Poor Man's Wienerschnitzel
serves 4 

Weinerschitzel is a typical Austrian dish that is made with veal. Pork makes this classic dish budget friendly and its deceptive simplicity makes it wickedly good. 

1/2 pound pork tenderloin, fat trimmed, sliced into 4 equal parts 
1 1/2 - 2 cups plain breadcrumbs (add Italian spices for a variety) 
2 eggs, whisked 
2 tsps salt 
1 cup flour 
Lemon wedges 

With the flat side of a meat tenderizer, pound each section of pork into a cutlet approximately 1/4" thin. Tip: Use a piece of plastic wrap on the meat to reduce splats on you and your kitchen. 

Set up an assembly line with 3 bowls. The first has the flour and salt mixed together. The second, the eggs. The third, the breadcrumbs. Dredge each cutlet in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.  

With medium low heat, fry in a generous amount of butter until a deep golden brown. Serve with plenty of lemon wedges and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley. 

Any leftovers are awesome in sandwich with fresh tomatoes, red onions and lettuce the next day!

Roasted Butternut Squash 

As always when we have a lot of one particular crop, we're always open to new ideas... Our latest favorite was an accidental creation. The night before we had roasted some cauliflower in olive oil and brown mustard. There was so much oil left in the pan that we decided to recycle it into another side dish. But this time, we added chopped dried rosemary. Super yummy!  

Our next experiment was met with mixed results. We roasted the squash in walnut oil, a favorite of ours for roasting yellow potatoes. This time, we crushed the rosemary into dust, with salt and pepper. The overall result was that the oil browned the squash faster, but imparted a slightly bitter flavor. Edible, but not as yummy. What's your favorite butternut squash recipe??? 

Chestnut and Pancetta Soup 

Here's a great recipe adapted from Flavors of Tuscany. When I lived in California, chestnut season was quite short. Here in Tennessee, the season lasts quite a bit longer, but it will go away. Working with chestnuts can be quite labor intensive, but in my opinion, well worth the time. But, give yourself plenty or just plan on making it for tomorrow. Flavor improves on day two, if it lasts that long.... 

1&1/2 lbs fresh, plump, sweet chestnuts or 14oz dried chestnuts (soaked overnight in cold water) 
1 stick butter (I've made it with this and without. Very rich with, but just as good without) 
5oz pancetta or thick-sliced bacon, finely chopped 
2 medium onions, finely chopped 
1-2 carrots, finely chopped 
1 celery rib, finely chopped 
1 Tbs chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried) 
2 bay leaves  
2 garlic cloves, halved 
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Using a small sharp knife, slit the shell of each chestnut across the rounded side. Put the chestnuts in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Peel off the outer thick skin, then peel away the inner thinner skin (this has a bitter taste). Alternatively, roast the chestnuts in a preheated oven at 400F for 15 minutes, cool and then peel off the skins.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the pancetta. If you're using just a little or no butter, I've found that there's usually enough fat from the pancetta or bacon. Once you have rendered some fat, add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 5-10 minutes until beginning to soften and brown. Add the chestnuts to the pan with the rosemary, bay leaves, garlic and enough water to cover completely. Bring to a boil, half cover, turn down the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts start to disintegrate and thicken the soup. Taste and season well with salt and pepper. Let us know what you think!