What I'm Baking: Butternut Squash Gingerbread

Capture the flavors of fall with this fantastic recipe for Butternut Squash Gingerbread.

It's still full-steam ahead aboard the butternut squash train in my house. I mean, pumpkin's great and all, but as I've said before, if you want some real depth of flavor, you gotta go with butternut squash.

This quick bread recipe is no exception. Butternut squash pairs beautifully with the spicy, sweet, and pungent flavor of ginger. 

And speaking of ginger, this recipe is rife with it. Ground ginger, minced fresh ginger, and sweet crystallized ginger pack this bread with a flavorful punch.

Although I left my loaf unadorned, I think a cream cheese icing on top would be a super-delicious option. And maybe even a sprinkle of more minced crystallized ginger on top of that? Oh yum, I think I need to bake another loaf immediately.

Butternut Squash Gingerbread (printer-friendly version)
makes one loaf

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup butternut squash puree (or use pumpkin puree)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 tablespoon finely minced crystallized (candied) ginger
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
2 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray or butter and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the butternut squash puree, melted butter, sugar, molasses, minced candied ginger, minced fresh ginger, and eggs.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepped loaf pan. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then turn the bread out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
6. Wrap any leftover bread in aluminum foil and refrigerate for up to five days.

What I'm Bringing to the Party: Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus

I know 'tis the season for pumpkin, but butternut squash is really where it's at, and this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus will make you a convert, too.

It's nearly the end of October, and dare I say it, I've only had one pumpkin spice latte so far this season. (The one they serve at Contrast Coffee in Ironwood, Michigan is top-notch.) But, truth be told, while I love pumpkins for fall decorations, when it comes to cooking, I actually prefer the flavor of butternut squash. I find that pumpkin can be a little bland, but butternut squash always seems to deliver a rich, nutty, almost sweet-potato-like flavor. A few years ago I read somewhere that butternut squash makes for a better-flavored "pumpkin" pie, and I haven't looked back since.

So when I came across this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus on a recent episode of Barefoot Contessa, I knew it would be a winner. (Particularly since the recipe's origins come from famed London chef Yotam Ottolenghi.) I've made this hummus for a few gatherings already this fall, and it always gets rave reviews. I'd highly recommend it for any fall get-together. I know the joke that everyone brings hummus to a party (I'm totally that girl), but there's something about the unusual combination of sweet, savory, and spicy flavors in this hummus that really sets it apart from the crowd.

Roasted Butternut Squash Hummus (printer-friendly version)
makes 10-12 servings

1 1/4 pounds butternut squash, peeled, deseeded, and chopped into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or freshly ground black pepper)
1 (15.5-ounce) can chickpeas, drained with liquid reserved
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup tahini
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Sriracha

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the chopped butternut squash in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon. Toss gently to combine. Turn the butternut squash out onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until fork-tender and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool while combining the remaining ingredients.
3. Set aside 1/4 cup of the roasted squash for garnish. Place the rest of the squash in the bowl of a food processor with the blade attached and add the chickpeas, yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and Sriracha. Pulse until coarsely pureed. Add in the reserved chickpea liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, until the hummus reaches a smooth consistency. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into a serving bowl. Garnish with the reserved roasted butternut squash pieces.
4. Serve immediately with pita wedges, pita chips, or fresh-cut vegetables.

(lightly adapted from this Ina Garten recipe)

What's For Dinner: Baked Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto is perfect comfort food for a chilly autumn evening. Eating fireside optional. 

I am not the biggest fan of daylight saving time. Although commonly blamed on farmers, DST actually comes from Germany, where it was enacted during World War I to reduce the use of artificial lights and save fuel for the war effort. President Woodrow Wilson signed a seven-month daylight saving time (called "fast time") period into law in 1918, though it was later abolished by Congress after the war ended. President Franklin Roosevelt instituted year-round DST during World War II. After the war was over, DST formally ended in September 1945, though many states east of the Mississippi River kept summer daylight saving time. In the mid-1960s, daylight saving time was standardized so that every state that observed DST would start and end on the same date. These days, most states (except for Arizona and Hawaii) observe daylight saving time. Officially, daylight saving time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November, with the time changes taking place at 2:00 a.m. local time.

