Guest Blog! Pumpkin, Barley, and Sage Soup

Well folks, I finally got her to do it.... here is a guest blog by my one and only momma! Enjoy:
Hi everyone, Dana's mom, Lynn, here. I guess I am a designated guest writer of Sunday Night Dinners, and have I got one delicious and savory fall soup for you, which happens to be very simple, also! I initially made it for myself a couple of weekends ago, when the boys were golfing in Northern Minnesota. (One of the perfectly warm, fantastically sunny weekends we have had in October in Minnesota this year.) I love the house to myself once in a while, I work at my projects, watch my TV shows (NO SPORTS! HGTV, Food Network, Cooking Channel) and always make myself a little gourmet meal to enjoy with a glass of wine and the quiet (hopefully with a nice sunset!). So, even though I was having a very busy day, I took the time to make this little soup, and ate it at 9pm! We Ostermans eat late.... Pumpkin, Barley and Sage Soup--Better Homes and Gardens, Everyday Easy 8 oz. smoked sausage links, chopped, or small dice ( recipe calls for andouille, which would add some heat. I used kielbasa)1 small onion, chopped1 tbsp snipped fresh sage1 tbsp olive oil1 cup quick cooking barley1 tsp chicken bullion granules( I use the Better than Bullion brand, and use a couple of spoonfuls to taste)4 cups water1 15 oz can pumpkin (I have not used pumpkin, first go around I used a sweet dumpling squash I baked in the microwave, and the next time, I used a small butternut squash, baked,)2 tbsp real maple syrup1 tbsp apple cider vinegar In a large saucepan, or Dutch oven, cook sausage, onion and sage in hot oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add barley, water and bullion. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Stir in pumpkin(squash), maple syrup, and vinegar, heat through. Season to taste with salt and fresh ground pepper. Serve in a warm bowl with 2 or three very thin slices of a Minnesota Honeycrisp apple (or any crispy apple in your area!), and enjoy! Makes four servings. So there you have it, very simple and so tasty! Give it a try some cool evening soon. For my dear daughter in NYC with a gluten allergy, and anyone else who eats gluten free, substitutes for the barley would be millett, quinoa, buckwheat (crazy name for gluten free wheat), or a can of cooked wild rice would be delish and very quick! Lesser known substitutes are amaranth and teff; celiacs would know these names! Lynn signing out--love you daughter, and all your recipes!! (I'd like to think that I had some tiny bit of influence on my daughter's love of cooking and good food!)**

**Blogger's Note: Yes you did, momma. You are an inspiration :)Well folks, I finally got her to do it.... here is a guest blog

Grilled Chicken and Radicchio w/Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Hello friends. It's been a while, I have some backlogged SNDers to report, but let's go with the most recent, shall we? Sometimes I get lazy, what do you want from me.

Okay! No cranky blogging.

This grilled chicken is fantastic, and is courtesy of Mr. Tyler Florence. Side note: Tyler - you looked and sounded out of your element on Food Truck Road Trip. Please shoot more Tyler's Ultimate episodes. That is all.

So Tyler does this awesome grilled chicken with a whole cut up (bone in, skin on) chicken. Adam and I used some great, huge organic (bone in, skin on) chicken legs. Start by tossing the chicken in some olive oil and salt and pepper, then refrigerate while you prepare everything else. Now let's roast some garlic! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut a bulb of garlic in half horizontally, and set the halves on a square of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on some salt, a tablespoon or two of water, and add two sprigs of fresh thyme. Fold the aluminum up around the garlic like a packet and place in the oven for thirty minutes or so. Your kitchen will smell wonderful! The garlic should be nice and soft. Let it cool, then squeeze it out of the peels into a food processor. Add a handful of chopped parsley, the leaves from six or seven sprigs of fresh thyme, 1/2 cup of olive oil, and the juice of 2 1/2 lemons. Whir until you get a vinaigrette - it will be on the thicker side. Add salt and pepper to taste. YUM.

Cut a head of radicchio into quarters, and place into a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and set aside for the grillin'.

You should have preheated your grill. I always forget to tell you that. Go do it, I'll wait.

/Sips glass of white wine.

Okay good. Now that your grill is magically preheated, let's get to it! Spray some nonstick spray on the grate, and cook the radicchio for two minutes a side so you get some nice grill marks. Remove the radicchio into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so it can steam and finish cooking.

Place your chicken pieces skin side down on the grill. Cook for twenty minutes, turning once. After twenty minutes have passed, baste all of the chicken with half of the roasted garlic and lemon vinaigrette, making sure to rotate so that the vinaigrette caramelizes. That will take ten or so more minutes. Dude, it's awesome. While the caramelization process is happening, cut a couple of lemons in half, and set them flesh side down on the grill for a few moments. When everything is ready, peel the leaves of the radicchio quarters apart and distribute them in a bowl with the chicken pieces. Squeeze the grilled lemon on everything and drizzle the rest of the roasted garlic vinaigrette and toss. YUUUUUUM. Seriously yum. So easy and fresh tasting. You must try it.

I made some mashed taters with this, but you could have roasted taters or sweet po-tay-toes or rice or whatevs. Go nuts! Try it!