Maple Chili Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts

IT'S FALL!!! My favorite time of year!! Beautiful, earthy colors, comforting spices, blankets, sweaters, and boots! Who doesn't also love the obsession with pumpkin flavored everything. OK, well a lot of people are probably sick of it by now, but everything else about Fall is amazing.

Butternut squash is a quintessential Fall vegetable for me. It is the closest thing to a sweet potato that the Hubby will eat, and it's truly versatile - prepared either sweet or savory. I decided to combine both flavors, and, like most recipes, add in a little green. 

Enter, Brussels sprouts, a vegetable that both the Hubby and I are fans of and have been most of our relationship. I knew the Brussels were dense enough to hold up against the squash if roasted at high temperatures. Brussels sprouts are also a flavorful vegetable that don't require a lot of spices or added flavors.

This is an easy side dish for your Fall menus. It does require some cooking time, so be sure to allow for that. This side dish goes well with most meats or a rice pilaf. The leftovers are a perfect addition on a salad as well. Enjoy!

Maple Chili Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts 

Yields: 8 servings 
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: about 45 minutes

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends cut off, halved

1 pound Butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

4 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon chili powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

The easiest way to peel a butternut squash is to cut off both ends and use a vegetable peeler, scraping down the sides until the thick skin is peeled off. Note, this might take a few peels in the same spot. Otherwise, you can cut both ends off the squash and then cut in half width-wise and use a sharp knife to cut the skin off. Be sure to scoop out the seeds from the middle of the squash before cutting into cubes.

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or heavy duty foil. Mix the halved Brussels sprouts and cubed butternut squash with the maple syrup, chili powder and olive oil. Lay out the mixture evenly on the baking sheet (might have to use two if the baking sheets are small) and sprinkle evenly with about a teaspoon of salt.

Roast the vegetable mixture at 350F for 25 minutes, then increase the heat to 425F and continue to roast for another 15-20 minutes (depending on oven). Once the vegetables are well browned, remove and serve with salt and pepper to taste.

Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Kale

The other night it was cold, and rainy, and dreary. There is only one option in our house when the weather is like that...SOUP. I love making soups! They are so versatile, hearty and filling. And best of all, soups feed a lot of people. 

I started with a vegetable that was new to me in soup-land, cauliflower. I love this cruciferous veggie, but have never made it the star of a soup...until now. This recipe turned out fantastic! I got a little inspiration from Rosemarried, a new blog I have discovered (and become quite fond of). 

This soup was very easy and quick to make. Once I got all the ingredients in the pot, I decided to make kale chips to go on top of the soup instead of croutons. I made the kale chips a bit spicy so it added more flavors to the soup. After 30 minutes, I had the soup, kale chips and a side of Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad for dinner. Hubby gave me a "hell yeah, babe" and we were off to yummy-town.

Other soup topping options:
 - sautéed mushrooms
 - crispy bacon or pancetta
 - croutons
 - drizzle of truffle oil

Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Kale

Adapted from Rosemarried
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

1 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine (Chardonnay is best)
2 small cauliflower, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme, plus extra to garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 liter of vegetable stock
Parmesan rind
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)

Kale chips:
1 small bunch kale, stem removed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch paprika

Preheat oven to 350 for kale. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onions, garlic and shallots and sweat for 5 minutes, until translucent. Deglaze the pot with wine and stir well then add cauliflower, thyme and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, while stiring. Add the stock, bay leaves and Parmesan rind and cover the pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft.

On a large cookie sheet, add kale and drizzle sesame oil (or olive oil) and salt and pepper over. Toss to coat with your hands and massage kale for 1-2 minutes, until flavors are well distributed. Bake for about 15 minutes, tossing 1-2 times while cooking, until crispy. Remove and set aside. Watch carefully as they will burn quickly.

Fish out the thyme and bay leaves from the soup pot. Using a immersion blender or regular blender, puree the soup. Stir in the cream if using and top with paprika and kale chips. Season with salt and pepper.

5 Beers You'll "Fall" Head Over Heels For

Special treat to start off your week, a guest post from the Hubby!! At least one thing will cheer you up on a Monday...Fall beers!

Hey there Kettler Cuisine readers! Ryan aka “The Hubby” here. Hope you’re enjoying everything that comes along with the Kettler household’s favorite season, FALL!!

Color-changing leaves, football, bonfires, Halloween, and hoodies aren’t the only things that I look forward to. I also anxiously await the release of the many glorious Fall seasonal beers that some of my favorite breweries put out!

These beers span the autumn flavor spectrum. Typically you’ll see A LOT of pumpkin and marzen (the traditional oktoberfest beer) along with some lesser known flavors like maple. 

More darker beers such as stouts, porters, and browns come into the equation. These Fall beers are usually higher in alcohol content so they have a nice warming effect on cooler evenings. Dark beers tend to be smoother because of their dark malt characteristics (think of the velvety consistency of a Guinness as opposed to the crispness of a pilsner for example).

One thing’s for sure: there’s something suitable for even the most fickle palette. 

Today I would like to share with you 5 of my favorite fall seasonal beers, so sit back, pour a cold one (or a hot toddy), and enjoy!

Warlock - Southern Tier Brewing Co.

This imperial pumpkin stout gets us started with a bang. At 8.6% abv, it’s not messing around.  I was able to try this one the other day and boy, was it delicious. The vanilla, chocolate, and cinnamon characteristics made it taste like a liquified s’more. No joke.

Commercial description: Imperial stout brewed with pumpkins Warlock is brewed to enchant your palate on its own and also to counterpoint our Imperial Ale, Pumking. Make your own black magic by carefully pouring this Imperial Stout into a goblet. Dark and mysterious, the Blackwater Series is serious about high gravity. Reanimate your senses with Warlock’s huge roasted malt character, moderate carbonation and spicy pumpkin pie aroma.

