You’ve probably seen a lot of gourds at your grocery store. Everyone knows what to do with the very familiar pumpkin (pies, roasted seeds, CARVE EM!, etc), but what about their brethren?

Spaghetti, acorn, butternut, dumpling and other varieties of squash look cool AND there’s plenty you can do with them in the kitchen! Below you’ll find the first of what I hope will be several fall gourd recipes (comment and send me YOUR suggestions).

Roasted Acorn Squash With Spinach and Gruyere
This recipe is SO easy, and the results are terrific. Acorn squash is very sweet, and the nutty Gruyere is a perfect cheese to pair with the spinach and walnut filling. It’s a satisfying, warm meal that is perfect for these chillier days. I recommend serving with just basic brown rice. I definitely will make this meal again!

Ingredients

• 2 (1 lb)  acorn squash
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 4 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
•1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions
Rinse the squash and cut each in half lengthwise: scoop out and discard seeds; Place squash halves, cut side down, in a 10-by-15 inch pan.

Bake in a 400 degree regular or convection oven until squash is just tender when pierced, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze moisture from spinach; in a bowl, mix spinach, 3/4 cup cheese and walnuts; season to taste with salt and pepper.

With tongs or a spatula, turn squash halves over and spoon spinach mixture equally into cavities of squash; Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

Return squash to oven and bake until cheese melts and filling is hot in the center, 15 to 20 minutes, Serve.
— From recipezaar.com

 

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Moms, dads, prepare yourself now --Your kid may be asking for a cupcake car this Christmas. And yes, apparently they do exist. But don't worry, if you have an extra $25,000 laying around, you can grant little Timmy's wishes.  

Man, if only I had a cupcake car. My wildest dreams have come true, yet are still so far away. I would seriously drive this. I wonder if they will ever come out with a grown-up version that can handle the freeway? Now there's a thought.

Anyone want to donate to the Kendall Cupcake Car Fund?

Straight from the 2009 Neiman Marcus Fantasy Christmas Catalog:

Put on your matching hat, slip under the muffin top of your Cupcake Car, and let the world figure itself out for awhile. Get (or give) the sheer, joyful chaos of a gift that is mind-blowing, triple-dog-dare, double-infinity forever cool. Make the kids or grandkids literally squeal with joy. Bring it to work and buzz the breakroom. Crash parades! Putter about the ‘hood. Ever had a crowd of kids chasing after you just for the crazy gleeful heck of it? (No worries, the top speed is a comfy-safe 7 mph.) What’s it made of? A 24-volt electric motor, a heavy-duty battery, sheet metal, wire, fabric, wood…and mad genius. Launched at Burning ManSM as a cooperative art car project, the Cupcake Car sprang from the fevered mind of Bay Area artist Lisa Pongrace and her less-rules-more-laughs posse of artists and techno geeks. Yours will be tricked out with your favorite topping, so start thinking flavors.

Customized Cupcake Car
Price	$25,000.00
CBF10_NMO4428

Mmmmm......now that sounds good. Beats my old pink Barbie Jeep any day.

So far I have only taken to the fairgrounds for mass consumption of food once, but I began with a nice healthy start.

 

Stop one:
MEAT

Chicken Fried Bacon:
I had the bacon without the dipping sauce, which was probably a mistake, but in a way it may have saved a few calories. The portion size really gives props to this stand near the lagoon adjacent to the Midway. The FarmPac bacon was greasy and thick, giving me high hopes of the rest of my meal, however the frying batter wasn’t quite what I was looking for. Giving into State fair indulgences, I rank this at 3 out of 5 stars for my dining pleasure.

German Fajita:
Who ever knew you could fill a giant flour tortilla with polish sausage and sauerkraut and onion. I was in hog heaven after trying to stuff down enough sausage to make a candidate for gout. The sauerkraut had a strong flavor and it was fresh and steamy. Thumbs up for the sautéed onions as well. 4 out of 5 stars.

Stop Two: SWEET
Fried Ice Cream Sundae:
For the equivalent of $7, the deep fried ice cream sundae had me feeling a big apprehensive. Could it really be as good as everyone said, or will I be throwing my money away at another country-fied/country fried food gimmick?
The answer was a resounding, “No!” The breading around the ice cream was similar to eating an ice cream sandwich crossed with something I couldn’t quite put my fingers on.
When it was 92 degrees outside and I was wearing jeans and cowboy boots, the sundae served its purpose well. If I could give 4.25 stars, I would, but why not be generous - 4.5 out of 5.

