Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 311

Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmesan Pizza.

I know, I know! I’m going overboard on squash. Butternut squash pizza?!

But it’s meatless Monday, can I use that as an excuse? Not that we need an actual excuse for butternut squash pizza, but you know. My overzealous use of this funky shaped squash might need a bit of explaining.

This is SO flavorful!

Let me give you some deets though. You kind of what your crust to be on the thinner side. Even a crispy crust or flatbread would be great. This would also be awesome on a store bought piece of naan or a pita too!

Since the squash is sort of like a pureed squash sauce of sorts, if you have a super thick crust, it’s just a LOT. Like a lot of carbs in one bite. Not in a nutritional way (but yes, that too!) but more in a mouth-feel way. So the thinner the crust, the better.

I was super inspired to make a pizza with a sauce base after making this butternut squash pasta sauce a few weeks ago. You guys are LOVING that stuff. It is ridiculously flavorful and very satisfying, so I get it. I love it!

I wanted to stretch the idea, but not using that exact sauce recipe. It wasn’t translating to pizza for me.

So instead, I roasted some butternut squash and then whipped it with parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and a touch of cream. Like a creamy squash base.

Trust me, it’s so good you will want to eat it with a spoon.

On top, we have lots of parmesan (get the GOOD STUFF), fresh sage and thinly sliced delicate squash half-moons. These add the perfect texture to the pizza and as long as you slice them very thin, they don’t have to be cooked ahead of time.

Butternut squash pizza just sounded like a parmesan sprinkled dream to me. In the fall, I crave that combination of butternut squash, parmesan and sage – but mostly with brown butter. I didn’t want to drizzle butter on my pizza (okay well to be honest OF COURSE I wanted to drizzle brown butter on my pizza but I held back) so I was pleasantly surprised that this combo still tasted out of this world.

It has to be the cheese.

Can’t ever live without the cheese.

Butternut Squash Pizza with Sage and Parmesan

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Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmesan Pizza

Yield: serves about 4

Total Time: 2 hours

This butternut squash pizza has all the perfect tastes of fall in a pizza! Creamy butternut squash base, sharp parmesan cheese, crispy, fresh sage – it’s all these and so super flavorful. It’s easy too!

Ingredients:

dough

1 1/8 cups warm water
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

pizza

1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash (in 1-inch cubes)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons cream or half and half
3 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
1/2 delicata squash, very thinly sliced with seeds removed
2/3 cup fresh sage leaves



Directions:

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape (sometimes I use baking sheets and do rectangles or free form pizzas – this specific dough will yield one pizza large enough to feed about 3-4 people) and place on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. (If I use my pizza stone, I heat my oven to 475 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. If you’re just using a baking sheet, follow the directions below for baking and set to 425 degrees.)

pizza

To make the squash, heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and add the cubed squash. Toss with the olive oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Roast until fork tender, about 30 to 35 minutes, tossing once or twice during cook time.

Once the squash is finished, let it cool slightly then transfer it to a food processor. Puree it with the garlic until whipped and smooth. Stream in the cream and parmesan cheese. It will be thick!

I like to brush the edges of my pizza dough with olive oil. Spread the squash base on the pizza dough. Top with the mozzarella, parm and delicata squash rounds (or half moons!). Top with the sage.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or around 15 to 20 minutes if using the pizza stone) until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove and sprinkle with extra sage and parmesan if you wish!

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







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And if you’re thinking I made a pumpkin version of this before, I sort of did!

The post Butternut Squash, Sage and Parmesan Pizza. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Pumpkin Fudge Brownies.

[This post is sponsored by Rodelle! I loooove their vanilla extract and it’s my favorite baking ingredient for these pumpkin brownies!]

Let’s talk about how to make friends this fall.

Serve some pumpkin brownies to everyone you know! Pumpkin fudge brownies, to be exact. They are a guaranteed conversation starter.

We are brownie lovers in this house. Actually, Eddie is more of a brownie lover than the rest of us. Sometimes on the weekends he makes a pan of brownies for himself! The thing is that we are not brownie snobs by any means: these days we find ourselves making a box mix and it’s not like it’s terrible? When it came to pumpkin brownies though, I had to go all the way.

But I may have ruined that easy brownie hack for us because this homemade brownie recipe is GOOD. These are fudgy and not cake-like (which is what I always prefer!) and then the pumpkin layer? Ooooh. It’s wonderful.

