Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Adapted from Love and Lemons

Ingredients: 

• 6 medium tomatillos
• ¼ medium yellow onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 spicy pepper, stemmed* (see note)
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled, wrapped in foil
• 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon sea salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse under cool water to remove the stickiness. Place the tomatillos, onion and pepper on the baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and toss. Place the wrapped garlic on the pan. Roast for 15 minutes or until the tomatillos are soft.
3. Unwrap the garlic from the foil, peel it, and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the roasted vegetables, lime juice and cilantro and pulse. If your salsa is too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to thin to desired consistency. Season to taste.
4. Serve as a dip or topping! 

*If you’re sensitive to spice, start by adding HALF of the pepper and add the rest to taste. If you’ve made your salsa too spicy, try adding a few splashes of white wine vinegar to tone down the heat.

Winter Squash Cornbread

Adapted from The Spruce Eats

About this recipe: Winter squash adds flavor and moisture to this classic buttermilk cornbread. If you like a less sweet cornbread, reduce or omit the sugar in the recipe. Dried or fresh chopped herbs would make a nice addition for a savory cornbread.


Ingredients:

• 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal or white cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• ½ to ¾ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup cooked mashed winter squash, such as kabocha or hubbard
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or cast iron skillet. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, ½ cup of the buttermilk, the mashed squash, and vegetable oil.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients; mix until well blended, adding more buttermilk if needed. The batter will be thick, but easy to stir by hand.
5. Spread batter in the prepared baking pan.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until nicely browned.
7. This is a delicious cornbread for fall and winter dishes. Serve it with beans, greens, soups, or chili (see below for chili recipe!)

Pumpkin Chili 

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (½ of a large onion)
• 2 sweet peppers, diced
• 1 small jalapeño or other spicy pepper, minced (remove seeds and ribs)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 and ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 cups (480ml) vegetable broth
• 5 cups diced fresh tomatoes, or 3 (14.5 oz) cans
• 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups puréed pumpkin
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 1 heaping cup)

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 5 quart (or larger) pot or dutch oven. Add the onion and peppers. Stir and cook for 5 minutes as the onion softens. Add garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, chili powder, and onion powder. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients including black beans, if using.
2. Place the lid on top, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Garnish with your favorite toppings, such as cilantro, red onion, yogurt, or avocado. Serve with cornbread (see above) or as a stand alone meal.