Side dish Saturdays: Roasted butternut squash with sage and red grapes (4-6 servings)
0 comments Posted by Kate at 5:30 PMDon't be scared off by the combination of ingredients in this recipe; it's a fabulous blend of sweet and savory, soft and crispy. The original recipe comes from epicurious, and I made very few changes. If you like butternut squash even a little bit, you will love this. I wish I could bottle up the flavor combination produced by this recipe, as it's the quintessence of autumn to me. It's really a spectacular recipe.
You will need:
- One 2 1/4 pound butternut squash, peeled and seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 2 cups seedless red grapes
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage leaves
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Combine the squash pieces, grapes, onion, and sage in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil and melted butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. (I didn't measure how much I used.) Toss to coat.
- Spread this mixture out on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the squash and onion begin to brown, stirring every 10 minutes or so, for about 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.
Fresh sage is an absolute must here; dried sage just isn't the same. I left out the pine nuts since I didn't have any on hand, but I think they would make a nice accent if you have some around. I was thinking chopped cashews could be good, too. Don't be worried if everything turns to mush, because that's what happened to me! It still tastes lovely though -- trust me!
I was browsing through Eat Better America's recipe archives when I stumbled on their vegetarian recipe collection. Nothing I found is astoundingly original or enticing, but there are some good ideas for easy vegetarian meals. Tonight I might try out their "healthified" skillet lasagna, minus the ground beef.
Our family's Thanksgiving dinner wasn't until 6:00 this year, so Bryan and I wanted something light yet filling for lunch beforehand. This tuna recipe (if you can even call it a recipe) was flavorful and satisfying. The original epicurious recipe combines it with cooked penne, but I decided to serve it over baby arugula instead.
You will need:
- 12 oz can of tuna in olive oil, undrained
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup packed basil leaves
Steps:
- Empty can of tuna into a medium bowl. Mince the garlic clove and add it to the tuna. (Or be super lazy like me and use garlic powder.)
- Zest most of the lemon rind into the tuna; then cut the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half. (Save the other half for lemon water or for cleaning your cutting board.)
- Slice the basil leaves into thin strips and add them to the tuna mixture. Mix everything together and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any tuna packed in oil, so I drained off the water and added a few tablespoons of oil into the mixture instead. I'm sure it doesn't make a huge difference. I used solid white albacore tuna, which I like to use when tuna is really the star of a recipe. If I'm making a tuna casserole or something, then light tuna is just fine. The lemon was a nice complement to the tuna, brightening the fishy taste along with the basil. Try this the next time you're in a hurry but need something new!
I spent most of today raking leaves with teenagers for a service project. I split my time equally between raking, delegating jobs, and scolding students for poking at reptiles with their rakes or for wailing fallen tree nuts at one another. Overall, it was a productive day, but as I was brushing debris from my jeans and shielding my face from the wind, I kept thinking, "Chili tonight. Chili tonight. Chili tonight..."
The recipe comes from epicurious.com, and the changes I made are reflected below.
You will need:
- 1 orange
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 c chopped onions (I used frozen because I was not in the mood for chopping)
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed
- 3 cans (15.5 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (you could also substitute a can or two for kidney beans)
- 2 cans (14 oz) diced tomatoes in juice, undrained (I used one can of regular and one of fire-roasted tomatoes)
- 4 tsp chili powder (I think I used more like 3)
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Steps:
- Grate enough orange zest to equal 1 1/2 tsp and set aside. Juice the orange and set juice aside.
- Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan or stockpot over medium-high. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6 min.
- Mix in garlic, tomatoes, beans, and the orange juice. Stir in the spices. Simmer over medium heat, stirring often, for about 15 min.
- Stir in the orange zest and the cocoa powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper, adding hot sauce if you wish.
The recipe said to serve it with sour cream, but I feel like that would have ruined it. I took some advice from the readers' comments on epicurious and used one orange instead of the original two and added the cocoa powder for some depth at the end. Next time, I wouldn't use so much cumin, but that's just a personal preference. This chili is a lovely mix between sweet and spicy, and it's both low-fat and filling. I served it with the jalapeno-cheddar scones I had stored in the freezer a few weeks ago.
This Thanksgiving is supposed to be COLD, people. (Gotta love Pennsylvania -- 62 degrees last week and close-to-freezing temperatures on the horizon for this coming week.) Chilly weather is perfect for hot beverages, and The Kitchn has 14 warm drinks to keep you toasty this season.
Rachael Ray's red-skinned mashed potatoes are comforting, filling, and incredibly versatile. This recipe is fabulous. It can be slimmed down by substituting some of the cream for skim milk or for vegetable broth. It can be fancied up with chopped fresh herbs like sage or dill. It can be easily doubled or cut in half.
