Recipe: Roasted Winter Squash Soup

As part of my goals for the new year, I want to get back to posting more recipes.  I am still cooking a lot, but haven't been as good at sharing my recipes, and I do so love to share.

It has been ridiculously cold here in Vermont, and I know others are also feeling the chill.  What better for a warm-you-up dinner than a Roasted Winter Squash soup?

I had some leftover winter squash from my CSA (Oh, how I miss my weekly veggie pick up.. they didn't have a good enough season to offer a winter CSA this year.  I'm hoping for next year!)  and decided to use it in my soup.  I just used mixed winter squash that I had on hand.

This soup was very simple and everyone loved it.  The kids each had two bowls.  I'd say that qualifies as a win.

Served with cheese stuffed crescent rolls

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

5-6 small assorted winter squash, halved and de-seeded
2 Tbsp butter
1 can fat free evaporated milk
1 - 1 1/2 c water (adjust to desired thickness)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Place halved squash on a large baking sheet and place a small pat of butter in each one.  Roast until soft - about 45 minutes.

What's left after scooping out the flesh

A little pot full of cooked squash

Remove from oven and scoop flesh into a small soup pot.

Delicious spices

Add evaporated milk and water and puree with an immersion blender until smooth.  Stir in spices and simmer for about 15 minutes to let flavors combine.

Serve and enjoy!

Recipe: Persian Adwiya Lemon Cream Spaghetti Squash

I got some spaghetti squash from my CSA and was looking for recipes to use it in.  The last time I made spaghetti squash, I tried to cook it in my microwave, and though I pierced the skin, I apparently didn't pierce it enough, because it exploded.  I have pictures someplace.  It was horrible.

I went the safe route this time and baked the spaghetti squash.

I used some Persian Adwiya spice from Teeny Tiny Spice Company, and was inspired by this recipe.  You could leave it out, or just add some of your favorite spice mix.  The Adwiya adds a lovely flavor that I can heartily recommend.  I served it with lemon pepper rotisserie chicken and it was incredible.

Persian Adwiya Lemon Cream Spaghetti Squash

2 spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp butter
1 lemon - zest and juice
1 container Savory Garlic Philadelphia Cooking Creme
1/2 c grated romano or parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp Persian Adwiya Teeny Tiny Spice

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Halve the spaghetti squash and put a small pat of butter in each one.  Sprinkle with a little Persian Adwiya spice.  Bake the squash until tender, about 40 minutes.  Using a fork, shred out the squash in spaghetti-like strands and transfer to a large dish.

Combine the lemon zest and juice with the cooking creme (you could also use cream cheese thinned with some milk or sour cream, with some garlic added), along with the remaining Persian Adwiya spice.  Stir into the spaghetti squash and top with the cheese, stirring it in to mix completely.

If desired, serve with chopped lemon pepper rotisserie chicken, and enjoy!

Recipe: Garden Couscous Stuffed Pattypan Squash

I have never before had pattypan squash.  My mother mentioned that she doesn't much care for it, so we never grew it.  Always interested in trying new things, I was excited to have it as an option at my CSA this week, and grabbed them happily.

I am so glad that I did!  The kids loved them, I loved them, The Hubby loved them... and they are super cute!  I bet I could even convert my mother.

Garden Couscous Stuffed Pattypan Squash

1 Tbsp oil
6 small to medium sized pattypan squash
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 cubanelle (or sweet bell) pepper, chopped
1 ear corn, kernels cut off
3 links sausage (I used Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Chicken Sausage)
1/4 c Philadelphia Savory Garlic Cooking Creme
1 c water
1 c couscous
1 tsp butter

Preheat oven to 400 F. Hollow out pattypan squash with a melon baller or small spoon until there is only a small amount of flesh left under the skin.  Save the squash you scoop out.

Heat oil in a saute pan.  Combine chopped veggies with the squash in the pan and cook over medium heat.  Remove skin from the sausages and crumble the meat into the pan.  Cook until the meat is done and the veggies are tender.  Stir in the cooking creme (or use cream cheese with a little milk mixed in, with some garlic powder).

Meanwhile, boil the water in a sauce pan.  Melt the butter in the water.  When the water comes to a boil, stir in the couscous, cover, and remove from heat.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir into the veggie mixture.

Filling

Place the hollowed out squash into a baking dish. Fill the squash with the couscous veggie mixture.  Put any remaining filling into an oven safe pan (or the saucepan you cooked the couscous in).  Bake both the stuffed squash and the remaining filling for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh of the squash is tender.

Serve squash on top of a little of the filling and enjoy.

Recipe: Black Rice Stuffed Zucchini

Don't miss my EasyLunchbox Giveaway!

A while ago, I got some black rice at Costco.  We have been loving it!  It's nutty and full of good stuff, like antioxidants and fiber, as well as some protein.  Nice for a meatless Monday dinner, I thought.  So, I grabbed some of my zucchini from my CSA share and made a delicious dinner, and everyone gobbled it up.

I had mine with some salad (also from my CSA).

Black Rice Stuffed Zucchini

3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 c black rice, rinsed
2 c water or veggie broth
2 Tbsp pesto
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
3-4 large zucchini

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large sauce pan.  Add onion and garlic, and saute until the onion is soft.  Stir in the rice and coat with the butter, then saute for about 5 minutes, to lightly toast it.  Add the water or broth and simmer, covered, until the rice is cooked.  Add the last tablespoon of butter, along with the pesto and the feta cheese.  Combine well.

While the rice is cooking, cut the zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the center.   Preheat the oven to 350 F.  When the rice is done cooking, scoop it into the zucchini halves and place on a baking sheet, tented with foil.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked through.  Serve and enjoy.

Recipe: Roasted Vegetable and Cheddar Phyllo Pie

Oh, how I am enjoying my CSA!  My fridge is full of vegetables, and I love finding creative ways to use them.

Tonight, I decided to use some leftover Phyllo dough that I had used for my first foray into catering this weekend, so what better than a cheesy and delicious roasted vegetable "pie" made with phyllo dough?  You could use any veggies you have on hand - I used zucchini, yellow squash, an ear of corn, and cherry tomatoes.

My shortcut with phyllo dough is to use butter flavored cooking spray on the sheets instead of tons and tons of melted butter.  It is quicker and less fatty.  If you don't like using cooking spray, you could also use something like an olive oil mister, or you could take the time (and the butter) and brush each sheet with melted butter.

I encourage you to try this - it was fantastic, and the kids loved it, even the cherry tomatoes, which they usually push aside.

Roasted Vegetable and Cheddar Phyllo Pie

1/2 box phyllo dough, thawed (one sleeve of sheets in a box of two sleeves)
1 ear corn, kernals sliced off
1 small zucchini, sliced thinly
1 small yellow squash, sliced thinly
1/2 c cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp olive oil
sea salt to taste
butter flavored cooking spray (or melted butter to brush onto phyllo)
2 c cheddar cheese, sliced

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Toss vegetables in olive oil and a little salt and roast for about 15 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and lower heat to 350 F.

Phyllo layers with cheddar between them

Lightly grease a 8"x10" deep baking dish.  Layer in two sheets of phyllo dough, so that they hang over the sides.  Lay slices of cheddar cheese on top of the phyllo, then spray with butter flavored cooking spray lightly.  Add another layer of phyllo dough, then some more cheese, followed by some more butter flavored cooking spray.  Repeat until you have 4 layers of phyllo and cheese.

A layer of corn and squash.  Other layers also had cherry tomatoes

Add a layer of vegetables, then some cheese, butter flavored cooking spray, and another layer of phyllo.  Repeat until all of your vegetables are layered into the pie.  Top with remaining phyllo and cheese, spraying with more butter flavored spray in between layers.  After all the phyllo is used, fold the sides in so that the top is all layers of phyllo.  Top with a final spritz with butter flavored spray.  Bake for 15 minutes with a cover (use tin foil if your pan does not have a lid) and then remove the cover and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes, or until the top layer of phyllo is lightly browned and crispy.  Allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

A slice of deliciousness

Recipe: Grilled Summer Squash & Lentil Tacos

The squash are coming!  Thanks to my CSA, I have some of it, and I'm sure there will be plenty more to come.

Tonight, I used my zucchini and summer squash in tacos, with some lentils that the kids and I picked up after sampling them at Costco a while ago.  You could cook up your own lentils, too.

Last week's CSA share

The kids couldn't eat these fast enough.  A total win.

Grilled Summer Squash & Lentil Tacos

2 small yellow squash
1 small zucchini
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 c cooked lentils

shredded lettuce
shredded Mexican blend cheese
taco sauce
taco shells

Preheat a grill to medium heat.  Slice squash thinly, lengthwise.  Brush the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with taco seasoning.  Grill for about 3 minutes, and then flip, so that the squash is cooked through.

Mmmm, squash!

Remove from the grill and chop into small chunks.  Combine the grilled squash with the cooked lentils.

