Recipes

 

September 21, 2009

Volume 15

 

 

Butternut Squash Fries

INGREDIENTS

·  1 (2 pound) butternut squash, halved and seeded

·  salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2.  Use a sharp knife to carefully cut away the peel from the squash. Cut the squash into sticks like French fries. Arrange squash pieces on a baking sheet and season with salt.

3.  Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, turning the fries over halfway through baking. Fries are done when they are starting to brown on the edges and become crispy.

 

Best Butternut Squash Soup Ever

INGREDIENTS

·  1 1/2 tablespoons butter

·  1/2 onion, sliced

·  2 cloves garlic

·  2 sprigs fresh thyme

·  1/2 butternut squash - peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

·  4 cups chicken stock

·  1/2 cube chicken bouillon

·  1 pinch ground cumin

·  1 pinch ground allspice

·  salt and ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook the onion, garlic, and thyme in the hot butter until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the squash and chicken stock; bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Crumble the bouillon into the soup; season with cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper; remove from heat.

2.  Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway. Hold the lid of the blender in place with a kitchen towel and carefully start the blender using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a serving bowl. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in the pot.

 

Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

INGREDIENTS

·  1 (2 pound) butternut squash

·  3 tablespoons unsalted butter

·  1 onion, diced

·  2 cloves garlic, minced

·  2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root

·  1 tablespoon curry powder

·  1 teaspoon salt

·  4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

·  2 firm ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1 inch dice

·  1/2 cup half and half

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast in preheated oven until very soft, about 45 minutes. Scoop the pulp from the peel, and reserve.

3.  Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and salt. Cook and stir until the onion is soft, about 10 minutes. Pour the chicken broth into the pot, and bring to a boil. Stir in the pears and the reserved squash, and simmer until the pears are very soft, about 30 minutes.

4.  Pour the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender. Puree in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, stir in the half and half, and reheat.

 

Butternut Squash with Onions and Pecans

INGREDIENTS

·  3 tablespoons butter

·  1 large onion, diced

·  2 1/4 pounds butternut squash

·  1 cup chopped pecans

·  3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

·  salt and pepper to taste

 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Place pecans on an ungreased baking sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 8 minutes.

2.  Peel the squash, and remove the seeds. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. There will be about 6 cups squash.

3.  Melt butter or margarine in a heavy large skillet over low heat. Add onion and saute until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add squash and toss to coat. Cover. Cook until squash is tender but still holds it shape, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.

4.  Stir in half of the pecans and half of the parsley. Transfer mixture to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and parsley. Serve.

 

Butternut Squash Bread

INGREDIENTS

·  2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

·  1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F to 115 degrees F)

·  1 1/4 cups mashed, cooked butternut squash

·  1 cup warm milk (110 to 115 degrees F)

·  2 eggs, beaten

·  1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

·  1/3 cup sugar

·  1 teaspoon salt

·  7 cups all-purpose flour

 

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water; let stand for 5 minutes. Add squash, milk, eggs, butter, sugar and salt; mix well. Gradually add 3-1/2 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down. Shape into three loaves; place in greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until tops are golden. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

 

Acorn Squash with Apple

INGREDIENTS

·  1 acorn squash

·  2 apples, cored and sliced

·  1 tablespoon butter

·  2 tablespoons brown sugar

·  1 tablespoon finely chopped walnuts

·  1/2 teaspoon salt

·  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1.  To easily peel the acorn squash without losing a lot of vegetable, gently drop the squash in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 15 minutes. Pour off the boiling water and fill with cold water and let sit 5 minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to slice off the peel on the ridges and use a teaspoon to dig out the peel in the valleys. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds and stem. Then slice the halves into sections and finally cut into 1 inch chunks.

2.  Place the squash chunks into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the apples. Dot with pieces of butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon over the top. Cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in it for ventilation.

3.  Cook in the microwave for 7 1/2 minutes on full power. Remove, uncover, and stir. Return to the microwave, and cook for another 7 1/2 minutes on full power, until tender. Serve hot.

 

Acorn Squash

INGREDIENTS

·  1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded

·  1 tablespoon butter

·  2 tablespoons brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  Turn acorn squash upside down onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until it begins to soften, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

3.  Remove squash from the oven and turn onto a plate so that the flesh is facing upwards. Place butter and brown sugar into the squash, and place remaining squash over the other piece. Place squash in a baking dish (so the squash wont slide around too much) while baking.

4.  Place squash in the 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven and bake another 30 minutes.

 

Stuffed Acorn Squash

INGREDIENTS

·  1 halved lengthwise and seeded

·  salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

·  cooking spray

·  1/4 pound lean ground beef

·  1/4 pound ground pork sausage

·  vegetable oil

·  1 small onion, chopped

·  1 clove garlic, minced

·  2 ounces Cheddar cheese, cubed

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  Sprinkle squash with salt and pepper, and lightly spray with cooking oil. Place in a baking dish flesh side down, and cover with plastic wrap.

