Part One: Candied Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of Pecans or Pecan pieces
- 1 cup of White Sugar
- 1 tbsp. of Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 1/3 tsp. of Cayenne pepper
Directions
- Soak Pecan pieces in warm water for five minutes then, strain.
- Mix white sugar, cayenne pepper, and pumpkin spice until consistent.
- Toss the strained pecans liberally with the flavored sugar mix.
- Place on a parchment lined sheet tray and bake at 275-300° for 10-15 minutes.
- Check every 10 minutes, stirring the pecans and spreading them evenly to make consistent.
- Once all the sugar has turned from a syrup like consistency to more crystalized, remove out of the oven to cool.
Part Two: Roasted Delicata Squash
Ingredients
- 1 Delicata Squash
- 1 tsp. Candied Pecan Sugar
- 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions
- Cube Delicata Squash into 1/2″ Cubes
- Season with Sugar, Salt, Pepper, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Place on a parchment lined sheet tray. Bake for 20-30 minutes at 375-400°.
Part Three: Citrus Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 Orange (zest & juice)
- 1 Lemon (zest & juice)
- 1 Lime (zest & juice)
- 2 tbsp. of Dijon Mustard
- 4 tbsps. of Honey
- 2 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions
- Blend the first 5 ingredients in a blender and then slowly drizzle the oil until emulsified.
- Add Salt and Pepper to taste
Part Four: Christmas Wreath Salad
Ingredients
- Baby Kale Greens 3oz
- Citrus Vinaigrette 1.5oz
- Candied Pecans 2 Tbs.
- Pomegranate Seeds 1 Tbs.
- Roasted Delicata Squash 3 Tbs. (already roasted) (could sub butternut)
- Shaved Radish 7 Pieces
- Microplane Pecorino Romano (to finish, with a micro plane) (could sub parmesan)
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions
- Toss Baby Kale Greens with Citrus Vinaigrette and Salt + Pepper.
- Arrange the Baby Kale Greens on the plate to look like a wreath, with hole in the middle.
- Evenly spread the roasted Delicata Squash and Pecans around the wreath.
- Evenly spread Pomegranate Seeds and Radish pieces around the wreath to mimic Christmas lights and Candy Canes.
- Finish with a dusting of Pecorino Romano for a snowy look.
For more holiday recipes and stories from our community, stay tuned for upcoming blogs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.