Let's Talk Sass-Squash

My kids hate squash. Like - they HATE it. The first, last, and only time I forced my son to chew and swallow one bite of roasted butternut squash he literally barfed it back up right onto his dinner plate. My daughter just let it drool back out of her mouth like a broken slurpee machine. So, the following is a super-ninja mommy hack from someone who has been all the way there and back and made one of those memento quilts with all the t-shirts. We need squash in the winter. 

Winter squashes, like acorn, butternut, pumpkin, are creation's answer to the shorter days, overcast skies, colder weather, and all other factors that aid in our predisposition to illness and depression during the winter months. They are full of vitamin A, C, B, beta-carotene, iron, omega-3, potassium, manganese, and fiber. You can eat them raw or cooked in various ways, and the seeds of any squash can be roasted - not just pumpkin. The seeds are just as good for you, plus they are high in protein! (Toast them on a baking sheet with olive oil and salt/seasoning at 300 for 15 minutes)

Mostly, the thing kids hate about squash is the texture, So, that's the problem we need to solve. How do you disguise the texture and sneak it in there? SHRED IT!

Peal your squash, remove the stringy stuff and seeds, get your grater or food processor, and shred that guy up. Save it in a container in the fridge to use all week in various, sneaky ways. 

You can add it raw into salads - AKA "yellow carrots", throw it into soups, anything you are cooking in the crock pot, into casseroles, or toss it into smoothies when they aren't looking. Once my aunt hid it in home-made macaroni and cheese and they gobbled it down with a smile. But, just to prove I'm not a faker, I have a handful in the crock pot right now with some chicken and Texas Chili Spice Mix. Once that chicken shreds down for tacos they won't even know the squash is there. 

You can also take those shreds and puree' them with chicken or vegetable stock and turn it into a really great soup with carrots, onions, cream, and some Moroccan Tagine Spice Mix. And let's not forget those handy little cans of pumpkin at the store! We make pumpkin bread and pumpkin pancakes with that stuff and nobody ever leaves a crumb of evidence behind. Spike it with some spiced sugar and you just transformed breakfast into a fall celebration and got a boost of vitamins and fiber while you were at it!  

So, next time you're at the store, grab a squash. Ninja-sneak that stuff in their food. Trust me - they'll get over it. ; )

*We would love to hear from you on your favorite way to prepare and eat winer squash in the comments, or at: www.facebook.com/boutiquetreatssugar 

Baking with Spiced Sugar

Using spiced sugars is a fun, creative, and super easy way to add flare to your baking. If a recipe calls for white sugar, you can substitute 1 for 1 with nearly all of our flavors. If it calls for brown sugar, Gingerbread Sugar can take its place. We love using spiced sugar during the holidays to transform simple banana bread or pancakes into something extra special, but sometimes a random summer weekend or serving overnight guests calls for a special treat as well. 

Spiced sugars take the guess work out of how much of this or that to use and can save you in a pinch when the spice cabinet is missing a thing or two. It can elevate a pie crust or cobbler topping by rolling in or sprinkling a good dose on top, and it does wonders for coffee and vanilla ice cream! 

But my favorite part about the spiced sugars we make is the fact that they are all-natural. We make them fresh per order and never use anything artificial. Our vanilla comes straight from the actual bean, our bay picked fresh from a tree on site, and our spices from a local, usually organic, distributor. This means there is no chemical taste to our products and you can feel good about what you are putting into your recipes.

So, which sugars go in which recipes??? That's an easy one - whichever you like! But, in case you like a little more structure - here's a list of some favorite pairings. If you have a question about what to use or a success story of your own using spiced sugars, we'd love to hear from you. recipe that came out Happy baking!

Banana Bread: Signature Spiced, Gingerbread, Spice Cake.

Pancakes and Waffles: Spice Cake, Signature Spiced, Canela Latte

Cinnamon Rolls: Gingerbread, Spice Cake, Canela Latte

Pie Crust: Canela Latte, Spice Cake

Blueberry Muffins: Lemon-Laveder, Signature Spiced

Fruit Pies and Tart Fillings: Signature Spiced, Spice Cake, Canela Latte

Real Time!

Check out our YouTube channel - Real Time! In these episodes we get real in the kitchen and teach others to make easy, home-cooked food from scratch on a budget. We definitely don't take ourselves too seriously, but we always get some GREAT food out of it. 
In our first series we roast a whole chicken, turn that into home-made broth plus Tuscan gnocchi soup, and then into chicken pot pie. In our second series we make an old fashioned pork roast and transform those left overs into pulled pork tacos and a fabulous pasta sauce. We have so much more planned and would love you to join us on our fun, imperfect, hilarious, real-deal journey.
If you like what you see, please subscribe! And we would love to heard back from you with any comments, requests, or questions. Click the link to get started!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIZRkGKW_zo&t=62s

Sabroso - New Spanish-Style Spice Mix!

Introducing Sabroso - our latest spice mix! Meaning "very flavorful and tasty", sabroso is the umami of the Mediterranean. Inspired by my student travels to Spain I have created a spice mix that captures the tongue smacking savor of the region. Sweet paprika, garlic, onion, orange, and oregano come front and center, while bay, fennel, and coffee sing back up in this Spanish serenade. Stay tuned for info on our four course pop-up dinner, Table for Six, featuring this new addition!