Food pairings: Particularly tasty with spicy BBQ, smoked or roasted foods. Try it as a float with a scoop of organic vanilla ice cream, or paired with a slice of carrot cake.


Pumking - Southern Tier Brewing Co.

I couldn’t mention Warlock without giving a nod to its flavorful cousin, Pumking! Another must-have fall ale if you can’t get enough pumpkin flavor. This beer contains a whopping portion of pumpkin puree and according to the brewery, is “bewitched and brewed with pagan spirit”. 

Commercial description: All Hallows Eve is a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world, and when magic is most potent. It is thought that we harness this magic to brew our powerful pumpkin ale. Not so, but it is with great respect to the magic of their trade that our brewers produce this fine beer. Take a whiff of this complex ale and your journey has just begun. At first sip, a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds, yet another victim enraptured by the Pumking.

Food pairings: Particularly tasty when paired with traditional thanksgiving dinner, a compliment to pumpkin pie, desserts. 

Marzen - The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery

I’ll go ahead and apologize to all of you reading this in a state other than North Carolina. The Duck-Rabbit is an awesome brewery located in tiny Farmville, NC, about an hour and a half east of Raleigh, so their scale doesn’t allow them to distribute nationwide. 

If you ever make it to NC during the Fall, be sure to pick one of these gems up. It’s a wonderfully balanced marzen, which is the traditional style of beer that is served at most German beer gardens during Oktoberfest. 

Dark brown, full-bodied, and bitter, marzen is often kept in the cellar until late in the summer.

There’s no corporate description for this beer yet but it’s dark amber in color, smells of caramel and fruit, has a slightly sweet and bitter taste. Wunderbar!

Food pairings: Fried chicken with white gravy, roast leg of lamb, roast pork, chicken cordon bleu, sausage, and pretzels.


Punkin Ale - Dogfish Head Brewery

This easy-drinking ale is more accessible to the general populace, and that’s great because it’s very tasty! I actually had it on the 1st of October when Jessica and I went to our favorite Raleigh restaurant, Poole’s Diner, for our 2nd anniversary!

Most beer connoisseurs would consider this to be more of a “harvest” beer instead of a pumpkin because it isn’t very heavy on the pumpkin flavor. You will get a lot of spice aromas and a really nice sweet aftertaste that lingers pleasantly. Nicely balanced overall. 

Commercial description: A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, organic brown sugar and spices. As the season cools, this is the perfect beer to warm up with. 

Food pairings: Turkey, roasted duck, lamb, stuffing, dessert dumplings, sharp cheddar.



Smashed Pumpkin - Shipyard Brewing Co.

In case you couldn’t tell already, I’m a huge fan of pumpkin. If you share my sentiments, then this beer will not let you down. 

This ale is considered by most beer knurds to be in the top 10 of pumpkin beers because of it’s intense pumpkin flavor and brown sugar sweetness. That sweetness combines with the exceptional malt giving it a buttery pie crust flavor. Now who wouldn’t like that?

Commercial description: Smashed Pumpkin is a big-bodied beer with a light coppery orange color and pleasing aromas of pumpkin and nutmeg. The Pale Ale, Wheat and Light Munich malts combine with the natural tannin in pumpkin and the delicate spiciness of hops to balance the sweetness of fruit.

Food pairings: roasted turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted root vegetables, brown sugar squash pie.

Be sure to keep your eye out for these beers in your local grocers or craft beer shops as some (especially Warlock & Pumking) are in very high demand and therefore sell out quickly. The word “seasonal” infers you won’t be able to have the opportunity to try them again until next Fall! Don’t fret though, there’s always a new season right around the bend. WINTER BEERS ARE COMING!

I hope you all have enjoyed reading about the 5 spectacular beers. Do you have any Fall seasonal beers that I didn’t mention? I want to hear about them, so leave a comment below! Cheers!

Spiced Apple Sauce

It feels so wonderful to be back in my kitchen! I have been a busy bee today, cooking away, motivated by the Fall spirit. Fall flavors are everywhere...apples at the Farmer's Market, pumpkin spice coffee at Trader Joe's, cinnamon candles at Target! Fall certainly has become a trendy season.

I am ok with this, especially when it comes to apples. Even though apples are available all year round, there is something about the healthy fruit during it's peak season. I decided to attempt apple sauce for my first Fall recipe this month. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be!

First, the apples. I don't think I realized how many different types of apples there are! I chose to mix a few different types for the sauce, Magna Bonma NC Heirloom, Virginia Beauties and Jona Gold.

During this season, I think any apple would do as long as you like the flavor. Be sure to taste the apples before you cook with them....same concept as only cook with wines that you drink!

Then, the added flavors. I have always been a fan of cinnamon apple sauce, so decided to add a cinnamon stick. After making the first batch, I don't really think the sauce needed any sugar since the apples are so sweet by themselves. However, I added a little maple sugar to add in a little extra comfort!

Spiced Apple Sauce

Yields: 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 1/2 hours, plus warming time

8 cups sliced apples, skins on
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon maple sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 whole cinnamon stick
Freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Add all the ingredients into a slow cooker and place on high for 3 and 1/2 hours. Stir the apples every hour to prevent the skins from sticking to the bottom a bit. Keep the apples on warm for an hour to let them cool down a bit.

Remove the cinnamon stick and pour the apples and liquid into a blender or food processor and mix up. We like chunky apple sauce here, so only pulse a few times. Let the apple sauce cool and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze.