I’ve never made wings before - but I’ve been thinking about them since our last visit to my parents house in Atlanta. This meal is pretty cheap - wings are the cheapest cut of meat you can buy, butternut squash is in season right now (read, cheap) and you don’t need a ton of goat cheese - just 4oz, about $2.39. I know it’s often written that wings are a great party food - yeah, only price-wise. Hot wings are just about the most ungraceful embarrassing food you could serve. This meal is something only to be eaten among close close friends and family where you can freely lick your fingers and suck meat off of bones. The butternut squash coleslaw was a great fall alternative to traditional coleslaw with cabbage. The dressing is zingy and creamy. I didn’t have walnuts, so I just used pecans. Dried cranberries can get expensive, but golden raisins or regular raisins would work well too. You can also eat those dried cranberries with cheeses on a cheese board, and they keep for a while. The squash recipe is from Tyler Florence. The wings are easy:

Serves 2-4

2 - 2.5 lb Chicken Wings

4 Tablespoons butter

Hot Sauce to taste ( My parents use Texas Pete which I think is hotter - we used Frank’s Red Hot)

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Place wings on a baking sheet and cook for about 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

2. Melt butter and add hot sauce to taste. Drizzle over wings. Serve warm and with blue cheese dressing if desired.

That was my reaction to this dish - tastes like America. You can really taste the settle ketchup, mustard, and the Cayenne hits the back of your throat like BBQ. The sloppy joe’s by themselves are really easy, and a great crowd pleaser. I saw Tyler Florence make these this weekend, and my taste buds were craving them since. He uses turkey which makes it a bit less fatty than using traditional beef. He also made bread and butter pickles to go with them, but that was a bit complicated for me, and I’d have to buy a bunch of extra stuff. I made the butternut squash chips instead. Double yum! I went out and bought a mandoline, for this, plus I really needed one - they’re super handy, and my unsteady hands can’t cut things evenly. If you do the chips, make sure you leave them in the oil long enough - some of our were a bit soggy, but they get so sweet and crunch if they’re done right. Make sure to sprinkle with salt and parm and the herbs before serving. This was a great twist on an American classic. Enjoy the new America!

In general, I like white pizza, but find it a bit dry. I wanted to do some sort of white pizza but with a sauce to keep it moist. I made my usual pizza dough recipe but added a 1/2 cup of parm for something different. The saltiness from the parm and the pancetta was enough, so don’t add too much to the squash purée. Here’s how I get ‘er done.

Serves 4

2lb butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 shallot minced

2 cloves of garlic minced

handful of basil

1 cup of parm

8oz fresh mozzarella

8oz ricotta

1 cup of pancetta - I had the precut stuff from Trader Joe’s. If you cut your own make sure it’s small and will cook easily on top of the pizza

Pizza Dough Recipe

Preheat oven to 500F

For Butternut Squash Purée:

1. In a large sauté or sauce pan, heat olive oil and add garlic and shallots. Sauté them for about 4 minutes. Add squash and let it get brown, about 8 minutes. Add about 1 cup of water and cover the pan. Let the squash cook until it’s tender and getting mushy.

2. Let the squash cool a bit. Transfer it to a food processor or blender. Add the basil. Blend the squash until it makes a thick purée. If it’s too thick add a tiny bit of water, or chicken stock.

3. Roll out your pizza dough to the size of your pan. Put the dough on the pan (this is important - you don’t want to be stuck with a heavy pizza on your counter and it rips during transfer.) Spread the butternut squash over the pizza, making sure not to get it too thick. Add the mozzarella, then ricotta, then sprinkle all over with parm. Finally, sprinkle the pancetta on top. Cook in your preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until brown and bubbly.

I had a butternut squash that had been in the fridge for a bit, and wanted to use it, and this soup is super simple, and I already had everything else in the pantry. This is a classic Martha recipe I use a lot, and it’s perfect for a cozy Sunday afternoon when it’s just starting to get cold. You can adjust the heat to your liking, but I put in just a tad more crushed chili than is called for and the heat balanced with the sweetness is great. If you don’t have palm sugar ( I had bought some in Atlanta at an Asian grocery store) just use brown sugar, about a tablespoon. If you make it a bit too spicy, add some sour cream to cool it down. Since this isn’t made with heavy cream, it’s a great veggie (use veg broth), wheat free, gluten free, dairy free dish you can serve for your most difficult eaters. Bon Appétit!

Risotto can seem intimidating, but it’s really just massaging your food, in between sips of wine. It’s actually quite theraputic. I really enjoy risotto, and this one has bacon, which is even better. The salty of the bacon, and the sweet squash is really nice. You don’t need a lot of this - it’s so filling, and we have A LOT left over. Risottos are also really impressive dishes, that really aren’t that difficult. You just have to pay attention, so it’s best made before a dinner party just because you can’t socialize and massage the pasta  at the same time. Also, this recipe doesn’t have the traditional amounts of butter and parm, and it’s less decadent and more hearty. Make sure you cook the squash enough and it’s done all the way through. This is also a great one dish dinner. Ok, enough good things, just try this.

Today I’m off to the Green Market for a class that tours the market then heads back to the Astor Center for a day long pasta making/wine pairing class. I’m expecting this to be a great day - good weather, good food, good people. Stay tuned for pics and review. I’ll also be posting a menu tomorrow - this week I”ll also be posting on Jamati.com so we’ll be doing African fare, which will be interesting!

Serves 6

Squash:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes peeled, seeded butternut squash (about 2 lbs)

1.5 teaspoons brown sugar (I just used raw sugar)

Risotto:

3 cups low salt chicken broth

3 cups beef broth (I used veggie broth)

1.5 tablespoons olive oil

3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

3/4 cup chopped shallots (about 5 large)

3/4 teaspoon finely chopped sage

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme

2 cups arborio rice

1/3 cup dry Riesling (I used Pinot Gris because it’s what I had on the shelf)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

Fresh Parm

1. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash. Sprinkle with sugar., then salt and pepper. Sauté 6 minutes. Cover: cook until almost tender, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Uncover: sauté until browned but still holding shape, about 8 minutes. Can be made 1 day ahead, refrigerate, but bring to room temp before using.

2. Combine chicken broth and beef (or veg) broth in large saucepan and bring to simmer: cover and set aside to keep warm.

3. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add bacon; sauté until beginning to brown. Add shallots. Sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Mix in sage and thyme; stir 1 minute. Add rice; sauté until kernels are white with translucent edges, about 4 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine evaporates, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup warm broth; simmer until broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. Add 1 cup broth; simmer until almost all liquid absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and cooking until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley and squash. Cook until squash is heated, about 1 minute. Serve, and grate cheese onto each plate.