Roasted Gold Acorn Squash with Arugula

Finally, the temperature is cooling down in Southern California.  Phew….I thought the summer would never end!  It’s time to bring out the light sweaters and Autumn ingredients.  Some of my all time favorite Fall ingredients are on this plate, Gold Acorn Squash, Arugula and Pomegranate!  Nice and simple.  This dish is not just only a gorgeous to look at, but also delightful to the palates.



I love to keep the flavors nice and clean in this recipe so that you can taste each ingredient.  When the fruit and vegetable you use are in season, they taste the best!  In my opinion, the best way to prepare them is to keep it simple.  Therefore, I roasted these gold acorn squashes with just a little brown sugar, salt, pepper and oil to bring out it’s natural sweetness and slightly nutty flavor.  After roasting, it is tender, creamy and oh so satisfying!  The soft and tender squash is resting in a bed of crisp and peppery arugula, sprinkle with the crunchy, sweet and tart pomegranate seeds on top. Each bite is heavenly.  




Here’s how I prepare this dish, follow me to the kitchen!

1) & 2)  Preheat oven to 400F degree. Wash and pad dry the gold acorn. Cut them into 1/2-inch thick slices and remove seeds.

3) Place on two large sheet pan and drizzle with grapeseed oil.



4) In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt and pepper together. Sprinkle over the acorn squash slices. Gently toss with your hands to evenly distribute the seasonings.

5) Roast the acorn squash for 10 minutes, then flip the squash and rotate the baking pans. Bake for another 10 minutes, or until squash is golden brown on the edges and tendered. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

6) In a large bowl, toss all the salad ingredients together. Taste and adjust flavor to your own preference.  To assemble:  On a large serving platter, place the arugula salad on the bottom and top with roasted gold acorn squash. Enjoy!



Nice and simple, isn't it?  This dish is perfect for your upcoming Thanksgiving gathering.  You can serve it as an appetizer, or as a side dish.  It’s elegant enough to impressed your guests and super easy to prepare, in other words, a very host friendly dish!  I hope you’ll give this recipe a try.  I’m sure your friends and family will fall in love with it just after trying a bite. Stay warm and wish you all a happy gathering. 

Egg Whites Sweet Crab Omelets and Smoky Caprese Salad

I used to like eggs that are sunny-side up only, until I met my Husband.  He’s more of a scrambled eggs and omelet guy.  So, cooking eggs differently was a “challenge” to me in the beginning.  You might think otherwise because I love to cook so much; how is it possible that those cute little eggs be a challenge to me, isn't it?  Well, it did happen, especially with omelets.  Until one day, my Husband showed me the proper way to cook an omelet, the fears went away.  Oh…by the way, Hotel and Restaurant Management was my Husband’s undergrad major.  He was the one who received the “proper” training in the kitchen.  I’m more of a self taught, “mix and try”, “trial and error”, “that taste yucky and let’s try it differently”, and “let’s see what happen if I add this to the mix” kind of cook.  See how much fun I’m having in the kitchen?



Anyway, I’ll shared my tips in making the perfect omelet with you in just a moment.  This particular recipe is an Egg Whites, Sweet Crab and Spinach Omelets.  But you can also use whole eggs instead of just egg whites.  Besides the tips I got from my hubby years ago, I got extra helps today in the kitchen.
These are some EGGcellent tools to have around for sure.



I’ve got these new tools from OXO.   Let me show you how each of them help me out today.  They were so easy to use and saved me lots of time in the kitchen.  First up is the 3-in-1 Egg Separator.  Just hook the Egg Separator onto the side of a bowl, crack an egg in it and you have a perfectly separated egg!  Save those egg yolks for this Classic Crème Brûlée or these ice cream recipes.



Up next is the Egg Beater.  It perfectly aerated egg whites and my omelet came out light and fluffy.  I added a dash of milk and a pinch of sea salt in my egg white before beating.  It was so easy to use and my kids took turn in the kitchen and helped me beat up the egg whites.



Only 10 to 15 seconds later, the egg whites were ready.  The two stainless steel beaters can be removed for individual cleaning with just a push of a button (and they are dishwasher safe).  Don't you love that?



Tip #1 in making a perfect omelet:  Get the fillings ready before cooking the eggs/egg whites. 
I sauteed a couple handfuls of spinach along with a clove of minced garlic, add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.  Next item for filling was sweet crab meat, they were already out of the shells so I didn't have to do any prep works.  Then I chopped some chives and set them aside as well.  If you’re adding other fillings that requires cooking, such as mushroom, bell peppers, etc., this is the time to get them prepped as well.



