleveland, Ohio and I will never forget when an announcement came over our loudspeaker at work stating that "there was a plan flying over Cleveland airspace with a suspected bomb on it." They let us leave work early. Everyone wanted to be reunited with their family and be together.

I called my mom to tell her that I was leaving work to get Olivia and my mom begged and begged me to just go home and stay safe. However, I was bound and determined to take Olivia to her doctor's appointment.

I can remember what a beautiful day it was outside. The sky was so blue and it seemed at such odds with what was happening in the world. Everyone was out and people were waving the American flag. I passed lines and lines of people waiting at the American Red Cross building to donate blood. I have never seen such a show of patriotism and unity as I did that day.

I hugged Olivia tight. I dressed her up in her cute little outfit with a bonnet. I turned the news on. In my excitement I grabbed a jar of peas instead of the green beans and I fed her food for the first time.

Olivia was happy and giggling and I was so thankful for her. I felt so sad for everyone who had lost a loved one that day and I remember feeling helpless and thinking that I had to do a better job of being thankful. I had to soak up all the good times and enjoy my family as much as I possibly could in my life. This was something I could do and would do.

Years later I would remember the vow I made that day. To be thankful and not take anything for granted. I started to get everyone to gather together as a family on that day. We would always tell Olivia how that was the day she first started eating real food. Over time it morphed into a tradition to celebrate that fact that it was Olivia's food anniversary. We started making dishes with peas in honor of her first food every year.

Over time we found the perfect pea dish, Jamie Oliver's Pasta with a Creamy Smoked Bacon and Pea Sauce and we serve it every year. All these years later and we are still gathering together. Olivia has now been eating real food for 21 years now.

This year I even made a cake. Tessa's Vanilla Cake with a layer of Strawberry Jam and Vanilla Frosting and also with green circle sprinkles to imitate peas!

It has been 21 years since the 9/11 attacks, but I will never forget. Both of my kids are almost grown, but I'd like to think that one day my kids will carry on this tradition without me. I like to think of them gathering together and cherishing one another on this day every year, smiling and laughing as they eat peas and celebrate Olivia eating real food for hopefully many, many years.

Vanilla Cake

Adapted from Apples For Jam

by Tessa Kiros

Makes 10-12 slices

 Cake:

1/2 pound, plus 2 tablespoons (2-1/4 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup half and half or milk

Frosting:

7 tablespoons butter, softened

1-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

about 4 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9-1/2" springform cake pan. Beat the butter and sugar together very well in a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one goes in. Add the vanilla and then sift in the flour and baking powder. Beat well, adding the half and half or milk a little at a time. You will have a thick and creamy batter. Scrape it out into the cake pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer poked into the center comes out clean. Leave to cool completely before filling and frosting.

For the frosting, put the butter into a bowl and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Add the vanilla and 3 tablespoons of milk and beat well, then slowly beat in the rest of the milk, stopping when you have a smooth but fairly stiff frosting. Gently spread it all over the cake - it doesn't have to be perfect! 

Casual Cookout @ IHCC