I love the idea of serving a salad for Thanksgiving dinner. Normally, there are so many heavy foods thrown into the mix (at least in my home there are (=). A salad is the perfect way to tone the heaviness of every other dish on the table. Honestly, I like this Autumn salad with butternut squash any time during the fall. Apples, fennel and pomegranate seeds come together to really bring you those super important Fall flavors. Oh, and then there is the butternut squash. My personal faaaaavorite part of this salad. Butternut squash adds the “cooked element” this salad most certainly needs. As Zach and I bunker down with the hopes of a heavy snowfall this evening, this salad will most certainly be on the menu. Give it a try this Thanksgiving. It’s easy, can be made ahead of time, and I’m sure everyone will just love, love, love it.
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Weather: It’s beautiful once again, BUT we are SUPPOSED to get some snow this evening. I really, really hope they’ve gotten it right this time. I’m thinking 2-3 feet would be just about perfect. Did I mention that I love snow?
Recipe Fun Facts:
I boiled my butternut squash. Feel free to roast it if you wish. You get a really nice caramelization when you roast squash, and this is normally the route that I go. If you plan on roasting your squash, it’s super easy:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a large, lipped baking sheet with foil.
Be sure that the skin of your squash has been removed and has been diced into 1/2 inch pieces. Add the squash to a large bowl and drizzle with the oil of your choice (I use olive). Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the squash onto your baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and browned slightly. Give the squash a little toss, every 10 minutes or so; just so they brown evenly.
Remove from oven and set aside until you are ready to use!
We really enjoy Renegade Brewing Company around here. Maybe this is because it’s super local and super delicious. Any brew I’ve ever had from them has been absolutely spectacular. For this beer pairing, I wanted a brew that made me think of Fall, and Renegade Brewing Company’s Russian Imperial Stout: Hammer and Sickle does just that. It is a great Russian Imperial Stout. It’s chocolatey and has roasted notes, which should pair very well if you decide to roast your squash. It’s a beautiful pour and a beautiful color. If you decide to go with this pairing, it will be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving spread.
Happy Wednesday everyone!
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This autumn salad with butternut squash is the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving spread. It has the perfect flavors of Fall all wrapped into one.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow onion, minced
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- 1 pound butternut squash, skin and seeds removed removed and chopped into half inch pieces
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 3/4 cup walnuts, roasted and chopped
- 1/2 cup fennel, white part only, sliced thin
- 1 Gala apple, cored and sliced thin
- 1 avocado, cored, skin removed and sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, yellow onion and garlic until combined. Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, whisking all the while. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside until you are ready to use.
- Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Salt the water, and lower the temperature to medium. Add the butternut squash, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the squash is tender. Remove from heat and drain. Run cold water over the squash to stop the cooking process. Set aside until you are ready to use.
- In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash, spinach, walnuts, fennel, apple and avocado together. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top and drizzle on the dressing.
- Serve cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
Hardware: * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Cutting Board * Sharp Knife * Small Bowl * Whisk * Stock Pot with Lid * Large Bowl * Tongs *