The only downside here for us is that Eddie *thinks* he doesn’t like pumpkin. A few weeks ago I made these brownies and then went out for the evening. I gave a bunch away but there were some left, sitting on the counter wrapped in the baking dish. Eddie texted me a photo and asked WHAT ARE THESE?!

I alllllmost didn’t tell him there was pumpkin inside. He was dying to have one but could kind of tell that it was pumpkin by the slight tint of orange. He must have been checking just in case? Who knows. Maybe he thought I lost my marbles (not a stretch) and made butternut squash brownies? Don’t tempt me. That may not be that far off.

So I was nice and truthful and told him that they were pumpkin fudge brownies, leaving all trickery aside. He didn’t take the risk of trying one which means I was then left with sooo maaaannnny browwwwnies.

I guess it’s a good problem to have?

Today I’m partnering with Rodelle again to tell you about their amazing vanilla extract and organic cocoa powder. This is the third year we are working together and I can’t even express how much I love these products. Their vanilla is top notch and their cocoa is just insane. You will love it! I swear this cocoa is what makes the pumpkin brownies so darn good.

These pumpkin brownies have a cheesecake-like pumpkin topping, but it doesn’t necessarily taste like pumpkin cheesecake. Between the brownies being super fudgy and the pumpkin layer swirled on top, they taste like the best autumn brownies ever.

And you know that I’m kind of light on the spice, because when it comes to pumpkin, I’m not a huge lover of spice. The pumpkin flavor though? I’m all over that.

I actually think Eddie could take a bite and love them. He may realize it’s pumpkin-flavored after the fact.

I’m realizing that my exclamation point usage is a bit insane in this post. It’s necessary though.

Because here’s the thing!

I love this treat for Thanksgiving because you can make it ahead of time. It’s not as fussy as pie if you’re a newbie to pie and you can sort of make these and forget about them! You can even make them a few days in advance and store them in the fridge. If you go that route, I would store the entire pan, unsliced, in the fridge until the morning of your meal. Remove, slice and let them come to room temperature.

Super easy, right? And you have so much more time to focus on fun entertaining things. They are a dream come true!

Pumpkin Brownies

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Pumpkin Fudge Brownies

Yield: makes one 9x13 pan of brownies

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

These pumpkin brownies have a fudgy layer of chocolate on the bottom and a silky layer of pumpkin on top! They are so delicious and rich and perfect for fall. The pumpkin brownies come together easily and can be made ahead of time too!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups Rodelle Organic Dutch Process Cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour

pumpkin layer

1 (8 ounce) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray.

In a bowl, whisk together the cocoa, salt and baking powder.

Hear the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until the it melts. Whisk in the sugar until it’s smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder mixture until combined. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla extract.

Whisk in the eggs until smooth, then whisk in the flour. Pour half of the mixture into the baking dish.

Make the pumpkin layer by beating the cream cheese in an electric mixer until it’s smooth and creamy. Beat in the rest of the ingredients until you have a smooth pumpkin batter and no lumps remain.

Top the brownie batter in the dish with the pumpkin batter. Drop the rest of the brownie batter into the pumpkin batter, using a knife or skewer to swirl it together.

Bake the brownies for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before slicing!

slightly adapted from king arthur

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







Did you make this recipe?

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I appreciate you so much!

The swirl just makes me so happy.

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Join Us for The Pretty Dish Book Club in November!

A new month and another fun few weeks of recipes from The Pretty Dish!

Happy November! We are chugging right along with this book that I love so much. Your support means everything to me! If you’re a new owner of The Pretty Dish, I’d love for you to join the book club this month.

If you haven’t joined our incredible community yet, grab your book and get on it! The only requirements are that you have a copy of The Pretty Dish so you can cook through the book with us. YAY.

You guys made so much fabulous food in October. You absolutely nailed it! In the secret facebook group, some of you have made over 100 recipes. I am literally blown away. Some of you have actually made the recipes more times than I have!

This month, we’re keeping things seasonal with a few fun bites thrown in. I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE YOUR RECIPES!

And now…

November Book Club Recipes!

Pistachio Lattes

Any Squash You Choose Shooters

Thai Peanut Acorn Squash

Fall Spiced Pesto

Coconut Risotto with Pineapple Chili Shrimp

Cheesy Baked Pizza Gnocchi

Chocolate Cupcakes with Bourbon Frosting

So much good stuff. I’m really excited to make the cupcakes again as it’s been well over a year since I last made them. And the gnocchi. And the lattes! Oh and the coconut risotto.

