Great Salad

As promised here is a great salad recipe. I believe it is from one of the issues of Fine Cooking magazine.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pear Salad with Spiced Pecan Vinaigrette

½ cup pecans coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
½ teaspoon of chilli powder
3 cups peeled and diced butternut squash
1/3 cup virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
salt
¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
6 cups mixed salad greens
1 small ripe pear halved, cored, and thinly sliced

Pre-heat oven to 450F
Put the pecans and butter in a square Pyrex dish and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the chilli powder and toss. Bake the nuts until toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the squash on a heavy duty rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil over the squash and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat. Roast the squash until browned on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Flip with a metal spatula and continue to roast until the squash is tender and nicely browned about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Put the shallots in a small bowl, cover with hot water and let soak for 15 minutes the drain.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil.

Combine the salad greens and shallots in a large bowl; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of salt. Drizzle just enough of the dressing over the salad to coat lightly and toss. Divide the greens among plates and scatter the pecans, squash, and pears over the greens. Drizzle a little more dressing if desired and serve.

New Quests and Quests Revisited

As we enjoyed our New Year's Eve supper, our discussion revolved around how many new recipes we had tried in 2009. Probably the most fun we had was experimenting with the various pizza recipes we gleaned from Peter Reinhart's book. We now usually make pizza once a week. It is fun and it is delicious. And then of course was the challenge to find the perfect chili recipe. With a few modifications I think the one posted on this site is one of the best. I have had quite a few friends try it and they loved it. What quest will be pursued in 2010? Well, definitely we will continue on our quest for the perfect pizza. The possibilities are endless. Also as an amateur chef I have never really been into desserts. So I may try my hand at a few sweet treats. I will certainly post my failures and triumphs. Also now that I have this whole blogging thing down pat I also hope to include many more photos and videos of my adventures. The best to everyone in 2010.

New Year's Eve

Well the meal was an unqualified success. The salad was outstanding. Maybe one of the best recipes out there. I will post it soon. And of course how can you go wrong with tenderloin and lobster tails. Absolutely delicious. This was my first attempt at making peach crepes. I was very happy with the outcome. Unfortunately I could not take any pictures since my daughter made off with my camera for her New Year's Eve in Montreal.