Butternut Squash, your a shining STAR!!!!

So Pumpkin gets all the attention now. But another squash that's a shining star is the Butternut Squash.  Here are a few recipes from Food Network and a foodie's blog to jumpstart your Holiday Season.

Butternut Squash Soup  

Ingredients

• 1 (2 to 3 pound) butternut squash, peeled and seeded
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Cut squash into 1-inch chunks. In large pot melt butter. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add squash and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove squash chunks with slotted spoon and place in a blender and puree. Return blended squash to pot. Stir and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve.

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network Kitchens

© 2016 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili 

Ingredients    

• 3 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound 99 percent fat-free ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• Kosher salt
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2inch cubes (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
• Two 14-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions

• Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the turkey and cook, breaking up chunks with the side of a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Push the turkey to the edges of the pan, leaving the middle empty. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, then the onion and garlic to the center of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and coriander and stir about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste and 1 teaspoon salt and stir until the paste begins to darken in color, about 30 seconds. Then add the squash, tomatoes and 4 cups water, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any stuck bits. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chili has thickened and the squash is tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Stir the beans and chia seeds into the chili and heat through, about 5 minutes. Season with an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper, then taste the chili and stir in up to 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Spoon the chili into bowls and top each bowl with cilantro and a dollop of sour cream.

Copyright 2014 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

From Food Network Kitchen

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese 

Ingredients

• 1 pound macaroni with lines, such as tubatini or mini penne rigate
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus a few sprigs for garnish
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 (10 ounce) box frozen cooked butter nut squash, defrosted
• 1 cup cream or half-and-half
• 2 cups (8 ounces) sharp Cheddar, grated
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a couple of handfuls
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, eyeball it
• Black pepper

Directions

Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta. Salt the water then add the pasta and cook to al dente or, with a bite to it.

• While pasta cooks, heat a medium heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the extra-virgin olive oil and butter. When the butter melts into the oil, add the thyme and grate the onion directly into the pot with a hand held grater or Microplane. Cook the grated onion in butter and oil 1 to 2 minutes, then add flour and cook together 1 to 2 more minutes. Whisk in stock, then combine with butternut squash until warmed through and smooth. Stir in cream or half-and-half and bring sauce to a bubble. Stir in cheeses in a figure 8 motion and season the completed sauce with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Taste to adjust seasonings.
• Drain cooked pasta well and combine with sauce. Serve alongside chicken sammies and top with thyme leaves picked from remaining sprigs (Boo would also have a little extra sprinkle of that cheese, please!)

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

© 2016 Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna   

Ingredients

2 cups butternut squash puree (about half of squash)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup milk (or more, if needed)

1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Spinach Filling:

1 cup cooked spinach (8 oz uncooked)

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste

Other Ingredients:

10 oz lasagna noodles, cooked (for gluten free, use Tinkyada brown rice lasagna noodles)

1 and 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (or more)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (on top)

Italian seasoning

Paprika

Basil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
Butternut Squash Filling:
2. For this filling, you will need to have pre-cooked butternut squash puree. Using food processor, combine 2 cups of butternut squash puree with Ricotta cheese, milk, salt and nutmeg. Add more milk if needed (to make the butternut squash filling very creamy). Mix very well, taste and add more salt, if needed.
Spinach Filling:
3. Combine spinach, Ricotta cheese, mozzarella, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
Cooking lasagna noodles:
4. Bring a very large pot of water to boil, and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Rinse in cold water, drain. Using knife, trim noodles to fit your baking dish (if necessary).
Lasagna assembly:
5. Prepare a baking dish - I used a casserole dish 11 inches x 8.5 inches x 3 inches deep. Grease the lasagna dish lightly with olive oil spray. Spread 1/3 of butternut squash filling on the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle lightly with mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked lasagna noodles without overlapping (I used 3 noodles).
6. Spread half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
7. Spread another layer (1/3) of butternut squash mixture, then sprinkle lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked noodles.
8. Spread the remaining half of spinach filling over the noodles. Top lightly with Mozzarella cheese. Top with the final layer of cooked noodles.
9. Spread a generous amount of butternut squash filling (the remaining 1/3) over this final layer of noodles, sprinkle with grated Parmesan and remaining mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup of mozzarella). Generously sprinkle the cheese with Italian seasoning, paprika, basil.
10. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

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As Always, Be Blessed....
Nykea Williams

     

                Spread A Little Joy.......