Butternut Squash Soup

Photo Credit:Cheeseslave

'It’s almost fall. As the weather begins to cool, I start to crave soup. Butternut squash soup is one of my all-time favorites. It’s also extremely easy and quick to make. And chicken stock is so nourishing.'

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Snow, snow, stay away!

My Sunday long run? non-existant this week. We got another few inches of snow. Shelley & I bundled up, and headed out. The roads were poorly cleared. We headed out, and Garmin said we were at a 14:00min/mile pace. The roads were filled with ice, snow & slush, and we were nervous. We decided rather than risk an injury by going for our 10 miles, we would go for a short walk, then hit starbucks. We clocked a mile before getting our latte, no breakfast sandwich since we really didn't exert any energy. So disappointing.

On the other hand, I was wicked proud of us! Last year, I would have NEVER attempted to head out with snow on the ground. Any sign of inclement weather kept me inside, probably eating & watching TV. I came home, played the Wii fit for a half hour before getting ready for the rest of my day.

That afternoon I headed to the HUGE bridal show that was being held at the Big E fairgrounds with one of my bridesmaids. Lucky for me, she got married last year and knew exactly what questions to ask. We pretty much were only on the lookout for photographers & limos, since I already have my venu & DJ picked out. We got a bunch of free goodies, entered a ton of raffles, and even won a free cruise to bahamas & key west on Royal Caribbean (our fav)! We only have to pay for cruise port taxes & gratuities! Even though the wedding is about a year & a half away, its exciting to think about the possibilities!

liked this bridesmaid dress too!

Tonight I made a delicious dinner from Self Magazine in Feb 2010

Butternut Squash & Fried Sage Pasta

What you need

8 oz whole wheat penne

1 TBSP olive oil

8-10 sage leaves

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 medium butternut squash (about 2#), peeled, seeded & cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

How you make it

Cook penne as directed on package

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry sage, turning once until crisp on both sides, about 1 min per side. Transfer to a paper towel.

Add onion and garlic to skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft & golden, about 3 minutes. Add squash, 3/4 cup water, salt & pepper. Cover & simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash softens, 5-7 min.

Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return pasta to pot & add squash mixture. Stir over low heat, adding water if necessary until pasta is coated. Mix in sage & cheese. enjoy!

We're supposed to get another round of snow tomorrow night. I am crossing my fingers that it won't be much, but I'm sure that it will be. I did skip the gym this morning in favor of some extra sleep, but will definitely hit it up for my run tomorrow. 5 weeks until race day!

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Food52's Best Butternut Squash Recipes: Vote For The Best Dish

Butternut Squash and Roasted Garlic Galette

Photo: Sarah Shatz


'For the past year, Food52.com readers have been voting in weekly showdowns of reader-submitted recipes on a given theme. The winning recipes of each week will end up in Food52's upcoming cookbook, along with bios of the people who submitted them (Food52 explains the process in simple detail here).
Food52 and its co-founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs have invited HuffPost Food readers to vote on this week's contest (of the second year, and the second book).
This week's showdown is for the best butternut squash recipe.'


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Butternut Squash Ravioli

From Taste Book

Butternut squash ravioli is one of my favorite types of pasta. These ravioli taste especially delicious when served with parmesan cheese and brown butter, sage, and hazelnut sauce-I am partial to Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe from “Everyday Italian.”

• 4 cups [organic] butternut (or other) squash, peeled & cut into 1-inch cubes

• 2 teaspoons brown sugar [sucanat brown sugar]
  

• 1 cup [organic] ricotta cheese

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 package wonton wrappers or 1 recipe fresh homemade pasta cut into 3x3 inch squares

• olive oil

• salt & pepper

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Toss squash with oil, salt, pepper, and brown sugar in a roasting pan. Add ¼ cup water and cover with foil. Roast 25 to 30 minutes until very tender (will fall apart when poked with a fork).

• Drain squash well, return to pan, and mash with a fork. Return, uncovered, to the oven and bake for 10 minutes to dry out.

• Add cheese, sage, parsley, cinnamon, and nutmeg; blend well. Distribute by scant tablespoons on half of the pasta or wonton squares. Moisten edges with water, top with remaing squares, and carefully pinch pressing out all air.

• Cook in boiling water in batches until they float. To keep cooked ravioli from sticking, toss in olive oil. Serve with brown butter sauce and Parmesan cheese.

Original Recipe HERE



Squashes

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Butternut squash crumble

(Beatrice Peltre for The Boston Globe)

Winter squashes like butternut are beautiful baked, sauteed, or used in hearty soups, gratins, and casseroles. They’re also delicious in a savory crumble. The idea behind this dish is simple: Imagine a traditional sweet crumble in which seasonal fruit is baked under a crispy topping of flour, sometimes nuts or oats, sugar, and butter. Replace the fruit with vegetables, and the sugar with fresh herbs and cheese. The preparation involves two steps.

To start, mix the topping: flour, walnuts, Parmesan, parsley, and butter. Then stew the squash with tomatoes, ground coriander, and sage. When it’s creamy, add Parmesan to this mixture, too. Any of the winter squashes such as red kuri or acorn squash can be used for this dish. To peel red kuri and other hard-skinned squash, halve and seed it, then cut it into smaller pieces. Use a small knife to remove the skin from each piece. In either case, assemble the crumble ahead of time and bake it later. That simplifies any menu and makes the crumble a good choice for a weekend supper when guests are around.

TOPPING

1	cup flour
1/2	cup walnuts, chopped coarsely
1	tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2	cup grated Parmesan
	Pepper, to taste
6	tablespoons butter, diced and at room temperature

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, walnuts, parsley, Parmesan, and a generous sprinkle of pepper.

2. Add the butter and work with your fingertips until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Cover and refrigerate.

SQUASH

	Butter (for the dish)
2	tablespoons olive oil
1	tablespoon butter
1	red onion, coarsely chopped
1	teaspoon ground coriander
1	bay leaf
1/2	cup canned tomatoes
1	peeled butternut squash, cut into 1-inch dice
5	fresh sage leaves, chopped
	Salt and pepper, to taste
1	tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2	cup grated Parmesan

1. Generously butter a 10-inch baking dish.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the butter and when it melts, cook the onion, coriander, and bay leaf, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until softened.

3. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the butternut squash, sage, salt, and pepper. Turn down the heat. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the vegetables soften.

4. Set the oven at 350.

5. Discard the bay leaf from the squash mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan; stir gently. Transfer the vegetables to the baking dish. Spoon the crumble mixture on top.

6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden.

Original Recipe HERE

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