Butternut Squash Custard

I look forward to the autumn season every year. The leaves and landscape beginning to change colors. The earth beginning to hibernate. The brisk smell of smoke and leaves hovering in the air. The dissonant sound of leaves clashing with cement underfoot. Drawing the hot chocolate out from the back of the cupboard. Snuggling under a warm blanket, sipping apple cider, and reading a good (cook)book. These are my favorite moments of fall.
Last weekend, I went rock climbing with a few friends. We drove an hour outside the bustling city of Montreal and into the heart of the Quebec countryside. I was floored. Coming from the plains of North Dakota, it is rare to see more than a small cluster of trees at a time. Quebec has thick forests that spread out for miles and miles over the gently rolling hills. And the colors! Dark greens, light greens, orange, red, pink. All in transition. Gorgeous.
It was one of those perfect fall afternoons. The sun was shining, the air was chilled, and the wind smelled heavily of the death before spring's rebirth. We traipsed through the worn forest paths to conquer the rocks.
And conquer them, I did.
There are very few moments more compelling than climbing a difficult rock face, reaching the top, bruised and battered, and being greeted with this. The sun setting over the vibrant forest beneath my feet. I was the queen of my own domain.
This butternut squash showcases the flavors of autumn. Cinnamon and nutmeg compliment the deep flavors of the squash beautifully. The caramelized sugar crust adds just the right amount of texture. This custard is comfort food at its finest. After a long day out in the brisk fall air, this hits the spot. Perfectly.

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Maple Roasted Bananas with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

I have begun a lifelong love affair with maple syrup. It started with pancakes, gravitated towards desserts, and found its way to savory foods (maple syrup is just fantastic on asparagus). But today we aren't talking about pancakes or savory foods. We are talking desserts. And this one is certainly a doozie.

When I set out to make these maple roasted bananas, I had no idea of the surprises in store for me. When you start to invent your own recipes, a little surprise here and there is bound to happen (though you never anticipate it). It started out innocently enough, with beautifully cut bananas drowning in maple syrup and brown sugar. What can I say? I let my guard down. So I put them in the oven, set the timer, and started putting away ingredients. About 4 minutes in, I smelled burnt sugar and rushed to the oven. The bananas were perfectly fine, oh yes they were, and I let out a brief sigh of relief. But the extra sugar in the pan had decided to boil and burn something awful. So, being completely practical, I turned on the broiler to harden the sugar on the bananas.

The fire alarm forced me to stop my experiment.

My bananas turned out perfectly despite this. My pan may be charred black, but who can care about that when these gorgeous bananas are staring you in the face? Some sugary syrup had been spared, so I drizzled this over the roasted bananas and added a dollop of cinnamon whipped cream. Oh. My God. I ate more than my fair share and licked my plate clean. Licked it spotless.

The cinnamon whipped cream keeps the sugar in check, so it is not overwhelming. Both the maple syrup and banana flavors shine. I could gush longer about how good this is, but I think its better if you just find out for yourself, don't you?

(Don't worry, I adjusted and tested the recipe so your baking venture will be a little less exciting).

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