Oh, and long story short, the energy savings is minimal at best.

All that to say I'd much rather it be dark in the morning than dark at 4:30 p.m. It makes for a rather long winter when you live at a latitude of 45°N.

When it's cold and dark out, there's nothing I like better than some comforting food for dinner, and this butternut squash risotto really hits the spot. Even better is that the oven does the hard work for you, so there's no endless standing and stirring at the stove.

Admittedly, I am not the greatest fan of raw kale, but it cooks up wonderfully tender in this dish. Add in a generous amount of Parmesan, and you have a creamy and comforting autumnal dish for dinner.

Baked Butternut Squash Risotto (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, diced small
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine (Pinot Gris; Sauvignon Blanc)
1 medium butternut squash (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), peeled and diced medium (about 4 cups)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed, cut or torn into bite-size shreds
1 small sprig rosemary
1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan
freshly-shaved Parmesan, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium Dutch oven or heavy ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced shallots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, thyme, and sage and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until opaque, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the squash and vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the kale and add the sprig of rosemary.
5. Cover and transfer the Dutch oven to the oven. Bake until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Remove the rosemary sprig and stir in the grated Parmesan.
6. Garnish each serving with freshly-shaved Parmesan.

(adapted from this recipe from Everyday Food)

What's For Lunch: Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Grey skies and drizzly weather call for a hot bowl of soup. This delicious soup brings together the flavors of roasted butternut squash lightly sweetened with maple syrup, sautéed shallot, garlic, nutmeg, and sage. It's basically autumn in a bowl.

While I have owned a Vitamix for awhile (a generous Christmas gift from my parents a few years' back), I've never used it make soup. And, uh, the fact that you can blend a pitcher full of ingredients into hot, steaming soup is kind of amazing.

If you don't have a high-performance blender, you can easily finish this soup on the stovetop and puree the ingredients with an immersion blender. (Or blend in several batches using a standard blender.)

I garnished my bowl of soup with roasted pepitas; a little chopped fresh sage or a dollop of Greek yogurt, would also be an excellent idea.

Maple-Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

For the maple-roasted squash:
1 large butternut squash (2-3 pounds), ends removed, halved vertically, and seeded
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon maple syrup, divided
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:
1/2 cup chopped shallot (about 1 large shallot bulb)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
4 cups (32 ounces) low-sodium vegetable broth
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
fine sea salt, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set the butternut squash on the prepped baking sheet and rub each half (both sides) with olive oil. Drizzle each half (flesh-side up) with 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Place flesh-side down on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Then use a large spoon to scoop out the flesh into a bowl, discarding the remaining skin shell.
2. While the squash is roasting, prep the other ingredients. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallot and 1/2 teaspoon salt and sauté until tender and just golden on the edges, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds.
3. Add the shallot-garlic mixture to your high-performance blender (such as a Vitamix). Add the butternut squash, nutmeg, and sage. Pour in the vegetable broth (do not overfill the container). Blend on high until well-combined and hot, about 5 minutes. If you do not have a Vitamix, add all the ingredients to a soup pot and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.
4. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve immediately.

What's For Dinner: Butternut Squash Coconut Curry

Sometimes I make things, and I'm like, well, this tastes good, but is it awesome enough to share on the blog? And then I have leftovers on day two, and I'm like, this is amazing. So, yes, you can definitely eat this butternut squash coconut curry the day you make it. But ... after spending a day in the fridge, allowing all the flavors to meld and the squash to become even more tender ... this dish is truly delicious. Is that a weird way to sell a dish? Maybe. But I'm sticking to it.

