Thanksgiving Side Dish: Harvest Vegetable and Rice Bowl

I like mashed potatoes and gravy as much as the next person. But if you're looking for an out-of-the-ordinary side dish to add to the Thanksgiving table, Harvest Vegetable and Rice Bowl is a worthy contender.

It features the flavors of fall - butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, tart apples, dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds - combined with wild rice. Then it's topped with a homemade fig and balsamic vinaigrette.

It makes a lot, so it would feed a crowd at your Thanksgiving gathering. Even though it requires several steps, you can do some of the preparation the day before - always important as you figure out the ballet of oven and stovetop timing during the busiest cooking day of the year!

Since I made it before the holiday, we discovered that it's great for leftovers, too. On the first day, I served it with a grilled steak.

For Randy, I just served the harvest bowl as a side dish. For myself, I used less of the steak and served it on top of the salad. (The photos are a little misleading. The top photo is a dinner plate and the photo below is on a smaller luncheon plate.)

We still had plenty of leftovers for additional meals. And it was just as tasty after being refrigerated and rewarmed.

So, if you want to break out of the tried-and-true this Thanksgiving - or add a new element to the old favorites - this Harvest Vegetable and Rice Bowl is just the solution!

Harvest Vegetable and Rice Bowl 

with Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette

Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

1 cup wild brown rice blend
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (You may use water and chicken bouillon)
3 cups 1-inch cubes of butternut squash (about 1 small squash)
3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1/8 tsp. each garlic powder, chili powder & cinnamon
Salt & pepper
9 oz. thinly shredded Brussels sprouts
1 large or 2 small tart apples, chopped (I like Jonathan)
3 oz. white Cheddar cheese (or use yellow Cheddar or Swiss)
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (or sliced almonds)
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. fig jam
Salt and pepper

Add rice and chicken broth to a small saucepan then bring to a boil; place a lid on top, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes or until rice is al dente. Set aside to cool slightly. Can be done the day before.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a half sheet pan with foil (or silpat). Spray with cooking spray if using foil. Add butternut squash cubes, 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic powder, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Toss with your fingers to evenly coat. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until squash is tender, stirring halfway through. Set aside to cool slightly. This can be done the day ahead.

Meanwhile, line another half sheet pan with foil that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Add shredded Brussels sprouts, remaining oil, salt and pepper. Toss with fingers to evenly coat. Add to oven after stirring the squash mid-way through cooking. Roast both the squash and the Brussels sprouts (in separate pans) for another 8 to 10 minutes until the Brussels sprouts are tender and golden brown.

For the vinaigrette:  Combine ingredients in a bowl or jar with tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake all ingredients together. (You may need to microwave briefly to loosen the jam.) Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

To serve:  In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, squash, Brussels sprouts, apples, cheese, pumpkin seeds and dried cranberries. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to coat and serve. Leftovers are good for 3 to 4 days.

Note:  You may shred the Brussels sprouts in a food processor. Or, larger grocery stores now have shredded Brussels sprouts in bags in the produce section. 

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck hosted by these bloggers. Click on the link for recipes for  goodies, main dishes and more from cooks across the country. 

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Easy Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetables

On hot summer days, a Crock Pot helps a cook keep cool - literally and figuratively. And though it may say "September" on our kitchen calendars, our warm Kansas temperatures and stout southerly winds don't make it feel like the arrival of fall is just around the corner. 

No matter the time of year, I'm always glad to find a new recipe to add to my slow cooker arsenal - whether it's to beat the heat or to save some time.

This beef and veggies meal came up on a Facebook feed. I'm also always looking for ways to use the beef in our freezer. (Brent pointed out that people might rather grill their sirloin steak, since it's a tender cut of beef. And, while I don't disagree, it's also nice to have an alternative. It might be possible that the recipe could be used with a less tender cut of beef, though I haven't tried it myself.) 

Broccoli was the only vegetable called for in the original recipe. But I decided I wanted to add additional color and flavor with sweet peppers. Mushrooms or other veggies could be added as well.