I just want all of it.

Remember, these recipes are just a guide for us to cook this month. You can make whatever you’d like! Members in the facebook group make tons of recipes and share them all daily, with tips and tricks and modifications for dairy free, gluten free, weight watchers points – everything. It’s incredible and fun and supportive and awesome. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

As a quick reminder, here’s how you can join The Pretty Dish Book Club:

get your book!
join the Facebook group! We’d love to have you!
share your creations in the Facebook group and on instagram all month long with the hashtags #theprettydish (using #howsweeteats helps too!)

Thank you guys so much for all of your support with the book! xo

P.S. YOU CAN FIND PAST BOOK CLUB ENTRIES HERE.

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Hasselback Butternut Squash, Two Ways.

[This post with is sponsored by McCormick ! I’m so excited to continue my partnership with them this season to bring you some amazing Thanksgiving dishes, starting with hasselback butternut squash!]

As if we couldn’t get enough of squash this time of year, now I’m making sure you hasselback them!

Hasselback butternut squash is my current favorite THING. If you’re a butternut squash freak like I am, then you are going to looooove this spin on the best basic vegetable of fall. You may just find yourself standing over the dish eating it with a fork – it’s that good.

I’m partnering with McCormick again this month to bring you some delish Thanksgiving side dishes!

Super pumped about this one because it’s one dish, two flavors – talk about twice as nice! You can make the entire dish in one pan, but spice things up with different flavors according to your preference! I’m quite obsessed with this idea for Thanksgiving because it checks all the boxes. Sweet and savory is always the goal at my table. Every day of the year!

I’ve been making hasselback squash since September and when I first shared them on insta stories, you guys were freaking out! I’m so excited to bring them back for Turkey Day because they’re actually easier to make than you would think. Making the slices can be tedious, but if you use this knife trick I talk about in the recipe, it’s SO much easier.

And honestly, since one side is flat, I think slicing the squash is much easier than slicing a potato. You know?

I’m no stranger to hasselback potatoes (remember these oatmeal cookie crumble sweet potatoes?!) and for someone who constantly gets bored with traditional dishes, I love that it’s a way to change things up but still keep the flavors that I adore.

Here we have two perfect flavors – one sweet, one savory – for Thanksgiving that can be made in a single sheet! One dish, two flavors. I’m into it. Everyone gets what they want.

And I get two flavors to suit whatever mood I’m in that Thanksgiving.

Some days call for sweet sides and others call for savory! Always. Who know hasselback butternut squash could cure that.

Let’s start with flavor number one: Maple Pecan.

Ooooh, there is something about maple right now that I’m loving. We start with a spiced version of the hasselback squash – using McCormick Ground Cinnamon and McCormick Ground Nutmeg. The glaze is made with pure maple syrup, butter and roasted pecans. It has texture and so much fall flavor, you won’t be able to stop.

Heck, it even tastes like dessert. I could eat it for breakfast. Can you say leftovers? The day after Thanksgiving will be legit.

For flavor number two, we’re talking brown butter sage. Only theeeee best combo to ever grace your autumn table. Squash + sage + brown butter is coming in a close second to classics like chocolate and peanut butter. The flavor combo is SO delicious.

To make this magic happen, I seasoned the squash with McCormick Black Pepper and McCormick Ground Sage, and drizzled the entire thing with brown butter.

If you want a fun garnish, fresh sage works and adds a touch of texture!

Gosh, I just LOVE THIS.

The best part is that while these flavors are completely different and can please everyone, they somewhat go together too. If one slightly spills into the other, it will still taste incredible.

Hello holiday season! We have arrived.

Hasselback Butternut Squash

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Hasselback Butternut Squash, Two Ways

Yield: serves 4 to 6

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

This hasselback butternut squash is perfect for Thanksgiving – and you can easily make it two ways! We have a maple pecan hassleback butternut squash and a brown butter sage hasselback butternut squash. Delicious!

Ingredients:

2 butternut squash, similar in size
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon McCormick Black Pepper

maple pecan

½ teaspoon McCormick Ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons chopped pecans

brown butter sage

½ teaspoon McCormick Ground Sage
¼ teaspoon McCormick Ground Nutmeg
½ cup unsalted butter



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice the squash down the center lengthwise. Remove the seeds from the inside and peel the outside. Place the squash on a baking sheet, cut-side down, and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the squash is tender enough to slice into.

