Roasted Delicata Squash with Bacon and Crispy Kale

IMG_5562Sarah’s Rap: I have discovered a heavenly pairing of two fall vegetables- kale and delicata squash, made even better by roasting with shallots until the squash and shallots are slightly caramelized and the kale is crispy, then finishing it off with a liberal sprinkling of bacon. This side-dish is gluten-free, dairy-free and Paleo, but full of flavor and very versatile.

It will make an excellent accompaniment to any meat or fish entree, or can serve as an entree all on it’s own. For my own dinner last night, I had it with chicken sausage and asparagus. Fresh from the oven, the kale was crispy and made the dish really stand out. Today, I ate leftovers for breakfast with a fried egg – the kale had softened, which actually was a better compliment to the egg, and the bacon flavor permeated the squash more as they’d apparently gotten to know each other better overnight. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Feel free to mix up the seasonings to your taste.

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Family Craft: Fall Table Topics

fallcraft2Sarah’s Rap: I used to be so crafty. No, not the cunning and deceitful variety, but the soap-
making, sewing, homemade-paper and make-cool-stuff-from-scratch kind. This was, of course, before the kids arrived and my free time plummeted at the same pace as my energy. My youngest son though loves art and with several recent craft projects he’s designed and executed without help from anyone, he has inspired me to dig deep and dust off my craft-loving side. The holidays also help to motivate me as this was always the time of year that I’d start making homemade ornaments, prepare for lots of creative cookie making and make gifts for friends and family. I’m not sure I’m quite that ambitious this year, but I am very excited about this fall craft that will be perfect for Thanksgiving.

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Creamy Thai Pumpkin Soup

Sarah’s Rap: In my opinion, there is nothing better than a creamy pumpkin or squash soup in the fall to round out a meal. This recipe was inspired by a Thai butternut squash recipe that my good friend and fellow foodie gave me. I had been thinking of what to do with a pie pumpkin that I had bought so I swapped the squash for pumpkin, made a few personal tweaks and voila…this Thai Pumpkin Soup was born!

I love this soup so much that I always make sure I have some on hand in the freezer (frozen in individual portions to grab one for work or to serve alongside my dinner). The spice level depends on how much curry paste you use. I find 2 tablespoons is perfect for me, but feel free to add more or less as your taste desires. Look for one that does not contain sugar or weird additives. Continue reading