Serve over white rice and you have the flavors of a Chinese restaurant dish without ever leaving home. For extra fiber and nutrition, serve over brown rice.

Both times I've made this recipe, I've taken out a portion of the beef and broth before adding the vegetables. I refrigerate the reserved portion and later make my Kansas farm wife version of Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches. The sandwiches first appeared on the wheat harvest menu, and the recipe has been added to the meals-to-the-field rotation. It will likely make a return during fall harvest time.  (It would have been helpful if I'd planned to make it yesterday, since I made two parts runs to Hutchinson and two trips to Stafford, too!)

Tune in tomorrow for the sandwich recipe!

Easy Slow Cooker Beef & Vegetables

Adapted from Facebook - Buzzfeed

2 lbs. sirloin steak or boneless beef chuck roast, sliced thin
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
2 cups coarsely chopped multi-colored peppers

For serving:
White or brown rice, cooked as directed on package

In the insert of the slow cooker, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil and garlic. Place slices of beef in the liquid and toss to coat. Cover with lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours.

After 4 hours, whisk together cornstarch and water in small bowl. Pour into crock pot and stir to mix well. Add the broccoli and peppers; gently stir to combine. Cover with lid and cook an additional 30 minutes to cook vegetables and thicken sauce.

Serve over warm white rice.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina

Mexican Chorizo Skillet

Served with fresh garden tomatoes and sweet corn from Baldwin Farms

If you're a regular reader, you know I'm boycotting Chipotle. (See my Five Words to Ruin a Date with a Farmer post.) Even my 3-year-old granddaughter has to choose an alternative to the "rice and beans place" if we're paying for the meal.

So, I will just beat them at their own game. My version will be less expensive, and it won't offend me or my other farmer friends.

Jill tried this Mexican Chorizo Skillet and emailed the link to me and to Brent. She told us it was from her favorite blog. I was just a little offended. But I like Iowa Girl Eats, too, so I let it slide. Well, sort of: I did email her back and say, "Your FAVORITE blog???!!!"

After we got that straight, I did give it a try. I've never used chorizo before, so I wasn't sure whether it would be too spicy for us. Somehow, our kids have more adventurous palates when it comes to the spice factor.

But the rice and beans smoothed out the spicy meat mixture. Randy rolled up the mixture in a flour tortilla. I topped a dinner-sized salad with the meat mixture. Recipe success! Take that, Chipotle!

Mexican Chorizo Skillet

(with Sweet Potatoes, Rice and Black Beans)

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet potato, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped onion
6 oz. Mexican pork chorizo
1/2 cup black beans
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup long grain white rice
Add-ons:  Chopped cilantro, guacamole, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, salsa, ranch dressing, tortilla strips or chips, etc.

Put olive oil in a large skillet and meat to medium. Add chopped sweet potatoes and onions; saute for 4 to 5 minutes or until potatoes are just beginning to turn tender. Add chorizo, then turn heat up slightly. Saute until cooked through, breaking up the chorizo as it cooks.

Add black beans, chicken broth and salsa verde to the skillet. Turn heat up to bring to a boil. Add rice; stir to combine. Place a lid on top, turn heat down, and simmer until rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes, adding more chicken broth at the end, if needed (I didn't need to).

Serving optons:

• Sprinkle with any of the add-ins. Serve as is - with a fork or use chips as your eating utensils.
• Put mixture in a flour or corn tortilla and roll up for a soft taco. Top with desired add-ons.  
• Make a dinner-sized romaine salad with fresh tomatoes and other veggies. Top with about 1/2 cup of the meat mixture and any of the other add-ins. Drizzle with salsa and ranch dressing and enjoy! (Not pictured)

***

An update on my internet saga: I finally got a phone call from a service technician Wednesday, after a full week of not having internet access at home. And he isn't coming until August 12. Let's hope he loads the truck with all possible tools/repairs/equipment needed, since he'll be coming from Wichita. And, at that point, I will have been without internet for 2 weeks. I wish I had more options! I am thankful to my parents, the church and the Hutchinson Public Library for helping connect me to the web, but it sure isn't as convenient as my house!