You will need:
- 2 1/2 lbs red-skinned potatoes (fist-sized or smaller)
- 1/2 c whole milk (or even half and half -- yum!)
- 3 Tbsp butter
- coarse salt and black pepper
Steps:
- Do not peel the potatoes, but wash them off if they're a bit dusty.
- Cut the potatoes into even-sized chunks. (You really only need to cut them in half. Just make sure the pieces are relatively the same size.) Place them in a pot and cover with cold water. Cover pot and bring to a boil.
- Cook at a rolling boil, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Drain and return them to the pot. Add milk and butter to potatoes and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep covered on the stovetop until serving.
You can even add some sour cream if you want. To me, the most important part is not peeling the potatoes. I love the texture and color of the shredded skins after you've mashed the potatoes. It takes me back to Millersville, where they served similar mashed potatoes in the dining hall. Those were the days!
Anyone who knows me well knows that I do not like carrots unless their taste is covered up by something other than carrot. (I don't know -- it's just a "thing.") Carrots in soup? No problem. Carrots in a casserole? Sure thing. Carrots slathered in butter and sugar? Yes, please!
You will need:
- About 2 c of chopped carrots (coins or chunks) or baby carrots
- 1/4 c brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp butter
- zest of half a lemon
- pinch of salt
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Steps:
- Boil carrots in a small saucepan in water over medium-high until crisp-tender. (The time will vary depending on the thickness of your carrots, so just test them every so often.) Drain and keep warm.
- In the same pan, heat sugar and butter over medium until bubbly. Stir in lemon zest.
- Add carrots; cook 10-15 minutes over low until they are glazed. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, if using. Serve immediately.
Love, love, LOVE these carrots. It's just the right level of sweetness and indulgence.
Oh, dear. I may have made a terrible mistake.
I discovered a laughably easy and decadently delicious macaroni and cheese recipe. It's so simple that I could make it once a week, but it's so rich that I would be on my deathbed if I repeated the routine for more than three weeks in a row, most likely.
Homemade macaroni and cheese IS the definition of comfort food, if you ask me. It's creamy, oozy, and crispy all at the same time. Its aroma is intoxicating, and its golden brown crust immediately makes me feel like a kid again. However, making it can be a pain. Usually, making it in the oven requires pre-boiling the pasta and waiting for it to cool. The sole slow cooker recipe I tried left me with a caked-on mess and gummy pasta. After that last experiment, I wrote off the idea of making it myself.
But then the weather turned cold and I my "comfort food" light started blinking. While browsing through the Smitten Kitchen's archives, I stumbled upon this recipe and thought, "Hmm, that might be worth a shot." And Lordy, it was. Bryan finished his meal with a happy sigh and a proclamation of, "This is a new family favorite!"
You will need:
- 1 cup cottage cheese (I used low-fat even though Deb said not to)
- 2 cups milk (Deb said not skim milk, but I used 1/4 cup half and half the rest was skim)
- 1 tsp dry mustard (skipped)
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt (next time I'll use less)
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper (didn't measure)
- 1 pound (yes, you read that correctly) sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 pound elbow pasta, uncooked (I used pipette)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 F and position the rack in the upper third of the oven. Spray a 2 or 2.5-quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Puree cottage cheese, milk, mustard, nutmeg, and salt and pepper in a blender.
- Reserve 1/4 cup grated cheese for the topping but put the rest into a large bowl. Then add the dry pasta and the milk mixture and combine with a big spoon or spoonula.
- Pour into prepared baking dish, cover with a lid, and bake 30 minutes. Convince yourself that you're going to be okay and that you CAN wait that long.
- Remove the lid, stir mixture gently, and sprinkle with remaining cheese. (I added a little garlic powder here too.) Bake, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, until brown. You WILL be okay.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 15 minutes so it can cool and solidify a bit. Now might be a good time to go for a jog to take your mind off the deliciousness that's waiting for you and to create some room for the insane richness you will soon experience.
Deb ends her recipe with, "Serve it with a g'normous green salad, in a feeble attempt at caloric balance, and wine, to remind yourself that you're a grown-up." I made it only halfway through my salad, and I skipped the wine, as it probably would have caused me to fall asleep before I finished my meal. Some quick notes: I'm sure you could substitute the cottage cheese for ricotta if you prefer. I want to experiment with adding other cheese into the mix next time -- maybe smoked Gouda or a spicy pepper jack. I know some homemade macaroni and cheese recipes use a breadcrumb crust, but you really don't need it here. This recipe is all about the two stars of the show: pasta, and a hell of a lot of cheese.
