Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Salad

 Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Salad with Maple Rosemary Vinaigrette 

Cook's Notes: Bring fall flavors to your table with this amazing autumn salad. And you just can't go wrong adding bits of bacon to liven up the salad. Its salty taste pairs well with the sweetness of butternut squash. The homemade Maple Rosemary Vinaigrette is outstanding and enough for 4 salads. Advance prep makes the final assembly easier. Earlier in the day, cook the bacon and make the dressing. Store the dressing in a screw-top jar in the refrigerator. The salad pairs well with a grilled meal.

Recipe serves 4 and was adapted from cookingclassy.com

Salad Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon 
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced (rinse under cold water to remove harsh bite)
• 3 oz herb feta or goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 small bag of mixed greens (blend baby kale and spinach or arugula and spinach blend) 

Vinaigrette Ingredients: 

• 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary 

Salad Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
• In a bowl, add olive oil, syrup, and cinnamon. Toss butternut cubes in the mixture and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with thyme. Bake for 20 minutes. Add in walnuts and cranberries; cook 3 minutes more or until cubes are tender.
• Cook bacon, crumble, and set aside. 
• In a salad bowl, add greens, squash cubes, bacon, walnuts, cranberries, and red onion.
• Serve immediately and drizzle with vinaigrette. 

Vinaigrette Directions:

• Add all ingredients to a blender and mix well. Taste test to adjust the ingredients' flavor. 
• Blend again and refrigerate for a few hours; blend one more time right before serving.  

Overnight Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole

Overnight Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole

Cook's Notes: Even if you're not hosting overnight guests, this casserole will soon become a family favorite, made with Everything Bagels. Full of delicious flavors, this breakfast casserole makes breakfast a breeze when you assemble it the night before. I used Dave's Killer Everything Bagels.

A word about shredded cheese...

Pre-shredded cheese isn’t dangerous, but it does contain additives that affect how it tastes, melts, and fits into your diet. Every bag of store-bought shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents and preservatives that block cheese doesn’t have. 

You can find Everything Bagels in grocery store bakeries. Their flavor and softness work well for this dish.  Since we are a household of 2, I cut the recipe down for baking in an 8 x 8 pan to serve 4 to 6.  See this link below for the full recipe using a 9 x 13 pan: https://inspiredbycharm.com/everything-bagel-overnight-breakfast-casserole/5 

Ingredients: 

• 3 everything bagels
• 1/2 pound fresh pork breakfast sausage, cooked, drained, and cooled (can use diced cooked sausage patties) 
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated from a block of cheese
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or 3 mini peppers diced
• 2 green onions, chopped plus 1 for garnish
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/4 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bagels into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. Place on a sheet. Toast for 15 minutes.
•  Spray the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray, then spread the toasted cubes on the bottom of the dish.  
• Spread the cooked sausage over the bagels. Then, sprinkle with the cheese, chopped red bell pepper, and green onions. Use a sheet of wax paper to press the mixture down in the baking dish.  
• In a blender, combine the eggs, half and half, dry mustard, cumin,  salt, and pepper.  Pour this mixture over the bagels, sausage, and cheese. Use the wax paper sheet to press the mixture down into the baking dish. 

• Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake covered until set and lightly golden on top: about 45 minutes. (You can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking for a nice golden top. Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to set for about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped green onions to garnish.

Hello October

and you know what that means? My favorite month, filled with all sorts of  October treats to share. 

Make your week just a little sweeter and more fun by baking Dark Chocolate M&M Eyeball Cookies.

The recipe does call for a little preplanning. Michaels has a plastic container of eyeballs, assorted sizes, perfect for this recipe. I did, at a later date, find some in the baking aisle at the grocery store. 

You will need Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder to achieve the dark color. It's readily available at the grocery store.   

And add to your grocery run your favorite Ghoul Mix. 

BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT for a delicious pre-Halloween treat totally kid-friendly! I ask you what kid or adult wouldn't have fun pressing eyeballs into warm cookies right out of the oven? 

The recipe makes 16 cookies and is adapted from lovetobeinthekitchen.com

INGREDIENTS;

• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, preferably room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)
• Dark Chocolate Ghoul Mix M&M’s 
• Assorted candy-coated eyeballs

DIRECTIONS: 

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In the bowl combine the butter and sugars. Beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Blend in the egg and vanilla, scrape down the bowl if needed.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixer on low speed just until incorporated. Mix in the milk on the lowest speed and fold in the chocolate chips. 
• Roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into balls and place on the baking sheets. The cookies don’t spread much but keep hands floured. Top cookies with M&M’s. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. 
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 11-12 minutes. Immediately top with more M&M’s if needed after placing eyeballs randomly in warm cookies pressing slightly. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Even the M&M guys are doing their happy dance.

