I dreamt about tonight’s dinner the entire way home this morning!

It combines all of my very favorite things, you see. Balsamic reduction, roasted brussels sprouts and caramelized onions – into one sensational supper: Stuffed Acorn Squash 3.0 - MMMMMM!!! (Here’s versions 1.0 and 2.0!)

I started by popping some brussels sprouts and tofu into a piping hot oven to start roasting (same seasoning and cooking times as last time) then got to work on the stovetop.

In corner one we’ve got the balsamic reduction. That’s ~1 cup balsamic vinegar simmered over medium heat until it reached the consistency of thin maple syrup – about 10-15 minutes (Tip: the balsamic reduction will continue to thicken after it’s taken off the heat so plan accordingly!)

In corner two we’ve got perhaps my very favorite thing out of ALL my favorite things – caramelized onions!!! I sliced a large, white onion then cooked it in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.

Since it wasn’t a sweet onion (like a Vidalia) I added ~1 Tablespoon sugar to the skillet when the onions started to brown.

Now usually I just add drizzles of olive oil, or gradually turn down the heat, when I feel like my onions are going to burn. This time though, I kept the heat on medium and added a couple tablespoons of water whenever I felt like things were getting too hot.

Worked like a charm!! The onions took on that gorgeous, caramelized color and flavor without a single slice burning!

Now I’m not going to lie to you – caramelizing onions takes a wee bit of babysitting. I stir mine every 2 minutes or so, for a good 30-35 minutes, but it’s a good Sunday evening activity and the results are SO worth it.

Finally I turned the burners off, took the veggies out of the oven, microwaved half a roasted acorn squash (leftover from Friday’s lunch) and piled it on!

OMG!!

Perhaps not the most photogenic of dinners, but holy. cow. – sweet, crispy, garlicky, roasted GOODNESS IN MY MOUTH!

Honestly I want to drizzle balsamic reduction over everything… It get’s so sweet and thick – you would have NO idea it was just heated up balsamic vinegar if I didn’t tell you.

I put most of the caramelized onion on top, but saved a wee bit for a big Kitchen Sink Salad I’m packing for lunch tomorrow. Saved some balsamic reduction to drizzle on top, too – wheee!

Ahhh, good Sunday night dinner if I ever had one. I heart Fall/Winter produce.

Breakstone Blogger Challenge Update!

Well, it’s time. Time to reveal my third and final recipe for the Breakstone Triple Churned Sour Cream Blogger Challenge. I saved the best for last – dessert!

Just a little background – I’m one of 3 bloggers competeing to win a fabu prize by incorporating Breakstone’s Triple Churned Sour Cream into 3 family-favorite Holiday dishes. Here’s the deal – YOU all get to vote on who you think the winner of the competition should be!

I went for a Thanksgiving theme for my competition dishes. First I lightened up my Father-in-Law’s favorite appetizer, Sweet & Spicy Pepper Jelly Dip, with cool sour cream.

Next I mixed it with savory wild rice and stuffed it in a bacon wrapped turkey breast for my Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breast with Creamy Wild Rice Stuffing entree.

For zee finale, I added sour cream to my favorite pumpkin-flavored dessert, Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies, to make a crazy moist, perfectly poppable, sweet Thanksgiving dessert!

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

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Makes 30 whoopie pies

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 15oz can pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add pumpkin puree, sour cream, egg and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three batches, being careful not to over mix.
4. Drop 1 Tablespoon batter onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the pan half way through. Let cookies cool for one minute on the cookie sheet then remove to a cooling rack.
5. Pipe cinnamon cream cheese frosting between two cooled cookie halves and sandwich together.
6. To make cream cheese frosting: cream 1/4 cup softened butter, 4oz cream cheese, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until combined. Gradually mix in 2-3 cups powdered sugar until desired consistency of frosting is achieved.

Ben loathes pumpkin flavored desserts (I’ll never understand it) but the first time I made these I caught him popping MULTI pumpkin spice whoopie pies when he thought I wasn’t looking…muwahahaha! I’m telling you, these babies will covert any skeptic!

So now that I’ve revealed my appetizer, entree and dessert recipes, this is where you come in (and trust me, you’ll want to hear this) – you can vote for my dishes everyday from Monday, November 15th, 2011 to Sunday, December 19th.

Every time you vote you’re automatically entered to win a $1,000 Grand Prize or one of four weekly prizes of $250 – WIN/WIN, right?

I promise I won’t harass you too much during the next month to vote, but if you think about it, want to bookmark the voting site, tweet, facebook or stumble this post, I wouldn’t hate it… Thank you, thank you, THANK you in advance!

Ok, that’s my spiel. Wish me luck!!!!!

Off to go relax before the start of another crazy week – see you!

~~~~~

What are some foods you CAN’T live without?

I CAN’T live without Honeycrisp apples. Obsessed, I tell you!