Let the squash cool slightly until they are cool enough to manage. Place one squash on a baking sheet and lay a butter knife on each side. This will allow you to make slices in the squash without cutting the whole way through.

Make tiny slices in the squash about 1/8 inch apart. This takes some time, but looks so pretty! Gently place the squash back on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining squash.

Drizzle the squash with olive oil again. Sprinkle two halves with the cinnamon and the nutmeg. Sprinkle the other two halves with the sage and nutmeg. Roast the squash for 20 minutes.

While the squash is roasting this time, prepare your glazes. Place the butter, maple syrup and pecans in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then turn off the heat and let it cool.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







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I appreciate you so much!

Look at that flavor perfection!

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The How Sweet Eats Holiday Entertaining Guide!

It’s here, it’s here! The How Sweet Eats Holiday Entertaining Guide is my holiday gold.

For the last few months I’ve been working on an incredible holiday entertaining guide for you, and it’s finally here!

I have been waiting for this day forever. It’s the start of my favorite season and I get to share all of this with you. 

The How Sweet Eats Holiday Entertaining Guide is a bonus guide you get with an order of The Pretty Dish! Much like the bonus recipe book we did back in the spring, I wanted to create something amazing for you guys. Something that you can get when you gift The Pretty Dish this season. I’m also offering signed copies for gifts, so be sure to read to the end!

This guide is filled with all my little tips and tricks for entertaining, plus 16 (!!!) incredible brand new exclusive recipes. We are talking lemon crème brulee French toast, harvest pumpkin soup shooters, torn kale Caesar with bacon croutons, Christmas morning muffins and apple pie cider. I can’t even take how fantastic these recipes are!! They will MAKE your holiday season.

It’s 30 pages chock-full of holiday cheer.

Get Your Copy of The How Sweet Eats Holiday Entertaining Guide

If you’ve got your copy of The Pretty Dish, you can get your entertaining guide by heading here and entering your order number and info. The entertaining guide will be sent to you as a digital download immediately, so if you don’t see it in your inbox, be sure to check your junk folder.

I’ve also included a little entertaining cheat sheet and some of my go-tips for hosting over the holidays, whether it’s just a casual get together or a fancy dinner party. I love this so much! Here is just a sneak peek of some of the amazing recipes inside.

Super delicious, right? These recipe photos were all taken by Jess and I can’t even explain how beautiful she made the guide look. I love it. You have to go follow her on instagram to see her gorgeous content!

And something even MORE exciting!! From now through November 15, if you order a copy of The Pretty Dish, I’ll send you a signed book plate – or as many signed plates that you need for holiday gifts! To get your signed book plate, send your name, mailing address and info to theprettydishorders [at] gmail [dot] com. I will send you a personalized signed plate that you can stick in your book. This is an amazing way to get a signed copy of the book for yourself, your friends and your fam!

And that’s the start of this fabulous holiday season. I am SO excited about this guide and just over the moon about sharing it with you guys. I hope you love it! xo

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Homemade Spaghettios with Crunchy Manchego.

Yep we’re doing it today. HOMEMADE SPAGHETTIOS!

Otherwise known as the meal we can’t stop eating.

This is so good that it’s not even fair. You’re going to want to make it every night for dinner!

My friend Rachel introduced me to this recipe from Smitten Kitchen that is basically grown up spaghettios. It is SO delicious and some major comfort food, but it’s not entirely terrible for us and comes together so fast. I would see Rachel make that version on Instagram almost every single week and she constantly raved about how delicious it was. Eventually I got around to trying it and my mind was blown.

It tasted like childhood comfort food, in the best way possible. It literally tasted like homemade spaghettios, but a really delish adult version. And now I making it ALL the time.

We never really ate spaghettios as kids – remember, my mom had a major mental block against tomato soup so I’m sure that is why. And I don’t know if I ended up tasting them at a friend’s house or what, but eventually when I was old enough to open a can and dump it in a pot, I ate spaghettios a handful of times at home. And I LOVED them.

The thing is, I never really knew if spaghettios were pasta or soup. Which is it? It’s like pasta IN soup I guess? And funnily enough, that’s exactly how I feel about this recipe too. It’s both pasta AND soup.

P.S. I used this pasta shape right here. You can obviously use anything else that’s really tiny and cute.