 

Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins

 All you need today for a quick morning start is your favorite beverage and an Apple Cider Doughnut Muffin. You will be energized by the smell and taste of fall.  

The recipe was adapted from Southern Living, September 2026. You can easily find apple pie spice at larger grocery stores. The recipe makes 10 muffin doughnuts, and no mixer is needed!. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider, not apple juice
•  2 cups flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons apple pie spice, divided 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, divided
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

• Bring apple cider to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer cider to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
• Place 10 paper liners in a regular-sized muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and a teaspoon of apple pie spice mix in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, oil, and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Whisk to blend. Add eggs one at a time, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in vanilla. 
• Add half of the flour mixture to the oil mixture. Whisk in the apple cider blend until smooth. 
• Add in the remaining flour mixture and whisk only until combined.
• Divide the mixture among 10 paper liners and bake for 18 minutes.
• On the counter, place two pieces of wax paper and set the baking rack on top of the wax paper. 
• Remove muffins from tin and place on baking rack for 5 minutes.
• In a pie pan, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon apple pie spice.
• Baste each muffin with the remaining butter. Roll the muffin in the sugar mixture to coat. Shake off excess sugar and place on the baking rack to cool.  

Baking tip: I found doing one muffin at a time works well. 

Game On with Chili Cheese Dogs

No matter which team you are cheering for, it's all about the food and the camaraderie. Classic Chili Dogs are easy to make, fun to eat, and great for any get-together. Cook your hot dogs just the way you like, then load ’em up with a hearty homemade chili and your favorite toppings,

Cook's Notes: 

I found these containers with wax papers and matching napkins at Hobby Lobby. I thought they were perfect for serving game-day foods instead of using paper plates. 20 come in a pack. 

Bonus: reimagine this recipe by adding pinto and kidney beans (rinsed and drained) for a comforting bowl of chili. Add more broth if using the recipe strictly for chili. 

Adapted from Southern Living, September 2026. It makes enough for 10 chili dogs or 6 bowls of chili. If possible, make this recipe the day before so the flavors can meld. If the mixture is too thick, add more broth.  

I used all-beef Ball Park hot dogs and buns. Grill hot dogs ahead.  

Chili-Cheese Dogs

Spice Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 tablespoons chili powder 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 

Chili Ingredients:   

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 1 small Vidalia, chopped (about one cup) 
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 tablespoons brown sugar 
• 2 (15-oz.) cans diced crushed tomatoes with oregano, undrained  
• 1 cup ketchup
• All-beef hot dogs
• Hot dog buns
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
•  Topping suggestions: diced red onions, sliced jalapeño chiles, yellow banana peppers

Spice Directions:

• Mix with a small whisk and set aside. 

Chili Cheese Dog Directions:

• Add olive oil to a large frying pan and heat. Crumble the meat and add it to the frying pan with the onions and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the grease and recrumble the meat into small pieces in the frying pan.  
• Sprinkle meat mixture with spices.
• Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, crushed tomatoes, and ketchup. Cook on low heat uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Grill hot dogs. Place one in each bun. Spoon meat sauce over the hot dog.
  
  Add your preferred toppings and shredded cheese. 
• Serve Chili Dogs immediately.
  
  

Note: If making the chili mixture to serve in a bowl, follow the same steps, except add one can of drained kidney and 1/2 can pinto beans to the meat mixture.   

The Grand Finale

 Two Days in Paris certainly aren't enough time to fully absorb the sights, food, and culture, but they are a good start for a future return. Grand Circle's attention to detail and the range of cultural and culinary experiences to fully immerse passengers made this truly a trip of a lifetime. Their staff and program directors were knowledgeable and attentive to individual needs. Discovery Walking Tours in each town were rated one shoe, two shoes, or three shoes by level of difficulty. Some moments physically challenged me with uneven surfaces (cobblestone streets), a lack of handrails, and steps up and down everywhere: in and out of buses, on and off the boat, and in and out of historical buildings and chateaus. One needed to stay attentive to their surroundings at all times. 

On our last day in Paris, we took a bus to Montmartre, a village outside Paris that sits on a hill around the iconic Sacré-Cœur Basilica. The area is known for its vineyards, windmills, and artistic spirit. It is also where famous artists like Picasso, Renoir, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec worked. and lived. It became the birthplace of modern art.  We were lucky to get a visit in, since with the Pope's arrival the next day, many areas and places were going to be restricted.  

