Giving Thanks…

“ The Family at Prayer” by Haddon Sundblom

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

 ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live.

~ Attributed to Jacqueline Winspear

The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.

~ H.U. Westermayer

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.

~ Henry Ward Beecher

Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.

~ W.T. Purkiser

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God...

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (King James Version)

Another Delicious Autumn Squash Recipe…

I prepared this dish last evening – a delicious way to incorporate the fresh butternut squash currently available in our local markets’ produce sections.  How timely that, yesterday, a friend of mine, whose daughter is a food and travel journalist and author of a blog and two culinary guidebooks to Budapest, had gifted me with a package of Hungarian paprika!

Butternut Squash, Pine Nuts, & Blue Cheese Pappardelle

Ingredients:
1 large 2 ½ to 3 pound butternut squash
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
Sea salt
1 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup red wine
½ cup water
2/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound pappardelle pasta or wide egg noodles
1 Tbsp. chopped dried sage leaves
5 to 6 oz. crumbled blue cheese

1) Peel the squash, cut in half, remove seeds and pulp and cut into 1 inch cubes

2) Using a large heavy pan (which can hold the pasta later) sauté the chopped onion in the olive oil.

3) Add paprika to the sautéd onion

4) Add butter to pan and stir in squash

5) Add red wine and water. Bring to a simmer. Cover and reduce heat – Cook for 10 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from heat and lightly season with sea salt to taste and then with the Tablespoon of chopped sage leaves.

6) Heat water in another pan, and cook pasta according to package directions

7) Toast pine nuts in a hot, dry frying pan on the stove top, turning frequently.

8) After pasta is drained, add it to the squash mixture along with the pine nuts and blue cheese crumbles and toss together

Yield: Six 1 ½ cup servings