Food

How to put together a Halloween Candy Board

A spooky and fun take on just what you can put on a "cheese" board
September 29, 2020
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > "Hostess with the Mostest"

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halloween candy board

There are a lot of food and entertaining trends I CAN’T get behind, boards for everything is not one of them.

Collecting your classic cheese and charcuterie boards in all different shapes and sizes has become as popular as collecting matchbooks or blue and white chinoiserie pieces. Not only do these boards look gorgeous placed around your kitchen, but they’re extremely practical. Practical yes for your classic cheese plate obviously, but if you’re not thinking outside of the cheese board it’s time to start. And what better way than loading one with all the Halloween treats your stomach can handle for a Halloween Candy Board.

Crafting a Halloween Candy Board is truly easier than it looks. Personally, I like to start from the center and work my way out. Mix up colors and types of treats like chocolate pumpkins, cupcakes (I just added eyeballs to store bought cupcakes), homemade mallows, and cookies. For those local, Pum’s Sweets made these gorgeous mini sugar cookies!

Always include a bowl, or rather three if you’re doing more than one as odds always work better in this case. My pumpkin bowl is filled with a classic Autumn Mixture of mine, recipe coming on Friday! And if you feel like making your own bark I highly suggest this easy bark of mine. I make it every year!

Aesthetically make sure you’re angling treats all different directions so it doesn’t look like your Halloween Candy Board is tilting or moving in one specific direction. And try to make everything flow together so you have very few spaces or gaps showing. Lastly, have fun and don’t take it too seriously.

One more thought. I love a good grazing board as much as the next person, but based on everything that’s going on grazing is a no-no. To help make your Halloween Candy Board more socially distanced friendly grab plenty of inexpensive tongs and make sure everyone has their own that way they can pile the treats on their plate and simply place the tongs in a “dirty” bucket once they’re done for the evening. And grab some Halloween themed goodie bags so guests can take a few goodies home with them.

Happy Halloween friends, and if you need any Halloween decor ideas make sure to check out my favorite Halloween-themed post HERE! Truly, MKR

Photography Rustic WHite Interiors

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Baked Spaghetti Squash Boats

Squash season's star makes for a healthy, easy weeknight dinner the whole family will like
September 28, 2020
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday Dinner

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spaghetti squash
baked spaghetti squash

It’s officially squash season! And while I’ve made spaghetti squash practically every way possible (hello lasagna), my new favorite is via boats. Or rather Spaghetti Squash Boats. An easy, healthy, and most importantly flavorful recipe I’ve been making nonstop lately.

Think of this Spaghetti Squash Boat recipe like the loaded baked potato of squash recipes. You can come up with 100 different combos (vegan, vegetarian, or carnivore) and because spaghetti squash has the tofu-like ability to take on whatever flavor you’re cooking it with you’ll likely ace it every time. My husband who won’t touch squash with a ten-foot pole loved this dish so much he warmed it up for lunch the next day and even asked if we could try a buffalo chicken riff next time.

This Spaghetti Squash Boat recipe is also a big win because it’s deceptively healthy by allowing you to stuff it full of veggies and because of how melty the cheese becomes with the actual use of very little cheese. The other key to making your squash boat pack a true punch is the building of flavors through sauteing the sausage, garlic, onions, and veggies in the same pan.

And as if you needed another reason to try Spaghetti Squash Boats, bonus points if you’re a Sunday meal prepper because by cooking the Spaghetti Squash ahead of time this truly turns into a 30-minute meal.

Print the recipe out below and try it for yourself. And don’t forget to tag us on Instagram with whatever Spaghetti Squash Boat combo you created. Truly, MKR

Spaghetti Squash Boats

Mandy Kellogg Rye, Waiting On Martha
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Main Course

Equipment

  • Sheet Pan
  • Saute Pan

Ingredients
  

  • 2 Spaghetti Squash
  • 4 Sasuage Links (Chicken, Pork or Turkey. I prefer to use Andouille Turkey Sausage when possible).
  • 2 cups broccoli rough chopped
  • 2 cups asparagus cut into 1" pieces
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic finely chopped/diced
  • 1 bag shredded skim mozzerella cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • red pepper flakes (optional)
  • olive or avocado oil for sauteeing

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    Cook spaghetti squash face down on a baking pan lined with tin foil until cooked through. Approximately 30 minutes. Once cooked fork out the squash carefully into a large bowl reserving the spaghetti squash skins for baking. **This can be done up to 2 days in advance**
    While the squash is cooking, heat a large saute pan over medium/high heat spray non stick spray and add olive oil. Once hot add sausage, crumbling and cooking through. Once cooked remove and set aside.
    Place the pan back onto the heat and spray if needed again. You want the sausage oil reserves to stay in the pan for flavoring. Add onions and garlic cooking 2 minutes or until browned and tender. Add broccoli and asparagus. If frozen cook until warm/hot, if raw cook until softened.
    Add spaghetti squash and sausage back to the mixture with salt, pepper, red pepper and 1/4 cup of the cheese until combined and melted.
    Add skins back onto the sheet pan and spoon mixture back into the squash skins like a twice baked potato. Cover with remaining cheese and bake until cheese is fully melted.
    Remove and enjoy.