To order please message us at: www.facebook.com/boutiquetreatssugar or boutiquetreats@yahoo.com

Slow Cooker Wild Rice Pudding

This time of year I'm usually looking to eat a little healthier and heartier. It's a tricky balance! This recipe takes little effort and is full of nutrition and hearty whole grains.

What you will need: (4 servings)
3/4 C wild and/or brown rice
2 C milk, coconut milk, or almond milk
1/4 C of your favorite spiced sugar (I used Spice Cake)
1 T butter or coconut oil
a big pinch of salt

optional add-ins: raisins, sultanas, chopped apples or dried fruits, berries, chia seeds...

optional toppings: toasted nuts or seeds, a splash of cream or yogurt, a spoonful of jam or nut butter, chocolate chips, thin strips of candied ginger or orange zest, whipped cream...

What you do:
Melt the butter or coconut oil in the crock pot and spread it around to coat the bottom. Add the rest of the ingredients plus any optional add-ins, stir, cover, and cook on low for 4 1/2 hrs or on high for 2 1/2 hrs.  

When it's done and the rice is tender dish it up and eat it as-is or with desired toppings. It's fun to set out a little buffet of optional toppings and let each person create their own. It makes a terrific breakfast, or can be served with sweet accompaniments and whipped cream for dessert!

Turkey Soup! with Sugo Italian Seasoning

Each holiday we find ourselves with a pretty good stockpile of leftover turkey. It seems like a good idea at the time to bring home a giant storage bag of turkey from Nana's house, but after that coveted turkey sandwich we need a game plan for the rest of it. This recipe is flexible to whatever you end up having on hand. If you don't end up with any bones for the stock, you'll need to use pre-made or purchased chicken stock instead of water. But don't let all that run you off. It takes a while, but it's really easy and so worth it. In this one we use our Sugo seasoning because the herbs and fennel seed go amazingly well with poultry. If you don't like fennel, or have a cajun fried turkey to deal with, you can use Creole seasoning instead.

OK. Here we go.

What you will need:
Left over turkey meat and bones (remove skin)
2 C of water per serving of meat that you have to work with (1/4 C meat = 1 serving)
1 tsp Sugo Italian Seasoning per 2 C water
1/2 C barley or brown/wild rice (for an 8-12 C pot)
1/4 C chopped veg per 2 C water - carrots, celery, onion, etc - whatever was left on that veggie tray besides broccoli can get cut up and thrown in depending on your preferences. 
extra salt to taste
a big pot

What you do:
Boil your meat and bones in the water for an hour. Don't freak out too much about proportions. It's not exact science and you'll have veggies and grains in there too to make it go around. For example: if you have a turkey leg plus 2 C of meat left over, throw it all in a big pot with 8-12 C of water and boil it. Remove the bones and be sure to get all the meat off of them. Careful - it's hot. If you think there might be little bits of bone in there, strain it.
If you never had bones to work with in the first place, just bring your meat to a boil in the right amount of chicken broth.
Add your meat back into the broth (that you made!) plus the seasoning (for a big pot of 10ish cups I use about 2 T of seasoning) and barley/wild rice. Boil to nearly cook the barley - about 35 minutes. Check your broth for salt and seasoning. Add more if it needs it. Add your veg and cook an additional 10 minutes.
You just used Thanksgiving leftovers to make a fabulous soup from scratch. You win at life! You are amazing! Serve it with any surviving dinner rolls and finish off that pie for goodness sake.

*If you want to use white rice or pasta instead of barley, go ahead and throw your veg in at the same time as the rice/pasta and adjust the cooking time to the package directions (white rice=20 min, pasta varies). 

NEW! Take A Tour gift sets

 A Boutique Treats culinary expedition!

 Go on a trip around the world with these perfect pairs!

Each box contains a carefully selected 8 oz spice mix and 8 oz specialty sugar, plus recipes for using them in authentically themed beverages, appetizers, entrées, and desserts.

Take A Tour gift sets are perfect for people who love to cook and experiment with international cuisine.

Cuban Tour

Cuban cuisine is a blend of Spanish, African, and Caribbean influences. Our Havana Seasoning draws from Cuba’s beautiful use of orange and cumin and blends it with punchy herbs like sage and oregano. We chose to pair our Cuban seasoning with Signature Spiced Sugar for it’s warm spices, bay, and citrus flavors.

Moroccan Tour

Moroccan food has been influenced by its exchanges with other cultures and nations over the centuries. Typically a mix of Mediterranean, Arabic, and Andalucian and Berber cuisines, it is known for it’s aromatic spices and sweet dried fruits. Our Moroccan Tagine Spice Mix captures the exotic flavors of this region and brings them to your home. We have paired our Moroccan Tagine Spice Mix with Spice Cake Sugar for its bold use of cinnamon, ginger and clove.

Italian Tour

Italian cuisine is characterized by its simplicity and emphasis on the quality of the ingredients. Letting the fresh flavors of the region speak for themselves is a trademark of true Italian cooking.  Our Sugo Italian Seasoning captures the essence of Tuscany with fennel, oregano, and garlic. We have paired this beautifully herby blend with our Canela Latte Sugar for its reminiscence of an Italian espresso café. 


We are offering these beautiful gift sets for $25.00 each. If you would like to order please contact us at facebook.com/boutiquetreatssugar or boutiquetreats@yahoo.com.