** Update: I made this on Christmas Day using ricotta, and it was still delicious. The ricotta was less salty than the cottage cheese, which helped a lot. It also blended into a creamier consistency. I used a combination of sharp cheddar and mozzarella, but I think I like straight cheddar best. Still great though!
Chilly weather always brings on my bread cravings, but we all know bread sometimes goes stale before we have a chance to use it all up. The Kitchn has five solutions for leftover bread.
Today begins my weekly side dish series, which will continue through December. Remember, if you have a recipe to share, please send me an email!
I saw Nigella Lawson make this recipe on Food Network several years ago, and it's been lounging comfortably in the back of my mind ever since. Last night, I was home alone, and although I'd had a grilled cheese (on pumpernickel -- mmm) around 4:00, I was hungry again by 7:00. I decided to finally try out her recipe, but I changed up some of the proportions. The amount I made should have served two as a side dish, but I ate the whole thing myself. It was unbelievable.
You will need:
- 1/8 cup olive oil
- small clove of garlic, minced or pressed
- zest of half a lemon
- 1 14.5 oz can of white beans (I used cannellini), drained and rinsed
Steps:
- Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium.
- Add the garlic and lemon zest and heat through for less than a minute. (You don't want to cook anything; you're really just warming it up.)
- Add the beans and stir while you mash them. (Her recipe says to use the back of a wooden spoon, but I had to get out the potato masher.)
- Remove from heat once everything is mashed up. It's okay to leave some of the beans chunky. Season with salt and pepper.
- (I added a pat of butter before I scooped it into a bowl. I'm sure Nigella would approve of this.)
It's really that easy, and the results are creamy and comforting, especially on a chilly autumn evening. It took less than five minutes to throw together, which is always nice for a side dish! I wish I could tell you if it reheats well, but as I said, I didn't have any left! I'd love to try this with salmon or even as a base under some roasted veggies. If you leave out the butter, this is a vegan dish.
Today was one of the first days that really felt like autumn. The afternoon air was crisp, and while the sun was warm, I felt cold in the shade. Bryan and I took a short walk and kicked around in the leaves for a bit. It's not quite cool enough for soup yet, but it's time to welcome in the flavors of fall, for sure. This recipe comes from the always-fabulous epicurious.com.
You will need:
- Scant 1/2 cup French green lentils
- 3 cups 1-inch pieces of butternut squash (from a one-pound whole squash)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3 cups baby arugula or baby spinach (or combination thereof)
- 1/2 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/8 cup thinly sliced mint leaves (I left it out)
- 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Steps:
- Boil lentils for 25-30 minutes, or until they're tender but firm. Drain and rinse under cold water and set aside. (You can do this a few hours or even a day ahead of time. You can always use leftover plain lentils, too.)
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Place the squash cubes in a small bowl and toss them with 1 Tbsp of the oil, the cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir to coat. (Rinse the bowl and save it for a little later.) Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast 20 minutes. Stir and toast another 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool.
- While you're waiting, arrange the arugula/spinach on three plates and top with the lentils. When the squash is cool (or even still a little warm), place it in a bowl along with any oil saved from the roasting pan, plus half the goat cheese, the mint, vinegar, and the remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide among plates and top with remaining goat cheese.
When I first saw this recipe, I was intrigued by the combination of flavors, and I wasn't quite sure how it would turn out. I was also interested to see how Bryan, who thinks he doesn't like any kind of squash, would react to it. I worried a bit about finding some of the ingredients; luckily, the Herb Shop stand at Central Market sells hot smoked Spanish paprika, and the other stands at market were able to provide me with the other ingredients. Gotta love Market.
It turned out the mixture of flavors was a good one. The squash was sweet and mellow, while the paprika and cumin provided a smoky, spicy background. The peppery arugula was perfect, and the lentils added nice texture. Next time I might add some pecans for crunch; the only unfortunate part about this recipe was that my squash got too mushy in the oven. The goat cheese brought everything together, both as a physical binder and a flavor complement. I wish I had had some mint, but I stupidly cut back my mint plants yesterday and didn't keep any of the leaves. I'm sure it would add another intriguing flavor layer!
Going back to the goat cheese for a minute, if you still haven't tried it, you really need to. And if you're one of those people who thinks that milk from a goat is somehow weirder than milk from a cow, it's time to get past your preconceptions. Goat cheese is one of my favorite things on the planet, and it's incredible versatile. Now, if you live in Lancaster and already appreciate goat cheese, you must check out Linden Dale Farms at Central Market. I've never had anything like it. The lady who runs the stand can tell you exactly when the cheese was made and probably even the name of the goat it came from. Incredible stuff.
I served this with Smitten Kitchen's incredible jalapeno-cheddar scones. Deb continues to impress me with her recipes, and her site has now become my very favorite food blog.
