Butternut Squash Homefries

Why not actual potato homefries? Come on now... if you don't know the answer, then I can't help you. Sweet potato homefries would be okay but you can't beat the nutrients in this disguised winter squash. It also has a little sweetness to it.  It's the sweet/savory balance that makes it a perfect breakfast side.

Ingredients
1 large organic butternut squash
2 tbsp pastured lard, bacon grease or butter (Kerrygold)
1/2 organic white onion chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp organic parsley
1/2 tsp organic garlic powder
1 tsp organic mixed seasoning
1/4 cup homemade bone broth (chicken, beef, pork or whatever you have)
2 pieces of bacon (optional)

Directions
Skin, de-seed and cube your butternut squash to about the size of potato homefries. If you are using the bacon, you will want to chop it up into small pieces and start it cooking in a large skillet with the lard, grease or butter. I didn't have bacon to spare, so I left it out of this batch. 
Once the skillet is hot, add the cubed butternut squash and cook it until you get a nice browning on as much of it as possible. Add the chopped onion about halfway through.

After the squash has a good amount of color on it, add the dry seasonings and mix everything together. By this time the squash should almost be cooked through. Pour the broth in the skillet, mix it around and put a lid on it to steam. In about 5 minutes take the lid off and let the excess liquid cook off. 
Serve hot and enjoy!
If you want to spice it up a little, you can add some chopped pickled jalapenos or a pinch or two of cayenne.

Steak sauce

One thing I really miss is A1 Steak Sauce, and with all those steaks we eat, there has to be a substitute. So, this is what I came up with.

Ingredients
1/2 cup organic orange juice (I squeezed my own)
6-8 pitted organic dates
1/4 cup coconut aminos
1/4 cup organic apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons organic dijon mustard (sugar free)
1/2 cup brewed coffee
2 tablespoons organic ketchup (sugar free)
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp stevia extract (optional- add after ingredients have cooked down)


Directions
Blend all ingredients in the bullet and pour into a saucepan to simmer. Once the mixture has thickened, check the taste and add the stevia if you would like it to taste sweeter. You can also add a little arrowroot powder to help with the thickness (1/2 tsp or so).

Cauliflower Pilaf

Using cauliflower as an alternative to rice is nothing new to some people but perhaps I can offer what I think is the best way to prepare it.  I have never liked cauliflower cooked or raw and have heard the same from many others, so why not mask the taste as much as possible?  This is a recipe inspired by my sister, who proved to be quite a primal chef while putting me up for the last couple weeks at her place in Encinitas, CA.  (Sidenote: Jimbo's is a great place to shop for most of your primal needs if you live in that area.)

Cauliflower Pilaf
1 head organic cauliflower
10 or more cloves of roasted garlic (I roast my own)
handful organic fresh parsley
4 tbs. bacon grease (or organic butter)
4 organic green onions
1 cup organic broth (doesn't matter what kind - I make my own stock)
sea salt and pepper to taste
organic no-salt seasoning

Directions
Grate the head of cauliflower or put it into a food-processor until it has the same consistency or size of rice.  Chop your green onions, roasted garlic and parsley and throw them into a skillet with the bacon grease.  Add the cauliflower rice and seasoning.  *I used a grill seasoning mix and a couple dashes of hot sauce for an extra kick.
After the pilaf is getting a little color (it won't turn yellow- this happens to be the color of the cauliflower we used) pour the broth in the pan and let it soak into the mix.  That's it!

You really can use any kind of veggies or seasoning you want.  The key to the recipe is really the butter or bacon grease giving it that meaty flavor.
The bar-b-que chicken thighs are a recipe passed down from my fiance's family, so I will let him post that one.

Mexican seasoning

Combine:

1 tbs chili powder

2 tbsp cumin

2 tbsp coriander

2 tbsp ground dry oregano leaves

1 tbsp ground dry thyme leaves

1 tbsp garlic powder 
3/4 tsp cayenne

*The majority of these spices are the Organic Spices available at our local health food store, Natural Grocers.

Coffee

There are 3 coffee roasters that I am a huge fan of and I consider myself something of a coffee snob. Coffee is not only something I drink everyday but something I definitely think should be in the pantry for all kinds of cooking. It brings out the flavor of chocolate, deepens the flavors of chili and stews and is the perfect primal cooking substitute for Worcestershire. The brand of coffee I use only matters because I am drinking it and don't like the cheap stuff. If you are not drinking it and just cooking with it, you can use whatever kind you want. Brew up a pot, put it in a bottle with a stopper and save it for cooking in the fridge. I am particular to the espresso blends because I would rather brew espresso and judge my coffee from these. On a side note, for those of you who have never been a barista, you can brew the same beans for coffee, espresso, Turkish coffee, toddy, etc... The only difference is how the bean is ground and the coffee is extracted.

My favorite Colorado brand is the NOVO espresso blend.

My favorite California brand comes from a roaster whom I worked with, KEAN.

Of course, if you ever get to Portland you will be referred to Stumptown Roasters. It is well worth the hype. You can order their espresso blend online, called Hairbender. You can even sign up for a monthly subscription to their beans.

Blackening seasoning

This is definitely a staple in my pantry and runs out pretty quickly when it is out on the counter. Several of my recipes will use this because it is great on everything. I generally just eyeball the amounts of each spice, but here are the specifics:

Blackening Seasoning

1 tbs paprika

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp ground oregano

*The majority of these are the organic spices offered at our local health food store, Natural Grocers.