Stuffed Acorn Squash with Barley

Ingredients

• 1 small acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved and seeded
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 fennel bulb (about 6 ounces), trimmed of stalks, cored, and chopped fine
• 1 shallot, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Balsamic vinegar, for serving

Directions

Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray.

Brush cut sides of squash with 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and pepper, and lay cut-side down on prepared baking sheet. Roast on lower-middle rack until tender (tip of paring knife can be slipped into flesh with no resistance), 45 to 55 minutes. Remove squash from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water to boil in small saucepan. Stir in barley and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until barley is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Wipe saucepan dry, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in fennel and shallot and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, coriander, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Off heat, stir in cooked barley, 1/2 cup Parmesan, parsley, pine nuts, and butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Flip roasted squash over and scoop out flesh, leaving 1/8-inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Gently fold cooked squash into barley mixture, then mound mixture evenly in squash shells. (Stuffed squash can be covered loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 4 hours. Finish and bake as directed, increasing baking time to 25 to 30 minutes.)

Sprinkle squash with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake on upper-middle rack until cheese is melted, 5 to 10 minutes. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar to taste and serve.

Sautéed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce

Sautéed Pork Cutlets with Mustard-Cider Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces boneless country-style pork ribs, trimmed of excess fat, cut and pounded into cutlets
• Salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh sage, parsley, or thyme
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle sugar evenly over each cutlet. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add 1 piece butter, let melt, and quickly add cutlets. Cook cutlets until browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer cutlets to large plate and keep warm in oven while making sauce.

Add shallot to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in broth, cider, and sage and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Off heat, whisk in mustard, remaining 1 piece butter, and any accumulated juice from pork. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste, spoon over pork, and serve.

Individual Chicken Pot Pies

Ingredients

• 1 savory pie dough
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 small celery rib, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Salt and pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

Roll out dough on parchment paper to 12-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick. Use ovenproof 12-ounce ramekin as guide to cut out two rounds of dough, about 1/2 inch larger than mouth of ramekin. Fold under and crimp outer 1/2 inch of dough, then cut 3 oval-shaped vents in center of each crust. Slide parchment paper with crusts onto rimmed baking sheet and bake until crusts just begin to brown and no longer look raw, 10 to 12 minutes for homemade pie dough or 7 minutes for store-bought dough; set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are softened and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and soy sauce and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

Slowly whisk in broth and cream, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into sauce and bring to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, return pan with sauce to medium heat and simmer until thickened and sauce measures 2 cups, about 5 minutes. Off heat, return shredded chicken, with any accumulated juice, to pan. Stir in peas, parsley, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide filling between ramekins and place parbaked crusts on top of filling. Place pot pies on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet and bake until crusts are deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes. Let pot pies cool for 10 minutes before serving.