Fall Flavors: Harvest Spinach Salad

My Harvest Spinach Salad is loaded with fall favorites like butternut squash, chopped apples, pecans, cranberries and couscous.  It's the perfect side salad this fall.

Harvest Spinach Salad

I have the perfect side salad that's easy to make and has all the fall flavors.  It has no fuss ingredients you crave:  chopped apples, pecans, dried cranberries, roasted butternut squash, couscous, and spinach.  Plus it's all doused with with an apple cider vinaigrette.  

Here are some occasions that this salad would be perfect for:

• Side Salad with weekday dinners
• fall picnic
• entertaining friends
• Friendsgiving 
• Thanksgiving 

There is a little prep work to roast the butternut squash and cooking the couscous,  however, you can use leftovers if you have them, or cook them on the weekend and store them until ready to use during the week.  The salad has it all going on, flavors, crunch, savory, and sweet.  This is one heck of a salad!

What Ingredients do I need?

Produce
Butternut squash 
Apples

Baby spinach

Nuts and Dried Fruit
Pecans
Dried Cranberries

Grains

Israeli couscous

Pantry Items

Olive Oil

Apple Cider Vinegar

Dijon Mustard

Garlic cloves

Substitutions and Variations

• Change up the salad greens:  Use any dark leafy green such as kale, red leaf lettuce, arugula, or swiss chard

• Try a different squash: Use roasted acorn or kabocha squash. Or go with roasted sweet potatoes

• Change up the fruit:  Pears would be a great substitute

• Any nut will work:  Think pepitas or pumpkin seeds, walnuts, almonds - or go nut free

• Change up the dried fruit:  go with raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, or even apricots

• Try a different grain:  bulgur, farro, or quinoa would all be great choices

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• Butternut squash can be bought pre-cut in to cubes in the produce section

• Apples come in many varieties:  try Gala, Jazz, or Golden Delicious

• Israeli couscous aka pearl couscous are the larger balls of semolina.  Moroccan and North African dishes contain the more popular small couscous.  This is actually a pasta and not a grain. 

• Make Ahead:  batch cook your couscous and roast your butternut squash on the weekend and then refrigerate until you make the salad during the week.

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Harvest Spinach Salad

serves 2

4 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked Israeli couscous, cooked according to package directions (1/2 cup dry couscous)
1 - 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, chopped
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
1/3 cup pecans
3 Tablespoons dried cranberries

Vinaigrette

1/4 olive oil

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tsp garlic, minced

pinch of salt & pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Add your chopped and cubed butternut squash to a baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil.  Bake about 30 minutes until golden brown and soft.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile cook your Israeli couscous according to the package directions in a pot on the stove.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Make dressing:  in a small bowl or mason jar add all the vinaigrette ingredients and whisk or shake vigoursly until well combined.

To assemble salad:  In a medium bowl add spinach, apple, butternut squash, couscous, pecans, and cranberries.  Drizzle with salad dressing and toss to coat.  Serve.

Fall Flavors: Mom's Pumpkin Dump Cake - Family Size

There isn't an easier cake to make than a "dump cake" and my mom's Pumpkin Dump Cake will remind you of eating pumpkin pie with a cobbler topping.  

Mom's Pumpkin Dump Cake - Family Size

The ever so popular "Dump Cake" has made a comeback in recent years.  I was digging through my mom's old had written recipes the other day when I came across her Pumpkin Dump Cake.  I remember her making dump cakes way back when....(I'm not going to date myself and tell exactly how many decades ago that was!) and to tell you the truth I haven't made one in ages myself.  Her recipe is for an 8x8 square pan.  Most dump cake are very large in a 9x13, but this one is just right, family style.  You won't have cake around for days and in my book that is a good thing.

I've got to say, this has to be the easiest way to make a cake, other than just using a box.  But's it's better than the box, trust me.  You create this pumpkin base that's spiced just right and then layer on some yellow box cake mix, chopped pecans, and melted butter.  In the oven it goes and out comes a dessert that is like pumpkin pie on the bottom (no crust though) with a cake-ish crunchy topping similar to a cobbler.  Eating this warm with a little whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is HEAVEN!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• Pumpkin puree – For this recipe, you want regular canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.

• Evaporated milk 

• Brown and White sugar 

• Eggs  

• Pumpkin Pie spice – See below for my recipe if you want to make your own blend.

• Salt 

• Yellow cake mix (any boxed variety)

• Butter 

• Pecans

• Whipped cream (for serving) 

Substitutions and Variations

• Try a different flavored cake mix. Try white, spiced cake, or butter pecan. All would work well.

• Skip the nuts. Not a fan of pecans? While I love the crunch nuts add to the topping, you can easily leave them out if desired.