3.  Microwave on high for 10 to 15 minutes, or until flesh is fork-tender.

4.  Meanwhile, cook beef and pork in 1 tablespoon of oil on medium high heat until well browned, stirring frequently to crumble. Drain, and set aside. In the same skillet, cook the onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Combine beef and pork with cheese and onions, and spoon mixture into squash halves.

5.  Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and squash is lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

 

Carnival Squash Bisque

1 medium onion, chopped
4 lbs Carnival Squash, about 2 medium sized
2 T butter
4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 small boiling potato, diced
3/4 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 T thyme

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut the top off the squash and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle interior with olive oil and season with salt. Roast in the oven until the squash is cooked, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and using a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh, being careful to reserve enough on the sides to make the squash "bowl." (I know there's a better way to do this, but this is what I did yesterday.)

In a heavy pot, sauté the onions, carrots and celery in the butter until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the squash and simmer an additional 6 minutes.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender until smooth, adding more broth if the purée is too thick. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.  Return the purée to a clean pot and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Stir in cream, and adjust seasonings.

Ladle the soup into the squash shell and serve with a crusty baguette.

Danish Pastry Apple Bars

INGREDIENTS

·  2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·  1 teaspoon salt

·  1 cup shortening

·  1 egg yolk

·  1/2 cup milk

·   

·  10 apples - peeled, cored and thinly sliced

·  1/2 cup light brown sugar

·  1/4 cup white sugar

·  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

·  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

·  1 egg white

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C.)

2.  In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg yolk in measuring cup and add enough milk to make 2/3 cup total liquid. Stir into flour mixture until all flour is damp. Divide the dough in half. On floured surface, roll half the dough into a rectangle and fit into a 9x13 inch pan.

3.  In large bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Put apple mixture in pan. Roll out remaining dough and place over apples. Seal edges and cut slits in top dough. Beat egg white till frothy and brush on crust.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until golden brown.

 

Warm Apple Pocket

INGREDIENTS

·  3 sweet apples -- peeled, cored and thinly sliced

·  2 tablespoons sugar

·  2 tablespoons flour

·  pinch of salt

·  1 teaspoon apple pie spice

·  1 tablespoon vanilla extract

·  1 (15 ounce) package prepared, unbaked pie crust, thawed

·  milk

·  1 egg, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.  In a bowl, toss apple slices together with sugar, flour, salt, apple pie spice, and vanilla extract until evenly coated.

3.  Lay pie dough flat on a lightly greased baking sheet. Pile apples on one side of dough, leaving a 1 inch border. Brush border and opposite half side of dough with milk. Fold dough over apples, being careful not to over-stuff or the dough will tear. Fold over edges and pinch together to seal. Cut several small slits in the top of the pocket with a sharp knife, then brush top with beaten egg.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until flakey and golden brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature.

 

French Onion Soup Gratinee

INGREDIENTS

·  4 tablespoons butter

·  1 teaspoon salt

·  4 large sweet onions, thinly sliced

·  1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth

·  1 (14 ounce) can beef broth

·  1/2 cup red wine

·  1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

·  2 sprigs fresh parsley

·  1 sprig fresh thyme leaves

·  1 bay leaf

·  1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

·  salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

·  4 thick slices French or Italian bread

·  8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature

·  1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature

·  4 pinches paprika

DIRECTIONS

1.  Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.

2.  Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.

3.  Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.

4.  Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.

5.  Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!

Caramelized Onions

INGREDIENTS

·  6 slices bacon, chopped

·  2 sweet onions, cut into thin strips

·  2 tablespoons molasses

·  1/4 teaspoon salt

·  1/4 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

1.  Place bacon in a heavy skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

2.  Cook onions in reserved drippings for 15 minutes, or until onion is soft and caramel colored. Stir in molasses, salt and pepper. Place in a serving dish, and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

 

Onion Sauce

INGREDIENTS

·  2 tablespoons butter

·  3 medium onions, coarsely chopped

·  1 teaspoon white sugar

·  1/2 teaspoon paprika

·  1 tablespoon white vinegar

·  1 cup chicken broth

·  1 slice dark rye bread, torn into pieces

·  salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, cook and stir until lightly browned. Sprinkle in the sugar, and continue cooking until onions are deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth and vinegar and season with paprika. Mix in the bread until dissolved. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 3 minutes.

2.  Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Serve with pork or beef.

 

Sweet Onion Pie

INGREDIENTS

·  1 1/2 cups buttery round crackers, crumbled

·  6 tablespoons butter, softened

·  2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions

·  2 cloves garlic, minced

·  1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

·  3/4 cup whole milk

·  2 eggs

·  1/2 teaspoon salt

·  3/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

·  1 pinch paprika

·  1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.  In a mixing bowl, combine crackers and 4 tablespoons of butter in a bowl until well blended. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of 8 inch pie plate to form a shell. Refrigerate until needed.

3.  Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic slowly until tender, about 12 minutes. Arrange onions in the cracker crust.

4.  Beat eggs, whole milk, chives, and salt in a bowl until blended. Pour the mixture over the onions. Sprinkle with cheese and paprika.

5.  Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 35 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Garnish with the parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.