Blogs

Hello, foodies…

I’m in the middle of a cookbook-signing whirlwind! Yesterday, I was at QVC’s Rockville Outlet near Lancaster, PA; tonight I’m headed to The Doylestown Book Shop in Doylestown, PA; tomorrow I’ll be signing books at QVC Studio Park in West Chester, PA; and on Monday I’ll be at the QVC Outlet Store in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware!

There I am at last night’s signing on the phone with a fan who couldn’t make it to Lancaster. His wife, however, could. And, she stopped by to get a signed book while I chatted with her husband for a few minutes. It was fun—I just love meeting new people. If you can't make the signings today, tomorrow, or Monday, we've got one more on the books down in Virginia Beach, VA. I hope to see you there! More details for all these events are on the In the Kitchen with David page on QVC.com.

Are you getting excited for Thanksgiving? I really am—the whole holiday season is my favorite time of year. I can already smell the turkey and taste all those wonderful foods. I bet lots of you are planning your menu and grocery shopping this weekend, so let me get right to our recipe this Sunday.

That’s my Mashed Acorn Squash with Apples, which you can prepare in the NuWave oven. It’s so important not to crowd your oven during the holiday season if you want your food to cook evenly. You also can’t expect your turkey to come up to temperature if you have to keep opening and closing the door. By using the NuWave—which is essentially an awesome countertop oven—you needn’t touch your conventional oven.

Mashed Acorn Squash with Apples
Serves 4–6

This recipe is prepared with the NuWave Pro Plus 8-in-1 Digital Oven with 2-Piece Baking Set (K41625).

Go to David's Recipe Item Page for the full list of items that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

• 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut in half lengthwise


• 1/4 cup light brown sugar


• 1 tsp ground cinnamon


• 1 Tbsp lemon juice


• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract


• 1/2 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces


• 2 large acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed


• Oil, for brushing squash


• Salt and pepper

NuWave Oven Preparation:

1. Place the apple halves in a bowl and toss together with the brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Place the coated-apple halves cored-side-up and any of the leftover brown sugar mixture onto the silicone baking pan. Top each apple half with a piece of butter. Place it in the bottom of the NuWave oven.


2. Brush the flesh of the squash with oil and season with salt and pepper. Using the extender ring of the NuWave, place the squash, flesh side down, on the 4" rack and place it in the oven. Bake on high for 30 minutes. Turn the squash and apples over and bake for an additional 15 minutes.


3. Using a pot holder to hold the squash, remove the flesh with a large spoon and place it into the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth. Add the apples and the cooking liquid and pulse until the apples are in small pieces. Serve.


4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare as directed above, but place the apples and squash on two baking sheets. Roast for 45 minutes and then puree as directed.

Conventional Oven Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare as directed above, but place the apples and squash on two baking sheets. Roast for 45 minutes and then puree as directed.

Earlier I mentioned oven-roasting your turkey and wanted to show you exactly how to do that. Here’s your next installment of Turkey Talk!

If you are oven-roasting your bird, give some serious thought to cooking with countertop appliances like the NuWave or your slow cooker. Last year we created Candied Sweet Potatoes for the slow cooker and they're fantastic.

Your blog question today is more of a poll. List or no list? Have you—or will you—diligently write this week’s list of to-dos down? Or do you work better just tackling chores and the menu as you go? I’m definitely a list kind of man and will be tackling the shopping early next week. I’ll see you all this Sunday on In the Kitchen with David at Noon ET.

Keep it flavorful!
—David