Author: stephanie.vokes

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cook elbow macaroni according to box directions in salted water, but cut the cook time 2 minutes short of al dente (approximately 7 minutes). Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain.
• While macaroni cooks, shred the cheeses, then add 1 cup each of mozzarella, monterey jack and sharp cheddar to a medium mixing bowl. Toss to combine. Reserve 1 cup of sharp cheddar for topping.
• After draining and while macaroni is still hot, add to bowl with cheese and mix gently to combine. Set aside.
• In a second bowl (large and microwave-safe), melt the butter in the microwave (approx. 30 seconds), then add the sour cream and milk. Whisk to combine.
• Next, add the eggs to the same bowl, whisking to combine until smooth.
• Drain the canned corn, then add to the same bowl, mixing to combine.
• In a separate small bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, mustard powder and cayenne pepper.
• Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the corn, whisking until smooth.
• Add cheesy macaroni to the bowl with the corn, and mix gently with a spoon until combined. Use reserved pasta water to thin out the consistency slightly if needed.
• Pour mixture into greased baking dish, and top with remaining sharp cheddar cheese.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown on top.

Roast the Spaghetti Squash

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, and scrape out the seeds. Brush the insides with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake cut-side up at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until noodles start to become tender but still have enough of a bite (it will finish cooking in the peppers, and you don't want it to become mush!). Set aside to cool while you proceed to the next steps.
• Once cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh with a fork until all the spaghetti squash strands have released from the outer layer. Leave the spaghetti squash in the halves until ready to mix into the filling.

Make the Basil Pesto

• In a small food processor or blender, combine all of the pesto ingredients, and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil if needed to loosen it up. Set aside.

Prepare the Peppers

• Using a small knife, carefully cut the tops off the peppers, and remove any seeds and membrane. Save the tops!
• Using the same knife, carefully cut a jack-o-lantern face out from each pepper as desired.
• Season the inside of each pepper with a sprinkle of salt.
• Place the peppers in a baking dish, and fill the bottom of the baking dish with 1 cup of water.

Prepare the Filling

• In a large, dry skillet, add the pine nuts over medium heat, and toast for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
• In the same skillet, cook the ground sausage over medium high heat until browned, breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 5-7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium, then add the minced garlic and shallot, and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
• Add the broth and shredded cheese, and stir to combine until mixed through and creamy.
• Add in the cooked spaghetti squash and lemon juice, and stir to combine.
• Remove pan from heat, then fold in the toasted pine nuts and basil pesto. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Stuff each pepper with the filling, and place the pepper tops on top.
• Cover the baking dish with foil tightly, and bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees F, or until peppers are tender.

Make the Sourdough Brown Butter Croutons

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the sourdough slices on the prepared baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a cutting board.
• Cut the toasted sourdough slices into 1 inch cubes. Turn oven temperature up to 350 degrees F.
• In a large frying pan (light colored pan is best), melt the butter over medium heat, then add the sage leaves. The butter will start to foam, and after the foam dissipates you should start to see lightly browned specks forming at the bottom of the pan. Stir continuously to avoid burning. Keep an eye on the sage, and remove with a slotted spoon if it starts to get too crispy before the butter is ready. Place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• After about 5-8 minutes, the butter should have turned golden brown, with a very nutty aroma. Turn off the heat, remove the sage leaves if you haven't already, then immediately add in the sourdough cubes and toss quickly to combine (the bread will soak up that butter fast, so you want to mix quickly and thoroughly to evenly disperse brown butter).
• Return sourdough cubes to baking sheet, sprinkle with flakey sea salt, and bake for 6-8 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown. Set aside.

Roast the Squash

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, and prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Halve the butternut and acorn squash, remove the seeds and pulp, and brush with olive oil. Season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper and cinnamon over each half.
• Roast squash cut-side up for 40-50 minutes, or until fork tender.
• Remove from oven, and set aside to cool while continuing to make the soup base.

