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One day until the big five o in a snowy Vermont


... and the culinary legend that is Peter Lazor prepared a couple of specials to go with some Misty Knoll chickens. This is particularly admirable as he and Cathleen were doing shifts whilst Wyatt and Cooper slept over at their condo.
The meatballs were as an appetizer ... they tasted delicious ... particularly after we removed the few that contained melted cooker knob ...
Seriously these little babies were wolfed down by all members of the Cook, Lazor and Price clan.
The butternut squash was prepared to go with the chicken. Inexplicably our oven overcooked two of them and undercooked the other despite the fact they were in the same tray. By this time we had imbibed so much red wine and beer that it hardly seemed to matter... luckily we didn't poison anyone.... and the squash was appreciated by all.

The recipes

Spicy New Jersey Meatballs (The name says it all)

1 pound Ground beef - not too lean
1 large onion
2 tablespoons of cumin seed
2 tablespoons of coriander seed
1/2 tablespoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 cups of yogurt (Greek)
1/2 handful of mint
1 garlic clove (small)



Step 1 - In a blender or finely grate onion to a liquid
Step 2 - Put spices in a pan and heat just until it begins to smoke. Shake pan so all spices heat up. With a mortar and pestle mash up the spice mix
Step 3 - mix beef, onion, spices and parsley together in a large bowl
Step 4 - let meat rest in the refrigerator for an hour or more
Step 5 - roll mix into ping pong ball sized meatballs, salt just before cooking
Step 6 - bake in oven at 350F (180C) degrees until done. Turn over half way through
Step 7 - in a blender mix yogurt, garlic with mint and parsley, salt and pepper

Serve meatballs with toothpicks and dip into yogurt


Butter my Butternuts

Take 1 large butternut squash
Olive oil
Butter
Chicken or veg stock
Nutmeg
Optional - cumin, clove

Cut peeled squash into 2 inch cubes
Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper
Put in a flat pan in the oven and roast
Place a little chicken stock on pan to prevent burning a little at the time (you want the squash to roast but not burn. Squash will release water as well)
Squash should be in a 350 (180C) degree oven for about 30 to 45 minutes. You want it very soft
In a pan melt 1/2 stick of butter (2tbs) and shave 1/2 a whole nutmeg. Use the nut instead of pre-ground
In a bowl or blender mash squash and butter sauce into mash.
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