Rania's Recipes: Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad & Stuffed Acorn Squash

Can you believe Thanksgiving is right around the corner? Well, don't panic! Rania Harris stopped by PTL to show off the first part of her Thanksgiving meal!

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts and Pears

• 1 ½ # Brussels sprouts ~ discolored leaves discarded ~ stems cut from bottom
• 3 heads Belgian endive ~ discolored leaves discarded ~ sliced
• 1 cup walnuts ~ lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 ripe pears ~ seeded and chopped
• 6 slices thick sliced peppered bacon ~ chopped and cooked crisp ~ drained

Dressing:

• ¼ cup IPA Beer
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon coarse Dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Slice each Brussels sprout in half and then carefully cut with a knife into very thin slices. Toss Brussels sprouts in a large mixing bowl to separate layers. Add the endive, walnuts, pears and bacon.

In a bowl of a blender, combine the IPA, vinegar, honey and mustard. Blend well and add in the olive oil in a thin stream, with the machine running. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Dress the salad and serve immediately

Serves: 6

Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 2 acorn squash ~ halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• ¼ teaspoon ground sage
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound bulk pork sausage
• 1 medium Vidalia onion ~ chopped
• 2 ribs of celery ~ chopped
• 4 ounces chopped Cremini mushrooms
• 2 Honey Crisp apples ~ cored and chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• Panko breadcrumbs ~ about ¾ cup ~ enough to bind the mixture but not dry it out
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Chicken stock to moisten the stuffing, if necessary
• 1 egg ~ beaten
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:

Combine the melted butter, sage, salt and pepper and brush over cut sides and cavity of squash.

Bake in a large roasting pan, cut side up, at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes, until squash is tender yet still holds its shape. I add a little bit of water to the bottom of my pan to help with the cooking process.

Stuffing:

Fry pork sausage until light brown. Remove pork to a bowl. Drain all but two tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add onion, celery and mushroom; sauté until soft and cooked through. Stir in apples and sauté two more minutes.

Combine the pork with the dried cranberries, vegetables and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season the mixture to taste with thyme, salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too dry add in a bit of chicken stock to moisten. Stir in the egg and rosemary.

Fill the squash halves with stuffing ~ they should be slightly mounded.

Return to oven and bake, covered with foil, for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.

Serves: 4 as side dish