Without a doubt, Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love the glittery lights and vintage ornaments on our tree, my son’s non-stop singing of his rendition of “Jingle Bells” at the top of his voice, mad shopping for presents followed by mad gift-wrapping, and most of all, catching up with extended family and close friends over endless days of gorging on rich, decadent food. Turkey with its trimmings, champagne ham, leg of lamb, a variety of sausages, roast beef and smoked salmon are all regular features at our yearly family Christmas feast. But with all that meat, I make sure that there are delicious veggies to go along, and the dish that I never fail to make, is this honey and cinnamon-glazed butternut squash. I adore it so much that I sometimes think it should be the star of the show. Its sweetness pairs superbly with the savoury meats, and the intoxicating warm smell wafting from the oven as it bakes, defines what Christmas should really smell like.
While your guests wait for lunch or dinner proper, may I strongly suggest you serve them bowlfuls of these spiced bar nuts (adapted from Union Square Cafe’s famous recipe). Buttery, salty, sweet, and utterly irresistible, these crunchy nuggets are the best accompaniment to your bubbly. Even the kids will love munching on them while chugging sparkling apple juice (my son polished off a startling amount this afternoon, and he particularly likes the sugary, crispy rosemary leaves). But best of all, they are the perfect little nibbles for the sweaty cook toiling away in the kitchen (I speak from experience). Cheers and happy holidays!
Spiced Bar Nuts
2½ cups raw nuts (any combination you like – I used a mixture of cashews, almonds and peanuts here)
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1-2 tsp sea salt (to suit your taste)
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp of rosemary, unchopped
Preheat oven to 180°Celsius (350°Fahrenheit).
Place nuts on a baking sheet and roast them for 10-min, until slightly golden.
In a large bowl, roughly stir together the brown sugar, salt, cayenne and rosemary. Add the butter to the spice mix.
Immediately after removing the nuts from the oven, pour them into the butter spice mixture and toss well. The heat from the nuts will melt the butter, and the seasoning will stick to the nuts.
Let the nuts cool down before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.
Honey and Cinnamon-Glazed Butternut Squash
500g butternut squash, de-seeded, peeled, and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp runny honey
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Preheat oven to 180°Celsius (350°Fahrenheit).
Butter a large baking sheet.
With a fork or small whisk, mix together butter, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Toss butternut squash cubes in mixture, coating each cube well.
Pour butternut squash on baking sheet, saving any remaining butter mixture, and bake in oven for 20-min. Take tray out of oven, and brush remaining butter mixture over squash cubes. Return to oven and bake for another 15-min, until squash is bronzed around the edges.
About Dawn Chia
Dawn, a lanky food-crazed lady, started out writing for lifestyle magazines, and later spent several years in banking. When not eating, she's cooking, reading about, hankering after, and writing about food. On her first date with her boyfriend (now husband), they dined at four restaurants across Singapore. He's gained 25lbs since, and their culinary escapades continue after welcoming two rotund angels. Dawn's committed to feeding them with the best, and creating lasting food memories and traditions for her family.
