Hearty Three Course Meal

Appetizer

Sun-Dried tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta

Serves 6

Prep time: 8 min

Cook time: 2 min

Total time: 10 min

Calories: 140

Ingredients:

• ½ (12 ounce) baguette, cut horizontally in half
• 2 tablespoons refrigerated pesto
• ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• ¼ teaspoon slat
• ¼ cup drained chopped oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

Directions:

1. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling on medium (substitute with oven if lacking grill, preheat to 350)
2. Meanwhile, brush cut sides of baguette with pesto. In a small bowl, combine ricotta and ¼ teaspoon salt
3. Place baguette on grill (if oven, place on greased pan), cut sides down, and cook about 2 min or until toasted. Transfer to cutting boards.
4. Spread ricotta mixture on grilled sides of baguette; top with sun-dried tomatoes. Cut each crosswise into 6 pieces.

Comments: This short and easy appetizer is cost affective and great for the holiday parties. The cheese can be made locally along with homemade bread from a farmers’ market.

~Morgan

Dinner

Recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup:

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 55 min

Total time: 1 hr 15 min

Yields 4 servings

 

Ingredients               

•  3 to 4 pounds of peeled and seeded butternut squash
•  2 yellow onions
• 2 peeled and cored McIntosh apples
• 3 tablespoons of good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 to 4 cups of chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 1/4 teaspoons of ginger (optional)
• maple syrup
•  bacon crumbles

*you will need a hand held immersion blender

                

      Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
2. Peel and cut the Butternut Squash and Apples
3. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil
4. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper (varying on your spiciness:)
5. Split up the squash and apple mixture between 2 sheet pans and spread it in a single layer
6. Roast them for 35-45 minutes until very tender
7. While the food is roasting, heat your chicken stock to a simmer
8. When roasted, put your food in to the stock with salt, pepper, and ginger (if desired)
9. Use a hand held immersion blender to mix until smooth
10. Taste and make your own adjustments
11. Top with bacon crumbles   

Calories per serving: 230

   

Comments: This is a quick and easy recipe that uses butternut squash, a delicious vegetable grown around us. Perfect for a warm treat in the winter time, this soup contains only 230 calories. Enjoy, and have a happy holiday!

 

-Marina Schaubach

Dessert

Peanut Brittle

Prep Time:10 Min

Cook Time:15 Min

Ready In:55 Min

Yields 16

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup peanuts
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking

Directions

1. Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.
2. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.
3. Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. With 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14x12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 143

Comments: Peanuts are a yummy ingredient grown locallyand fost famously in the Suffolk area. You can easily find peanuts at farmers markets in the grocery store,but if you want fresh peanuts then Suffolk is your place to go!