Fall

Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Crostini + Honey Gimlet

October 22, 2019ALL, Appetizer, Drinks, Fall, Snack, Winter44

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Hangar 1 Distillery. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

The weather has finally turned chilly here in the Midwest which not only means that I can officially throw on some eyeliner and a sweatshirt without melting, but it also means it’s time for fall entertaining! We had to bring all the plants in from outside (since the nights are getting very chilly) which now makes our dining room my favorite spot – plants line the walls, a beautiful breeze streams in through the open windows, and the golden light of fall fills the room.

To celebrate my favorite season, I’m having friends over to sip on Honey Gimlets (made with Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka) and easy Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Crostini! Hangar 1’s Honeycomb Vodka is infused with actual honeycomb (not just honey!) so the finished flavor is vibrant and unique. I loved serving these honey gimlets with the crostini (recipe below) because they are only 2 ingredients so they let the flavor of the Honeycomb Vodka really shine through. Plus, the packaging of this vodka is so gorgeous that I love showing it off by keeping it on the table for guests to ask about.

As for the crostini, you can roast the sweet potatoes a few hours ahead of time and pop them back in the oven to warm up slightly before serving. Same goes for preparing the bread pieces ahead of time. When ready to serve, pile your bread high with sweet potatoes, cheese, fresh sage, and then drizzle the honey. Alternatively, you could leave the honey on the side and let guests drizzle it themselves if you’d like to let them pick their level of sweetness.

Now invite some friends over for cocktails and snacks and get cooking!

Honey Gimlet

Recipe supplied by Hangar 1 Vodka.

Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

1.5 oz Hangar 1 Honeycomb Vodka
0.5 oz fresh lime juice
orange peel for garnish

Instructions

Shake with ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with orange peel.

Fall Sweet Potato & Gorgonzola Crostini

Ingredients

1 sweet potato peeled and diced into 1/2 inch thick chunks
1/4 cup olive oil divided
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 baguette
3 Tbsp crumbled gorgonzola (could also use blue cheese)
2 Tbsp finely chopped sage
1-2 Tbsp honey

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add sweet potatoes onto prepared baking sheet and toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and a dash of pepper. Spread out into a single layer and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the potato pieces are cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, cut the baguette into 1 inch thick round pieces. Brush the remaining oil on both sides of the crostini. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and, working in batches, toast the crostini by cooking on each side for 2-3 minutes each. Set aside.
When ready to serve, divide the sweet potato, honey, and gorgonzola between the crostini pieces. Starting with 1 Tbsp, drizzle honey over the crostini and sprinkle a dash of pepper. Taste and add more honey, if needed.
Serve right away with a Hangar 1 Honey Gimelet.

Apple Pumpkin Cornbread

October 16, 2019ALL, Appetizer, Bread, Fall, Soup65

This Apple Pumpkin Cornbread is best enjoyed sliced up and dunked in a fall soup (like my Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone or Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup).

Last week I posted a Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone that is basically my new fall soup obsession. But I wasn’t done there – I wanted to bring it to new heights but also serving it with fresh bread (because everything is better with additional carbs, am I right?). So, once I posted the soup, I immediately started developing this Apple Pumpkin cornbread recipe for all of your fall soup needs.

I played around with mixing pumpkin puree and fall spices into my go-to cornbread recipe and then took it over the top by also covering it in sliced apples before baking. The pumpkin puree and apples add a wonderful moist addition while the cinnamon gives a hint of spice without making it sweeter.

Apple Pumpkin Cornbread

This Apple Pumpkin Cornbread is best enjoyed sliced up and dunked in a fall soup (like my Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone or Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup). Recipe adapted from Delish.

Ingredients

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
1/3 cup honey + more for drizzling
1/4 cup melted butter cooled
2 large eggs
1 granny smith apple cored and cut into thin slices

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 9″ circle pan.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add in pumpkin puree, yogurt, honey, butter, and eggs. Whisk together the wet ingredients in the center until combined. Use a spatula to fold the outer dry ingredients into the wet ones just until completely combined.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Lay granny smith apple slices over the top and gently press in (I fanned them out to create a pretty pattern but you can do whatever you’d prefer).
Bake for 20 minutes or until the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing into pieces (like you would a cake) and serve with your favorite soup. Drizzle with honey (if desired).

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone

October 10, 2019ALL, Entree, Fall, Soup, Winter114

This Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup is a perfect cool weather vegetarian main to serve a large crowd or use as leftovers for lunch or dinners throughout the week.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The opinions and text are all mine. Thank you for supporting the brands that make VV possible.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year – it’s soup season! I don’t know about you but not much brings me as much simple pleasure as making a big batch of delicious soup on a Sunday afternoon (along with some quick bread!) and enjoying it throughout the week.

And this Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro minestrone soup is perfect for exactly that. It’s chocked full of hearty vegetables, filling Bob’s Red Mill farro, and creamy white beans. The soup itself is vegan but can be topped with salty cheese if you’d like.

I almost didn’t call this recipe minestrone since the soup doesn’t have pasta but the chewy farro actually makes a great replacement for pasta and even makes it feel a little more substantial to me. And the trademark tomato base that you get in minestrone is still there along with creamy white beans.

To make this Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup extra special, I whipped up a simple sage oil while it was simmering. The oil is nothing more than blending sage and quality olive oil together to create an herb-y oil that is then strained and drizzled. The end result is a nice punch of green and extra richness. Although the oil definitely added to the soup, I will say that I didn’t have any when I enjoyed the leftovers and they were almost just as good.

Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure to thin out leftover soup with a little broth or water as the farro will continue to absorb the moisture as it sits.

Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro soup

This Vegetarian Butternut Squash Farro Minestrone soup is a perfect cool weather vegetarian main to serve a large crowd or use as leftovers for lunch or dinners throughout the week.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion diced
2 carrots chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeds removed, and chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp salt
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Farro
1 28 oz can fired roasted tomatoes
1 can white beans drained and rinsed
salty cheese for garnish (optional)

For the sage oil:

1/2 cup olive oil
10-15 sage leaves

Instructions

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in butternut squash and garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add broth, water, and farro and turn heat up to high. Once boiling, lower heat to medium, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and white beans and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine sage leaves and olive oil in a high speed blender and blend for 20 seconds or until the sage has been completely blended. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the green oil for serving.
When ready to serve, transfer soup to bowls and drizzle with oil, salty cheese, and pepper.

Looking for other soup ideas? I’ve got you covered:

Easy Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup Recipe

January 2, 2019ALL, Entree, Fall, Soup, Winter193

This Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe is chocked full of healthy vegetables, hearty beans, and chewy egg noodles. This soup is a great way to get more vegetables into your meal while still enjoying the comfort of delicious pasta.

Happy New Year! Ready or not, it’s time for 2019! Can you believe this will be the last year in this decade?! I’m a bit in shock since I’m still listening to music like it’s the early 2000s (just joking…sort of). Anyhow, it’s sort of become a tradition for me to share a soup recipe (like this one and this one) as the first recipe of the year. I decided to share this Chickpea Noodle Soup recipe because it’s chocked full of vegetables (helloooo 2019 goal of eating more vegs) and beans but its not totally indulgent free because there are plenty of filling egg noodles in this as well.

Fall

Quick Starters and Appetizers

1. This Creamy Vegetarian White Chili recipe that is cozy and filling (with vegan option). Ideal for healthy weeknight meals or chilly afternoons.

Chocolate & Spiced Chai Biscotti recipe below:

…View More

Gingerbread Syrup recipe for DIY gifting below:

…View More

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