Prepare the Soup Base

• After the squash is in the oven, peel and dice the carrots, yellow onion and apples, and then peel and mince the shallot and garlic. Peel the ginger piece.
• Heat butter in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, then add the carrots and yellow onion. Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp salt. Cook until tender, about 7-8 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium, then add the garlic and shallot. Using a microplane, grate the ginger in. Stir to combine, and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
• Add in diced apple, rosemary, thyme, sage, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper. Stir to combine.
• Add in broth, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, or until roasted squash is out of the oven and cool enough to handle. Stir occasionally.

Add the Squash and Finish the Soup

• Once roasted squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh and add to your soup pot. Stir to combine.
• Blend soup using an immersion blender, or add to a blender in batches. Return soup to pot if blender was used.
• Stir in 1/2 can of full fat coconut milk, and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Ladle soup into a bowl, top with a drizzle of coconut milk, dash of cinnamon, sourdough brown butter croutons and a fried sage leaf.

Roast the Green Pepper Puree Vegetables

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Cut yellow onion into large wedges, and leave poblano and serrano peppers whole.
• Line a baking sheet with foil, then toss the peppers and onion in 2 Tbsp avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then roast for 7 minutes.
• After 7 minutes, remove pan from oven, add whole, unpeeled garlic cloves, toss in the oil, and return pan to oven for an additional 7-8 minutes, or until there is a light char to the peppers and onions, and the garlic is slightly brown and roasted.
• Remove pan from oven, place peppers on a plate and cover with plastic wrap, and let steam for 5-7 minutes. Let the onions and garlic cloves cool.

Prepare the Cauliflower Rice

• While the veggies roast, and before using the food processor to create the puree, add the cauliflower chunks to the food processor, and pulse until rice-like consistency (mine took about 25-30 pulses). Set aside in a bowl, and rinse & dry the food processor bowl.

Make the Quick Pickled Red Onions and Jalapeños

• In a small saucepan, bring apple cider vinegar, water, coconut sugar and salt to a boil. Add the red onions and jalapeños, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Finish the Green Pepper Puree

• After steaming, carefully peel the skin off each pepper and remove stems. Seed the serrano peppers if desired for less spice (I would recommend seeding at least one). Peel the garlic.
• Add the poblano peppers, serrano peppers, yellow onion and garlic to a food processor, and blend until combined. Scrape down the sides as needed with a spatula, add the lime juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and blend until mixed through. Set aside.

Prepare the Veggie Mixture

• In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp avocado oil over medium high heat, then add the sweet potato, red bell pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp cracked black pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender, stirring every few minutes. If you need more moisture in the pan, deglaze with a splash of broth or water as needed.
• Add in the riced cauliflower, with an additional 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and cook for 3-5 minutes until just barely tender and warmed through (you don't want to overcook cauliflower rice, or it will get mushy).
• Remove from heat, then stir in fresh cilantro and 1/4 cup of the green pepper puree. Stir to combine.

For Serving

• Divide riced cauliflower and veggie mixture between 4 bowls, top with pickled red onion and jalapeno, a large spoonful of black beans, additional green pepper puree, pepitas, and finish with more fresh cilantro.

Cook the Chicken

• Pat chicken dry, and season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Add 2 tbsp of oil from giardinera to a medium skillet over medium heat, then add chicken and cook for 10-12 minutes per side, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
• Let chicken cool, then give it a small dice (or whatever your preference is for chicken salad - you can also shred it).

Make the Garlic Mayo

• While chicken is cooking, prepare the garlic mayo (you can shortcut these steps by using store-bought mayo, and adding minced garlic to it).
• Smash and peel the garlic cloves, and give them a rough chop. Add to a food processor.
• Half the lemon, and squeeze the juice into a food processor.
• Add the room temperature egg to the food processor, and mix until smooth. (if your egg isn't room temp, put it in a glass with warm water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes).
• With the food processor on, very slowly pour in the olive oil until combined.
• Add salt, pepper and extra lemon juice to taste, and mix to combine. Set aside 1/2 cup for the chicken salad, and store any extra in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Prepare the Chicken Salad

• To a large mixing bowl, add the diced chicken, 1/2 cup of garlic mayo, drained giardiniera, oregano, celery seed, and salt and pepper to taste (remember that giardiniera can be pretty salty itself!). Mix to combine, and refrigerate while preparing the sandwich rolls.

