Winter Kale Salad with Squash

I went to a local Deli that I had recently discovered and they had a winter kale salad on the menu that I fell in love with.  Unfortunately, it was a seasonal and short lived item in the menu so I had to recreate my own version and I think mine is even better.

Salad

1 small Butternut squash

1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)

salt & pepper

1/2 cup 5 grain mix* cooked to package directions

2 cups chopped kale

1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley

reduced fat blue cheese to taste

1/4 cup mixture of sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds**

2 tablespoons home made vinaigrette 

Peel the squash and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.  Add the squash to a saute pan with the butter/oil,  season with salt and pepper, and cook covered over medium heat stirring occasionally until just tender but not mushy and falling apart. 

Clean and chop kale and parsley and toss with vinaigrette.

Layer greens, squash, blue cheese, seeds, and grains in a bowl respectively.  Enjoy 

Vinaigrette

I a small mason jar add 

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon mustard of choice

salt & pepper

Place lid on mason jar and shake up the dressing.

* The 5 grain mix I use has spelt, barley, rice, Kanut, and oats

**I actually used Good Sense Dietary snack mix that has sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, and raisins. 

  

Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

6 4 oz. pork loin chops
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
oil

In a small pan heat vinegar then add brown sugar, garlic, thyme and a little salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes until the sauce reduces slightly.  Set aside.
salt and pepper the pork, add 1 tablespoon of oil to hot saute pan.  Cook pork chops until browned on both sides and almost cooked through, add the sauce and cook pork in sauce for a few minutes until glazed and the pork is done to your liking.  we like ours medium well, not a follower of the cook pork until leather mind set.

Asparagus and Morel Tart

Store puff pastry brushed with egg and cream and topped with home grown asparagus, morels, and Parmesan cheese.  This was good but the other one I made like this but with caramelized onion was better.  Yum.

A new bathroom!

There is only one way to explain the bathroom before, brown, Brown, BROWN.  I was not a fan.

Hubby and I got to work to make the bathroom bright, all I could think was I wanted a bright bathroom, the opposite of what we had before!  Painted the brown ceiling white, the brown walls gray, replace the brown sink and toilet to white, and had a company come and for $265 had the ugly brown bathtub refinished in white.  I am so happy with my new bright bathroom.  however, we did not go to the expense of replacing the brown tile.

Morel Menu

My daughter and her friend found a mess of large Morels (73)  last weekend so the menu this week is all about those wonderful mushrooms.

• Morels and scallops 
• Morels over steak
• Morels in a cream sauce with linguine 
• Morels in puffed pastry with bacon and caramelized onions  
• Morels with chicken breast 

Menu Planner