Even when we lived close to an Indian restaurant (oh, Indian Restaurant – yes, that was really its name – how I miss your less-than-two-blocks-away proximity), we would typically order an extra entree to have as leftovers the next day. And it always tasted just as good – if not better – on day two. So I guess I really shouldn't be shocked, nor is it all that weird, that this curry dish improves with a little age.

Made as described, this dish is vegetarian/vegan; if you'd like a more protein-rich meal, you could stir in some pre-cooked tofu cubes or shredded chicken before serving.

Is it lunchtime yet?

Butternut Squash Coconut Curry

makes 6-8 servings

1 - 1 1/2 pound butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 red pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger piece, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 ground coriander
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch [if necessary]

cooked jasmine rice, to serve
chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Cut each end off of the butternut squash. Then cut the squash horizontally, separating the neck from the bulb. Cut each portion in half vertically. Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the bulb end. Then carefully peel each portion. Cut the peeled squash pieces into 1/2-inch cubes. Place the cubes in a 4-quart slow cooker bowl.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and red pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Carefully add the sauteed vegetables into the slow cooker.
3. Top the ingredients in the slow cooker with the red curry paste, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, and salt. Stir in the vegetable broth and coconut milk.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 1-2 hours, or until the squash is fork tender. If the liquid is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry: dissolve 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the slow cooker. Stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes. Repeat once more if you would like to thicken it even more. Season to taste with additional salt.
5. Serve over rice with a garnish of chopped fresh cilantro.

What's For Lunch: Pizza with Roasted Squash Sauce, Caramelized Onions, Apples, and Goat Cheese

When it comes to pizzas, I tend to make a margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil) more often than not. It's not that I don't like pizzas with more exotic ingredients, it's just that sometimes simple flavors don't need to be improved upon.

A few months ago, D and I headed down to Stoney Acres Farm to enjoy one of the last Friday pizza nights of the season. There we shared a pizza with squash sauce, apples, crispy bacon, and blue cheese. Long story short, the pizza was delicious. And I couldn't wait to re-create it at home.

For my version, I used a roasted butternut squash puree as the sauce, added a layer of caramelized onions, and subbed goat cheese for the blue cheese. I opted for a vegetarian pizza, but a little crispy bacon on top would add a nice salty flavor to counterbalance the sweetness of the apples.

Pizza with Roasted Squash Sauce, Caramelized Onions, Apples, and Goat Cheese
(printer-friendly version)
makes one pizza

1 pizza crust (I like this made-from-scratch recipe)
1 cup roasted squash puree
2 cups caramelized onions (see recipe below)
1 small-medium apple, cored, peeled, and sliced
8 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Dollop the roasted squash puree onto the crust and use a spatula to evenly coat the crust.
3. Add an even layer of caramelized onions over the sauce.
4. Top the caramelized onions with the apple slices. (I made a circular pattern with the apples.)
5. Generously sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over top the apple layer.
6. Bake in the oven until the crust is golden brown and the goat cheese is just beginning to brown. Let cool for a few minutes and then drizzle with olive oil just before serving.

For the caramelized onions:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 medium white onions, cut into 1/4" slices, and separated into individual rounds
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions.
2. Stir occasionally during the first 15 minutes of cooking. The onions will soften and become translucent. Stir in the brown sugar.
3. During the next 10 minutes of cooking, stir the onions about every minute or so to prevent them from sticking to the skillet bottom and burning.
4. The caramelized onions are done once the onions are lightly browned; the entire cooking process should take about 25-30 minutes.

What's For Dinner: Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce

So, now that you've got a bowlful of roasted butternut squash puree, what are you going to do with it? There are a number of options, really. You could use it as-is as a stuffing for ravioli. (My favorite make-things-easier trick is to sub in wonton wrappers for fresh pasta.)

Or you could add in a few more ingredients, and you've got yourself a delicious rich and savory pasta sauce. Toss the sauce with your favorite pasta (gnocchi or any ridged or tube pasta would work nicely), and dinner is ready.

And of course, don't forget to top each dish with a generous amount of freshly-grated Parmesan before serving. (Because, in my world, cheese makes just about anything taste better.)

Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup roasted butternut squash puree
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 cup organic half-and-half
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
ground rubbed sage [optional]
ground nutmeg [optional]

1. Add the roasted butternut squash puree to a small sauce pot. Stir in the vegetable broth and half-and-half and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Add additional ground rubbed sage to taste.
4. Season with a dash of ground nutmeg, if desired.

Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

4 cups dried pasta (gnocchi, penne, or other pasta)
1 to 1 1/2 cups roasted butternut squash sauce (see above)
Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Prepare the pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water to thin the pasta sauce if desired.
3. Toss the pasta with the roasted butternut squash sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan.

What's Roasting: Butternut Squash

One of my favorite things about the autumn season is the arrival of squash in all shapes and sizes. This year we grew acorn squash in our garden, and we now have several hanging out in our basement cold storage pantry. I'm particularly a fan of squash with thin skins (such as acorn and kabocha) as they don't require peeling since the skin is perfectly edible.

Awhile back D and I enjoyed a Stoney Acres farm pizza with a squash sauce, blue cheese, apples, and bacon, and I've been dreaming about that pizza ever since. The first step to making that pizza is making a roasted butternut squash sauce. And the first step to making that sauce is roasting a butternut squash. Following are instructions to make a roasted butternut squash puree. Note: the roasted butternut squash pieces would make a delicious side dish on their own; as would the butternut squash puree. This week I'll share a few more ways that you can use this roasted butternut squash puree.

Roasted Butternut Squash (printer-friendly version)
makes about 3 cups

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cloves garlic, peel on

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Use a sharp knife to trim both ends off of the butternut squash. Carefully peel the squash. Then slice the squash in half horizontally, separating the bulb from the neck. Then cut each piece in half vertically. Cut the neck piece into 1-inch pieces. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and pulp from the bulb end, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
3. Place the squash pieces into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and dried rubbed sage and toss to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss again. Turn the seasoned squash out onto the prepped baking sheet. Scatter the unpeeled garlic cloves onto the baking sheet.
4. Roast the squash in the oven for 40 minutes, or until tender, flipping the squash after 20 minutes.
5. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool slightly. Carefully remove the peels from the garlic.
6. Serve the squash as-is or place the roasted squash and garlic into a food processor and puree until smooth. Again, the pureed squash could be served as as-is, or the puree could be used in additional recipes, such as butternut squash pasta sauce, coming soon.

(adapted from this Martha Stewart recipe)

What's Baking: Butternut Squash Bread

I had a bit of roasted butternut squash puree left over from making last week's Roasted Butternut Squash Phyllo Cups recipe, so I opted to use up the majority in a butternut squash quick bread recipe. While putting squash into a quick bread may seem weird at first, don't forget that pumpkin is a squash too! (Remember last year's butternut squash pie recipe?) So to make this bread, I just slightly modified one of the pumpkin bread recipes I've made in the past. If you'd prefer, you can easily sub in "pumpkin pie spice" for the list of spices I've called for below; personally, I prefer having a little say in which spices I add in, and at what amount. Feel free to experiment with the spices too; if you like a little more nutmeg or ginger, or no cloves -- go ahead and make those changes!

Butternut Squash Bread (printer-friendly version)
makes one 9" loaf

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butternut squash puree
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large bread pan.
2. Sift together the flour, spices, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the two eggs. Mix in the vanilla. Alternately add in the butternut squash puree and the sifted dry ingredients.
4. Spoon the batter into the prepared bread pan.
5. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from oven, then let cool in pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan and allow to cool completely. Wrap in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

What I'm Bringing to the Party: Roasted Butternut Squash Phyllo Cups

In addition to the sweet salted caramel cheesecake bites I brought to this past weekend's Halloween party, I also brought along a savory treat. I had a butternut squash languishing in our pantry, so I knew I wanted to do something that involved roasted squash. Last Christmas's butternut squash lasagna rolls were a huge hit, so I decided to work from that dish's butternut squash filling to make an hors d'oeuvre. With that decision made, I opted to make things a little bit simpler for myself by using pre-made phyllo cups as the container for my roasted butternut squash filling.