     The Basilica of Sacred-Coeur

The inside was just magnificent-breathtaking. 

A word about bathrooms: Paris has no public restrooms except in parks. During COVID, they were eliminated. We were encouraged to find a cafe, buy an espresso for 2 euros, and use their toilets. LOL, I had been saving my euros from my last European trip just to cover this.

Artists painting in the park. 

Most Parisians either drive small cars or motorcycles (gas is over 10.00 euros a gallon), ride bicycles, or use public transportation. Traffic is downright scary and moves at a frantic pace. A word of caution as a pedestrian: watch your surroundings at all times. 

Love Lock Bridges

If you have ever been crossing a bridge and found yourself faced with hundreds – or even hundreds of thousands – of padlocks and wondered why? This cultural phenomenon appears across the globe. Love locks are padlocks attached to a bridge, often with a romantic couple's initials etched or painted on their surface. Once locked, people toss the key into the water below. It’s widely interpreted as being symbolic of the couple’s commitment to each other, in permanently affixing themselves in the form of a padlock to a bridge of their choosing.

In the afternoon, some of us went with the program director to a French cafeteria where little English was spoken. Charley had an unusual dish: a soupy like dish of lentils with ham and sausage.  I passed on this dish! 

But I did enjoy a side of Chocolate Mousse and  

I also loved-loved my breakfast delivered every morning to avoid going to dining room and indulging in too much food. 

If I could choose one dessert through the whole trip for presentation it would be this Bee Hive Dessert. It was honey parfait baked in meringue surrounded with raspberry compote. At the top in the center of airy meringue a bee was fashioned out of marzipan. Imagine creating this labor-intensive dessert for 97 people!  

Afterward, we meandered the streets of Paris for some "window licking" and souvenir shopping. 

Le Grand Opera House

A night glimpse of the famous Moulin Rouge 

FAREWELL CAPTAIN'S DINNER

They pulled out all the stops for this event. We ended as we started with a Kir Champagne cocktail and appetizers. Then we moved on to another 5-course meal, which included Filet Mignon and Baked Alaska. I have seen their galley kitchen and am amazed they can turn out these delicious dishes (visual masterpieces) for 97 passengers. 

     

And so all good things have to end sometime😉 and back to reality for The Readys. I am looking forward to ordinary food like a hamburger and a bowl of cereal.

THANK YOU, readers, for following our French culinary and cultural journey. And a SHOUT OUT to  Grand Circle and program director Marguerite for making it so special. We are grateful to have been blessed with this opportunity to experience life in another country. 

  

Out and About in Paris Day One

Our two days in Paris were action-packed, with a variety of experiences from 8:30 AM until dinner on the ship. Our bus picked up a local guide as we then toured the city for a panoramic view of iconic places. We began with the Eiffel Tower for photo opportunities and some historical information. 

We stopped at a quaint nearby district to look around. We have been told to bring our own water bottles on this trip, as France prides itself on water conservation. The public is encouraged to fill their own reusable bottles rather than using plastic bottles. This photo shows an elaborate water fountain where you can refill your bottle. 

Instead of window shopping, Parisians call it window licking. And oh my, what tantalizing foods there were.  We stopped for cheeses,

pastries

and the tour guides arranged for chocolate sampling.

We had only a few hours of free time in the afternoon, so unfortunately we couldn't do the entire list my daughter had made for us based on location sites from the TV series "Emily in Paris."   

The Tuileries Garden is a public garden between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. It was created by Catherine de Medici as the garden of the Tuiles Palace in 1564, it was opened to the public in 1667 and became a public park after the  French Revolution. Since the 19th century, it has been a place for Parisians to celebrate, meet, stroll, and relax. The gardens are lovely, with several ponds, benches, and a carousel. We enjoyed lunch there. 

Paris has been called the City of Lights but is also known for its bridges. Paris has 37 bridges across the Seine: 5 are pedestrian-only, and 2 are rail bridges. Three link Île Saint-Louis to the rest of Paris, 8 do the same for Île de la Cité and one links the 2 islands to each other. 

When we returned to the ship in late afternoon, we went up to the sun deck. The Captain planned an early evening sunset cruise to enjoy the iconic sights of the Seine, including the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

UP NEXT: you don't want to miss 

THE GRAND FINALE 

Tour of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Montmartre District, a visit to a French cafeteria, the Opera House, and the Captain's Farewell Dinner.