Peppery Bacon Squash recipe

This was a simple, quick recipe to use up a couple of little green summer squashes before they went bad. Just 3 ingredients!

1/2 lb. bacon, cut in 3-inch lengths
2 small summer squashes, cut in 1/2-in slices
1/4-cup grated pepper jack cheese

Fry bacon in cast-iron pan until crispy, on medium heat. Lower heat, then add squash. Cook until squash is tender and slightly browned, stirring occasionally. Turn onto plate. Top with cheese. The heat from the bacon and squash will melt the cheese nicely.

This was really good and served one. Moi!

Squash Hash with Fried Eggs Recipe

I got the idea for this recipe from Cave Girl Eats on Facebook. I saw her picture and had to make it - with my own variations!

3 strips bacon - diced
2 eggs (I actually used 2 chicken and 2 dove eggs this time)
½ small squash (I used Carnival, but Acorn, yellow or other would do) - de-seeded and diced
1 Jalapeño Pepper - de-seeded and diced
¼ onion - diced
Cumin - to taste
Butter

Cook bacon (I baked mine - 350°F. for 30 minutes, until crisp).

Heat butter in 2 small cast iron pans.
In one, fry onion until transluscent. Add squash and Jalapeño. Stir in bacon. Cook until squash is tender. Stir in cumin to taste.
In the other pan, fry the eggs. Sprinkle with cumin to taste.

Plate the hash and top with eggs (I'm adjusting to a new stove, so the eggs got a little crispy!)

This served one - moi!

Lunch and Dinner - February 9, 2013

Made some really yummy meals today. I very rarely eat breakfast or snacks these days. I seem to get more than enough fuel from lunch and dinner. I do have tea at about 4pm, water throughout the day and raw milk with dinner. That's it. I am wheat/gluten-free and nearly grain-free (occasional rice, wild rice, rye or quinoa, but not often.) Although rye does have some gluten ... hmmm.
Lunch today was a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich with a side of raisins and pine nuts.

Dinner was an experiment. Our very first taste of acorn squash. I love it! I seem to like all the squashes we have tried. Tonight, I started way too late for our normal dinner time, but my mom said it was worth the wait.
I found the original recipe here: 5 Ingredient Breakfast Stuffed Acorn Squash
Since I didn't have any 'breakfast sausage', I used two of the artisan
sausages I get at our local co-op and opened up the 'tubes' and squeezed out the meat. It was hot Italian sausage! Whoowee, was it spicy! But, so good! The 'tubes' didn't go to waste - Nikky loved them!
I had to cook it longer than the recipe directed, as I can't stand a runny egg. So, after adding the egg, cook the length of time it takes to bake the egg to your taste. You may have to check it several times.

Bacon and Butternut Squash Soup recipe

I originally saw this recipe here: Bacon Butternut Squash Soup. I modified it slightly.


1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 cups carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks (or use baby carrots)
1½ tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 pound raw bacon or bacon ends, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 small apple, chopped
2 cups homemade bone broth
1 cup raw milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg

 (Bacon is not pictured.)

Preheat your oven to 350F.
Toss squash and carrots with coconut oil.

Arrange in a large glass baking dish and roast, uncovered, for 35 minutes or until tender.
In a cast iron dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp.

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion and apple to the dutch oven and sauté in bacon fat over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the roasted butternut squash, carrots, stock, milk and spices to dutch oven and bring to a boil, stirring often.

Remove from heat.
Working in several small batches, blend soup in food processor until smooth.

Return to dutch oven, bring to a simmer until warmed through.

Serve soup in large bowls, mixing in bacon. You can freeze up to 2 months.

Easy Summer Hash

1 lb. ground meat
1 stalk fresh broccoli, cut in small chunks
2 small yellow summer squash, cut in small chunks
6 slices raw cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon basil
bacon grease

Coat bottom of large (#9) cast iron pan with bacon grease. Fry ground meat on medium-high until browned. Add vegetables and spices; stir. Cook on low, covered, until vegetables are tender - about 25 minutes. Cover with cheese slices, cooking until melted before serving. Serves 4.