• Change up the toppings. Try chocolate chips or chocolate shavings on the top.

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• You can get away with using one bowl for this cake, although I have been know to mix up the pumpkin batter directly in my baking pan!

• Make sure that the middle of the cake is "set" and not jiggly.  

• If you cake is browinging too quickly before the middle is set, cover with aluminum foil.

• Make sure to wait at least 20 minutes for the cake to cool and the filling to set up before cutting.

• Keep leftovers in the refrigerator as you would a pie.

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Mom's Pumpkin Dump Cake

Family size 8x8 - serves 6-8

15 oz can pumpkin purée
6 oz or 3/4 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 of a 1 box yellow cake mix
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1 stick or 1/2 cup butter, melted
whipped cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick spray.

Combine the pumpkin purée, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin spice, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture into your cake pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of the package of  cake mix (eyeball it).  The pumpkin should be completely covered.  Sprinkle pecans over the top of the and then drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix.  

Bake for 40-50 until golden brown and the center of the cake looks set.  If you stick a toothpick in the cake portion there should be little to no crumbs on the toothpick when you remove it.   Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Let cool for a 20-30 minutes to set.  Serve with some whipped cream if desired.  

Easy Fall Weeknight Meals: Piri Piri Turkey Meatballs with Shepherd Salad

Using flavors from the famous Portuguese Piri Piri sauce my Piri Piri Turkey Meatballs with Shepherd Salad is a weeknight wonder!

Piri Piri Turkey Meatballs with Shepherd Salad

I used to never make meatballs until I found out how simple they are and how creative with flavors you can get.  What is Piri Piri anyway?  It's a spice or sauce the Portuguese use in dishes that is a wonderfully fiery mix of red chilies and spices with citrusy notes.  This one is for all my spicy lovers!  This dish has a little bit of heat, but tastes so good.

The meatballs are made with a healthier ground turkey and are broiled.  They is served with a simple salad of cucumber and cherry tomatoes, along with a flavored yogurt.  Serve over rice and some pita on the side and you have one great meal!

Enjoy!

What Ingredients do I need?

• ground turkey
• egg
• fresh pita bread
• piri piri spice blend - I use this one
• roasted vegetable pesto
• greek yogurt
• cucumber
• cherry tomatoes
• garlic
• cilantro
• red wine vinegar

Substitutions and Variations

• Use ground beef, chicken, or lamb if you prefer

• Use roasted red pepper pesto instead

• Serve with roasted potatoes or mashed potatoes, instead of rice

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• You will use a small part of the pitas to make a panade.  This is a combination of bread and egg that will be folded in to the ground meat, keeping it moist and tender.

• The salad and yogurt sauce can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

• Broilers vary, so watch the meatballs and the pita closely when cooking them under the broiler.

• Make sure to use an oven safe skillet when you broil the meatballs.  Cast iron is perfect for this use.

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Piri Piri Turkey Meatballs with Shepard Salad

serves 4

1 lb ground turkey
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Piri Piri spice, divided use
1/3 cup roasted vegetable pesto
1/4 cup greek yogurt
2 pitas
1 English cucumber, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large clove garlic, minced, divided use
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped, divided use
3/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

In a medium bowl, combine vinegar and 2 tablespoons oil.  Add peppers,  cucumbers, and a pinch each salt and pepper; toss to combine. Let stand, stirring occasionally.

Preheat broiler with top rack 6 inches from heat source.  Cut each pita in half, then cut a 1-inch thick strip from two of the cut sides of the halves.  Finely chop the pita strips.  In a medium bowl, combine the egg and chopped pitas, mashing with a fork to combine.  Add turkey, salt, ½ teaspoon of the piri piri seasoning, ¼ teaspoon of the chopped garlic, and a 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir to combine.  Shape into meatballs (about 2 tablespoons each).

Transfer meatballs to a medium ovenproof skillet. (I used a cast iron skillet)  Broil meatballs on the top oven rack until browned, 4–8 minutes (watch closely, as broilers vary). 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine roasted vegetable pesto, ⅔ of the cilantro, and ½ teaspoon of piri piri seasoning. 

When meatballs are browned, spoon sauce over meatballs.  Broil on top rack until sauce is warm, 1–2 minutes more.

Brush reserved pitas all over with oil. Broil directly on top oven rack until lightly browned, 1 minutes (watch closely). Remove pitas to a cutting board, and slice into wedges.

In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, remaining chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon water, and a pinch each salt and pepper. Stir remaining cilantro into the salad.  Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle meatballs and sauce with olive oil.  Serve meatballs over hot cooked rice if desired, top with a dollop of yogurt,  salad and pita wedges on the side.