"A" is for April
It's April. Let's cook foods that start with the letter A. Because when it's this beautiful outside, we all have better things to think about than a complicated theme.
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Spicy Avocado Margaritas
(aka Avococktails!)
Makes 2 cocktails
Garnish the glass rim with black sea salt and serve.
(aka Avococktails!)
Makes 2 cocktails
- Half a ripe avocado
- 6 oz Tequila
- 3 oz fresh lime juice
- 3 oz sweetened lime juice
- 2 tps honey
- Dash (or 2 or 3) hot sauce
- Black sea salt
Garnish the glass rim with black sea salt and serve.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/5570625_orig.jpg)
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Bread, Cheese, and Bacon
From The Kitchn; adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Serves 2
2 slices bacon
1 small shallot, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped sage (from about 3 to 4 leaves)
1 1/2 cups bread cubes (from a crusty loaf or baguette)
3/4 cup grated cheese (try a mix of gruyere, fresh mozzarella, and cheddar!)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 medium acorn squash, sliced lengthwise, seeds and strings removed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400°F.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove, crumble, and set aside. In the same pan, cook the shallot until beginning to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook just until fragrant, about one minute (don't burn the garlic).
In a medium bowl, combine the shallot mixture, bread cubes, cheese, and bacon. Pour in the cream and stir until everything is moistened. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Rub a little olive oil into the squash, coating the sliced edges and the cavity. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing between the halves, packing it in so that the squash can still lie flat when turned upside-down.
→ At this point, the stuffed squash halves can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the total cooking time.
Carefully place the squash halves upside-down in a baking dish. Bake for about one hour, until the flesh of the squash can be easily pierced with a knife. If the juices and cheeses start to burn after 30 or 45 minutes, add a few tablespoons of water to the dish. Once the squash is cooked, use a spatula (or two) to flip them over. Serve as is or slice down the middle.
From The Kitchn; adapted from Dorie Greenspan
Serves 2
2 slices bacon
1 small shallot, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped sage (from about 3 to 4 leaves)
1 1/2 cups bread cubes (from a crusty loaf or baguette)
3/4 cup grated cheese (try a mix of gruyere, fresh mozzarella, and cheddar!)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 medium acorn squash, sliced lengthwise, seeds and strings removed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400°F.
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove, crumble, and set aside. In the same pan, cook the shallot until beginning to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sage and cook just until fragrant, about one minute (don't burn the garlic).
In a medium bowl, combine the shallot mixture, bread cubes, cheese, and bacon. Pour in the cream and stir until everything is moistened. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Rub a little olive oil into the squash, coating the sliced edges and the cavity. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper. Divide the stuffing between the halves, packing it in so that the squash can still lie flat when turned upside-down.
→ At this point, the stuffed squash halves can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours before cooking. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the total cooking time.
Carefully place the squash halves upside-down in a baking dish. Bake for about one hour, until the flesh of the squash can be easily pierced with a knife. If the juices and cheeses start to burn after 30 or 45 minutes, add a few tablespoons of water to the dish. Once the squash is cooked, use a spatula (or two) to flip them over. Serve as is or slice down the middle.
![Picture](/uploads/3/9/1/6/3916068/8748480.jpg?250)
French Almond Cookie Cake with Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze (Recipe from Averie Cooks)
YIELD: one 9-inch cake, 8 to 12 slices
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick + half of 1 stick)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons almond extract
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
about 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds, optional for sprinkling (I did not use)
Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze
3/4 to 1 cup apricot-peach jam (or a pineapple, peach, apricot or favorite jam)
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon almond extract
DIRECTIONS:
YIELD: one 9-inch cake, 8 to 12 slices
PREP TIME: 5 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick + half of 1 stick)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons almond extract
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
about 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds, optional for sprinkling (I did not use)
Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze
3/4 to 1 cup apricot-peach jam (or a pineapple, peach, apricot or favorite jam)
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon almond extract
DIRECTIONS:
- Cake - Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch cake round with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 75 seconds. Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don't scramble the egg.
- Add all remaining cake ingredients (except flour) and whisk until smooth. Stir in the flour until just combined; don't overmix. Turn batter out into prepared pan. Top with optional slivered almonds.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and set, and edges will be firmer and pulling away slightly from sides of pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and allow it to cool completely. While cake cools, make the glaze.
- Apricot Cream Cheese Glaze - Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until combined, or beat with a mixer until combined. Spread glaze on top of cake (don't not have to be completely cooled), slice and serve. Cake will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I refrigerated it because of the cream cheese, glaze but if omitting or using another kind of glaze, cake can be stored at airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.