I wanted to create a version like this without the chickpeas so Emilia could eat it. Homemade spaghettios that are super kid friendly. She loves beans and enjoys chickpeas, but I have to sort of cut or halfway mash the chickpeas right now since she still only has one tooth! And I am always afraid that I will miss one and she might choke on it. So a more soup-like version of the original recipe was born, and oh my gosh.

This is pure heaven in a bowl.

The only thing I didn’t do was make the finishing oil that is in the original recipe. It is DEFINITELY worth it for an even fancier version. Especially if you’re doing the chickpeas!

I mean, THIS is a hug in a bowl. I say that all the time about my soups and stews but there is no question here. Comfort food that tastes like old school comfort food. It makes me ridiculously happy.

To top it off, I sprinkled on some crunchy manchego cheese and oh my. I’m have an actual MOMENT with manchego. Then to go and make crispy manchego? Not sure where to begin. It’s super flavorful and dare I say it: life changing.

If you’ve been following along for a few years then you know why I’m posting this today. It’s Halloween! I’m such a sucker for traditions and I love the idea of grilled cheese and tomato soup before trick or treating. The past few years I’ve made a whole host of versions: grilled cheese sticks with tomato soup shooters, pumpkin soup with grilled cheese croutons, tomato cream pasta with grilled cheese crumbs. The options are endless!

So I had to add the manchego here. We might be missing the bread, but go and find yourself a nice piece of sourdough and you’re all set.

This is 100% in my weekly rotation for the rest of the year!

Homemade Spaghettios

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Homemade Spaghettios with Crunchy Manchego

Yield: serves 2 to 4

Total Time: 30 minutes

These homemade spaghettios are the ultimate comfort food! They come together in less than 30 minutes, are super easy and flavorful and topped with crispy crunchy manchego cheese that takes the taste over the top!

Ingredients:

2/3 cup finely grated manchego cheese
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, mined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon cooking sherry
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups tiny pasta, like ditalini, alphabet, etc
fresh herbs for garnish



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take 1 to 2 tablespoons of the finely grated manchego and place it in piles on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 to 2 inches in between each. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the manchego has melted and is bubbly. Cook completely on the baking sheet.

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and stir, cooking for 1 minute. Add in the tomato paste and stir, cooking for another 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the sherry and stock and stir until the tomato paste is dispersed through the stock and the mixture is smooth. Bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add in the pasta and stir. Cook, stirring often (the little pasta pieces can stick to the bottom or sides!) with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is fully cooked and the soup is a bit thicker. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve the soup into bowls. The manchego should be cool at this point and can easily be broken into pieces to thrown on top. Enjoy!

slightly adapted from smitten kitchen

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That bite though.

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Tuesday Things.

1. This is the best DIY pumpkin keg I’ve seen. Stunning.

2. Okay guys, who is totally freaking about the iPhone update where it shows you how much time you spend on your phone? Mine is averaging around three hours per day. Not awful but what kills me is that if I get up at night and feed Emilia, once I get back to bed, I’m awake and sometimes start looking at my phone… which occasionally lasts for an HOUR. The worst. I’m so curious – what is your screen time?!

3. I know that this means I should probably switch to a real alarm clock. Do they still exist? Kidding. Kind of. The post proves they do!

4. Eddie’s pumpkin carving skills are insane. He’s so talented when it comes to art. My only contribution to pumpkin carving is the secret hack to sprinkle cinnamon inside your pumpkin (and on the “lid) then use a vanilla candle inside. Smells like heaven on Halloween night!

5. Being an adult and homeowner totally stinks when you walk in the door at 11PM from a dinner to find your laundry room and basement flooded. It.was.the.worst. I thought I could clean it up on my own but it was way too overwhelming, so I had to wake up Eddie and I felt so bad because he gets up at the crack of dawn. Definitely a marriage building experience, haha.

6. TV favorites last week? This Is Us was meh. A Million Little Things is still SO good. I’m so glad so many of you also love it. Know what else I think is embarrassingly super cute? Splitting Up Together! I always DVR it and watch while editing photos.

7. What are you currently reading! I started Elin Hilderbrand’s newest and downloaded Anne Lamott’s newest last night!

8. Every year is different for me in terms of when I start listening to Christmas music. Sometimes I don’t start until December. Other years I start November 1st. This year is definitely the latter and come Thursday, it’s on.

9. Speaking of Thursday, I am launching an amazing holiday guide for you guys! Be sure to come back and check it out. I am SO excited about it.

