Bready or Not: Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad
Bready or Not has featured a whole lot of sweets in recent weeks. Let’s switch to something delicious and healthy instead: Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad.
This still has a little bit of sweetness going on. Butternut squash is naturally awesome that way, and a sprinkling of cranberries adds some extra oomph. Add some pecans for crunch and feta because CHEESE, and this creates a bowl of happiness. The quinoa adds protein and kinda enjoys the ride along with all the other flavors.
I cobbled this together from several other recipes. I wanted something that I could invest some time in and then use as a quick-fix dinner for several more days. I parcel it into three or four containers, depending on the size of the squash, and my meals are set! Or, you could use this as a gluten-free main dish or side dish to feed a group.
I can offer a few useful tips, too. I cook quinoa in my Zojirushi rice cooker. One cup of uncooked quinoa makes a LOT once its cooked, more than my salad recipe requires, but cooked quinoa keeps well in the fridge and can also be frozen and thawed weeks later without any issue.
If you’re intimidated by cutting butternut squash, there is a safe and easy way to do it!
Next week’s Bready or Not officially kicks off my October-November tradition of pumpkin and autumn-themed recipes! Time to bust out the stretchy pants.
Bready or Not: Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash
- olive oil or avocado oil
- sprinkle pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- feta cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 425-F.
- Line a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spread out the chopped squash and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle spices of choice and some salt. Roast squash for 20 minutes.
- While the squash is roasting, measure out the cranberries and place in a small bowl. Cover the cranberries with water and let them soak. Measure out the pecans.
- When the 20 minutes is up, toss the squash in the pan. Drain the water from the cranberries, discarding water. Add the plumped cranberries and pecans to the squash, and season more, if desired. Cook another 10 minutes or so, until butternut squash is fork tender with roasted coloration.
- Transfer the pan's contents to a large bowl. Gently stir in the quinoa. Serve hot or stash in fridge for later, and heat with microwave. Add sprinkle of feta just before serving.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Cato BBQ Rib Rub
Today I’m providing my personal favorite, tested-a-gazillion times rub recipe for pork ribs.
How you cook the ribs is up to you. My husband has a smoker, so he smokes these things for hours for delicious, succulent results.
However, using this rub, you could barbecue ribs on a grill, or bake them in the oven. The choice is yours!
The amounts stated in this recipe will cover about 5 pounds of meat. If you have leftover mix that hasn’t been in contact with raw meat, jar it and save it for later. You can also double or triple the recipe with that in mind.
I have made this with several types of paprika. I favor smoked paprika, but all kinds worked well. I have also made this with fresh oregano and dried. You could certainly substitute or add other herbs, too.
Whenever I find ribs on a good sale, we use this recipe. It’s one we often make for when company comes over, too. Everyone leaves full and happy!
Bready or Not: Cato BBQ Rib Rub
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons paprika any variety
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar packed
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano or 1/2 Tablespoon fresh oregano
- 1 Tablespoon ground coffee
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Combine rub ingredients well, making sure to break up any clumps. Coat the meat, front and back.
- Cook ribs as desired: smoke, grill, or bake.
- OM NOM NOM!
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Bready or Not: Crock Pot Green Chile Chicken
My slow cooker is my friend, and in this case my friend heats up some fantastically flavorful chicken that’s good in all sorts of dishes!
This recipe is a cousin to my Verde Pork Loin one. Both make a great protein for salads (my preference), tacos, burritos, casseroles, and likely all other sorts of stuff.
Don’t be afraid of the chiles here, either. I was for years. A standard can of green chiles is pretty mild and adds a punch of flavor. If you’re feeding people who can take the heat, by all means, use the hot version! We favor the Hatch brand because my husband used to live in Las Cruces, near the Hatch Valley; it’s good to support New Mexico products, in any case.
And yes, you can make this with chicken breasts or tenders, but there’s greater risk of the meat drying out. I much prefer to use boneless thighs in the crock pot.
Modified from The Perfect Pantry.
