kitchen creations: candied acorn squash and sweet potato fries

It just happens to be my favorite times of the year. Fall and winter that is. It's when leaves start changing their color, and when some of my most favorite holidays come up. Thanksgiving and Christmas especially. I look forward to our family time during those holidays, getting cozy while eating delicious home-cooked meals and the colors green, orange and red flooding every home and store in America! And, don't get me started on how I beg Bryan about buying a Christmas tree in the month of September or how I start envisioning our home looking like it is Santa Claus's kingdom or how I start singing Christmas tunes at the top of my lungs while working all the while getting some crazy looks from Bryan or how my mood is always 10 times better just because it is THAT time of the year. As I shared last time, cooking delicious fall and winter recipes happens to be about the only time of the year anyone will catch me in the kitchen! To say I love cooking this time of the year is an understatement.

This past Saturday, the weather was chilly as in put-on-your-boots chilly and misting a bit. So, Bryan, my sister-in-law, Beth and I decided to cook a fall feast and rent some movies instead of going out. And, boy did we cook a fall feast! It smelled like November in our home, and I loved it!

The feast we prepared was not only gluten-free friendly, it was filling! And healthy. Ok, it was healthiest at its core, but the good stuff might have made it a bit unhealthy. Who cares, it was quite delicious! So, without further ado, I would like to share with you the recipes of our fall feast!

First up, the CANDIED ACORN SQUASH:

Equipment Needed:

Baking pan (cover it with foil...clean-up is easy!)
One hefty knife to cut the acorns in half
Mixing bowl
Either a pastry brush or the back of a spoon

Ingredients:

1 medium acorn squash (1 1/4 pounds)
1.4 cup maple syrup or 3 tablespoons brown sugar (Um, yeah, we used both!)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (optional) (We did not use this but I bet it would add some awesome intense flavor.)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground nutmeg (We chose the cinnamon mostly because we had it on hand.)

(Modify the measurements with how many acorns you are going to use.)

Directions:

1. Cut the acorn in half lengthwise; remove the seeds and the pulp.
2. Put the acorn cut-side down on the baking dish and let them bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
3. In the mixing bowl, mix maple syrup, brown sugar (for those of you who dare to use both like we did!), butter, orange peel (if you want to add some awesomeness) and cinnamon.
4. If you have a pastry brush (or even the back of a spoon), brush some of the mixture on the face of the acorn. After putting on one or two or three coats, spoon the mixture into the centers of the acorn's halves.
5. Bake the acorn for another 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees until the squash part is tender.

Since this is pretty much the recipe, there are no modifications for the Candied Acorn Squash.

Now to add even more awesomeness to this fall feast, next up is the SWEET POTATO FRIES:

Equipment Needed:

Deep fryer or a pan deep enough to put vegetable oil in
Plate with a few layers of paper napkins
Cutting board
Another hefty knife
One tong to grab the fries
Cooking thermometer

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Potato
Cinnamon
Chili Powder
Salt
Vegetable Oil

Directions:

1. Fill the fryer or the pan with vegetable oil (enough to cover the fries in) and pre-heat the oil at 300 degrees.
2. Cut the potato into strips about 1/4 or 1/2 inch thick.
3. Dry the potato well before putting in the fryer or pan.
4. Increase the oil's temperature to 375 degrees.
5. When the oil is ready, put the first batch into the fryer or pan.
6. Cook each batch for 6 minutes.
7. As soon as they come out of the fryer or pan, season them with a bit of cinnamon, chili powder and salt (crazy as it might sound, it is delicious!).

Again, since this recipe is pretty straightforward, there are no modifications.

As you can see below, it is quite delicious and fun to prepare!



Might I add that our cocktail of choice was the amazing gluten-free beer, Woodchuck that now comes in a seasonal flavor, PUMPKIN! For those who prefer a different non-gluten-free drink, go for your favorite beer like Boulevard's Oktoberfest or a glass of your favorite red wine!

On a side note, it helps to prepare this recipe on a chilly night complete with pajama pants, some good movies and good company!

Like I said, this recipe will not disappoint. I promise. See below for the finished plate.

All I can say is B and I need to make this again this week!