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Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs.

‘Tis the season for comfort food!

And I’m really starting to ring in said season with pomegranate short ribs. Why have I waited so long to make this?

Yes I like pumpkin season. Yes I LOVE apple season. But I really adore pomegranate season. It’s mostly because pomegranates look like little autumn jewels and are just SO pretty (and the perfect edible décor) but also because their bright tart flavor is delicious.

I love that they can go sweet or savory. I mean, that’s my THING.

So!

You guys know that I usually do my short ribs in the slow cooker. I can’t be bothered with things like that that are tricky and take forever in the oven, because the minute I put it in the oven I’m convinced that I have to leave the house for some unimportant reason.

(I’m very fun to live with. Can’t you tell?)

While I still think that the slow cooker is an awesome option (because you really can set it and forget it), braising them right in the oven is excellent too. You get the same super tender, juicy, rich result. And it wasn’t as difficult as I thought. And it didn’t take ten years!

This might be my go-to preparation for short ribs from now on. I’m into it.

For the liquid base before braising, I used a bit of pomegranate molasses and some pomegranate juice. The combination it so good. I find that it really adds depth of flavor to the ribs. Rich, a bit tangy, some sweet – it has everything. And better yet, you don’t need booze. Most of the other short rib preparations I share use a red wine base. I wanted to try a version without using alcohol for braising and I am thrilled with this result.

And speaking of the actual ribs, I used boneless short ribs and might never go back to bone-in. These were so easy and gave us a lot of meat, whereas I find that using the bone-in ones often leave you with scraps of beef. There was so much flavor here!

I suggest asking the butcher to freshly cut a few pounds of boneless short ribs and you won’t believe how great they are.

What the heck to serve it with? I made a batch of my mascarpone polenta and, well, that was a freaking dream. Eddie was in HEAVEN. You could also serve it over grits or regular mashed or sweet potatoes. You could also put it in tacos!

Go-to fall meal right here, for sure.

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Pomegranate Braised Short Ribs

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 3 hours

These pomegranate braised short ribs are an incredible take on comfort food! Pomegranate juice and molasses are the base of the recipe and after braising, you’re left with tender, juicy and flavorful beef that is amazing served with polenta, potatoes or even in tacos.

Ingredients:

1 to 2 tablespoons canola or another high-heat oil
3 pounds boneless beef short ribs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

for serving, I suggest making a mascarpone polenta, gouda grits or use them for tacos!

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F,

Make sure the short ribs have been out of the fridge for about 30 minutes to take some of the chill off. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together the pomegranate juice and pomegranate molasses.

Heat a large oven-safe pot (that has a lid!) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil.

Dredge each short rib through the flour mixture, coating on all sides. Place it in the pot and sear on all sides until golden brown – just about 1 minute per side. You can do this in batches if necessary and add a touch more oil if needed. You don’t want a ton of oil because you don’t want the ribs swimming in it. Once the ribs are seared and all in the pot, add the pomegranate juice mixture. Cover the pot and stick it in the oven. Braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

After 3 hours, the ribs should be tender and falling apart. You can garnish them with some pomegranate arils if you’d like! I love to serve these with polenta, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes!

 

 

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Autumn Bruschetta Board.

[This post is sponsored by DeLallo Foods! I’m so excited to be partnering with them again to bring you some delicious recipes this year.]

Ooooh get ready! Today we are talking about the best ever autumn bruschetta board that has to happen in your life.

It’s the season for entertaining! And I cannot be more excited. In the next few months we have, like, seven parties at our house and I’m already in full planning mode, coming up with the best apps and snacks I can think of. Seriously, my recipe testing has been out.of.control.

And we’re starting with this bruschetta board because it’s like a big gem-toned platter of snacks.

The showstopper of this bruschetta board is the pomegranate relish. The arils are tossed with a cinnamon shallot vinaigrette and a few fresh herbs. They are good enough to eat with a spoon!

You could also use them as a savory topping on yogurt or hummus.

Seriously, it’s a bowl of the juicy jewels of fall.

I’m SO excited to be partnering with DeLallo Foods again today to bring you this board. Most of you know that DeLallo is in my back yard and we’ve shopped there forever, so it’s amazing to do collabs with them. Today, I’m talking about their jarred bruschettas… which, you guys? Are absolutely delish.