Tip #2 in making a perfect omelet: Use a non-stick pan.
Tip #3 in making a perfect omelet: Use low heat.  You want to make sure to cook the egg whites low and slow so it stays tender and not browned up.

I used 3 egg whites here for one omelet, you can also use 2 whole eggs instead. 



When the egg whites are 80 percent set, add the spinach onto one side.



Then, add the sweet crab meat on top.



Sprinkle on some fresh chives.



The next step used to be the most “scary” part for me, flipping the omelet.  Here goes Tip #4 in making a perfect omelet: with a spatula, gently go around the edges of the omelet to make sure nothing sticks before flipping.  I used this Flip & Fold Omelet Turner. 



This Flip & Fold Omelet Turner was the ideal shape and size for making the perfect omelet.  I definitely love the flexible head and edges that conform to rounded pans.



Simply slide the omelet off the side of the pan and onto the serving plate.  Serve your fresh omelet with a wedge of lemon and you have the perfect breakfast.  I serve it as a brunch, and therefore, I also prepared a Smoky Caprese Salad.  Let me show you how I made that as well.



First, place some arugula on the serving plate.  I love the peppery and spicy flavors from them.



Next, place a few slices of smoked fresh mozzarella on top.  I love the smoky flavors in this salad.  It balanced well with the peppery arugula.



Next, a few slices of tomatoes on top. 



Then, a tablespoon or so of fresh basil leave, julienned. 



Last but not least, drizzle some balsamic vinegar, EVOO, salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!




This Egg Whites Sweet Crab Omelets pairs really well with the Smoky Caprese Salad.  This Smoky Caprese Salad was probably the most simple salad that I've ever put together, yet packed with amazing flavors.  After all, it's the freshness and combination of ingredients that make this salad so irresistible.




Both recipes are pretty easy to prepare, isn't it? With the tips I shared with you on how to make the perfect omelets, I can guaranteed you'll be able to make the most beautiful, light and fluffy omelet for your family, or for yourself.




We just celebrated Mother's day not long ago, but please don't forget Father's Day is coming up soon (June 16th).  This could be the perfect brunch to serve and celebrate Father's Day together.  Do you have any plans for Father's Day yet?  I would love to hear from you.






Disclosure: I received a set of the EGGcelent tools from OXO as shown in this post free of charge.  I was not required to write a review but I loved the tools so much that I just wanted to share with you.  All opinions are 100% my own.  Thank you again, OXO for the Eggcellent gifts.

Spicy Chicken Wrap—Lunch for One (with Pictorial)

Since my Baby Girl started school this summer, I’ve got a few hours of “me” time during the day while both of my kids are at school.  Yay…I finally got out of the night owl baking and posting habit, or maybe not.  I still love the quiet time I have at night, it’s just different.  That's my "Happy Hour", if you know what I mean.



What do I do with the “me” time during the day?  Well, there’s something I’ve been planning and working on, but not quite ready for the revelation just yet.  I’ll make an official announcement in the future.  So, besides missing my kids tremendously, I've been spending  more time cooking, baking, taking pictures (food, people, and scenic views, etc), and exercise.  Yup, surprised by the last one?  Me too! 



Also, I get to enjoy preparing some simple lunch and dishes that I don’t usually get to make when my kids are around... such as this Spicy Chicken Wrap.  So, don’t be surprised if you see more spicy recipes on my blog in the future.  I love spicy food.   Let me show you how to make it.

1) In a small bowl, mix the Japanese Mayo and Sriracha hot sauce together
2) Spread the spicy mayo on a tortilla wrap, leaving an 1/2-inch border
3) Place baby arugula in the center
4) Top with roasted chicken and tomato
5) Top with some radish for some crunch
6) Roll it all up and enjoy
 


It couldn’t be any easier than this, right?  If you plan to serve this to your family, feel free to double or quadruple the recipe to make enough to share.  If you have young kids or anyone in the family who don’t eat spicy food, substitute the hot sauce with ketchup.  But I really love the spiciness in this wrap, especially pairing with the peppery arugula and radish.  The chicken I used here was a left over roasted chicken drumstick from the night before.  Simply warm it up in the microwave and remove the skin and bone before wrapping .   



I really love this quick and easy recipe.  Hm…I guess I might start a “Lunch for One” series with quick and simple recipes on my blog. Will you be interested to see more of this type of recipes? Please let me know in the comment below.  I always love hearing from you.