Winter Wonders

Baking focaccia, sharlotka and courgette today to leave oven room for turkey tomorrow!  The entree was inspired by Oldways.

Stuffed Courgettes
(Serves 5)

3 Vegetables round enough to stuff (I used 1 courgette, 1 acorn squash and 1 sweet pepper.)  The plate pictured feeds 2.  
Cut top from squash, seed and scoop out some of pulp.
Mix with:
1/4 cup Onion, diced
1/2 Sweet Pepper, diced
2 Tablespoon Brown Rice
1 cup Diced Canned Tomatoes, without added salt
1 Carrot, peeled and diced
2 Tablespoon Hemp Seed, crushed
6 ounce Lean Ground Beef
Mix filling and stuff vegetables. 
Cover with:
1 6 ounce can V-8, Low Sodium
Bake at 350 F. for 40-45 minutes, or until thermometer inserted in center of squash reaches 165 degrees F.

The bread recipe is from Food and Wine Magazine.

Focaccia with Roasted Squash
(2 Breads-approximately 12 servings)   

Starter
1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup Warm Water
1 1/4 teaspoon Dry Yeast
Mix, cover and sit at room temperature overnight or for 8 hours.

Make the dough:
1 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
2 1/4 teaspoon Dry Yeast
3/4 cup Warm Water
Add to starter and mix with dough hook for 8 minutes.
Add:
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Mix 8 additional minutes.
Cover and let rise until double in bulk, about 1 hours.

Topping:
1 Small Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise.  Mix with:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Mrs. Dash
Bake at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes.
Cool.

Punch dough down.  On floured surface, shape into 2 rounds.  Brush with olive oil;  cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 1 hours.

Arrange butternut squash strips on dough rounds.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes.  Garnish with fresh herbs and honey.

The Sharlotka recipe is also from Food and Wine Magazine.  I'd hoped to get more apples from WVU Farms, but didn't make it before they closed for the season.  So I used pears!

Pear Sharlotka
(Serves 8)

5 Bartlett Pears, peeled, cores removed and sliced thin
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Sugar
Mix and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
Pack into 8 inch spring-form pan sprayed with Pam.

1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Mix in small bowl.

3 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
1/2 cup Sugar
In electric mixer, beat at medium speed for 8 minutes. 
Fold in dry ingredients. 
Pour batter over top of pears.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Bake at 350 F. for 1 hours.  Allow to cool in pan for 15 minutes before unmolding.
Dust with confectioners sugar.

Our son has to work Thanksgiving evening, so we're eating early tomorrow.  I'm half way there!  Enjoy your time with family!