Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Inspired by this delectable sounding sauce, I decided to try my hand at using a butternut squash as a quick marinara sauce alternative.  Butternuts are highly contested in our household -- one of us finds them too sweet often raising a brow when it lands on the table, while the other of us loves it. As the cook, I have probably not disguised who is who whatsoever!  I still sneak into the rotation, roasting it with other vegetables like this, or masking it with other great flavors.  On this night, there was no masking....we had butternut squash pasta sauce for dinner.  Unsurprisingly, half of us enjoyed it.

I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5 on the flavor scale.  More importantly, I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5 for ease of preparation.  And lets be honest, mid-week, sometimes ease outweighs all else.

Next time, I would consider more onion or a roasted red pepper.  Do you have a favorite quick sauce recipe? I'd love to hear it in the comments section.

Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, sliced in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1.5 teaspoons crushed red pepper 
• 2 - 3 cloves garlic, skin intact
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Pasta of your choice + 2/3 of a cup of reserved pasta water

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Toss the onion, squash and garlic with olive oil in a roasting pan
• Sprinkle with salt, pepper and the crushed red pepper and roast for 30-35 minutes, until browned 
• Meanwhile, prepare the pasta reserving 2/3rds a cup of pasta water*
• Remove the pan from the oven, separate the skin from the squash and garlic
• Blend the squash, onion, garlic and parmesan until mixed in a food processor or blender.  In 1/3 cup increments, blend in the reserved pasta water until you reach your desired sauce consistency
• Toss with the pasta, sprinkle with additional cheese and enjoy

*I often throw sturdy green vegetables into my cooking pasta with 1-2 minutes to go. Brocolli and green beans stand up well and add color and nutrients to the plate.

Carrot & Butternut Squash Soup

Dipping a hunk of crusty bread into a bowl of homemade soup. Does it get any cozier than that? Fall is my absolute favorite season. Changing leaves, crisp air, sweaters, root vegetables, apples, simmering pots of goodness like the one above... that is pure happiness to me.

As my CSA share winds down (just one left, tear tear!), the root vegetables are in high supply.  We have a lot, and I mean a lot, of carrots.  If you have any carrot recipes to share, I'd love hear them in the comment section below.

The following soup recipe is a rustic, no muss no fuss preparation.  The optional addition of some cream or milk will richen it up.  I omitted in mine, and am enjoying this for lunch at work with a dollop of Greek Yogurt and a healthy handful of crackers.

Carrot & Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 medium butternut squash, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 5 large carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Optional: 1/2 cup of milk or cream

Directions

• Heat the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat until glistening.  Add the onion and garlic, and saute for 3 minutes until glistening. 
• Add the carrots, and saute for 3 minutes. 
• Toss in the butternut squash to coat, and top off with the stock, sage and cayenne.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer for 25 minutes under tender. 
• Puree using an immersion blender, food processor or blender. 
• If you'd like a creamier taste, stir in the milk or cream. 
• Serve with chunky bread for dipping.  

Butternut Squash and Swiss Chard Lasagna

Our best couple friends here in New York just had a baby. Wasn't it kind of them to get going on all this just months before we do so we can inundate them with questions at every turn?  I think so!!!  A few weekends ago, I had grand plans to bring over dinner to visit with the baby and catch up with the new parents.... then an icky cold struck me down.

Instead, I ended up baking a meal and dropping it off for the new parents to enjoy.  It included Coconut & Lime's butternut squash and swiss chard lasagna. They confirmed its goodness so I've shared the recipe here. I must admit to being *slightly* chard out with my CSA, so I loved using up a big bunch in such a tasty way.  I've added in a tomato-based top layer, unlike Coconut & Lime's version, simply because I like that kick of acidity.

P.S. You will notice there are no pictures of the final product -- I had them bake it to serve warm.

Butternut Squash & Swiss Chard Lasagna
Courtesy of Coconut & Lime
Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash, sliced in half lengthwise and seeds removed
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 lb no-cook lasagna noodles
• 1 large bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and chopped into ribbons
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped or dried sage
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan 
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt & pepper
• 1 cup of tomato sauce

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400F. 
• Brush the butternut squash with a little olive oil. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until fork tender. Allow to cool slightly. Scoop out the insides and mash.  Turn the oven down to 375F. 

• Filling: Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion until fragrant, then add the chard and sage. Saute until the chard is soft, about 3 minutes. Turn off the burner and allow to cool slightly before combining with the ricotta, nutmeg, salt, pepper and paprika.

• Sauce: Melt the butter in a sauce pan.  Whisk in the flour, garlic and a few cranks of salt and pepper. Add the milk and whisk together until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan.

• Assembly: Spread a thin layer of white sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Top with noodles then layer with a layer of squash then the chard-ricotta mixture and drizzle with sauce. Repeat, until out of noodles. 

• Top with 1 cup of tomato sauce & sprinkled Parmesan cheese.  Bake covered for 30-35 minutes . Allow to sit about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Roasted Squash & Carrot Quinoa

These fall gems arrived in my CSA delivery.  On the weekend, my husband and a few of our good friends spent the day catching striped bass on a boat off Montauk point.  The growing baby in my belly kept me ashore, (I LOVE fishing so this baby better be cute ;-) and I cooked up the accompaniments for the evening feast. You may have read about the delicious apple and pear crisp, and the salad below offered a calm compliment to the star of the of menu, fresh stripped bass in a coconut curry sauce.  Recipe for bass to follow!

Roasted Butternut Squash & Carrot Quinoa Salad 

Ingredients 

• 1 butternut squash
• 3 - 4 large carrots
• 1 white onion
• 1/2 log of goat cheese
• 1 cup dry quinoa 
• Fresh Sage
• Handful of arugula or other greens
• Salt, Pepper and Olive Oil

Directions

• Pre heat over to 375
• Peel, chop and cube the butternut squash and carrots
• Finely dice the onion
• Toss the onion, carrots and squash with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, 5-6 torn sage leaves, salt and pepper
• Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until tender
• Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa as instructed
• When the quinoa is finished, toss with 1/2-1 tablespoon of olive oil to break it up
• After the veggies are roasted, mix the quinoa, veggies, washed greens and goat cheese to coat
• Serve!

About Quinoa

Quinoa is a super food.  High in protein, gluten free and rich in 8 essential amino acids like lysine, Quinoa really is the ultimate grain.  It's also delicious.