Roasting the butternut squash is the most time-consuming part of this recipe; you can definitely do this part ahead of time and refrigerate the pureed squash until you're ready to use it. 

Roasted Butternut Squash Phyllo Cups (printer-friendly version)
makes 15 servings

1 cup roasted butternut squash purée (see below for roasting instructions)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, chopped fine
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon olive oil
1-2 teaspoon crumbled fried sage leaves (3-4 fresh sage leaves)
1 package mini phyllo cups, thawed (I used Athens brand)

To roast the butternut squash:
1 large butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, browned

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silpat. Set aside.
Peel the butternut squash and cut in half. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut the squash into 1" cubes.
2. Place the squash cubes into a shallow bowl. Add in the browned butter and toss to combine.
3. Spread the squash cubes onto the prepped baking sheet.
4. Roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until tender, flipping the cubes once or twice while cooking.
5. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
6. Once cooled, purée the squash in a food processor. (Alternately, you could use a potato masher or blender for this step.) Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight. Note: this recipe makes about 2 1/2 cups of roasted butternut squash purée; extra could be used in a pie or bread recipe.

To make the filling and bake the phyllo cups:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Set the phyllo cups on a rimmed baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the pureed butternut squash, salt, pepper, nutmeg, chopped almonds, and Parmesan.
3. Spoon the filling into the phyllo cups. Fill each cup completely.
4. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. (The phyllo cups are pre-baked; this step just warms the filling.)
5. While the phyllo cups are baking, fry the sage leaves: heat the olive oil in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat. Once heated, add in the sage leaves and fry until crisp, about 1 minute. Remove the leaves from the pan and place on a paper towel to remove any excess oil. Once cooled, gently crumble the leaves with your fingers.
6. After the phyllo cups have baked, remove them from the oven. Sprinkle crumbled sage leaves over each phyllo cup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

What's For Dinner: Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls

This year because D had limited vacation time, we opted to travel to Kalamazoo to spend a few days around the Christmas holiday with D's family. On the eve of Christmas Eve, I was chatting with D's uncle Dennis and cousin Evan about possible vegetarian entrees that we might have for Christmas dinner (in addition to a Christmas ham). While I thought I was just offering suggestions (Dennis is a fantastic chef), I instead found out the next morning that I had roped myself into cooking the meat-free entree. My suggestion was to make butternut squash lasagna rolls, which I had recently discovered in the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook (I talk about my Beekman Boy fandom near the end of this post). I hadn't made the dish before -- though I did intend to and actually had the ingredients at the ready at home in Wisconsin. But hey, what better time to try a new recipe than for a large family get-together? (Ha.)

In addition to getting a few last-minute gifts, D and I spent the afternoon of Christmas Eve purchasing a few necessary ingredients for my contribution to the Christmas dinner spread. To make things slightly easier (and since there would be a lot of cooking occurring on Christmas day), on Monday I roasted and mashed the squash, as that was the most time-consuming part of the lasagna-making process. Then on Christmas, I cooked the lasagna noodles, put together the dish, and baked it right before serving. I think it turned out rather well, and I definitely gave a sigh of relief that others seemed to enjoy it, too.

Following the holidays, I've made the lasagna rolls a second time, and though my intent was to capture better pictures of the final result, unfortunately I cooked up the second batch way past sunset, too. Special thanks to Dennis for taking a few action shots while I put together the lasagna on Christmas day (which you will see below). I would be such a better food blogger if I got my act together and cooked stuff up way earlier in the day, when natural light is aplenty. However, I'd much rather eat the things I cook right when they are fresh out of the oven (and when they're piping hot), rather than re-heat later in the day. It's hardest in the winter season, when the sun goes down so early. Summertime is definitely prime food blogging time! I'm so looking forward to the return of post-8p sunsets.