Put the filling in taco shells with some lettuce, cheese, and taco sauce.  Enjoy!

Recipe: Strawberry-Rhubarb Layer Cake

My sister's birthday is July 1, and we always celebrate on the 4th because the whole family is together.  She has ended up with a lot of very patriotic birthday cakes.  Since most of the time, these involve strawberries and blueberries, she has never complained.

This year, I decided to make her something with some of the bounty from my CSA. I was looking for a strawberry-rhubarb cake recipe online, and most of the recipes I found were dump cakes, and not pretty at all.

I came upon this recipe from Eats Well With Others for Strawberry-Rhubarb Dream Cake and knew that I had to make a version of it for my sister's birthday cake.  The recipe was just what I was looking for - fancy and beautiful.  I tweaked the recipe some to suit our needs, but overall, I couldn't be happier with the results.  It was festive, moist, and absolutely delicious.

Fresh rhubarb

Fresh strawberries

Here is my version - though I doubled the recipe, I will post a single recipe because doubling was HUGE. There was too much batter for my poor little mixer.  I had to mix in the last bit by hand in a larger bowl. The recipe I am posting would be enough for one half sheet pan, or two 8x11 pans.  If you make it in one half sheet pan (as I would recommend - I just got a foil one at the grocery store), cut the finished cake in half for layering.

Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake
(Adapted from Eats Well With Others)

Cake:
1 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
5 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 c cake flour
2 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 c buttermilk (or 1 1/4 c milk with 1 Tbsp lemon juice stirred in)
2 c diced rhubarb

Filling:
1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped into small pieces (several strawberries set aside and halved for topping)
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 c sugar

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup mascarpone
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

Cool Whip with vanilla pudding mix mixed in, or Cool Whip Frosting (I used the Cool Whip frosting and it was fantastic)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray with flour in it, or cooking spray and dust with a bit of flour.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add a third of the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, stirring until just combined.  Add in half of the milk. Repeat with the second third of the flour and the remaining buttermilk. Add in the remaining flour and still until just incorporated. Fold in the rhubarb.

Folding in the rhubarb

Spread batter evenly in the pan, leveling with a spatula.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in the pan, unless you have a very large cooling rack that will hold the whole half sheet cake.  Do not fill and layer until the cake is completely cool.

To make the filling, mix the chopped strawberries with lemon zest and sugar.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whip together the heavy cream and mascarpone with vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Cut the half sheet cake in half lengthwise, so that you have two equal rectangles.  Spoon the juices from the macerated strawberries onto the bottom layer and brush to coat.  Spread the remaining strawberry mixture evenly over the cake, then top with the mascarpone cream.  Level the filling with a spatula, and freeze for 10 minutes to set.  Remove from freezer and top with second cake layer.  

First time seeing this at the store, and I got it on a whim - it's great!

Frost with Cool Whip mixed with pudding mix, or with Cool Whip Frosting.  Decorate the top with strawberries and blueberries.  Serve chilled if possible.

Recipe: Crustless Summer Vegetable Quiche

I've joined a CSA this summer, and I am having a ball with all of my goodies so far, and it's only been two weeks!  I had some veggies that needed using (most from the CSA), so I decided to make a summer vegetable quiche as a light dinner.  It is hot here this week.  I walked outside after work and my glasses fogged up.  Seriously.  That's not ok.  This quiche can be served room temperature, or even chilled, is perfect for a light summer dinner.

Some of my CSA bounty

Instead of using a crust, I used some leftover boiled potatoes that I made for my Swedish Midsommar Celebration this past weekend.  They were boiled, with butter and some dill.  You could just use plain boiled potatoes as well.  Try this with whatever veggies you have on hand!

Crustless Summer Vegetable Quiche

1 small bunch asparagus
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 small potatoes, boiled and sliced thinly
1 small tomato, sliced thinly
1/4 c scallions, chopped
2 eggs
1/3 c heavy cream
1/3 c milk
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Trim off any woody ends from the asparagus and toss with the oil.  Roast for about 15 minutes.  Set aside.

Lightly spray a tart pan with cooking spray.

Spread one layer of potato slices on the bottom of the tart pan.

Lay a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes on top of the potatoes.

Spread the asparagus over the tomatoes decoratively.

Whisk together the eggs, scallions, cream, milk, cheese, and oregano until fluffy and pour evenly over the vegetables.

Bake at 450 F for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Let cool for 5 minutes before turning out of pan.  Serve in slices, warm, room temperature, or chilled.

The kids each had two slices!