When you think of squash, you’ll likely think of summer squash and pumpkins. However, if you’ve never tried sweet acorn squash, a winter squash, you’ve been missing out! Although they typically are served as part of the main meal, this recipe is a great way to eliminate the need for a dessert and sneak in a vegetable while still satisfying your sweet tooth.

Ingredients

1 acorn squash
2 tbsp. butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup walnuts, chopped (or your favorite nut) – optional
¼ cup dried cranberries (or your favorite dried fruit) – optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut acorn squash in half crossway.

Scoop out the seeds & stringy insides to leave only the cleaned flesh.

In an oven safe dish, place the two squash sides. You’ll want to use a small enough dish that they are supported and do not tip over.

Using a fork, poke lots of holes in the flesh making sure you do not poke completely through.

Next add 1 tbsp. butter to each squash.

Add your fruit/nut filling (optional)

Add one half of the brown sugar to each squash.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until flesh is tender.

Serve with the butter/sugar syrup for an extra sweet dish or without the syrup for a more natural flavor.

*Note: Since this is such a basic recipe, you may also want to try it with other varieties of winter squash to discover which combination of flavors you like best.

Coleslaw or plain ‘slaw’ as some prefer to call it comes from a Dutch word meaning cabbage salad. While, in the U.S., traditional Coleslaw or plain ‘slaw’ as some prefer to call it comes from a Dutch word meaning cabbage salad. While, in the U.S., traditional coleslaw is a combination of shredded cabbage and a mayonnaise-based dressing, slaw can contain any number of ingredients.

If you enjoy testing new flavor blends, you might try adding apples, peppers, almonds or pecans to this recipe. In addition, you may want to substitute yogurt for the mayonnaise.

This recipe is as close as I’ve been able to get to my favorite coleslaw, made by Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). It has a sweet and tangy flavor that just screams to be eaten with fried chicken or a spicy BBQ sandwich.

Ingredients

8 cups cabbage, shredded (about 1 head)
¼ cup carrots, shredded (1-2 carrots)
2 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
¼ cup milk
¼ cup buttermilk
½ cup mayonnaise
1½ Tbsp. white vinegar
2½ Tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation:

In a large bowl, using the fine side of a hand-held grater or food processor shred the cabbage. Here, we’ve shredded ½ head of each, green and red cabbage to give our dish extra color.

Shred the carrot(s) and dice the onion. Add these to the cabbage mix.

In a separate bowl or using a blender, combine the sugar, salt and pepper.

Next, add the milk and buttermilk to the bowl or blender. Finally, add the vinegar, lemon juice and mayonnaise.

Blend until smooth. Pour over the slaw mix and fold until everything is well coated.

Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight before serving.

Note: If you use red cabbage, expect that it will naturally dye your coleslaw a light shade of pink. This does not change the flavor!

If you prefer not to have pink slaw, either rinse and dry your cabbage after shredding, start with pre-shredded slaw mix purchased from a store (these have been rinsed and are slightly dry) or skip using the red cabbage.

Variations: Again, you can mix and match ingredients to find new variations that your family will love. Here are a few to get you started…

Add a ¼ cup of any of the following:
• Green peppers
• Raisins
• Apples
• Almonds, pecans or peanuts
• Celery
• Pimentos
• Toasted sesame seeds or shelled sunflower seeds
• Pineapple
• Shredded cheese
Add a 1/8 tsp. of any of the following:
• Onion powder
• Dry mustard
• Celery seed
• Dill weed
• Parsley
Substitute half-and-half or cream for regular milk
Use a whole onion and/or substitute a red onion for the white one
Add some zing with a splash of Tabasco sauce and cilantro
Substitute lime juice for the lemon
Substitute broccoli for cabbage
Substitute yogurt for mayonnaise
Another yummy idea… Use coleslaw instead of sauerkraut on a Reuben sandwich, hamburger or hot dog.