'DEVIL'S NIGHT' ~ ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH with FRESH SAGE BROWN BUTTER

"The greatest advantage of all is that when people think you're a witch, you can eat an entire serving of squash by yourself."

~ Kathleen O'Near Gear, People of the Midst 

(Witch Portraits taken years ago at Franklin Cider Mill) 

ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH with BROWN BUTTER SAGE WALNUT SAUCE

~ Earthy taste of autumn 

(dinner for 2)

Large spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise

olive oil

 coarse salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

sprigs of fresh sage to taste

 4  Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup walnuts or pignoli nuts

• Preheat oven to 400º.
• Halve squash and place cut side down on baking sheet. Depending on size, roast 40-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest.
• In the meantime, while roasting squash is resting, melt butter over medium heat and cook, swirling until foam subsides until nutty and fragrant. Add walnuts (or pine nuts), salt & pepper. As nuts brown, add fresh sage.
• Scrape tender squash with fork. Place on serving dish and top with browned butter sage & walnut topping.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Brown Butter Sage Walnut Sauce 

SIMPLE ONE PLATE 'OCTOBER' DINNER: MAPLE DIJON GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN & CLASSIC BAKED ACORN SQUASH

"I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

~  L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

OCTOBER LEAVES

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

MAPLE DIJON GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

~  Delicious 'Simple One Plate' Autumn supper slightly adapted compliments of allrecipes

MAPLE DIJON GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

1  1/2  lbs. trimmed pork tenderloin

1  cup maple syrup

2  Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1  tsp. sesame oil (or hot spiced sesame oil)

3  cloves minced garlic

 freshly ground pepper to taste

• Place pork in shallow dish. Combine maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sesame oil, garlic, and pepper. Pour over pork and coat thoroughly. Cover and marinate at least 8 hours or overnight. 
• Preheat grill for medium-low heat.
• Remover pork from marinade and set aside. Transfer marinade to small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
• Grill pork 15 - 20 minutes or until desired doneness. (Could be less time depending on thickness ... check with your meat thermometer on how you like it cooked and allow time to rest where temp rises). 
• Carve tenderloin on an angle and serve topped with heated marinade. 

Maple Pork Dijon Tenderloins 

CLASSIC BAKED ACORN SQUASH

~  Could live on acorn squash in autumn ... and this is so simple and classic. Giving credit to Simply Recipes that is often a 'go-to' site for me since Elise and I are on the same page as to food we like. This is my same recipe I have done for years (hated as a child but in awe as I watched my dear mother dine on it thinking, hating the name, there must be something to this ... ) with the exception of scoring squash that makes it look divine and addition of freshly ground pepper, a must for me ... 

 1  Acorn squash

1  Tbsp. butter

2  Tbsp. brown sugar

2  tsp. Maple syrup

dash of coarse and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400º.
• Using a sharp sturdy chef's knife, carefully cut squash in half, from stem to tip. 
• Scrape out seeds and stringy bits inside until smooth.
• With a sharp knife, score inside of squash in a cross-hatch pattern.
• Place squash halves, cut side up, in roasting pan. Pour 1/4  inch of water over bottom of pan so squash does not burn or dry out.
• Rub butter into inside of each half. Sprinkle with dash of salt (if not using salted butter). Sprinkle with cracked freshly ground pepper. Crumble brown sugar over each half and drizzle with maple syrup. 
• Bake for about 1 hour or plus until tops of squash are nicely browned and squash flesh is soft. (Hard to overcook and just gets better with more caramelization.) 
• Remove from oven and cool a bit before serving. Spoon any buttery sugar sauce over entire squash. 

Classic Baked Acorn Squash

Divine 'Simple One Plate' October Dinner

(Maple Dijon Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Classic Baked Acorn Squash)  

WELCOME OCTOBER ~ 'SIMPLE ONE PLATE AUTUMN SUPPER' SWEET POTATO 'ZOODLES' with SHRIMP and THAI-STYLE ALMOND SAUCE

"October is the month for painted leaves ...

As fruits and leaves and the day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall, so the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky; November the later twilight."

~  Henry David Thoreau

'Autumn Tints'

Autumn Leaves (Overhill Elm abstract)

Hubbard Lake October Sunset

SWEEET POTATO 'ZOODLES' with SHRIMP and THAI-STYLE ALMOND SAUCE

Delicious 'Simple One Plate' Autumn Supper compliments of Cooking Light

SWEET POTATO 'ZOODLES' with SHRIMP and THAI-STYLE ALMOND SAUCE

2  medium peeled sweet potatoes (about 10 oz. each)

2  Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce

2  Tbsp almond butter or peanut butter

1  1/2  Tbsp fresh lime juice, divided

1  Tbsp. minced fresh garlic, divided

2  tsp. minced peeled fresh ginger, divided

1  tsp. honey

1  tsp. Sriracha chili sauce

1  tsp toasted sesame oil

2  Tbsp. olive oil, divided

1  pound medium peeled and deveined shrimp

1/2  lb. shaved Brussels sprouts

1/2  cup thinly sliced green onions

2  Tbsp. coarsely chopped dry-roasted almonds

• Cut sweet potatoes into long noodles using a julienne peeler or spiralizer.
• Combine soy sauce, nut butter, 1 Tbsp. lime juice, 2 tsp. garlic, 1 tsp. ginger, honey, Sriracha, and and sesame oil in a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Heat a large wok or skillet over high. Add 1 Tbsp. olive oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add remaining 1 tsp. garlic, and remaining 1 tsp. ginger; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add shrimp; stir-fry 4 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add sweet potato noodles; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add Brussels sprouts and remaining 1  1/2 tsp. lime juice. Stir-fry 1 minute. Stir in soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring often. Stir in shrimp; toss to coat. Sprinkle with green onions and almonds.

Sweet Potato 'Zoodles' with Shrimp & Thai-Style Almond Sauce