Butternut Squash Bread

Butternut Squash/Pumpkin Bread

1 cup butternut squash or pumpkin purée
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash puree, eggs, oil, water and sugars until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.

3. Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Combine just until incorporated; do not over mix. Pour into the prepared pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cocoa Steak

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cocoa-rubbed-steak-with-bacon-whiskey-gravy-recipe/index.html

Bret's Glowing Buffalo Wings of Awesomeness

Bret's Glowing Buffalo Wings of Awesomeness

(Makes about 6 cups of sauce)
2 red bell peppers,
1/2 cup of water
1/3 cup of chopped onion4 cloves chopped garlic
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar
1 stick of butter
4 oz of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
1/2 c. lemon juice1 tablespoon jam (hot pepper, or apricot)
1/3 cup of spicy ketchup


1 large nectarine

Glowing:
6 Cherry Peppers

or
Blazing:
6 Cherry Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers

or
Inferno:

6 Cherry Peppers
2 Jalapeno Peppers

3 Habanero Peppers

Choose heat level and use only the peppers listed.  If Blazing is chosen, only use 6 cherry peppers and 2 jalapenos, not 12 cherry  peppers.

Use the broiler in the oven to grill the peppers, cut red bells in half and place all peppers on a cookie sheet.  Place in broiler on high heat.  Turn the peppers every five minutes until browned on all sides.

Chop onion, tomato, garlic while the peppers broil.
Melt butter in large frying pan.  Add onion, tomatoes, and garlic, tobasco and saute.

Once peppers are browned, remove fro cookie sheet.  Remove stems, and add to a blender with a 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt. Blend on high and allow to percolate.

Let all cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Immediately pour into blender and add the percolated cayenne pepper sauce. Blend on high for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, jam and ketchup, and blend again for a few seconds. Pour back into the pan where you melted the butter, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

Marinate the chicken wings in sauce for 1- 2 hours.  Place in baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.

Mediterranean Chicken and Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 
  1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped capers
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil $
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 (7-ounce) packages 98% fat-free chicken breast in water
• 
  
• Preparation
• Cook couscous according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Combine olives and next 7 ingredients (olives through garlic) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add couscous to olive mixture; toss gently to coat. Stir in chicken just before serving.

Bret and Alex's Chicken Apple Salad

1 c. shredded chicken
1 apple, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1/3 c. raisins
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp honey mustard or cranberry honey mustard
2 c. chopped lettuce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Mix and toss

Rococoa Chocolate, A place in Seattle

http://rococoacookies.com/

Weird fruits and veges

http://www.cuisinevegan.com/vegan-fun/fruits-vegetables-youve-never-heard-of/

How to grow okinawan sweet potatoes (purple ones)

http://voices.yahoo.com/how-grow-okinawan-sweet-potatoes-3938236.html