Bready or Not: Crock Pot Green Chile Chicken
Ingredients
- 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 16 ounces verde salsa
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 ounces Hatch green chiles canned, mild or hot
Instructions
- Cut the chicken thighs into thirds and place in a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. Pour the salsa over them, followed by the garlic, cumin, and canned chiles. Give it a stir then pop the lid on.
- Cook on low for 4 to 5 hours; if the chicken was still a little frozen, cook on high for an hour or so to speed the process. Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken pieces, and shred or cut them into chunks. Place back in crock pot to soak in juice for another 20 minutes.
- Serve chicken on a plate, or in burritos, tacos, salads, or just about anything. Freezes fantastically for later dining.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Verde Pork Loin
Since March is all about green, let’s start off the month with some colorful meat! This verde pork loin recipe, originally posted at the Holy Taco Church, creates delicious and versatile protein.
My slow cooker is one of my best friends, a friend that cooks up loads of food to feeds us for days. It works miracle when I’m writing on a deadline. This meat recipe reminds me a lot of posole, that luscious green Mexican stew.
This dish, though, focuses on the meat. This lets you be flexible. You can eat it on a plate with a vegetable side. Or on a salad. Shred it in tacos, burritos, or in a nice oozy quesadilla. Throw it on a Mexican pizza, or load it on nachos.
With good, tasty meat, you can find your bliss in many ways.
Plus, this is great to freeze in a larger dish or in personal portions. Make it last as long as possible!
Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Verde Pork Loin
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 pound boneless pork loin shoulder works, though it's much fattier
- 15 - 16 ounce salsa verde jar green salsa
- cumin
- salt
- pepper
- yellow onion or white onion
Instructions
- Slice onion and place it in bottom of crock pot. Trim excess fat from pork and place it atop the onion. Sprinkle with cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour the full jar of salsa over the meat.
- Cook in crock pot for 8 to 10 hours on low, or 4 to 5 hours on high. About 30 minutes before eating time, shred the pork. Make sure it's all submerged in the sauce and keep on warm setting until meal time.
- This verde pork is awesome in taco shells, tortillas, salads, quesadillas, enchiladas, Mexican pizza, etc. It makes for happy leftovers, too.
- OM NOM NOM!
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Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
There are a lot of slow cooker chicken and dumpling recipes out there, but I sought out one that makes everything from scratch. I made it, tweaked it, and loved it… so here it is!
There is just something about chicken and dumplings on a cold winter’s day. It is soul food. The recipe I made for years required me to basically camp by the stove for two hours. I wanted something a lot more convenient.
Most of the slow cooker recipes for this use lots of canned stuff and grocery store biscuits. I found a from-scratch recipe on How Sweet Eats and have tweaked it to use less broth, more seasoning, and boneless thighs. I find thighs work a lot better to the crock pot since they are less likely to dry out over the long cooking period.
If you’re in need of something to warm your gullet and your soul, make this. The leftovers are darn good for the next few days, too, with or without the dumplings.
Modified from How Sweet Eats.
Bready or Not: Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1/2 sweet onion diced
- 1 cup baby carrots whole and halved
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 1/2 - 3 pounds boneless chicken thighs cut into halves
- salt and pepper
- 40 ounces low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup half & half or milk
dumplings
- 1 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
- herbs to taste parsley, basil, etc
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup half & half or milk
Instructions
Start the chicken
- In the bottom of a 5 or 6 quart crockpot, layer the diced onion half, carrots, and garlic. Lay the chicken thighs on top and season them with salt and pepper.
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once it's melted, whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes to create a roux. Once it's golden in color, add 2 cups of chicken broth. Mix it well as it rises to a boil; it'll thicken considerably.
- After about 4-5 minutes, pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetables. Add the remaining chicken broth/stock. Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours.
Add the dumplings
- Change the slow cooker to high heat. Shred or cut up the chicken; it's okay if it's not fully cooked since it has more time to cook. Stir the half & half into the crock pot, and put the cover on again as you make the dumplings.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, herbs, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Use a fork or fingers to crumble in the butter until it's evenly dispersed. Add in the half and half or milk until a sticky dough forms.