Growing up, one of my mom’s signature appetizers was a more classic version of bruschetta. She would toast the baguette slices and top them with a delish chopped tomato and garlic mixture, sometimes adding parmesan and throwing them back in the oven. It was SO good.

And because of that, I rarely wanted to use something in a jar for my bruschetta toppings. For a really long time.

But!

The roasted pepper bruschetta is unreal. It’s a slightly briney delicious version of the DeLallo roasted red peppers. I feel like I could eat an entire jar in one sitting, it is THAT good. We use it for everything. I’ve put it in omelets, I’ve used it in pastas. It’s so versatile.

Since I’m also an olive freak, I couldn’t pass up the olive bruschetta and added that to the board too..

Gosh, why are olives so good? I find them to be such a satisfying snack.

And if you’re local, of course I used their talonica bread (which is basically the best bread in the universe) for the toasts. So good.

I really wanted to make sure this didn’t turn into another giant cheeseboard, so I only went with ONE cheese that I really loved. Like do we really all need another cheese board? I mean, yes, I need all the cheese boards. But I roll my eyes at myself every time I want to make a cheeseboard and it’s just full of all the same things.

So here, the cheese is used more as a topping than a base. Extra roasted peppers, roasted salted pepitas, fresh ricotta (also from the store!), some grapes, spicy salami and blue cheese olives round out the board.

Everything here is absolutely fantastic. And doable! It’s not like one of my usual giant overwhelming cheese boards where you don’t even know how to start.

I know exactly where to start here and I’m about to eat all the things!

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Autumn Bruschetta Board

Yield: serves a crowd

Total Time: 30 minutes

This is the perfect autumn harvest bruschetta board to feed a crowd or serve at a party! The standout is pomegranate relish with a cinnamon shallot vinaigrette, lots of toasty bread, bruschettas, cheese and olives. Everything that’s delish!

Ingredients:

pomegranate relish

1 1/2 cups pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
fresh herbs for garnish (I like sage and oregano!)

bruschetta board

1 large baguette, sliced
1 wedge of your favorite cheese (I used a Sartori rosemary bellavitano)
1 jar DeLallo Foods roasted pepper bruschetta
1 jar DeLallo Foods olive bruschetta 
1 jar DeLallo Foods blue cheese stuffed olives
1 jar DeLallo Foods roasted red peppers
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 stick DeLallo Foods hot pepper dry cured sausage, thinly sliced
2/3 cup roasted, salted pepitas
fresh produce like grapes and shishito peppers, or apples or pears!



Directions:

pomegranate relish

Place the pomegranate arils in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the vinegar, molasses, mustard, shallot, garlic, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing in with the pomegranate arils. Toss in a few fresh herbs.

Reserve the remaining dressing and place it in a jar or bowl on the board for drizzling!

bruschetta board

I like to toast the baguette slices. To do this, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the slices on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown and toasty.

Arrange the board with the pomegranate relish in the center and the bread around. You can also add more fresh seasonal produce (like apples and pears!) or cheese. I like having everything in bowls so it’s easy to grab.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.







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I appreciate you so much!

p.s. you might need a straw for the vinaigrette.

The post Autumn Bruschetta Board. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Currently Crushing On.

Happy weekend! It’s officially Halloween weekend, right? I hope you’re doing something super fun!

Yesterday I shared my October beauty faves a little early in anticipation of the VIB sale that started this weekend. It’s the best time.

Also, be sure to come back later this week because I am launching something huge for the holiday season on Thursday! Eeeeep!

Oh oh and p.s. you can still grab my favorite Trader Joe’s cheeseboard recipe right here. So glad you guys are loving it.

Have a great weekend! xo

Favorites this week:

Bacon beer cheese broccoli cheddar soup. OMG OMG.

This coffee citrus salmon poke bowl sounds right up my alley!

Look at this Halloween skeleton charcuterie board. So creative.

Butterscotch pie? Something about this makes me want to dive in.

How cute are these spooky mummy pumpkin pop tarts.

This beet salad with chive dressing looks amazing.

Favorite of course: the best rice krispie treats!

Pumpkin queso. Enough said.

I’m loving this baked salmon with creme fraiche for a quick dinner.

How to set the prettiest holiday table! Insanely gorgeous.

Pumpkin energy bites! Hello.

And this pumpkin hazelnut tart with toasted marshmallow? Wowza.

And perfect pumpkin scones!

It’s Halloween time with dark chocolate malted martinis. Cheers.

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