Butternut Squash Lasagna Rolls (printer-friendly version)
makes eight rolls

2 pounds butternut squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, browned
8 lasagna noodles
1⅓ cups grated Parmesan
1 large egg
¼ cup sliced almonds, finely chopped
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup organic heavy cream (you can also use half-and-half)

For the butternut squash:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silpat. Set aside.
Peel the butternut squash and cut in half. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut the squash into 1" cubes.
2. Place the squash cubes into a shallow bowl. Add in the browned butter and toss to combine.
3. Spread the squash cubes onto the prepped baking sheet.
4. Roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until tender, flipping the cubes once or twice while cooking.
5. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
6. Once cooled, purée the squash in a food processor. (Alternately, you could use a potato masher or blender for this step.) Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container overnight.

For the lasagna rolls:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a generous dash of salt, then add the lasagna noodles and cook per the manufacturer's instructions. Once cooked, drain, and rinse the noodles with cold water. Place the noodles on a work surface and lightly pat dry.
2. In a large bowl, add together 2 cups of puréed butternut squash, 2/3 cup Parmesan, egg, chopped almonds, bread crumbs, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, sage, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Place a portion of the squash filling onto each lasagna noodle. (This helps to ensure that you don't run out of filling at the end.) Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the filling across the noodle, covering it completely.

{evenly spreading the squash filling onto the lasagna noodles}

4. Carefully roll each noodle into a bundle and place the rolls in an 11x13 glass baking dish.

{lasagna rolls}

5. Pour the heavy cream over top the lasagna rolls.

6. Sprinkle each roll with the remaining (2/3 cup) Parmesan. Add a dash of freshly-ground black pepper over top each roll.

 {lasagna rolls covered with cream, Parmesan, and freshly-ground black pepper}

7. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, or until the cream is bubbling and the rolls are lightly browned.

(adapted from a recipe in the Beekman Boys Heirloom Cookbook)

 {bon appétit!}

What's For Dessert: Butternut Squash Pie

Though I made several new-to-me side dishes for yesterday's Thanksgiving meal, my only real goal for the day was to make a pumpkin pie from scratch (including making my own pumpkin purée). However, in looking for recipes, I found a video posted by the New York Times last week that named butternut squash as the best option for a homemade pie. Given that I already had two butternut squashes  sitting on my countertop, this was welcome news. This pie is best made over a few days; on day one I made my butternut squash purée and on day two I made the crust (I meant to do this the day before but didn't quite get that far) and baked the pie. Be aware that the pie dough requires at least an hour and a half of chilling, so make sure you account time for that.

Wonky (but ridiculously flaky) crust aside, the resulting pie was delicious. Given the recipe I followed, it's definitely a bit richer than your standard from-the-can pumpkin pie. However, I think the butternut squash lends a deeper flavor to the pie and I think from here on out, my "pumpkin" pies will be made from butternut squashes instead.

Butternut Squash Pie (printer-friendly version)
makes eight servings

For the butternut squash purée:
2-3 lbs butternut squash
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and browned

For the crust:
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
2 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For the pie:
1 3/4 cups butternut squash purée
3 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons bourbon [optional]
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Pinch ground clove

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. Peel the butternut squash and cut in half. Remove the seeds with a spoon. Cut the squash into 1" cubes.
3. Place the squash cubes into a shallow bowl. Add in the browned butter and toss to combine.
4. Spread the squash cubes onto the prepped baking sheet.
5. Roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until tender, flipping the cubes once or twice while cooking.
6. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
7. Once cooled, purée the squash in a food processor. Refrigerate any leftover squash in an airtight container.
8. Reduce the oven to 375 degrees.
9. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add in the cold butter cubes and pulse until the dough is in pea-sized crumbles. Add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough just holds together.
10. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and form it into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
11. Roll out the chilled dough into a 12" round. Spread into a 9" pie pan. Scallop the edges and cut off any excess dough. I added cut-out leaves from the excess dough and lined them along the edge of the crust. Prick the bottom and sides of the pie shell with a fork. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
12. Cover the pie shell with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights (or dried beans). Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and weights and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the crust is light golden.
13. Remove the pie shell from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack until ready to use. Reduce the oven to 325 degrees.
14. In a large bowl, whisk together the butternut squash purée, eggs, half-and-half, brown sugar, bourbon, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
15. Pour the pie filling into the cooled pie shell and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the filling has set and just jiggles slightly in the center. Cool on a wire rack until ready to serve.

