it's fall, i'm makin' butternut squash...

blackened sea scallops, mashed butternut squash and asparagus

i am always influenced by what is in season. i had to get some butternut squash and figure out a new way to do it. so i figured, when usually prepared it's sweet why not pair with something a with a hint of heat. i decided to go with blackened sea scallops over the squash then add some asparagus, because i love it!

try your own different combination and enjoy!

.grant

Blackened Sea Scallops:
.rinse and dry scallops
.lightly coat with your choice of blackening seasoning
.heat skillet with olive oil to medium/high heat
.sear scallops 2minutes on each side

Butternut Squash:
.skin, discard seeds, cube the squash
.bring pot of water to boil with olive oil, pinch of salt, and tablespoon of cinnamon
.add squash, and let cook around 20 minutes, it's ready when you can take a piece out and it is easily ... squashed!
.drain water, add 2 tbsp of butter, 1tbsp nutmeg, 2tbsp brown sugar, and salt to taste and SQUASH THE SQUASH!

Asparagus:
.olive oil in pan bring up to low/medium heat
.add minced garlic
.add asparagus, sautee until cooked

SweetPotato/BlackBean Tacos:

i have not posted anything food related yet. but here it is, the first of many to come. this is a quick dinner i made with a few things i had and it turned out great. any ideas to make it better are always appreciated!

Sweet Potato/Black Bean Tacos:

thinly slice one sweet potato into strips then throw 'em in a pot of boiling water for a couple minutes. toss onto a baking sheet and bake at 400F until lightly browned.

while the potato is baking, heat a sautee pan with a little oil(barely enough to coat the pan). while heating chop an onion and garlic toss in the pan and let brown (not burn).

bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a second(or the same pot). add 1 cup of rice (brown or white) reduce heat and cover stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.

drain one can of black beans but make sure to keep some of the liquid. add beans to the pan mix up and then add the liquid. simmer and add cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper. simmer until the potatoes are done.

at the end, microwave corn tortillas for 30-45 seconds. i love hot sauce and added it to every taco. we didn't have much here so we didn't use usual taco add-ons (i.e. salsa, cheese, or sour cream)



enjoy,
.grant

this is it....

read the welcome below!

.grant

welcome!

the purpose of this new blog is to share with you my love of food! i have been working in restaurants for the past 7 years and am still grabbing hours at a private social club here in Providence.

i absolutely LOVE to cook, eat, and drink. this blog is a way for me to share one of my passions with everyone that's not close enough to taste. i plan on sharing recipes for food and drink, tips, my methods, places to eat/drink, and stories of food in the past.

i am not trained in any way, my method is trial and error. i get inspired by everything from weather, season, timing, what's on sale, what i have in the fridge, or if i just have an epiphany. one thing that drives me most is sharing and learning. i encourage you to ask me questions, give me feedback, ALL input is appreciated.

i hope you take some of the things i share home and try them yourself. until my first real post, have a great day friends!

enjoy.
.grant