Prepare the Sandwich Rolls

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut the sandwich rolls in half, and brush the cut sides with oil from the giardinera.
• Place cut side down on the baking sheet, and bake for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, flip the sandwich rolls, and place a thin slice of provolone cheese on each half.
• Return to the oven, and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese has started to melt.

Assemble the Sandwiches

• Spoon about 3/4 cup of chicken salad on the bottom half of sandwich roll (more or less depending on size of your rolls), and press top half over it. Cut in half if desired.

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
• Combine cubed beef, salt, pepper in a large bowl, and toss to combine. Sprinkle the tapioca flour over the top, and toss to coat.
• Heat avocado oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Once shimmering, add the beef, and brown on all sides (about 5-6 minutes total). Set beef aside.

Make the Cream of No Mushroom Soup

• Deglaze the dutch oven if needed with a few splashes of vegetable broth, and reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft and onions are translucent.
• Sprinkle tapioca flour over the onion/garlic mixture, and whisk to combine. Toast mixture for 1-2 minutes.
• Add vegetable broth, whisking continuously to combine until there are no lumps. Then, add coconut milk, sage, thyme, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return mixture to dutch oven.

Add Onion Soup Mix and Festbier

• Combine all onion soup mix ingredients in a small bowl, then add to dutch oven along with beer. Whisk to combine.
• Add beef back to dutch oven, and top with bay leaves and thyme sprig. Cover, and cook in oven for 2.5 hours at 300 degrees F.

Add in Vegetables

• After 2.5 hours, remove from oven, discard the bay leaves and thyme sprig, and add the potatoes, celery and carrots. Stir to combine. Return to oven and cook for an additional 1 hour at 300 degrees F.
• Divide between bowls, top with chopped parsley, and serve (preferably alongside a Festbier!) Cheers!

Prepare Curried Lemon Aioli

• In a small bowl, combine mayo, lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice to taste. Set aside.

Prepare Brussel Sprouts

• In a frying pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp coconut oil.
• Add the brussel sprouts cut-side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes undisturbed until golden brown.
• Add more coconut oil if needed. Flip brussel sprouts, and add garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss to combine, and cook an additional 5 minutes until tender.
• Turn off the heat, and squeeze lemon juice over the brussel sprouts. Toss to combine.
• Serve with drizzle of curried lemon aioli over the top.

Prepare the Pecan Crumble

• In a small bowl (chilled is best so the coconut oil doesn't get melty), combine the coconut oil, almond flour, chopped pecans, coconut sugar, cinnamon and salt with a fork. You're looking for a crumbly mixture. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Prepare the Muffins

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, and prepare a muffin tin with parchment paper or muffin liners.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, ground cloves, baking soda and salt. Whisk together until well combined.
• In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs and coconut sugar with a hand mixer. Add the canned pumpkin, almond milk, vanilla and coconut oil, and mix until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and use hand mixer to combine.
• Add chopped sage and mix to combine.
• Divide batter evenly between 12 muffin tins, then top evenly with the pecan crumble mixture. Lightly press the crumble into the muffin batter.
• Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the crumble is lightly browned on top.

Bacon Gravy

• Cook bacon in medium saucepan over medium high heat, then set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
• To the bacon grease, add the garlic and shallot, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Slowly add flour, whisking until combined. Toast the flour for 1-2 minutes, then reduce heat to medium low.
• Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously until thickened.
• Crumble bacon into the gravy, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Brown Butter Biscuits

• Preheat oven to 425, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the brown butter in chunks, and pulse until just combined (about 12 pulses). Slowly pour the milk in, pulsing until just combined.
• Press or roll out dough to 1/2-3/4 inch thick, and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter.
• Gather any dough scraps together, press or roll out, and cut out more biscuits. Repeat with any remaining dough.
• Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and bake 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
• Slice in half, and serve with bacon gravy and chives over the top! Add eggs and bacon if desired. You will likely have biscuits leftover!