(adapted from this New York Times recipe)

Bourbon Whipped Cream

makes about one cup

2/3 cups organic heavy cream

2 tablespoons powdered (confectioner's) sugar

1 teaspoon bourbon

1. Chill your electric mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for at least 15 minutes.

2. Add the heavy cream to the mixer and whip at high speed until soft peaks form, about 4-6 minutes.

3. Add in the powdered sugar and bourbon and continue whipping at medium-high speed until soft peaks form again, about 2-3 minutes. Use immediately. 

What's For Dinner: Thai-Style Vegetable Rice (Revisited)

I last made this dish in 2010 (exactly two years ago, to be exact - ha!), and it's still one of my favorite slow-cooker recipes. I mixed things up a little bit by adding in some chopped butternut squash (we still have a few hanging out in our cupboard from last summer's CSA share) to this version. I always add in way more vegetables than the recipe requires, which means I have several days' worth of leftovers. I don't mind, though, as it's so tasty!

Thai-Style Vegetable Rice (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

1 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 C frozen shelled edamame
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 t curry powder
1/4 t ground cumin
1/8 t ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1/4 cup reduced-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon unsalted roasted whole cashews, chopped

1. Combine the broth, vegetables, spices, and garlic into a 2-quart slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on the low-heat setting for 4.5 to 5 hours or on high for 2 to 2.5 hours.
3. If cooking on low, turn to the high-heat setting and stir in the brown rice. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir in the coconut milk and cilantro.
4. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of chopped cashews.

What's For Dinner: Butternut Squash with Brown Butter Sage Sauce

Whenever I head to Costco, I'm always astounded by all of the great deals, and without fail, something ends up in my cart that was not on my list. This last trip, I picked up a twin-pack of Nuovo Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli. Butternut squash? Ricotta and Parmesan Cheese? All wrapped together in a ravioli? Yes, please. Given the cool autumnal weather of late and the pasta's orange hue, it seemed à propos to serve up the ravioli for our Halloween dinner tonight.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes 3-4 servings

1 package butternut squash ravioli
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon torn organic sage leaves (about 4-5 leaves)
1 tablespoon raw pine nuts

1. Cook the ravioli in a large pot of salted water according to the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Meanwhile, while the ravioli is cooking, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.
3. As the butter is melting, add the torn sage leaves and pine nuts. Stir constantly to prevent the nuts and sage from burning.
4. Continue cooking the butter until it is golden-brown; this should take about 3-5 minutes.
5. Once the butter has browned, remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Once cooked, remove the ravioli from the water and shake off any excess moisture.
7. Add the cooked ravioli to the butter sauce and gently stir to evenly coat the pasta.
8. Serve with a garnish of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

What's On the Side: Butternut Squash Stew served over Pearled Couscous

I loved this side dish so much, I decided it deserved a post all its own. Though the following recipe supposedly makes four servings, I'd say it makes at least double that amount. Long story short, I think I'll be eating a lot of butternut squash and pearled (Israeli) couscous this week for lunch. But that's okay -- I think it's delish!

Butternut Squash Stew served over Pearled Couscous (printer-friendly version)

makes 8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 yellow onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 can organic diced tomatoes

1 butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced into 3/4" pieces

3 cups organic vegetable broth

1 teaspoon salt

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1. Cook the couscous in a rice cooker (I cooked up a massive amount -- 2 cups couscous in 3 cups water and 1 cup veggie broth.) Alternately, cook the couscous on the stovetop according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you cook the couscous on the stovetop, you can wait until after you have started to cook the butternut squash stew to start cooking the couscous. (Using a rice cooker takes a significantly longer amount of time, but it's nice to set it up and forget about it.)

2. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onions in the oil until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the minced garlic, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add in the diced tomatoes (including the juices), diced butternut squash, vegetable broth, and salt. Bring the stew to a simmer.

5. Once the stew begins to simmer, stir in the garbanzo beans.

6. Place the lid on the stockpot and cook for 10 minutes.

7. Uncover the pot and continue to cook until the squash is fork tender. (The recipe says this should take about 10 minutes, in my experience it took at least double, if not triple, that amount of time.)

8. Once the stew is ready, make a bed of the pearled couscous on a long platter, and spoon the butternut squash stew over it. Serve immediately.

(adapted from this Food & Wine recipe)

What's For Dinner: The Flavors of Fall

Oh how I love autumn -- time to break out the sweaters, long sleeves, boots, and lots of layers. Of course, the fall season also means the arrival of fall flavors, including a variety of squashes and just-harvested apples. As a welcome dinner for the fall season, I opted to make two pizzas inspired by autumn. First up, a flatbread pizza with butternut squash, caramelized onion, goat cheese, and pine nuts. To make things a little easier on myself, I used frozen butternut squash, but I did buy a whole squash the other day, so look for a recipe featuring "real" butternut squash in the near future. I also made a dessert pizza featuring cinnamon apples. Super-easy to make and quite delicious to eat! I subbed in naan bread for the crust of each pizza since I had a package on hand, but I think any flatbread could be substituted in its place. Enjoy -- and Happy Autumn!

Flatbread Pizza with Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, 
and Pine Nuts

(printer-friendly version)
makes 2 servings

2 pieces plain naan (I used 365 Everyday Value Original Tandoori Naan from Whole Foods)

1 package diced organic butternut squash (I used Stahlbush Island Farms Diced Butternut Squash)

1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4" slices

1 tablespoon pine nuts

2 tablespoons goat cheese

olive oil

freshly ground pepper

fine sea salt

dried thyme

dried rosemary

1. Place a baking stone on the middle rack in the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sized skillet over medium heat.

3. Add the sliced onions to the skillet. Stir occasionally during the first 15 minutes of cooking. The onions will soften and become translucent.

4. During the next 10 minutes of cooking, stir the onions about every minute or so to prevent them from sticking to the skillet bottom and burning. Add more olive oil if necessary.

5. The caramelized onions are done once the onions are lightly browned; the entire cooking process should take about 25-30 minutes.

6. While the onions are caramelizing, cook the butternut squash according to the manufacturer's instructions.

7. Once the onions are caramelized, add the butternut squash to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and dried thyme. Gently stir the mixture.

8. Prep the two pieces of naan (or flatbread) by brushing each with olive oil. Spoon the onion and butternut squash mixture over both slices of naan. Season with dried rosemary. Add the pine nuts and goat cheese over each slice of naan. Drizzle olive oil over both pizzas.

9. Place each pizza on the baking stone and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the flatbread is lightly browned and the cheese has melted slightly.

10. Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes before serving.

Flatbread with Cinnamon Apples (printer-friendly version)

makes 2 servings

1 slice naan or other plain flatbread
cinnamon sugar (1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in 1/4 cup raw sugar will make plenty to have on hand)
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into slices
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
turbinado sugar for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, toss together the apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

3. Melt one tablespoon of unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

4. Add the apple mixture to the skillet and cook the apples until softened, about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in a small dish. Use a pastry brush to brush the melted butter over the top of the flatbread.

6. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the flatbread.

7. Top the flatbread with the cooked apples.

8. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

9. Remove from the oven, let cool, and serve. (Vanilla bean ice cream would be an excellent accompaniment, as would some caramel sauce -- additions I will definitely try next time I make this!)