- Use a tablespoon to dollop the dough into the crock pot. Cover and cook for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The dumplings will expand to cover the top. The dumplings are cooked when they are soft and no longer raw and sticky in the middle.
- Serve immediately. Leftovers are fantastic heated in the microwave. If you need to make more dumplings, use the same recipe again and heat the leftovers and fresh dough on the stovetop.
- OM NOM NOM!
Bready or Not Guest: Bryan Thomas Schmidt with Pizza Loaf
I’m happy to welcome Bryan Thomas Schmidt to Bready or Not today! I have come to know him well as an editor–he’s editing two Baen anthologies that’ll include my work–but he is foremost a writer. His novel The Worker Prince was just released by WordFire Press. Find out all about his science fiction novel, and continue reading the post to find his traditional family recipe for a quick ‘n easy Pizza Loaf.
WordFire Press proudly presents the debut novel of Hugo-nominated editor Bryan Thomas Schmidt, which received Honorable Mention on Paul Goat Allen’s Year’s Best Science Fiction Releases of 2011 at BarnesandNoble.com, alongside books by Ben Bova, Robert J. Sawyer, Jack Campbell, Ernest Cline and more.
What if everything you thought you knew about yourself and the world turned out to be wrong? Freshly graduated from the prestigious Borali Military Academy, Davi Rhii, Prince of the Boralian people discovers a secret that calls into question everything he knew about himself. His quest to rediscover himself brings him into conflict with his friends and family, calling into question his cultural values and assumptions, and putting in jeopardy all he’s worked for his whole life. One thing’s for sure: he’s going to have to make decisions that will change his life forever… Welcome to the book that captures the feel of the original Star Wars like no other—engaging characters, entertaining banter, non-stop action, Moses meets Star Wars… The Worker Prince.
PIZZA LOAF by Glenda Schmidt
Ingredients:
1 1 lb loaf of French bread or 4 long Italian rolls
Softened butter or margarine (optional)
3/4 lb Ground Beef
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Salt (optional)
1/8 tsp Pepper
1 1/2 tbsp Minced Onion (real onion preferred)
1 1.2 6 oz cans Tomato Paste
1/4 cup Black or Green Olives, sliced (optional)
2 Ripe Tomatoes, thinly sliced (optional)
8 slices Processed Cheese (your choice)
Cut French bread or rolls in half lengthwise and spread butter or margarine across the exposed inside.
Combine beef, Parmesan cheese, seasonings, minced onion, olives and tomato paste in mixing bowl.
Spread mixture on insides of the bread or rolls with a knife so it is evenly distributed.
If freezing for later use, cut into serving size, approximately 1/2 roll each and wrap individually in aluminum foil for best results then freeze. (When ready to use, defrost 1 1/2 hours in wrap before continuing.)
To cook, place unwrapped loaves on cookie sheet or flat pan, meat side up, top with tomato slices (if desired).
Bake at 250 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with processed cheese slices.
Return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Your kids and the kid in you will love it.
Bryan Thomas Schmidt is an author and Hugo-nominated editor of adult and children’s speculative fiction. His debut novel, The Worker Prince received Honorable Mention on Barnes & Noble Book Club’s Year’s Best Science Fiction Releases. His short stories have appeared in magazines, anthologies and online. As book editor he is the main editor for Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta’s WordFire Press where he has edited books by such luminaries as Alan Dean Foster, Tracy Hickman, Frank Herbert, Mike Resnick, Jean Rabe and more. He was also the first editor on Andy Weir’s bestseller The Martian. His anthologies as editor include Shattered Shields with co-editor Jennifer Brozek, Mission: Tomorrow, Galactic Games and Little Green Men–Attack! (forthcoming) all for Baen, Space Battles: Full Throttle Space Tales #6, Beyond The Sun and Raygun Chronicles: Space Opera For a New Age. He is also coediting anthologies with Larry Correia and Jonathan Maberry set in their New York Times Bestselling Monster Hunter and Joe Ledger universes.