Stop Three: QUENCH
Sweet Tea:
What I thought would just be a cup of sweet tea turned into drinking pancake syrup. It was cold and wet, but that’s about where the scoring stops. One star.

This is my first of several visits, so be on the lookout for future state fair dining endeavors.

-Marcus Out-

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I came, I saw, I ate some cheap and delicious enchiladas. Read all about it here.
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Some days you just need a burger. I get it. It used to be my favorite thing to eat. My hunger for Double Quarter Pounders with Cheese and Super Size Fries (natch, right!) was legendary. There was a point in my early 20s when I’d have two such meals a week.

 

Obviously that diet is no more. About five years ago I started my path toward vegetarianism (first ditched red meat, then pork, fish and with great difficulty, finally poultry). And with little exception (chicken parmesan still looks/smells heavenly), I have not looked back. Basically, I feel and look healthier.

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Everything’s bigger in Texas – but tastier?

From Sept. 28 through Oct. 2, Texas restaurants participating in the Department of Agriculture’s Go Texan program will develop Texas-focused menu items to encourage consumers to dine out in support of local chefs, food banks and Texas producers.

During five-day event, more than 200 restaurants in a variety of price range will celebrate Texas food and wine. A portion of the round-up’s proceeds will benefit local food banks.

Below are several ways GO TEXAN restaurants will showcase locally sourced items during the Restaurant Round-Up:

• Fixed-price Texas meals
• Special Texas menus paired with Texas wines |
• Texas wine tastings with special pricing to celebrate Texas Wine Month in October
  

Click to see the North Texas participants in your neighborhood.

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Here at Let's Eat, everyone here gets to nosh on some yummy stuff I can't eat right now. *sad face* Robert got ice cream. Kendall got cupcakes. Saerom got granitas...

But as you may have read, I'm on a meal plan. So I'm kind of limited although I'm starting to get creative with what I can have. Today's lunch for example was a first for me, as far as homemade, but is surely not complicated by any stretch as it is probably something you have in your fridge right now.

It's nothing but mixed greens plus fresh (try to get organic if you can because they are typically sweeter and more colorful) blueberries and strawberries. But on top I poured organic red wine vinager (not vinaigrette) on top...this folks is calorie-free (yay!). To add a little more sweet to the punch of the vinegar I drizzled a very, very small amount of my favorite strawberry vinaigrette that is higher in calories. Oh how I do indulge! *cough*

Anyway, if you are paring down to get ready for all that Texas Stae Fair food, consider this easy, peasy recipe. I'm eating it right now. I would share but I'm on a meal plan. Did I mention I'm on a meal plan?

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Yes, it does exist. There is a s'mores contest this weekend. Just thought you might want to know. It's at the RV Supershow at Dallas Market Hall.

The contestants will demonstrate how to create their own version of the treat, in hopes of winning the grand prize of $300. Second place gets $200.

To submit a recipe, you must do so by noon Sept. 15 to  info@shiromasouthwest.com.

Twelve recipes will be selected to be demonstrated by the contestant on Sept. 18 for a panel of judges.

The top three will then compete for the title of Ultimate S'mores 2009.

The official rules for the Ultimate S'mores Contest are available here:

http://www.southwestrvsupershow.com/ultimate-smores-contest.asp

Mmm....drool on that. 

 

Last year I celebrated the oft-dreaded Big 3-0. My reaction: Big deal. Thirty’s great. It’s only a number. You’re as young or as old as you feel and act. So turning 31 on Saturday, Sept. 12 probably was no big deal, right? Totally wrong!

 

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The Allen Rotary is hosting the city's first chili cook-off in October. So, if you've been hiding that one-in-a-million chili recipe in a safe, this is your chance to show it off, because you could win $500 and Dodie's Place Sports Grill will feature your item on its menu for one year.

If you, like I, are not much of a cook, you can focus your efforts on decorating your 10-by-10-foot booth for a chance to win -- gasp -- Best Decorated Booth.

Entry deadline is Oct. 9 and the actual event will take place Oct. 24 in The Village between Dodie's and the Allen Event Center.

Details here.

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