**If you choose to make the spaghetti squash beforehand make sure when you add It back to the pan mixture that it Is fully warmed through. When putting the boats back in the oven the mixture should be fully cooked through, you're simply adding it back to the oven to melt the cheese.**

    Photography Rustic White Interiors

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    Pan Fried Apple Pork Chops with Root Vegetables & Potatoes

    A one skillet, hearty meal that's sure to bring everyone to the table
    September 16, 2020
    Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
    Filed Under > Everyday Dinner

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    Pan Fried Apple Pork Chops with Root Vegetables & Potatoes Pan Fried Apple Pork Chops with Root Vegetables & Potatoes

    When I began eating meat again one of the first dishes I made was pork chops.  For me, there’s just something so nostalgic and comforting about pork chops. And while I always like a good chop, I find myself craving that classic apple-pork combo the second the temps drop.

    It’s also an added bonus that pan fried pork chops are one of the simplest meats to make on your stovetop.  I feel a lot of people shy away from them because they tend to over cook pork and all the applesauce in the world won’t save an over-cooked chop.  The key is to get your skillet blazing hot with a little butter then sear each side to create that nice caramelized pan fry.  Once you’ve accomplished that turn your heat down to low or add the chops to the oven.  Pulling them out, or removing them from the heat, at about 150 degrees and letting them rest for a few minutes. The chops will continue to cook, but you won’t have to worry about them being over-done.

    Anyway, now that we talked about why you should be cooking pork chops lets talk about today’s recipe; pan fried apple pork chops with root vegetables and potatoes.  Recently, when faced with a plethora of leftover apples from another recipe I thought why not mix up my classic pork chop recipe by pan frying the chops with the apples rather than using the apples as a topper or after thought. And oh my goodness…the flavor! The apples, garlic and onions completely infused my chops with the most delicious, tart yet sweet goodness. 

    Combine the flavor of the pan fried apple pork chops with seasonal root vegetables plus potatoes all in one skillet and you have yourself an easy, one-skillet, weeknight meal you’ll be making over and over again.  Plus doesn’t it look impressive? Trust me when I say its easier than it looks, try it out for yourself this week and please tag me if you do.  I love seeing your WOM recipes in real life! Truly, MKR

    P.S. Pork chops not your thing? Make sure to check out our recipe index and get inspired this season!
     

     

    Pan Fried Apple Pork Chops with Root Vegetables & Potatoes
    Serves 4
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    Prep Time
    10 min
    Cook Time
    40 min
    Total Time
    50 min
    Prep Time
    10 min
    Cook Time
    40 min
    Total Time
    50 min
    Ingredients
    1. 4-6 bone in organic pork chops
    2. 6-8 smaller red potatoes, halved
    3. 2 red onions, quartered
    4. 6-8 cloves of garlic smashed
    5. 1 large granny smith apple sliced
    6. 6-10 orange & purple carrots, cleaned
    7. 6-8 turnips, halved
    8. 1 large celery root quartered
    9. 2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
    10. parsley for garnish (optional)
    11. olive oil
    12. 2-3 tablespoons butter
    13. 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    14. salt & pepper to taste
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 400. Salt and pepper pork chops, set aside.
    2. While the oven is preheating begin to heat a large cast iron skillet on the stovetop to high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon butter, garlic, onion, and apple. Sauté 2-3 minutes.
    3. add another tablespoon of butter and add pork chops frying each side until brown, approximately 2-3 minutes each side. You're not cooking the pork chops through just browning the outside.
    4. Once browned remove from the skillet and set aside. Add all of the root vegetables, potatoes, and 2 sprigs of rosemary. Stir with onions, garlic and apples making sure nothing is sticking to the pan. If anything is add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and mix. Add salt and pepper and put skillet into the oven cooking vegetables until almost done, approximately 15-20 minutes.
    5. 5 minutes before vegetables are done remove the skillet from the oven. Shift the veggies around to make room for the pork chops. Once situated take one more tablespoon of butter and divide it amongst the pork chops putting a bit on each. Add the apple cider vinegar to the skillet.
    6. Return the skillet to the oven and cook until pork is fully cooked through.
    7. Garnish with parsley and serve.
    Welcome by Waiting on Martha https://waitingonmartha.com/

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